Storage medium having game program stored thereon, game apparatus and input device

• US 9,713,771 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/911,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20130267316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 463 36- 39, 345169, 345173, 345179
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller

Abstract

An example device includes a touchscreen and a processing system in communication with the touchscreen. The processing system is configured to perform operations including detecting a touch-on position on the touchscreen, setting a reference position based on the touch-on position, continuously detecting subsequent touch positions on the touchscreen after detecting the touch-on, and continuously performing operations based on one or both of a direction and a distance from the reference position to the subsequent touch positions.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a touchscreen display; and

processing circuitry in communication with the touchscreen display, the processing circuitry being configured to generate images for a video game for display on the touchscreen display and, while the images for the video game are displayed on the touchscreen display, at least;

set reference coordinates in accordance with touch point coordinates of a user-selected initial touch point on the touchscreen display;

during a continuous user touch operation from a touch-on at the initial touch point on the touchscreen display to a touch-off at another touch point on the touchscreen display;

(i) generate an input for the video game based on one or both of a distance and direction from the set reference coordinates to coordinates of a current touch point on the touchscreen display;

(ii) determine whether a distance between the set reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point exceeds a predetermined distance and, if so, determine adjusted reference coordinates and then set the adjusted reference coordinates as the reference coordinates; and

(iii) repeat (i) and (ii) until the continuous user touch operation ends.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusted reference coordinates are determined so as to be located on a line extending between the set reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjusted reference coordinates are determined so that a distance between the adjusted reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point is equal to the predetermined distance.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the set reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point corresponds to a tilt amount of an emulated joystick and the direction from the set reference coordinates to the coordinates of the current touch point corresponds to a tilt direction of the emulated joystick.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusted reference coordinates are determined based on at least the direction from the set reference coordinates to the coordinates of the current touch point.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the direction is used for generating the input for the video game and at least distance is used for determining the adjusted reference coordinates.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein both of the direction and the distance are used for generating the input for the video game.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to visually indicate the set reference coordinates on the touchscreen display.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for use in an information processing apparatus comprising a touchscreen display, a memory and processing circuitry in communication with the touchscreen display and the memory, the program, when executed by the processing circuitry, controlling the information processing apparatus to at least:

generate images for a video game for display on the touchscreen display; and

while the images for the video game are displayed on the touchscreen display

set reference coordinates in accordance with touch point coordinates of a user-selected initial touch point on the touchscreen display;

during a continuous user touch operation from a touch-on at the initial touch point on the touchscreen display to a touch-off at another touch point on the touchscreen display

(i) generate an input for the video game based on one or both of a distance and direction from the set reference coordinates to coordinates of a current touch point on the touchscreen display;

(ii) determine whether a distance between the set reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point exceeds a predetermined distance and, if so, determine adjusted reference coordinates and then set the adjusted reference coordinates as the reference coordinates; and

(iii) repeat (i) and (ii) until the continuous user touch operation ends.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the adjusted reference coordinates are determined so as to be located on a line extending between the set reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the adjusted reference coordinates are determined so that a distance between the adjusted reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point is equal to the predetermined distance.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the distance between the set reference coordinates and the coordinates of the current touch point corresponds to a tilt amount of an emulated joystick and the direction from the set reference coordinates to the coordinates of the current touch point corresponds to a tilt direction of the emulated joystick.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the adjusted reference coordinates are determined based on at least the direction from the set reference coordinates to the coordinates of the current touch point.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein at least the direction is used for generating the input for the video game and at least distance is used for determining the adjusted reference coordinates.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein both of the direction and the distance are used for generating the input for the video game.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to visually indicate the set reference coordinates on the touchscreen display.