Video game apparatus and motion sensor structure

• US 20030109298A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Matsubara, Mayu, Yamazaki, Atsushi, Takeda, Toru, Mamitsu, Hirofumi, Oishi, Toshimitsu, Matsubara, Keiichi
• Application Number:
  US10/307,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20030109298A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• 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 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

On the lower surface of a sensor board 23 which serves as a ceiling of a motion sensor structure 20, optical motion sensors 31, 32, 33 are arranged in three row at the front side of a monitor 11, motion sensors 41, 42 are arranged in two rows at the left side of the monitor 11, and motion sensors 51, 52 are arranged in two rows at the right side of the monitor 11, whereby curtain-shaped detection planes are formed below these sensors, and an area surrounded by these detection planes is a play space. When a player moves his arms and legs to intersect with the detection planes while watching images displayed on the monitor 11, such motions are detected.

Claims

1. A motion sensor structure for remotely detecting a motion of a player with respect to at least one of planes surrounding a play space, said motion sensor structure comprising:

a first sensor having a first detection distance range for detecting a motion of the player in a direction intersecting one half of a first plane among the planes forming the play space and vicinity of the half of the first plane, and

a second sensor having a second detection distance range for detecting a motion in a direction intersecting the other half of the first plane and the vicinity of the other half of the first plane.

2. A motion sensor structure according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are arranged at proximate positions on a plane intersecting with said first plane at an end of the first plane.

3. A motion sensor structure according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are arranged at an upper part of the play space, the first plane is a vertical plane, the one half of the first plane is an upper half, and the other half of the first plane is a lower half.

4. A motion sensor structure according to claim 3, wherein the first plane defines the front plane of the play space, and sensors identical with said first and second sensors are arranged for sensing the motions of the player in the play space with respect to left and right planes intersecting with and at the laterally opposite sides of the first plane.

5. A motion sensor structure according to claim 3, comprising a standing base frame formed by coupling a left frame and a right frame each having a horizontal portion and a standing portion such that a recess into which a column-shaped casing is fit is formed below the left and right frames, and a ceiling surface formed by providing a horizontally extending portion at the upper end of the base frame, and the ceiling surface is formed as an upper position of the play space where the first and second sensors are arranged.

6. A motion sensor structure according to claim 5, wherein the base frame is tubular, a sensor signal output terminal is provided at the bottom part of the base frame, and signal cables connecting the first and second sensors and the sensor signal output terminal are introduced through the tube of the base frame.

7. A motion sensor structure according to claim 4, further comprising a third sensor having the first detection distance range for detecting a motion of the player in the play space in a direction intersecting with a plane parallel with the first plane.

8. A motion sensor structure according to claim 3, wherein the first detection distance range covers from an upper part position of the play space to a vertical position corresponding to the height level of the waist of an average player.

9. A motion sensor structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sensors is an integral construction of a sending device for sending a detection medium and a sensing device for sensing the returned detection medium.

10. A motion sensor structure according to claim 9, wherein each of the first and second sensors is constructed by arraying a plurality of unit sensors in a direction parallel with the one plane, the unit sensors being adapted to send the detection medium at a beam-shaped width of directivity.

11. A motion sensor structure for remotely detecting a motion of a player with respect to one of planes surrounding a play space of a player, comprising a plurality of sensors having different detection distance ranges with respect to vertical direction.

12. A video game apparatus comprising:

a monitor provided at a specified height position of the front surface of a game apparatus casing for displaying game images;

a motion sensor structure provided at the front side of the game apparatus casing while being faced toward a play space, said motion sensor structure remotely detecting a motion of a player with respect to at least one of planes surrounding a play space, said motion sensor structure including;

a first sensor having a first detection distance range for detecting a motion in a direction intersecting with one half of a first plane among said planes, and

a second sensor having a second detection distance range for detecting a motion in a direction intersecting with the other half of the first plane;

instruction information storage means for storing moving images used to instruct various motions to a player in relation to contents of instructions and a timing information;

display control means for displaying the moving images on the monitor;

judging means for judging the motion of the player based on a detection result from the sensor structure, the content of instruction and the timing information every time the motion is instructed; and

evaluating means for evaluating a play result based on the judgment result.