Tablet unit

• US 5,967,898 A
• Filed: 03/27/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SEGA Corporation (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Inventors: Ogawa, Iwakichi, Takasaka, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US08/825,059
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/39, 463/46, 463/47, 273/148 B, 273/237, 273/238, 273/240, 434/338, 434/339, 434/362, 434/317, 446/7, 446/8
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0664 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/143 electric

Abstract

A tablet unit 10 for a vehicle includes a dashboarded-shaped body 36, a handle 42, and a touch pen hold unit 50. The dashboard-shaped body 36 includes a receiving antenna 138 which is interlocked with an operation of the handle and is moved on a tablet opposed surface 52. The receiving antenna 138 inputs electromagnetic waves from a tablet 28 and transmits positional information corresponding to the electromagnetic waves to an antenna on the touch pen 32 holding the touch pen 32 through cables 160a, 160b. A drive game is played by operating the handle, which makes the drive game realistic in comparison with that played by operating the touch pen 32. Tablet units 10 for game devices using a keyboard musical instrument, clock, athletic museum, gun and a register are also provided for malting these games realistic in comparison with that played by operating the touch pen 32.

Claims

1. A tablet unit to be mounted on a game device, said game device including a tablet and a touch pen for cooperating with said tablet to input command information to said game device, said tablet unit comprising:

a unit body having means for mounting on the game device to cover the tablet;

contact means supported by the unit body, said contact means contacting the tablet when said unit body is mounted on said game device, said contacting means further comprising signal transferring means for transferring signals to the touch pen; and

operating means for operating the contact means so as to change a contact position of the contact means contacting the tablet,

the contact means being contacted to the tablet to input command information in the game device when said unit body is mounted on said game device.

2. A tablet unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit body physically simulates a dashboard;

and the operating means includes at least a handle, an ignition key and a shift lever.

3. A tablet unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit body physically simulates a keyboard musical instrument;

the operating means includes at least a plurality of keys; and

the contact means is provided for each of said plurality of keys.

4. A tablet unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit body physically simulates a clock;

the operating means includes at least a clock needle to be rotated by an operator; and

the contact means is disposed on the clock needle.

5. A tablet unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit body physically simulates an athletic museum;

and the operating means includes at least a doll athlete which can be moved by an operator in the athletic museum.

6. A tablet unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit body contains an area for holding the touch pen.

7. A tablet unit according to claim 1, wherein said contact means receives electromagnetic waves from the tablet and said signal transferring means transmits electromagnetic waves to the touch pen.

8. A tablet unit to be mounted on a game device, said game device including a tablet and a touch pen for cooperating with said tablet to input command information to said game device, said tablet unit comprising:

a unit body having means for mounting on the game device to cover the tablet;

holding means disposed in the unit body, for holding the touch pen movably with respect to the tablet when said tablet unit is mounted on said game device, the touch pen being contacted to the tablet to input command information into the game device; and

operating means for operating the holding means to change a contact position of the touch pen.

9. A tablet unit according to claim 8, wherein

the unit body physically simulates a gun;

and

the operating means includes at least a trigger button of the gun.

10. A tablet unit according to claim 8, wherein

the unit body physically simulates a bar code register;

and

the operating means includes an actuator for the touch pen.

11. A tablet unit according to claim 8, wherein said holding means causes the touch pen to receive electromagnetic waves from the tablet when said operating means operates the holding means.

12. A tablet unit to be mounted on an electronic device, the electronic device including a tablet and a touch pen for cooperating with said tablet to input command information to the electronic device, said tablet unit comprising:

a unit body having means for mounting on the electronic device to cover the tablet;

contact means supported by the unit body, said contact means contacting the tablet when said unit body is mounted on the electronic device, said contact means further comprising signal transferring means for transferring signals to the touch pen; and

operating means for operating the contact means so as to change a contact position of the contact means contacting the tablet,

the contact means being contacted to the tablet to input command information in the electronic device when said unit body is mounted on the electronic device.

13. A tablet unit to be mounted on an electronic device, the electronic device including a tablet and a touch pen for cooperating with said tablet to input command information to the electronic device, said tablet unit comprising:

a unit body having means for mounting on the electronic device to cover the tablet;

holding means disposed in the unit body, for holding the touch pen movably with respect to the tablet when said tablet unit is mounted on the electronic device, the touch pen being contacted to the tablet to input command information into the electronic device; and

operating means for operating the holding means to change a contact position of the touch pen.