MUSIC VIDEO GAME WITH GUITAR CONTROLLER HAVING AUXILIARY PALM INPUT

• US 20090258705A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: CHEN, Travis, GUINCHARD, Lee, WEN, Clark, BRIGHT, Brian, CHRZANOWSKI, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• 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 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• 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 2300/8047 : Music games

Abstract

A music based video game provides an auxiliary palm input on an associated guitar shaped video game controller. In some embodiments, the auxiliary palm input is positioned near a strum input on a body of the guitar shaped video game controller, allowing for simultaneous operation of both the strum input and the auxiliary palm input with one hand. In some embodiments, the auxiliary palm input modifies audio outputs generated in the music based video game. In some embodiments, the auxiliary palm input triggers an alternate game mode, for example, a bonus mode, during video game play of the music based video game.

Claims

1. A video game controller, comprising:

a body;

a neck extending from the body, the neck defining an axis of extension;

a strum input on the body, the strum input positioned along the axis of extension;

a plurality of fret inputs on the neck;

an auxiliary input on the body approximate the strum input, the auxiliary input positioned along the axis of extension further from the neck than the strum input; and

circuitry for providing input signals indicative of operation of the strum input, the plurality of fret inputs, and the auxiliary input to a video game console.

2. The video game controller of claim 1, wherein the strum input and auxiliary input are both elongated in shape, the strum input having a longitudinal axis along or parallel to the axis of extension, and the auxiliary input having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the axis of extension.

3. The video game controller of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal axis of the strum input coincides with the axis of extension.

4. The video game controller of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary input is positioned to be depressible by a palm of a hand at the same time the hand is operating the strum input.

5. The video game controller of claim 2, further comprising a pair of additional inputs, a one of the pair of additional inputs positioned on each side of the auxiliary input along the longitudinal axis of the auxiliary input.

6. The video game controller of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary input protrudes from a front surface of the body, and the pair of additional inputs is recessed from the front surface of the body.

7. The video game controller of claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes wireless communication circuitry.

8. A method of applying a modification to an audio output in a music based video game, comprising:

determining an initial audio output based on input signals received from a strum input and a plurality of fret inputs of a video game controller;

detecting an activation of an auxiliary input associated with an output modification; and

outputting a modified version of the initial audio output;

wherein the auxiliary input is located on the video game controller such that a user of the video game controller may activate the strum input with a hand, and simultaneously depress the auxiliary input with a palm of the hand.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the modification is a muting ef fe

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the modified version of the initial audio output is an alternate audio output comprising a muted version of the initial audio output.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a status of the auxiliary input and a status of the strum input are substantially continuously monitored.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein outputting the modified version of the initial audio output is stopped if either the strum input signal ends or the auxiliary input is deactivated.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the modification is removed, and the initial audio output is outputted when the auxiliary input is deactivated.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the modification is reapplied and the modified version of the initial audio output is outputted when the auxiliary input is reactivated.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein outputting an audio output associated with the received input signals ends when the strum input signal ends.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

commanding a display including instructive cues, each of the instructive cues associate with an audio output; and

determining user compliance with a one of the instructive cues when the one of the instructive cues scrolls through a predefined area on the display;

wherein each of the instructive cues includes a first form and a second form;

wherein user compliance with the first form is based on operation of the fret buttons;

wherein user compliance with the second form is based on user operation of the fret buttons and activation of the auxiliary input.

17. A system for providing a bonus mode in a music based video game, comprising:

a display;

at least one video game controller including a strum input and an auxiliary input concurrently accessible to a one hand of a user of the at least one video game controller; and

a processor configured by program instructions to generate on the display a visual interface of the bonus mode in the music based video game, the program instructions including instructions for;

detecting a request from the auxiliary input to activate the bonus mode;

applying processing changes associated with the bonus mode to the music based video game;

processing input signals from the strum input with the applied processing changes;

generating the visual interface based in part on the input signals processed with the applied processing changes;

exiting the bonus mode; and

generating the visual interface without t e applied processing changes.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the program instructions further include instructions for detecting a level of a bonus meter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the program instructions further include instructions for denying application of the processing changes when the level of the bonus meter is below a predefined threshold.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the program instructions further include instructions for reducing the level of the bonus meter while the processing changes are being applied, and wherein the bonus mode is exited when level of the bonus meter becomes empty.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the visual interface of the bonus mode is substantially similar to a regular visual interface associated with the music based video game, the visual interface of the bonus mode further comprising visual modifications indicating to users that the music based video game is in the bonus mode.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the bonus mode temporarily enables a score multiplier.