Game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game controlling method for touch input monitoring

• US 8,113,954 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kasamatsu, Shigehiro, Miyamoto, Shigeru, Ikematsu, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duffy, David
• Application Number:
  US11/240,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20060073899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,325 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37, 715/702, 715/856, 715/862
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

The game apparatus includes a first LCD and a second LCD, and a touch panel is provided in association with the second LCD. On the two LCDs, different game screens are displayed. Also on the second LCD, two keys are displayed at a certain interval. When one key is touch-input, the key is set to an effective state to change the game screens of the two LCDs on the basis of the key, and when the other key is touch-input, the game screens of the two LCDs are changed on the basis of the key. When a player performs a touch-input on any one of the keys, and then performs a drag operation so as to point a middle area between the two keys, the game screens of the two LCDs are changed on the basis of the key that is set to the effective state.

Claims

1. A game apparatus having a display portion for displaying a game image including at least a first key and a second key and a touch panel provided in association with said display portion, comprising:

operation state detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting presence or absence of an operation input to said touch panel every predetermined time;

coordinate position detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting a coordinate position when a presence of the operation input to said touch panel is detected by said operation state detecting programmed logic circuitry;

first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting programmed logic circuitry is included in a first operation effective area of said first key or a second operation effective area of said second key when it is detected that the operation input to the touch panel is shifted from an operation-absent state to an operation-present state by said operation state detecting programmed logic circuitry;

game processing programmed logic circuitry for changing said game image on the basis of said first key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry, and changing said game image on the basis of said second key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area; and

second pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting programmed logic circuitry is moved to a middle area between said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in any one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry, and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting programmed logic circuitry;

wherein

said game processing programmed logic circuitry changes said game image on the basis of a determination result of said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry when it is determined that the coordinate position is moved to said middle area by said second pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

key effective state setting programmed logic circuitry for setting said first key to an effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry,

and setting said second key to the effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry;

wherein

said game processing programmed logic circuitry changes said game image on the basis of said first key or said second key that is set to the effective state by said key effective state setting programmed logic circuitry.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said second pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting programmed logic circuitry, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting programmed logic circuitry is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area, and

said key effective state setting programmed logic circuitry, when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said second pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry, sets the key corresponding to the other to the effective state.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said second pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting programmed logic circuitry, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting programmed logic circuitry is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and the middle area, and further comprising:

effective state setting canceling programmed logic circuitry for canceling the setting of the effective state to the key by said key effective state setting programmed logic circuitry when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and said middle area by said second pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry;

wherein

said game processing programmed logic circuitry does not change said game image when the effective state setting to the key is canceled by said effective state setting canceling programmed logic circuitry.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said effective state setting canceling programmed logic circuitry cancels the effective state setting of the key by said key effective state setting programmed logic circuitry after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining programmed logic circuitry, and when it is detected that the operation input to said touch panel is shifted from the operation-present state to the operation-absent state by said operation state detecting programmed logic circuitry.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said display portion includes a first display area for displaying a first game image and second display area for displaying a second game image including said first key and said second key, and

said game processing programmed logic circuitry changes both of said first game image and said second game image.

7. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus having a display portion for displaying a game image including at least a first key and a second key and a touch panel provided in association with said display portion,

said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute:

operation state detecting for detecting presence or absence of an operation input to said touch panel every predetermined time;

coordinate position detecting for detecting a coordinate position when a presence of the operation input to said touch panel is detected by said operation state detecting;

first pointing state determining for determining whether the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting is included in a first operation effective area of said first key or a second operation effective area of said second key when it is detected that the operation input to the touch panel is shifted from an operation-absent state to an operation-present state by said operation state detecting;

game processing for changing said game image on the basis of said first key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining, and changing said game image on the basis of said second key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said the second operation effective area; and

second pointing state determining for determining whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting is moved to a middle area between said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in any one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining, and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting;

wherein

said game processing changes said game image on the basis of a determination result of said first pointing state determining when it is determined that the coordinate position is moved to said middle area by said second pointing state determining.

8. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said game program further executes a key effective state setting for setting said first key to an effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining, and setting said second key to the effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining;

wherein

said game processing changes said game image on the basis of said first key or said second key that is set to the effective state by said key effective state setting.

9. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 8, wherein

said second pointing state determining determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area, and

said key effective state setting, when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said second pointing state determining, sets the key corresponding to the other to the effective state.

10. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 8, wherein

said second pointing state determining determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining, and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and the middle area;

and

said game program further executes an effective state setting canceling for canceling the setting of the effective state of the key by said key effective state setting when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and said middle area by said second pointing state determining;

wherein

said game processing does not change said game image when the effective state setting is canceled by said effective state setting canceling.

11. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 10, wherein

said effective state setting canceling cancels the effective state setting to the key by said key effective state setting after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining, and when it is detected that the operation input to said touch panel is shifted from the operation-present state to the operation-absent state by said operation state detecting.

12. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said display portion includes a first display area for displaying a first game image and a second display area for displaying a second game image including said first key and said second key, and

said game processing changes both of said first game image and said second game image.

13. A game controlling method of a game apparatus having a display portion for displaying a game image including at least a first key and a second key and a touch panel provided in association with the display portion, comprising:

(a) detecting presence or absence of an operation input to said touch panel every predetermined time;

(b) detecting a coordinate position when a presence of the operation input to said touch panel is detected by said detecting of the presence or absence in (a);

(c) determining whether the coordinate position detected by said detecting of the coordinate position in (b) is included in a first operation effective area of said first key or a second operation effective area of said second key when it is detected that the operation input to the touch panel is shifted from an operation-absent state to an operation-present state by said detecting of the presence or absence in (a);

(d) changing said game image on the basis of said first key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (c), and changing said game image on the basis of said second key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said the second operation effective area; and

(e) determining whether or not the coordinate position detected by said detecting of the coordinate position in (b) is moved to a middle area between said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in any one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (c), and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said detecting of the presence or absence in (a);

wherein

said changing of the game image in (d) changes said game image on the basis of a determination result by said determining of the coordinate position in (c) when it is determined that the coordinate position is moved to said middle area by said determining of the coordinate position in (e).

14. A game controlling method according to claim 13, further includes

(f) setting said first key to an effective state when said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (c), and setting said second key to the effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (c);

wherein

said changing of the game image in (d) changes said game image on the basis of said first key or said second key that is set to the effective state by said setting of said first key and second key in (f).

15. A game controlling method according to claim 14, wherein

said determining of the coordinate position in (e) determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (c), and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said detecting of the presence or absence in (a), whether or not the coordinate position detected by said detecting of the coordinate position in (b) is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area, and

said setting of said first key and second key in (f), when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (e), sets the key corresponding to the other to the effective state.

16. A game controlling method according to claim 14, wherein

said determining of the coordinate position in (e) determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (c), and while the operation-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said detecting of the presence or absence in (a), whether or not the coordinate position detected by said detecting of the coordinate position in (b) is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and the middle area, and further includes

(g) canceling the effective state setting of the key by said key effective state setting in (f) when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and said middle area by said determining of the coordinate position in (e), wherein

said changing of the game image in (d) does not change said game image when the effective state setting of the key is canceled by said canceling of the effective state setting in (g).

17. A game controlling method according to claim 16, wherein

said canceling of the effective state setting in (g) cancels the effective state setting to the key by said setting of said first key and second key in (f) after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said determining of the coordinate position in (c), and when it is detected that the operation input to said touch panel is shifted from the operation-present state to the operation-absent state by said detecting of the presence or absence in (a).

18. A game controlling method according to claim 13, wherein

said display portion includes a first display area for displaying a first game image and a second display area for displaying a second game image including said first key and said second key, and

said changing of the game image in (d) changes both of said first game image and said second game image.