Sound generation device and sound generation program

• US 7,169,998 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kondo, Koji, Ida, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US10/623,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20040040434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 84615-619, 84653-658, 84678-690, 846/04, 463/30, 463/35
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/14 during execution voice controlled instruments G10H5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing

Abstract

A sound generation device is composed of a main unit and a game cartridge storing a sound generation program. The game cartridge includes an XY-axes acceleration sensor for detecting a tilt in two respective directions of a game device housing. When a button of the main unit is pressed, a CPU of in the main unit reads waveform data corresponding to one syllable in lyrics from human voice sound waveform data stored in a program ROM, changes a frequency and an amplitude of the waveform data in accordance with the obtained amounts of tilts in two directions, and outputs the processed waveform data from a loudspeaker as a sound. Thus, it is possible to provide a sound generation device capable of outputting a sound by changing its pitch and volume.

Claims

1. A sound generation device for outputting a sound in accordance with an operation by a performer, the device comprising:

a housing capable of being held by the performer;

a tilt detector for detecting an amount of tilt in at least one direction of the housing;

a sound waveform data storing area for storing at least one piece of sound waveform data;

a sound waveform data reader for reading the sound waveform data from the sound waveform data storing area at a predetermined timing;

a sound waveform data processor for changing at least a frequency of the sound waveform data read by the sound waveform data reader in accordance with the amount of tilt detected by the tilt detector; and

a sound outputting unit for outputting the sound waveform data processed by the sound waveform data processor as a sound;

a backing music data storing area for storing at least one piece of backing music data, the sound outputting unit sequentially reading the backing music data from the backing music data storing area, and outputting the read backing music data along with the sound waveform data processed by the sound waveform data processor;

a reference play data storing area for storing at least one piece of reference play data;

a musical performance results storing area for storing the amount of tilt detected by the tilt detector as musical performance results data, by associating the detected amount of tilt with the backing music data stored in the backing music data storing area;

a musical performance results comparator for comparing the musical performance results data stored in the musical performance results storing area against the reference play data stored in the reference play data storing area; and

musical performance final results notification unit for notifying the performer of results obtained by the musical performance results comparator as performance final results.

2. The sound generation device according to claim 1, wherein

the tilt detector detects amounts of tilt in at least two directions of the housing, and

the sound waveform data processor changes a frequency of the sound waveform data read by the sound waveform data reader in accordance with an amount of tilt in a first direction detected by the tilt detector, and changes an amplitude of the sound waveform data in accordance with an amount of tilt in a second direction detected by the tilt detector.

3. The sound generation device according to claim 1, further comprising lyrics data storing area for storing at least one piece of lyrics data, wherein

the sound waveform data storing area at least stores, as sound waveform data, human voice sound waveform data obtained when a person utters, at a predetermined pitch, syllables included in the lyrics data stored in the lyrics data storing area, and

the sound waveform data reader sequentially reads syllables included in the lyrics data from the lyrics data storing area, and reads human voice sound waveform data corresponding to the read syllable from the sound waveform data storing area.

4. The sound generation device according to claim 1, further comprising a first operation unit with which the performer specifies a sound outputting timing, wherein

when the first operation unit is operated, the sound waveform data reader reads the sound waveform data from the sound waveform data storing area.

5. The sound generation device according to claim 1, further comprising a first operation unit with which the performer specifies a sound outputting timing, wherein

when the first operation unit is operated, the sound waveform data reader reads the sound waveform data from the sound waveform data storing area, and

the musical performance results storing area stores an operation timing of the first operation unit as a portion of the musical performance results data, by associating the operation timing with the backing music data stored in the backing music data storing area.

6. The sound generation device as in claim 1, further comprising an operation unit with which the performer specifies a backing music start timing, wherein the sound output unit sequentially reads the backing music data and outputs the backing music data after the operation unit is operated by the performer.

7. The sound generation device as in claim 1, wherein the tilt detector is arranged within a removable medium connected to the housing.

8. The sound generation device as in claim 1 wherein the notification unit comprises a display arranged on a surface of said housing.

20. The sound generating device of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the sound waveform data is changed in a continuous manner.

21. The sound generating device of claim 1, wherein an amplitude of the sound waveform data is changed in response to the output of the tilt detector.

9. A sound generation program stored on a machine-readable medium for causing a game machine to function as a sound generation device, wherein the game machine includes a housing capable of being held by a performer, a tilt detector for outputting a value corresponding to an amount of tilt in at least one direction of the housing, a program storing area for storing a program, a data storing area for storing data including at least one piece of sound waveform data, a program processor for processing the data stored in the data storing area, based on the program stored in the program storing area, and a sound outputting unit for outputting processing results obtained by the program processor as a sound, the sound generation program comprising:

a tilt calculating step of obtaining an amount of tilt in at least one direction of the housing, based on the value output from the tilt detector;

a sound waveform data reading step of reading the sound waveform data from the data storing area at a predetermined timing;

a sound waveform data processing step of changing at least a frequency of the sound waveform data read at the sound waveform data reading step, in accordance with the amount of tilt obtained at the tilt calculating step;

a sound output controlling step of causing the sound waveform data processed at the sound waveform data processing step to be output from the sound outputting unit as a sound;

wherein the data storing area further stores at least one piece of backing music data, and

the sound output controlling step sequentially reads the backing music data from the data storing area, and outputs the read backing music data along with the sound waveform data processed at the sound waveform data processing step;

the data storing area further stores at least one piece of reference play data, and the sound generation program further comprises;

a musical performance results storing step of causing the data storing area to store the amount of tilt obtained at the tilt calculating step as musical performance results data, by associating the obtained amount of tilt with the backing music data stored in the data storing area;

a musical performance results comparing step of comparing the musical performance results data stored at the musical performance results storing step against the reference play data stored in the data storing area; and

a musical performance final results notification step of notifying the performer of comparing results obtained at the musical performance results comparing step as performance final results.

