Game system and game information storage medium used for same

• US 8,562,402 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Masuyama, Iwao, Suzuki, Toshiaki, Tahara, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOSHI, ANKIT B
• Application Number:
  US11/729,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20070178974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 463/38, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43, 463/46, 463/7, 463/37, 345/684
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• 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 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video

Abstract

A game system includes a housing to be held by a player. The housing incorporates an XY-axis acceleration sensor to detect an acceleration in a X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction and a Z-axis contact switch to detect an acceleration in a Z-axis direction. The sensor and switch detect at least one of an amount (e.g., tilt amount, movement amount, impact amount or the like) and a direction (e.g., tilt direction, movement direction, impact direction or the like) of a change applied to the housing. A simulation program provides simulation such that a state of a game space is changed related to at least one of the amount and direction of the change applied to the housing.

Claims

1. A game system comprising:

a portable, hand-held, motion sensing gaming device including;

a housing configured to be held in at least one hand of a user;

a first motion sensor embodied in the housing and configured to generate a first output in response to movement of the housing in at least one direction;

said first motion sensor including at least one stationary contact and a spherical contact, said spherical contact being disposed in said first motion sensor so as to be movable between a first position, where there is no connection with the at least one stationary contact and a second position, where there is a connection with said at least one stationary contact in response to movement of the housing in said at least one direction;

a second motion sensor embodied in the housing and configured to generate a second output in response to movement of the housing;

memory embodied in said housing for storing an identifying number;

a wireless transmitter embodied in said housing for transmitting at least said identifying number and information based on at least one of the first and second output; and

a remotely located system including;

a wireless receiver configured to receive said identifying number and said output information,

a memory for storing information associated with a plurality of identifying numbers; and

a processor configured to access information from said memory that is associated with said identifying number received by said wireless receiver by comparing the received identification number with said plurality of identifying numbers, said processor configured to generate game-related data for communication to a user, said game-related data including information related to at least one characteristic of game play based upon at least the information accessed that is associated with said identifying number.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

said identifying number is a game map number.

3. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one characteristic of game play is information indicative of at least one task to be performed by a user, said information being displayed to a user.

4. The game system according to claim 3, wherein

said at least one task is navigating through a maze.

5. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

said at least one characteristic of game play is a displayed virtual map through which a user navigates.

6. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

said game-related data including information related to at least one characteristic of game play is based upon the information accessed that is associated with said identifying number and said output information.

7. The game system according to claim 6, wherein

at least one characteristic of game play is information indicative of at least one task to be performed by a user, said information being displayed to a user.

8. The game system according to claim 6, wherein

said at least one characteristic of game play is a displayed virtual map through which a user navigates.

9. The game system according to claim 7, wherein

said at least one task is navigating through a maze.