Match-style 3D video game device and controller therefor

• US 6,921,332 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Ueda, Satoshi, Ueda, Ryo, Fukunaga, Shozo, Matsuyama, Shigenobu
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US10/015,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/8, 463/7, 463 36- 39, 463/46, 345/7, 345/8, 345/706
• US Class Current: 463/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 : for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 : for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 : by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 : Fighting without shooting

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to obtain operation signals to enable operation of a more complex game by individually detecting movement in at least two axial directions. The present invention provides a pair of right and left controllers 21 and 22 that generate operation signals based on which game action is instructed, each controller having a main section 210 in the shape of a glove in which the hand is inserted, and in which is mounted an acceleration sensor 2124 that individually detects movement in three axial directions x, y and z (front/back, right/left, up/down). Each detection signal is deemed an operation signal for game action.

Claims

1. A match-style 3D video game device, comprising:

a monitor that is positioned at a prescribed height on which images are displayed;

a 3D video game device controller that generates operation signals based on a particular game action that is instructed, said 3D video game device including;

a pair of right and left main units configured to allow manual operation, said main units being wearable by a game player; and

right and left motion detection units that are respectively mounted in each of said right and left main units for individually detecting movement along at least two axes and outputting detected movement as operation signals, said 3D video game device controller causes a content of the operation thereof to be reflected in the particular game action;

game control means for controlling the progress of the game based on operation signals from the 3D video game device controller;

display control means for creating three-dimensional images from a viewpoint of a virtual camera and for displaying said three-dimensional images on the screen of said monitor, said three-dimensional images including an opponent character displayed as facing the game player when said game player is positioned in a play space in front of said monitor screen;

head detection means for detecting a position of a head of the game player in at least right and left directions relative to a fixed position of the monitor screen when said game player is positioned in the play space;

viewpoint change means for moving the viewpoint of said virtual camera in accordance with a direction and amount of change in the detected head position relative to the fixed position of the monitor screen;

said game controller means including means for setting a hitting area at at least one location on a body of the opponent character displayed on the monitor screen and for setting a defensive region that overlaps with hands of the opponent character and the body of the opponent as seen from said virtual viewpoint; and

said display control means displays a hitting mark on said hitting area when said defensive region is outside said hitting area.

2. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 1, wherein said head detection means includes means for detecting a height of the head.

3. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 1, wherein said display control means displays an opponent character on said monitor screen as a game image, while said game control means displays the opponent character throwing a punch and instructs that a hit effect routine be performed such that a punch is landed on the player when there is a virtual camera viewpoint aiming in the direction in which said punch was thrown.

4. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 3, wherein said display control means includes causing the image displayed on the monitor screen to shake along at least one axis for a prescribed period of time upon receiving an instruction for a hit effect routine.

5. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 1, wherein said game control means processes the operation signals from the motion detection units as thrown punch signals and instructs that a hit effect routine be performed such that punches land on the opponent character displayed on the monitor screen.

6. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 5, wherein said display control means displays a damage action on the opponent character being shown on the monitor screen upon receiving an instruction for the hit effect routine.

7. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 6, wherein:

said game control means includes for recognizing from which of said right or left motion units said operation signals originated; and

said display control means displays, as a damage action in response to an operation signal from a recognized one of the left and right motion detection units, the opponent character on the monitor screen leaning toward an opposite side.

8. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 5, wherein:

said means for setting a hitting area sets a plurality of hitting areas at a plurality of locations on a body of the opponent character displayed on the monitor screen; and

said game control means includes means for recognizing a type of said operation signal and for associating different types of operation signals with different one of said plurality of hitting areas.

9. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 5, wherein said game control means includes means for conferring points responsive to receipt of an operation control signal upon the display of said hitting mark.

10. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 1, wherein each of said right and left motion detection units individually detects movement along three axes.

11. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 1, wherein each of said right and left main units is formed in a shape of a glove in which a hand of the game player is inserted.

12. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 1, wherein said 3D video game device controller includes a signal line to enable connection with another portion of the 3D video game device.

13. The match-style 3D video game device according to claim 1, wherein each of said right and left motion detection units comprises an acceleration sensor placed so as to operate to detect movement along each of said at least two axes.

14. The match-style 3D video game device according to according to claim 1, wherein viewpoint change means moves the viewpoint of the virtual camera in accordance with the direction and amount of change in the detected head position such that said viewpoint of said virtual camera approximates a view seen by the game player such that the defensive region that overlaps with the hands of the opponent character and the body is changed in position on the opponent'"'"'s body.

15. A match-style 3D video game device, comprising:

a monitor screen that is positioned at a prescribed height on which images are displayed;

a 3D video game device controller that generates operation signals based on a particular game action that is instructed, said 3D video game device including;

a pair of right and left main units configured to allow manual operation; and

right and left motion detection units that arc respectively mounted in each of said right and left main units for individually detecting movement along al least two axes and outputting detected movement as operation signals, said 3D video game device controller causing a content of the operation thereof to be reflected in the particular game action;

game control means for controlling progress of the game based on operation signals From the 3D video game device controller, said game control means including means for setting a hitting area at at least one location on a body of an opponent character displayed on the monitor screen so that said hitting area moves on said monitor screen according to the movement of the opponent character and for setting a defensive region that overlaps with hands of the opponent character and the body of the opponent as seen from said virtual camera viewpoint, said display control means displaying a hitting mark on said hitting area when said defensive region is outside said hitting area;

display control means for creating three-dimensional images from a viewpoint of a virtual camera and for displaying said three-dimensional images on the screen of said monitor;

head detection means for detecting a position or a head of the game player positioned in a play space in front of said monitor screen in at least right and left directions within a space surrounding the head of the game player; and

viewpoint change means for moving the viewpoint of said virtual camera in accordance with a direction and amount of change in the detected head position such that said viewpoint of said virtual camera essentially matches a view seen by the game player.