10. The sound generation program according to claim 9, wherein

the tilt detector outputs values corresponding to amounts of tilt in at least two directions of the housing,

the tilt calculating step obtains the amounts of tilt in at least two directions of the housing, based on the values output from the tilt detector, and

the sound waveform data processing step changes a frequency of the sound waveform data read at the sound waveform data reading step, in accordance with an amount of tilt in a first direction obtained at the tilt calculating step, and changes an amplitude of the sound waveform data in accordance with an amount of tilt in a second direction obtained at the tilt calculating step.

11. The sound generation program according to claim 9, wherein

the data storing area further stores at least one piece of lyrics data, and stores, as sound waveform data, at least human voice sound waveform data obtained when a person utters syllables included in the stored lyrics data at a predetermined pitch, and

the sound waveform data reading step sequentially reads syllables included in the lyrics data from the data storing area, and reads human voice sound waveform data corresponding to the read syllable from the data storing area.

12. The sound generation program according to claim 9, wherein

the game device further includes first operation unit with which the performer specifies a sound outputting timing, and

when the first operation unit is operated, the sound waveform data reading step reads the sound waveform data from the data storing area.

13. The sound generation program according to claim 9 wherein

the game device further includes a first operation unit with which the performer specifies a sound outputting timing,

when the first operation unit is operated, the sound waveform data reading step reads the sound waveform data from the data storing area, and

the musical performance results storing step stores an operation timing of the first operation unit as a portion of the musical performance results data, by associating the operation timing with the backing music data stored in the data storing area.

14. The sound generation program as in claim 9, wherein the game machine further comprises an operational unit with which the performer specifies a backing music start timing, and the sound output controlling step sequentially reads the backing music data and outputs the read backing music after the second operation unit is operated.

15. The sound generation program as in claim 9, wherein the tilt detector is arranged within a removable medium connected to the housing.

16. The sound generation program as in claim 9 wherein the notification step comprises notifying the performer using a display arranged on a surface of said housing.

17. A medium which is removably inserted into a game machine including a housing capable of being held by a game machine user, a data storing area for storing data including at least one piece of sound waveform data, a program processor for processing the data stored in the data storing area based on a sound generation program, and a sound outputting unit for outputting processing results obtained by the program processor as a sound, the medium comprising:

a tilt detector for outputting a value corresponding to an amount of tilt in at least one direction of the housing; and

a program storing area for storing the sound generation program executable by the game machine to cause the program processor to execute;

a tilt calculating step of obtaining an amount of tilt in at least one direction of the housing, based on the value output from the tilt detector of the medium;

a sound waveform data reading step of reading the sound waveform data from the data storing area at a predetermined timing;

a sound waveform data processing step of changing at least a frequency of the sound waveform data read at the sound waveform data reading step, in accordance with the amount of tilt obtained at the tilt calculating step; and

a sound output controlling step of causing the sound waveform data processed at the sound waveform data processing step to be output from the sound outputting unit as a sound.

18. In a portable game apparatus including a housing to be handled by a user, a display arranged on one surface of the housing, a tilt detector associated with the housing for detecting an amount of tilt of the housing, a storage area for storing data, and a processor, a method of providing information to the user regarding the user'"'"'s tilting of the housing comprising:

storing reference play data in the storage area;

receiving an output from the tilt detector indicating the detected amount of tilt of the housing by the user;

changing a frequency of sound waveform data in response to the output from the tilt detector;

generating user performance result data in response to the output from the tilt detector;

comparing the reference play data and the user performance data; and

displaying information on the display regarding the user'"'"'s tilting of the housing based on the comparing;

wherein the tilt detector is arranged in a removable medium which stores a game program to be executed by the processor and which is connected to the housing.

19. In a portable game apparatus including a housing to be handled by a user, a display arranged on one surface of the housing, a tilt detector associated with the housing for detecting an amount of tilt of the housing, a storage area for storing data, and a processor, a method of providing information to the user regarding the user'"'"'s tilting of the housing comprising:

storing reference play data in the storage area;

receiving an output from the tilt detector indicating the detected amount of tilt of the housing by the user;

changing a frequency of sound waveform data in response to the output from the tilt detector;

generating user performance result data in response to the output from the tilt detector;

comparing the reference play data and the user performance data; and

displaying information on the display regarding the user'"'"'s tilting of the housing based on the comparing;

wherein the sound waveform data includes lyrics data of a known song and the frequency of at least one syllable in the lyrics of the song is changed based on the received output from the tilt detector.