Apparatus systems, and the methods for stimulating movement of a ball in response to a signal generated in an input device moved by a game player

• US 7,932,908 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ueshima, Hiromu, Kato, Shuhei
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier; Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US09/856,175
• Time in Patent Office: 3,858 Days
• Field of Search: 463/3, 463/36, 463/37, 463/32, 345/474
• US Class Current: 345/474
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• 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 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/646 for calculating the trajectory of an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

A sensing baseball game apparatus (10) has a game machine (12) connected to a television monitor (18). A bat input device (32) is provided with an acceleration sensor. An acceleration signal is transmitted by an infrared-ray LED (34) to an infrared-ray receiving part of the game machine (12) whereby the game machine (12) determines a moving speed of the bat input device (32) to calculate a moving parameter of a ball to be batted. Accordingly, a batted ball is moved in the game scene according to the parameter.

Claims

1. A ball game apparatus for playing a ball game, said ball game apparatus being configured to operate with a screen of a display device, said ball game apparatus comprising:

an input device including a handle to be moved in a three-dimensional space by a game player, to produce a movement for simulating an attempted interception of a ball;

a first signal-generator incorporated in said input device to output an acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said input device in the three-dimensional space to produce said movement for simulating an attempted interception of a ball, said acceleration correlated signal indicating a plurality of different non-zero acceleration values;

a second signal-generator incorporated in said input device to output a second signal in response to said accelerated correlation signal; and

a game processor for

displaying a ball character on said screen of said display device,

receiving said second signal, and

determining, based on said second signal and a moving timing of said ball character that is a position of said ball character in a depth direction in said screen, a moving direction of said ball character as a parameter for a movement of the ball character after a hit.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said game processor determines a moving direction of said ball character by further taking an approaching course of said ball character into account.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said game processor determines a moving speed of said ball character in accordance with a level of said acceleration.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first signal-generator includes a piezoelectric buzzer.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said game processor detects a timing that said acceleration reaches a peak value, and determines based on said timing and said moving timing of said ball character said moving direction of said ball character.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said game processor detects a timing that said acceleration reaches a predetermined value, and determines based on said timing and said moving timing of said ball said moving direction of said ball character.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second signal-generator comprises:

second signal transmitting means for transmitting the second signal in a wireless manner, and

enabling means for enabling said second signal transmitting means to transmit the second signal when a magnitude level of said acceleration is equal to or larger than the predetermined level.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second signal transmitting means includes an infrared-ray emission element, further comprising a light receiving element which receives the infrared-ray from said infrared-ray emission element.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory,

said game processor including an operation processing means, image processing means, and sound processing means;

said operation processing means executing a program code stored in said memory and calculating a position, moving direction and speed of the ball character on the basis of an acceleration correlated signal outputted from said first signal-generator;

said image processing means generating image information including the ball character by use of image data stored in said memory under control of said operation processing means;

said sound processing means reproducing sound by use of sound data stored in said memory under control of said operation processing means.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said memory includes a non-volatile semiconductor memory.

11. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ball game is a baseball game,

said input device including a bat input device.

12. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said ball game is a game using a racket,

said input device including a racket input device.

13. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first signal-generator includes a pair of acceleration sensors which are provided so as to sandwich an origin, and said game processor evaluates a moving speed of said input device in accordance with a sum of detection values of said pair of acceleration sensors and a rotating speed of said input device in accordance with a difference of said detection values of said pair of acceleration sensors.

14. The ball game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first signal-generator is configured to generate said acceleration correlated signal to have a varying pulse width according to an acceleration upon moving said input device in said three-dimensional space.

15. The ball game apparatus according to claim 1 further including a plurality of transmitters, each transmitter transmitting said acceleration correlated signal in a wireless manner from a respective surface of said input device.

16. The ball game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second-signal-generator generates a second signal that includes the acceleration correlated signal.

17. A ball game apparatus for playing a ball game, said ball game apparatus being configured to operate with a screen of a display device, said ball game apparatus comprising:

an input device including a handle to be moved in a three-dimensional space by a game player, to produce a movement for simulating an attempted interception of a ball;

a first signal-generator incorporated in said input device to output a first signal, said first signal being a step function of a force generated upon moving said input device in said three-dimensional space by said game player;

a second signal-generator incorporated in said input device to output a second signal in response to said first signal; and

a game processor for

displaying a ball character on said screen of said display device,

receiving said second signal, and

determining, based on a timing of said second signal and a moving timing that is a position of said ball character in a depth direction in said screen, a moving direction of said ball character as a parameter for a movement of said ball character after a hit.

18. The game apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said game processor determines a moving direction of said ball character by further taking an approaching course of said ball character into account.

19. The game apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said first signal-generator includes a weight elastically biased by a spring.

20. The game apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a memory,

said game processor including an operation processing means, image processing means, and sound processing means;

said operation processing means executing a program code stored in said memory and calculating the moving direction of the ball character on the basis of the second signal and the position of said ball character;

said image processing means generating image information including the ball character by use of image data stored in said memory under control of said operation processing means;

said sound processing means reproducing sound by use of sound data stored in said memory under control of said operation processing means.

21. The game apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said memory includes a non-volatile semiconductor memory.

22. The game apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said ball game is a baseball game,

said input device including a bat input device.

23. The game apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the ball game is a game using a racket,

said input device including a racket input device.

24. The ball game apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said second signal-generator comprises a transmitter that transmits said second signal in a wireless manner.

25. The ball game apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said transmitter includes an infrared-ray emission element, and said ball game apparatus further comprises a light receiving element which receives the infrared-ray from said infrared-ray emission element.

26. The ball game apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the second-signal-generator generates a second signal that includes the first signal.