Game apparatus for setting a moving direction of an object in a game space according to an attitude of an input device and game program

• US 8,535,132 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimamura, Takayuki, Hiratake, Shinya, Yamashita, Yoshikazu, Kataoka, Toyoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Toledo, Fernando L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradford, Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/366,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20100009754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A game apparatus includes a CPU, and the CPU sets a moving direction, that is, a position and an orientation of a moving object within a game space on the basis of angular velocity data transmitted from a first controller, that is, an attitude of a gyro sensor unit (gyro sensor). Then, when a second controller is drawn toward a near side in a state that a C button and a Z button thereof are simultaneously pressed, and the C button and the Z button are simultaneously released in that state, the moving object is shot.

Claims

1. A game apparatus which performs game processing according to an attitude of an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, the game apparatus comprising:

an operation data obtaining unit for obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

a moving direction setting unit for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

a movement instruction inputting unit for instructing said first object to move on the basis of operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

a movement starting unit for, after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing input, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are physically separate from each other and are movable away from each other in any direction during operation, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an orientation setting unit for deciding an orientation of a second object in accordance with the attitude of said input device, wherein

said planned moving direction setting unit changes the moving direction of said first object in accordance with the orientation of said second object.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said input device includes a gyro sensor, and outputs angular velocity data on the basis of an output from at least said gyro sensor as said operation data, and

said planned moving direction setting unit changes the planned moving direction of said first object on the basis of said angular velocity data.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said input device further includes a first acceleration sensor configured to being moved with said gyro sensor, and further outputs acceleration data on the basis of an output from at least said first acceleration sensor as said operation data, and

said planned moving direction setting unit changes the planned moving direction of said first object on the basis of said angular velocity data and said acceleration data.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said planned moving direction setting unit calculates an attitude on the basis of said angular velocity data, and calculates the planned moving direction of said first object by bringing said attitude into correspondence with an attitude calculated by performing a correction on the basis of said acceleration data.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said planned moving direction setting unit calculates an attitude in a yaw direction on the basis of said angular velocity data, and calculates an attitude in a pitch direction on the basis of said acceleration data.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said input device further includes a first key, and further outputs key data on the basis of an operation performed on said first key as said operation data, and

said movement instruction inputting unit instructs said first object to move at a timing when said key data satisfies a predetermined condition.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

said input device further includes a second acceleration sensor configured to be moved independently from said gyro sensor and further outputs acceleration data on the basis of the output from said second acceleration sensor as said operation data, and

said movement instruction inputting unit determines a state that said input device moves to a position along a predetermined direction with said first key operated on the basis of said key data and said acceleration data, and instructs said first object to move at a timing when the operation performed on said first key ceases.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said input device further includes a stick configured to perform a direction input, and further outputs stick input data as said operation data, and

said movement instruction inputting unit instructs said first object to move at a timing when the stick input data satisfies a predetermined condition.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

said input device further includes a second key, and further outputs key data on the basis of an operation performed on said second key as said operation data, and

said planned moving direction setting unit calculates a change of the attitude from a reference, said reference set on the basis of the attitude of the input device when said operation is performed on said second key and said planned moving direction setting unit sets the planned moving direction on the basis of said change of the attitude.

22. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are connectable to each other.

11. A non-transitory storage medium configured to being read by a processor of a game apparatus which performs game processing in correspondence to an attitude from an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, said storage medium storing a program,

said program causes said processor to perform

obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

planned moving direction setting for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

movement instruction inputting for instructing said first object to move on the basis of operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

movement starting for after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing input, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are physically separate from each other and are movable away from each other in any direction during operation, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

12. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said program causes said processor to further perform orientation setting for deciding an orientation of a second object in accordance with the attitude of said input device, wherein

said planned moving direction setting changes the moving direction of said first object in accordance with the orientation of said second object.

13. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein

said input device includes a gyro sensor, and outputs angular velocity data on the basis of an output from at least said gyro sensor as said operation data, and

said planned moving direction setting changes the planned moving direction of said first object on the basis of said angular velocity data.

14. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein

said input device further includes a first acceleration sensor configured to being moved with said gyro sensor, and further outputs acceleration data on the basis of an output from at least said first acceleration sensor as said operation data, and

said planned moving direction setting changes the planned moving direction of said first object on the basis of said angular velocity data and said acceleration data.

15. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 14, wherein

said planned moving direction setting calculates an attitude on the basis of said angular velocity data, and calculates the planned moving direction of said first object by bringing said attitude into correspondence to an attitude calculated by performing a correction on the basis of said acceleration data.

16. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 14, wherein

said planned moving direction setting calculates an attitude in a yaw direction on the basis of said angular velocity data, and calculates an attitude in a pitch direction on the basis of said acceleration data.

17. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein

said input device further includes a first key, and further outputs key data on the basis of an operation performed on said first key as said operation data, and

said movement instruction inputting instructs said first object to move at a timing when said key data satisfies a predetermined condition.

18. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 17, wherein

said input device further includes a second acceleration sensor configured to be moved independently from said gyro sensor and further outputs acceleration data on the basis of the output from said second acceleration sensor as said operation data, and

said movement instruction inputting determines a state that said input device moves to a position along a predetermined direction with said first key operated on the basis of said key data and said acceleration data, and instructs said first object to move at a timing when the operation performed on said first key ceases.

19. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein

said input device further includes a stick configured to perform a direction input, and further outputs stick input data as said operation data, and

said movement instruction inputting instructs said first object to move at a timing when the stick input data satisfies a predetermined condition.

20. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 17, wherein

said input device further includes a second key, and further outputs key data on the basis of an operation performed on said second key as said operation data, and

said planned moving direction setting calculates a change of the attitude from a reference, said reference set on the basis of the attitude of the input device when said operation is performed on said second key and said planned moving direction setting sets the planned moving direction on the basis of said change of the attitude.

23. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are connectable to each other.

21. A control method of a game apparatus which performs game processing in accordance with an attitude from an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, including:

(a) obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

(b) moving direction setting, via one or more computer processing devices, for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

(c) movement instruction inputting, via one or more computer processing devices, for instructing said first object to move on the basis of said operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

(d) movement starting, via one or more computer processing devices, for, after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing input, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein the first controller and the second controller are physically separate from each other and are movable away from each other in any direction during operation, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

24. The control method according to claim 21, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are connectable to each other.

25. A game apparatus which performs game processing according to an attitude of an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, the game apparatus comprising:

an operation data obtaining unit for obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

a moving direction setting unit for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

a movement instruction inputting unit for instructing said first object to move on the basis of operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

a movement starting unit for, after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing input, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are removably detachable from each other or are detached from each other and are movable away from each other in any direction during operation, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

26. A non-transitory storage medium configured to being read by a processor of a game apparatus which performs game processing in correspondence to an attitude from an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, said storage medium storing a program,

said program causes said processor to perform

obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

planned moving direction setting for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

movement instruction inputting for instructing said first object to move on the basis of operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

movement starting for, after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing input, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are removably detachable from each other or are detached from each other and are movable away from each other in any direction during operation, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

27. A control method of a game apparatus which performs game processing in accordance with an attitude from an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, including:

(a) obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

(b) moving direction setting, via one or more computer processing devices, for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

(c) movement instruction inputting, via one or more computer processing devices, for instructing said first object to move on the basis of said operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

(d) movement starting, via one or more computer processing devices, for, after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing input, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein the first controller and the second controller are removably detachable from each other or are detached from each other and are movable away from each other in any direction during operation, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

28. A game apparatus which performs game processing according to an attitude of an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, the game apparatus comprising:

an operation data obtaining unit for obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

a moving direction setting unit for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

a movement instruction inputting unit for instructing said first object to move on the basis of operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

a movement starting unit for, after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing input, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are physically separate from each other, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

29. A non-transitory storage medium configured to being read by a processor of a game apparatus which performs game processing in correspondence to an attitude from an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, said storage medium storing a program, said program is configured to cause said processor to provide functionality comprising:

obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

instructing said first object to move on the basis of operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said instructing, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein

the first controller and the second controller are physically separate from each other, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.

30. A control method of a game apparatus which performs game processing in accordance with an attitude from an input device comprising a first controller and a second controller, including:

(a) obtaining operation data from said first controller which outputs attitude correlation data on the basis of an attitude of the first controller,

(b) moving direction setting, via one or more computer processing devices, for changing a planned moving direction of a first object within a game space in accordance with said attitude correlation data,

(c) movement instruction inputting, via one or more computer processing devices, for instructing said first object to move on the basis of said operation data of said second controller, the operation data including at least acceleration data from an accelerometer sensor included in the second controller and key data, and

(d) movement starting, via one or more computer processing devices, for, after the acceleration data from the accelerometer sensor in the second controller has satisfied a predetermined condition representing a movement of the second controller in a predetermined direction, deciding a moving direction of said first object to be said planned moving direction set at a timing related to said operation data of the second controller on the basis of said movement instructing inputting, and starting to move said first object in said direction, wherein the first controller and the second controller are physically separate from each other, and wherein

set timing comprises the key data satisfying a predetermined condition.