Storage medium storing subject selecting program and subject selecting apparatus

• US 20070191112A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 9,389,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A plurality of selection subjects which are divided into groups under a predetermined condition are displayed on a display screen. One group is selected based on coordinate information output from a pointing device. Next, based on an operation signal output from an input device which outputs an operation signal of a plurality of types of operation signals, depending on a player'"'"'s operation, one is selected from the selection subjects belonging to the group, and a process is performed, depending on the selected selection subject.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing a subject selecting program which causes a computer of an apparatus for performing a process of selecting one from a plurality of selection subjects displayed on a display screen using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a predetermined coordinate system, depending on a player'"'"'s operation, and an input device for outputting a predetermined operation signal of a plurality of types of operation signals, depending on a player'"'"'s operation,

the program causing the computer to execute:

a selection subject display control step of displaying, on the display screen, a plurality of selection subjects which are divided into groups under a predetermined condition;

a first operation information obtaining step of obtaining coordinate information output from the pointing device;

a group selecting step of selecting one from the groups into which the plurality of selection subjects are divided, based on the coordinate information obtained in the first operation information obtaining step;

a second operation information obtaining step of obtaining an operation signal output from the input device after the group is selected in the group selecting step;

a subject selecting step of selecting one from selection subjects belonging to the group selected in the group selecting step, based on the operation signal obtained in the second operation information obtaining step; and

a processing step of performing a process, depending on the selection subject selected in the subject selecting step.

2. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein, in the group selecting step, the coordinate information output from the pointing device is converted into coordinates in a screen coordinate system provided on the display screen, and one group displayed at a position having the coordinates on the display screen is selected from the groups into which the plurality of selection subjects are divided.

3. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein, in the subject selecting step, one selection subject displayed in a shape or at a position mimicking an installed position of an input section of the input device which outputs the operation signal obtained in the second operation information obtaining step, is selected from the selection subjects belonging to the group selected in the group selecting step.

4. The storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the group selecting step includes a selection subject display position change control step of, when a group is selected, changing selection subjects belonging to the selected group into shapes or positions mimicking installed positions of input sections of the input device, and displaying the resultant selection subjects on the display screen.

5. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the group selecting step includes a sign display addition control step of, when a group is selected, assigning signs indicating functions assigned to respective input sections of the input device, to the respective selection subjects belonging to the selected group, and displaying the selection subjects, and

in the subject selecting step, one selection subject displayed, being assigned a sign indicating a function assigned to an input section of the input device which outputs the operation signal obtained in the second operation information obtaining step, is selected from the selection subjects belonging to the group selected in the group selecting step.

6. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the group selecting step includes a selected group display control step of, when a group is selected, displaying selection subjects belonging to the selected group on the display screen while distinguishing the selection subjects belonging to the selected group from the other selection subjects.

7. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the subject selecting step includes a subject display control'"'"'step of, when a selection subject is selected, displaying the selected selection subject on the display screen while distinguishing the selected selection subject from the other selection subjects.

8. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the subject selecting program causes the computer to further execute:

a setting step of previously setting the groups to which the plurality of selection subjects belong and corresponding input sections of the input device.

9. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the subject selecting program causes the computer to further execute:

a setting step of dividing and setting the plurality of selection subjects into groups to each of which a predetermined number of selection subjects belong.

10. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the subject selecting program causes the computer to further execute:

a setting step of dividing and setting the plurality of selection subjects into groups to each of which selection subjects displayed adjacent to each other on the display screen belong.

11. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the selection subject is an object which is displayed on the display screen and on which a character is written, and

in the processing step, a process of inputting a character written on an object selected in the subject selecting step is performed.

12. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the selection subject is a character displayed on the display screen, and

in the processing step, a process of inputting a character selected in the subject selecting step is performed.

13. A subject selecting apparatus for selecting one from a plurality of selection subjects displayed on a display screen using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a predetermined coordinate system, depending on a player'"'"'s operation, and an input device for outputting a predetermined operation signal of a plurality of types of operation signals, depending on a player'"'"'s operation, the apparatus comprising:

a selection subject display control means for displaying, on the display screen, a plurality of selection subjects which are divided into groups under a predetermined condition;

a first operation information obtaining means for obtaining coordinate information output from the pointing device;

a group selecting means for selecting one from the groups into which the plurality of selection subjects are divided, based on the coordinate information obtained by the first operation information obtaining means;

a second operation information obtaining means for obtaining an operation signal output from the input device after the group is selected by the group selecting means;

a subject selecting means for selecting one from selection subjects belonging to the group selected by the group selecting means, based on the operation signal obtained by the second operation information obtaining means; and

a processing means for performing a process, depending on the selection subject selected by the subject selecting means.

14. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, wherein the group selecting means converts the coordinate information output from the pointing device into coordinates in a screen coordinate system provided on the display screen, and selects one group displayed at a position having the coordinates on the display screen, from the group into which the plurality of selection subjects are divided.

15. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, wherein the subject selecting means selects one selection subject displayed in a shape or at a position mimicking an installed position of an input section of the input device which outputs the operation signal obtained by the second operation information obtaining means, from the selection subjects belonging to the group selected by the group selecting means.

16. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 15, wherein the group selecting means includes a selection subject display position change control means for, when a group is selected, changing selection subjects belonging to the selected group into shapes or positions mimicking installed positions of input sections of the input device, and displaying the resultant selection subjects on the display screen.

17. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, wherein the group selecting means includes a sign display addition control means for, when a group is selected, assigning signs indicating functions assigned to respective input sections of the input device, to the respective selection subjects belonging to the selected group, and

the subject selecting means selects one selection subject displayed, being assigned a sign indicating a function assigned to an input section of the input device which outputs the operation signal obtained by the second operation information obtaining means, from the selection subjects belonging to the group selected by the group selecting means.

18. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, wherein the group selecting means includes a selected group display control means for, when a group is selected, displaying selection subjects belonging to the selected group on the display screen while distinguishing the selection subjects belonging to the selected group from the other selection subjects.

19. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, wherein the subject selecting means includes a subject display control means for, when a selection subject is selected, displaying the selected selection subject on the display screen while distinguishing the selected selection subject from the other selection subjects.

20. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, further comprising:

a setting means for previously setting the groups to which the plurality of selection subjects belong and corresponding input sections of the input device.

21. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, further comprising:

a setting means for dividing and setting the plurality of selection subjects into groups to each of which a predetermined number of selection subjects belong.

22. The subject selecting apparatus to claim 13, further comprising:

a setting means for dividing and setting the plurality of selection subjects into groups to each of which selection subjects displayed adjacent to each other on the display screen belong.