Game apparatus for performing game processing according to an attitude of an input device and game program

• US 9,283,482 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimamura, Takayuki, Hiratake, Shinya, Kataoka, Toyoki, Yamashita, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US14/476,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20140370988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. An information processing apparatus used with an input device that is formed separately from the information processing apparatus to be held by one hand, and includes at least a sensor that detects an attitude of the input device, and transmits operation data including sensor data from the sensor to the information processing apparatus wirelessly, comprising:

an operation data receiving module configured to wirelessly receive the operation data;

a reference calculation module configured to calculate, when existing a predetermined designation input by an operator, a reference attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired at a time of the designation input;

an attitude calculation module configured to calculate the attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired after the designation input; and

an information processing module configured to perform predetermined information processing based on the attitude calculated by the attitude calculation module with respect to the reference attitude.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing module is configured to perform the predetermined processing that the attitude calculated by the attitude calculation module is corrected based on the reference attitude.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the sensor includes a gyro sensor that detects an angular velocity, and the operation data includes angular velocity data.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an image outputting module configured to output to a display that is separated from the input device an image including a background not moved and an object that is moved according to the attitude obtained by the predetermined information processing.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a pointing module configured to designate a point on a display that is separated from the input device according to the attitude obtained by the predetermined information processing.

6. A non-transitory storage medium configured to being read by a processor of an information processing apparatus which is used with an input device that is formed separately from the information processing apparatus to be held by one hand, and includes at least a sensor that detects an attitude of the input device, and transmits operation data including sensor data from the sensor to the information processing apparatus wirelessly, said storage medium storing a program that causes the processor to perform at least:

wirelessly receive the operation data;

calculate, when existing a predetermined designation input by an operator, a reference attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired at a time of the designation input;

calculate the attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired after the designation input; and

perform predetermined information processing based on the calculated attitude with respect to the reference attitude.

7. A control method of an information processing apparatus which performs information processing, the information processing apparatus used with an input device that is formed separately from the information processing apparatus to be held by one hand, and includes at least a sensor that detects an attitude of the input device, and transmits operation data including sensor data from the sensor to the information processing apparatus wirelessly, the method including the information processing apparatus:

wirelessly receiving the operation data;

calculating, when existing a predetermined designation input by an operator, a reference attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired at a time of the designation input;

calculating the attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired after the designation input; and

performing predetermined information processing based on the calculated attitude with respect to the reference attitude.

8. An information processing system including an information processing apparatus used with an input device that is formed separately from the information processing apparatus to be held by one hand, the input device including at least a sensor that detects an attitude of the input device, and transmitting operation data including sensor data from the sensor to the information processing apparatus wirelessly, the information processing system comprising:

one or more computer processors configured to perform at least;

wirelessly receiving the operation data;

calculating, when existing a predetermined designation input by an operator, a reference attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired at a time of the designation input;

calculating the attitude of the input device based on the sensor data that is acquired after the designation input; and

performing predetermined information processing based on the calculated attitude with respect to the reference attitude.