Input device and game device provided therewith

• US 8,500,555 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hayasaka, Hiroshi, Aono, Takuya, Takada, Hiroyuki, Yokoyama, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/388,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20120129604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 463 36- 39, 463/46, 463/47, 846/09, 846/10, 846/16
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• 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 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/342 for guitar-like instruments with or without strings and with a neck on which switches or string-fret contacts are used to detect the notes being played electric guitars in which the tones are generated by the vibration of strings G10H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces game background music G10H2210/026; musical game scoring or performance evaluation G10H2210/091
• 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. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing. movement pattern or gesture sensing G10H2220/201; geolocation sensing G10H2220/355, 3D sensing with accelerometer G10H2220/395

Abstract

An input device is provided which can be caused to function as an output device as well. A game guitar controller (10) comprises: a set of fret buttons (37R-37P) each of which is operated in a state held by a player during a play; a triaxial acceleration sensor (40) that is provided on one of the two sides of the set of fret buttons (37R-37P) and that can detect accelerations; and a vibration motor (41) that is provided on the other of the two sides of the set of fret buttons (37R-37P) and that can generate vibrations.

Claims

1. An input device imitating a stringed musical instrument having a first end, a second end, and being located in an operational space, comprising:

an operation portion that is operated during play while held by a player and being located between the first end and the second end;

an acceleration detecting device that is provided on one side of the operation portion configured to detect acceleration;

a vibration generating device that is provided on the other side of the operation portion configured to generate a vibration to implement a vibrato operation of the input device, the one side of the operation portion being between the operation portion and the first end of the input device, the other side of the operation portion being between the operation portion and the second end of the input device, in use, the operation portion providing a buffering function to dampen vibrations generated by the vibration generating device at the acceleration detecting device when the operation portion is held by the player; and

a determining device that determines duration of a predetermined motion based on a detection result of the acceleration detecting device;

wherein the vibration generating device generates the vibration having a duration determined as a function of the duration of the predetermined motion determined by the determining device; and

wherein the predetermined motion is a motion of the input device detected by the acceleration device between two positions located within the operational space.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating device generates the vibration based on a detection result of the acceleration detecting device.

3. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a body portion; and

a neck portion that extends from the body portion, and wherein the operation portion is provided at the neck portion.

4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the vibration generating device is provided in the body portion.

5. The input device according to claim 3, wherein a head portion is provided at a leading end of the neck portion, and the acceleration detecting device is provided in the head portion.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input device imitating a stringed musical instrument is a guitar.

7. A game device comprising:

an input device imitating a stringed musical instrument having a first end, a second end and being located in an operational space, the input device including an operation portion, an acceleration portion, and a vibration generating device, the operation portion is operated during play of a game while held by a player and being located between the first end and the second end, the acceleration detecting device being provided on one side of the operation portion configured to detect acceleration, and the vibration generating device being provided on the other side of the operation portion configured to generate a vibration to implement a vibrato operation of the input device, the one side of the operation portion being between the operation portion and the first end of the input device, the other side of the operation portion being between the operation portion and the second end of the input device;

a control unit that controls the operation of the vibration generating device;

wherein, the control unit controls the operation of the vibration generating device based on a signal that the acceleration detecting device outputs, and in use, the operation portion of the input device provides a buffering function to dampen vibrations generated by the vibration generating device at the acceleration detecting device when the operation portion is held by the player; and

a determining device that determines duration of a predetermined motion based on a detection result of the acceleration detecting device;

wherein the vibration generating device generates the vibration having a duration determined as a function of the duration of the predetermined motion; and

wherein the predetermined motion is a motion of the input device detected by the acceleration device between two positions located within the operational space.