SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING SUDDEN MOTION SENSOR DATA FOR PERCUSSIVE GAME INPUT

• US 20080146301A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Information Appliance Associates
• Original Assignee: Information Appliance Associates
• Inventors: Goggin, Terence, Goggin, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/682,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146301A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video

Abstract

A system and method influence game play in a computer game based on percussive input. The percussive input is measured by a sudden motion sensor used to park a hard disk drive head during sudden movement.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

reading sudden motion sensor data during an impact to a device;

determining if the read data exceeds a threshold; and

adjusting game play if the read data exceeds the threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting adjusts game play in proportion to the read data values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the game play is adjusted in a negative fashion if the read data exceeds a maximum.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reading reads the data from a sudden motion sensor system used to park a head of a hard drive.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sudden motion sensor system includes a three-axis accelerometer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting adjusts game play if a value from any axis exceeds a threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the game play includes a pinball game.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes a MACINTOSH computer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes a mobile phone.

9. A system, comprising:

means for reading sudden motion sensor data during an impact to a device;

means for determining if the read data exceeds a threshold; and

means for adjusting game play if the read data exceeds the threshold.

10. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to cause a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

reading sudden motion sensor data during an impact to a computer;

determining if the read data exceeds a threshold; and

adjusting game play if the read data exceeds the threshold.

11. A system, comprising:

a sudden motion sensor engine for reading sudden motion sensor data during an impact to a device; and

a game, communicatively coupled to the sudden motion sensor engine, for determining if the read data exceeds a threshold and adjusting game play if the read data exceeds the threshold.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the game adjusts game play in proportion to the read data values.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the game adjust game play in a negative fashion if the read data exceeds a maximum.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a sudden motion sensor used to park a head of a hard drive.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the sudden motion sensor system includes a three-axis accelerometer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the game adjusts game play if a value from any axis exceeds a threshold.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the game includes a pinball game.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the device includes a MACINTOSH computer.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the device includes a mobile phone.