Dynamic touch screen amusement game controller

• US 20040130525A1
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Midway Amusement Games, LLC (Midway Games Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Midway Amusement Games, LLC (Midway Games Inc.)
• Inventors: Suchocki, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US10/716,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20040130525A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• 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 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A game device includes a presentation medium and a dynamic control area displayed on the presentation medium. The dynamic control area is a two-dimensional video representation of a three-dimensional player control interface. The dynamic control area allows the simulation of three-dimensional controllers using a touch screen interface, thereby allowing velocity and directional information to be input using a touch screen. Interaction with a amusement game under the present invention may involve interaction solely with the dynamic control area rather than the use of specialized controllers provided on the game device.

Claims

1. An amusement game device comprising:

a presentation medium providing a visual depiction of a game;

a touch screen interface overlaid upon the presentation medium; and

a dynamic control area depicted by the presentation medium, the dynamic control area reacting to dynamic touch inputs from a user into the touch screen interface and containing a visual representation of a control interface.

2. The amusement game device of claim 1 wherein the dynamic control area contains a representation of a biased joystick having a tendency to return to a predetermined location following a dynamic touch input.

3. The amusement game device of claim 2 wherein the biased joystick is contained within a biased joystick control region and the predetermined location is a corner of the biased joystick control region.

4. The amusement game device of claim 3 wherein the biased joystick control region is triangular and the corner is an upper corner of the triangular biased joystick control region.

5. The amusement game device of claim 1 wherein the dynamic control area contains a representation of a standard joystick having a tendency to return to a central location following a dynamic touch input.

6. The amusement game device of claim 1 wherein the dynamic control area contains a representation of a track ball.

7. The amusement game device of claim 6 wherein the track ball has an alterable apparent friction associated therewith.

8. A method for processing control information in an amusement game device comprising:

providing a dynamic control area on a presentation medium, the dynamic control area having a video representation of a control interface;

accepting a dynamic touch control on a touch screen interface overlaying the dynamic control area; and

presenting the results of the dynamic touch control.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising updating the video representation of the control interface in response to the dynamic touch control.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising returning the video representation of the control interface to an initial state following the termination of the dynamic touch control.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the video representation of the control interface is a video representation of a biased joystick interface.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the video representation of the control interface is a video representation of a standard joystick interface.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the video representation of the control interface is a video representation of a track ball interface.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the dynamic touch control is a dragging motion on the dynamic control area.

15. A dynamic control area for an amusement game device comprising:

a touch screen interface adapted to accept a dynamic touch control; and

an animated simulation of a control interface contained within the dynamic control area, the animated simulation being adapted to visibly move in response to the dynamic touch control.

16. The dynamic control area of claim 15 wherein the animated simulation of the control interface is an animated simulation of a biased joystick.

17. The dynamic control area of claim 15 wherein the animated simulation of the control interface is an animated simulation of a standard joystick.

18. The dynamic control area of claim 15 wherein the animated simulation of the control interface is an animated simulation of a track ball.

19. An amusement game device comprising:

a presentation medium;

a touch screen interface overlaying the presentation medium, at least a portion of the touch screen interface overlaying a dynamic control area having an animated representation of a control interface;

a control processor connected to the touch screen interface; and

a central game processor connected to the control processor.

20. The amusement game device of claim 19 wherein the animated representation of the control interface is a representation of a biased joystick.

21. The amusement game device of claim 19 wherein the animated representation of the control interface is a representation of a standard joystick.

22. The amusement game device of claim 19 wherein the animated representation of the control interface is a representation of a track ball.

23. The amusement game device of claim 19 wherein the control processor is adapted to process inputs from the dynamic control area and is further adapted to forward control behavior information to the dynamic control area.

24. The amusement game device of claim 19 wherein the control behavior information includes information controlling the animated representation of the control interface.

25. The amusement game device of claim 19 wherein the dynamic control area is adapted to accept inputs from a player, the inputs having directional and velocity components.

26. An amusement game device comprising:

a presentation medium having a dynamic control area depicted thereon, said dynamic control area depicting an image of a simulated joystick;

a touch screen interface overlaying the dynamic control area, the touch screen interface accepting touch inputs and generating control signals corresponding to said touch inputs; and

a processor accepting the control signals and generating position update signals enabling the dynamic control area to graphically depict movement of said simulated joystick.