Game system capable of evaluating the correlation of user operation on a game machine with displayed operational information and user operation on another game machine

• US 8,348,761 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakatsuka, Akito, Ozaki, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US13/245,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20120015727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 463/7, 463/23, 463/36, 463/43, 463/40, 463/31, 463/37, 463/42, 273/249, 273/444, 273/445, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

In a game played by a plurality of game machines through teamwork, an evaluation is performed according to the correlation among operation information obtained through communications with each of the game machines. A plurality of game machines communicate with one another to establish timing synchronization. After the game, input timings at which buttons are operated during the game are collected and then evaluated so as to determine an absolute and relative timing coincidence in a predetermined period (unison part). A predetermined number of points are added to its game score based on the evaluation.

Claims

1. A game machine for executing a predetermined game in response to a player'"'"'s operation, comprising:

a display device configured to display a game screen;

an operation unit configured to be operated by the player;

a communications unit configured to perform wireless data communications among other game machines;

a start timing synchronization unit configured to establish start-timing synchronization with said other game machines in the game by communications via said communications unit;

prompt information storage unit configured to store operation timing data defining an operation timing of said operation unit to be operated by the player;

a display controller for having, in response when the game is synchronously started, said display device display information about the operation timings of said operation unit to be operated by the player based on said operation timing data;

first operation timing storage unit configured to store data relating to the operation timings of said operation unit operated by the player responding to the information displayed on said display device;

second operation timing storage unit configured to acquire and store the data which is stored in said first operation timing storage unit of said other game machines through communications via said communications unit, after said game starts in the start-timing established by the start-timing synchronization unit and the game ends; and

correlation evaluation unit configured to evaluate correlation in terms of game operation with said other game machines based on the data stored in said first operation timing storage unit and said second operation timing storage unit, after said second operation timing storage unit establishes storing of said data;

wherein the correlation evaluation unit is configured to evaluate correlation in terms of game operation with said other game machines based on the data stored in said first operation timing storage unit and said second operation timing storage unit by determining whether operation timing based on the data stored in said first operation timing storage unit is within a relative time range of the operation based on the data stored in said second operation timing storage unit.

2. The game machine of claim 1, wherein the correlation evaluation unit is configured to evaluate correlation by determining whether the operation timings of said operation unit to be operated by the player based on said operation timing data and the operation timings of said operation unit operated by the player responding to the information displayed on said display device is within a certain time range.

3. A machine comprising:

a controller configured to be operated by a user;

a communications unit configured to perform wireless data communications with another machine;

a processing system, having one or more processors, the processing system being configured to;

generate a screen to be displayed on a display device for viewing by the user, the screen showing prompt information prompting the user to operate the controller at particular operation timings;

compare the operation timings of the prompt information with actual operation timings of the controller when the user operates the controller of the machine in response to the prompt information;

determine a first time difference between the operation timings of the prompt information and the actual operation timings of the controller;

receive operation timing data from the other machine through the communications unit, the received operation timing data corresponding to actual operation timings of a controller of the other machine when the controller of the other machine is operated in response to operation timings of prompt information displayed by the other machine, operation timings of the prompt information displayed by the other machine having a predetermining timing relationship with the operation timings of the prompt information displayed by the screen of the machine;

compare the operation timings corresponding to actual operation timings of the controller of the machine and the actual operation timings of the controller of the another machine;

determine a second time difference based on the comparison between the operation timings corresponding to actual operation timings of the controller of the machine and the actual operation timings of the controller of the another machine; and

evaluate correlation in terms of operation of the controller of the machine and the controller of the another machine based on the second time difference by determining whether the second time difference is within a relative time range.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein the processing system is further configured to evaluate user operation of the machine based on the first time difference and the second time difference.