Card game for displaying images based on sound recognition

• US 7,128,651 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yasushi, Itonaga, Junichi, Miyamoto, Tomoji, Kikuchi, Tomio, Kamata, Muneoki
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US10/457,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20030199316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 20, 463 30- 35, 463 40- 42, 273459-461, 704/246, 704/275, 345/716
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen

Abstract

Provides a game machine with exceptional interactivity capable of ascertaining players'"'"' psychological states from player'"'"'s voices and actions. It is a game device for executing a prescribed game program in response to information input by players. Comprises a device for recognizing voices or actions made by players, and a processing board for ascertaining the condition of recognized voices and actions, and, for a given voice or given action, modifying the game device response processing operations to the voice or action in response to the condition of the voice or action.

Claims

1. A game device that executes a game program, which responds to information entered by players and responds to sounds external to the game device by generating signals that at least change a visual display, comprising:

a plurality of player controls allowing a player to enter information into the game;

a display device that displays an image of a dealer;

at least one sound recognition device for recognizing sounds external to the game device, wherein the recognition device is capable of determining conditions associated with the sounds; and

at least one processor for comparing the determined conditions with at least one threshold value and selecting the image of the dealer from a plurality of images in response to the comparison of the determined conditions with the at least one threshold value.

2. The game device according to claim 1, further comprising a player-interactive processor.

3. The game device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of player controls comprise push buttons.

4. The game device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sound recognition device comprises at least one microphone.

5. The game device of claim 1, wherein the sounds external to of the game device are sounds made by a voice of a player.

6. The game device of claim 1, wherein the sounds external to the game device are human vocal sounds.

7. The game device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sound recognition device comprises a sound recognition circuit.

8. The game device of claim 1, further comprising multiple player stations.

9. The game device of claim 1, wherein the display device is selected from a group consisting of a CRT display, a LCD display, and a plasma display.

10. The game device of claim 9, further comprising a processor that controls an output to the at least one visual display in response to a determination by the sound recognition device of conditions associated with sounds.

11. The game device of claim 10, wherein the sound recognition device recognizes reference level bands.

12. The game device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sound recognition device recognizes at least one sound selected from a group consisting of sound level, pitch, intonation, and tone.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the game program further executes a game program which responds to information entered by players and responds to sounds external to the game device by generating signals that alter development of the game.

14. A multiple-player game device that executes a game program, which responds to information entered by players and responds to external sounds made by a player by generating signals that change a visual display without, comprising:

an interactive game processor capable of controlling the game;

a plurality of player stations;

a plurality of player controls allowing a player to enter information into the game;

a display device that displays an image of a dealer;

at least one microphone for recognizing and collecting sounds;

a sound recognition circuit capable of recognizing the collected sounds and determining conditions associated with the sounds; and

at least one central processor for comparing the determined conditions with at least one threshold value and selecting the image of the dealer from a plurality of images in response to the comparison of the determined conditions with the at least one threshold value.

15. A game device that executes a game program, which responds to information entered by players and responds to sounds external to the game device, comprising:

a plurality of player controls allowing a player to enter information into the game;

a display device that displays an image of a dealer;

at least one sound recognition device for recognizing sounds external to the game device, wherein the recognition device is capable of determining conditions associated with the sounds; and

at least one processor for comparing the determined conditions with at least one threshold value and selecting a facial expression of the dealer from a Plurality of facial expressions in response to the comparison of the determined conditions with the at least one threshold value.