Sensing ball game machine

• US 8,049,758 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ueshima, Hiromu, Kato, Shuhei
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier; Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US13/048,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20110177853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 345/474, 463/32
• US Class Current: 345/474
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• 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 2300/646 for calculating the trajectory of an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

A sensing baseball game apparatus (10) has a game machine (12) connected to a television monitor (18). A bat input device (32) is provided with an acceleration sensor. An acceleration signal is transmitted by an infrared-ray LED (34) to an infrared-ray receiving part of the game machine (12) whereby the game machine (12) determines a moving speed of the bat input device (32) to calculate a moving parameter of a ball to be batted. Accordingly, a batted ball is moved in the game scene according to the parameter.

Claims

1. A method for playing a ball game, the method comprising:

displaying a ball character on a screen of a display device;

generating a first signal in an input device including a handle to be moved in a three-dimensional space by a game player to produce a movement for simulating an attempted interception of a ball, the first signal indicating a plurality of different non-zero acceleration values;

generating a second signal in the input device to output a second signal in response to the first signal;

receiving the second signal; and

determining, based on the received second signal and a moving timing of the ball character that is a position of the ball character in a depth direction in the screen, a moving direction of the ball character as a parameter for a movement of the ball character after a hit.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining includes taking an approaching course of the ball character into account.

3. The method according to claim 1 further including determining a moving speed of the ball character in accordance with a level of the acceleration.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein generating a first signal includes using a piezoelectric buzzer.

5. The method according to claim 1 further including transmitting the second signal in a wireless manner.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein transmitting includes using an infrared-ray emission element.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein generating the first signal includes using a pair of acceleration sensors.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein generating the first signal includes generating the first signal to have a varying pulse width according to an acceleration upon moving the input device in the three-dimensional space.

9. The method according to claim 1 generating the second signal includes generating the second signal to include the first signal.

10. A method for playing a ball game, the method comprising:

displaying a ball character on a screen of a display device;

generating a first signal in an input device including a handle to be moved in a three-dimensional space by a game player to produce a movement for simulating an attempted interception of a ball, the first signal being a step function of a force generated upon moving the input device in the three-dimensional space by the game player;

generating a second signal, in response to the first signal, in the input device;

receiving the second signal; and

determining, based on a timing of the received second signal and a moving timing that is a position of the ball character in a depth direction in the screen, a moving direction of the ball character as a parameter for a movement of the ball character after a hit.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein determining includes taking an approaching course of the ball character into account.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein generating the first signal includes using a weight elastically biased by a spring.

13. The method according to claim 10 further including transmitting the second signal in a wireless manner.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein transmitting includes using an infrared-ray emission element.

15. The method according to claim 10 wherein generating the second signal includes generating the second signal to include the first signal.

16. A non-volatile computer readable medium including a program readable by a game processor in a ball game apparatus for playing a ball game, the program causing the game processor to:

display a ball character on a screen of a display device;

generate a first signal incorporated in an input device including a handle to be moved in a three-dimensional space by a game player to produce a movement for simulating an attempted interception of a ball, the first signal indicating a plurality of different non-zero acceleration values;

generate a second signal in the input device to output a second signal in response to the first signal;

receive the second signal; and

determine, based on the received second signal and a moving timing of the ball character that is a position of the ball character in a depth direction in the screen, a moving direction of the ball character as a parameter for a movement of the ball character after a hit.

17. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the program causes the game processor to take an approaching course of the ball character into account.

18. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the program causes the game processor to determine a moving speed of the ball character in accordance with a level of the acceleration.

19. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the program causes the game processor to generate the first signal responsive to a signal from a piezoelectric buzzer.

20. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the program causes the game processor to transmit the second signal in a wireless manner.

21. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the program causes the game processor to transmit the first signal by using an infrared-ray emission element.

22. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the program causes the game processor to generate the first signal by using a pair of acceleration sensors.

23. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the program causes the game processor to generate the first signal to have a varying pulse width according to an acceleration upon moving the input device in the three-dimensional space.

24. A non-volatile computer readable medium including a program readable by a game processor in a ball game apparatus for playing a ball game, the program causing the game processor to:

display a ball character on a screen of a display device;

generate a first signal incorporated in an input device including a handle to be moved in a three-dimensional space by a game player to produce a movement for simulating an attempted interception of a ball, the first signal being a step function of a force generated upon moving the input device in the three-dimensional space by the game player;

generate a second signal, incorporated in the input device to output a second signal in response to the first signal;

receive the second signal; and

determine, based on a timing of the received second signal and a moving timing that is a position of the ball character in a depth direction in the screen, a moving direction of the ball character as a parameter for a movement of the ball character after a hit.

25. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 24 wherein the program causes the game processor to take an approaching course of the ball character into account.

26. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 24 wherein the program causes the game processor to transmit the second signal in a wireless manner.

27. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 24 wherein the program causes the game processor to transmit the first signal by using an infrared-ray emission element.

28. The non-volatile computer readable medium according to claim 24 wherein the program causes the game processor to generate the second signal to include the first signal.