Dance game apparatus and step-on base for dance game

• US 6,227,968 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kazuya, Takeda, Toru, Suzuki, Toshifumi, Okita, Katsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US09/358,335
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: D12/203, 434/250, 434/257, 273/444, 273/447, 473/269, 482/8, 463/7, 463/36, 200/86.5, 600/592
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• 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 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• 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 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• 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 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 : according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 : Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 : Music games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 : involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

Rhythm sensations can be represented in time to music by using the entire body and to create powerfulness and rhythm sensations. Stepping position indication data which is set by a rhythm setting section is read from a stepping position indication data memory, and the stepping position instruction contents are scrolled and displayed on a monitor by a scroll display control section, thereby performing instructions of the stepping position and the stepping operation timing. When the fact that a player steps on a step-on base section in accordance with the display contents of the monitor is detected by a cable switch and this is input from a stepping operation monitor section, a score proportional to the timing deviation is calculated by an amount-of-deviation detection/totaling section, and next, an evaluation is performed by the rhythm setting section. Then, the next stepping position indication data is set according to the evaluation result.

Claims

1. A dance game for use by a game player comprising:

an output device for outputting a stored rhythmic piece;

a floor panel having a plurality of step-on-sections having different floor panel indicia, each of said step-on sections outputting a step-on signal when step-on contact is applied to each step-on section by the dance game player;

a display unit displaying first display indicia in which each first display indicia has a recognizable relationship with a corresponding floor panel indica, said display unit also displaying a second display indicia in which each second display indicia has a recognizable relationship with a respective corresponding first display indicia;

a guidance unit for controlling the relative movement between the first indicia and the second display indicia such that each first display indicia sequentially establishes a mating relationship with a respective corresponding second display indicia in timed relationship with said rhythmic piece such that said dance game player is instructed to sequentially step-on the different step-on sections in timed relationship with the sequential establishment of said mating relationships and thereby in timed relationship with said rhythmic piece, said guidance unit outputting a guidance unit signal when said mating relationship is established; and

an evaluation unit receiving said step-on signals and said guidance unit signals and providing an evaluation of the dance game player'"'"'s performance based on said step-on signals and said guidance unit signals.

2. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein said first display indicia moves toward respective corresponding second indicia such that said mating relationship occurs when each first display indicia encounters a respective corresponding second indicia.

3. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein said display unit displays said first display indicia by scrolling.

4. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein said display unit displays said first display indicia by scrolling in a generally vertical direction.

5. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein said display unit displays said first display indicia such that each first display indicia moves along a separate locus with each locus being substantially parallel to one another.

6. A dance game according to claim 5 wherein said display unit displays each second indicia in the locus of the respective corresponding first display indicia.

7. A dance game according to claim 5 wherein said second display indicia are generally linearly aligned in a direction generally perpendicular to the parallel locus of said first display indicia.

8. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein said mating relationship is an overlapping relationship.

9. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein each floor panel indicia is substantially the same as the respective related first display indicia.

10. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein each floor panel indicia is substantially the same as the respective related second display indicia.

11. A dance game according to claim 1 wherein each second display indicia is substantially the same as the respective related first display indicia.

12. A dance game according to claim 1, wherein the first display indicia is a moving display indicia and the second display indicia is a stationary display indicia.

13. A game for use by a game player in conjunction with a rhythmic piece comprising:

a panel having a plurality of pressure sensitive sections having different panel indicia, each of said pressure sensitive sections outputting a pressure sensitive signal when pressure is applied to each pressure sensitive section by the game player;

a display unit displaying first display indicia in which each first display indicia has a recognizable relationship with a corresponding panel indica, said display unit also displaying second display indicia in which each second display indicia has a recognizable relationship with a respective corresponding first display indicia;

a guidance unit for controlling the first display indicia such that each first display indicia establishes a mating relationship with a respective corresponding second display indicia in timed relationship with said rhythmic piece such that said game player is instructed to apply pressure to the different pressure sensitive sections in timed relationship with the establishment of said mating relationships and thereby in timed relationship with said rhythmic piece, said guidance unit outputting a guidance unit signal when said mating relationship is established; and

an evaluation unit receiving said pressure sensitive signals and said guidance unit signals and providing an evaluation of the game player'"'"'s performance based on said pressure sensitive signals and said guidance unit signals.

14. A game for use by a game player in conjunction with a rhythmic piece comprising:

a panel having a plurality of contact sections, each of said contact sections outputting a contact signal when contacted by the game player;

a display unit displaying first displays in which each first display has a recognizable relationship with a corresponding contact section of said panel, said display unit also displaying second displays in which each second display has a recognizable relationship with a respective corresponding moving display;

a guidance unit for controlling the first displays such that each first display establishes a mating relationship with a respective corresponding second display in timed relationship with said rhythmic piece such that said game player is instructed to contact the different contact sections in timed relationship with the establishment of said mating relationships and thereby in timed relationship with said rhythmic piece, said guidance unit outputting a guidance unit signal when said guidance unit relationship is established; and

an evaluation unit receiving said contact signals and said guidance unit signals and providing an evaluation of the game player'"'"'s performance based on said contact signals and said guidance unit signals.