Computer-readable storage medium and information processing apparatus

• US 8,395,582 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Takayama, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US12/561,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• 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 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• 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 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/122 Determining position of centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices

Abstract

When a gravity center position enters a right input area, a motion of a character in a virtual game space pushing down the right pedal of a bicycle is started, and the bicycle is accelerated. Further, a reference position is moved so as to gradually approach the gravity center position, and the boundary between a non-input area and a left input area is also moved so as to gradually approach the gravity center position in conjunction with the reference position. When the gravity center position enters the left input area, a motion of the character in the virtual game space pushing down the left pedal of the bicycle is started, and the bicycle is accelerated. Further, the reference position is moved so as to gradually approach the gravity center position, and the boundary between the non-input area and the right input area is also moved so as to gradually approach the gravity center position in conjunction with the reference position.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program that causes a computer of an information processing apparatus to perform functionality comprising:

detecting a gravity center position of a user based on a signal from a gravity center position detection device;

performing a predetermined process based on a relative position of the detected gravity center position with respect to a reference position or a reference area that is stored in a storage area; and

updating, based on the detected gravity center position, the reference position or the reference area that is stored in the storage area.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the reference position stored in the storage area is sequentially updated based on the detected gravity center position.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the reference position stored in the storage area is updated so as to approach the detected gravity center position.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the reference position stored in the storage area is updated in a phased manner so as to approach, in the phased manner, the detected gravity center position.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the information processing program causes the computer of the information processing apparatus to further execute functionality comprising repeating a process of updating the reference position stored in the storage area, to be a position between the reference position and the detected gravity center position.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 4, wherein the reference position stored in the storage area is updated so as to approach, at a predetermined rate, the detected gravity center position.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program causes the computer of the information processing apparatus to further execute functionality comprising performing a first process when the detected gravity center position is distant from the reference position stored in the storage area, in a first direction for a constant distance or longer;

and performing a second process when the detected gravity center position is distant from the reference position stored in the storage area, for the constant distance or longer in a second direction different from the first direction.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the information processing program causes the computer of the information processing apparatus to further execute functionality comprising moving the reference position stored in the storage area, in the first direction when the detected gravity center position is distant from the reference position stored in the storage area, in the first direction for the constant distance or longer;

and moving the reference position stored in the storage area, in the second direction when the detected gravity center position is distant from the reference position stored in the storage area, for the constant distance or longer in the second direction opposite to the first direction.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the information processing program causes the computer of the information processing apparatus to further execute functionality comprising capability of executing only the second process out of the first process and the second process during a period after the first process is executed until the second process is executed;

and capability of executing only the first process out of the first process and the second process during a period after the second process is executed until the first process is executed.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program causes the computer of the information processing apparatus to further execute functionality comprising performing a first process in accordance with a distance between the gravity center position and the reference position when the detected gravity center position is located in a first direction with respect to the reference position stored in the storage area;

and performing a second process in accordance with a distance between the gravity center position and the reference position when the detected gravity center position is located in a second direction different from the first direction, with respect to the reference position stored in the storage area.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the information processing program causes the computer of the information processing apparatus to further execute functionality comprising moving the reference position stored in the storage area, in the first direction when the detected gravity center position is located in the first direction with respect to the reference position stored in the storage area;

and moving the reference position stored in the storage area, in the second direction opposite to the first direction, when the detected gravity center position is located in the second direction with respect to the reference position stored in the storage area.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the reference position stored in the storage area is updated so as to approach the detected gravity center position, with a predetermined approach limit position as a limit.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the information processing program further causes the computer to execute functionality comprising setting the approach limit position based on the detected gravity center position.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program further causes the computer to execute functionality comprising generating an image showing the detected gravity center position and the updated reference position, and outputting the image to a display device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute functionality comprising detecting, based on a signal from an operating device held by the user, movement of the operating device, and

performing the predetermined process based on both the detected relative position and the detected movement of the operating device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program causes the computer of the information processing apparatus to further execute functionality comprising:

determining in which of the reference area, a first area adjacent to the reference area, and a second area adjacent to the reference area and distant from the first area, the detected gravity center position of the user is located;

executing a first process in accordance with entry of the gravity center position into the first area;

executing a second process in accordance with entry of the gravity center position into the second area;

updating, in accordance with the entry of the gravity center position into the first area, a position of the reference area so as to approach the detected gravity center position; and

updating, in accordance with the entry of the gravity center position into the second area, the position of the reference area so as to approach the detected gravity center position.

17. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a gravity center position detection unit for detecting a gravity center position of a user based on a signal from a gravity center position detection device;

a process unit for performing a predetermined process based on a relative position of the gravity center position, detected by the gravity center position detection unit with respect to a reference position or a reference area that is stored in a storage area; and

a reference position update unit for updating, based on the gravity center position detected by the gravity center position detection unit, the reference position or the reference area that is stored in the storage area.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the gravity center position detection unit includes a determination unit for determining in which of the reference area, a first area adjacent to the reference area, and a second area adjacent to the reference area and distant from the first area, the gravity center position of the user detected based on the signal from the gravity center position detection device is located,

the process unit includes:

a first process unit for executing a first process in accordance with entry of the gravity center position into the first area; and

a second process unit for executing a second process in accordance with entry of the gravity center position into the second area, and

the reference position update means unit includes;

a first update unit for updating, in accordance with the entry of the gravity center position into the first area, a position of the reference area so as to approach the gravity center position detected by the gravity center position detection unit; and

a second update unit for updating, in accordance with the entry of the gravity center position into the second area, the position of the reference area so as to approach the gravity center position detected by the gravity center position detection unit.

19. An information processing system, comprising:

an input device capable of relaying information related to a load and gravity center information of a user; and

an information processing apparatus having one or more processors and associated with the input device, the information processing apparatus comprising;

a gravity center position detection unit for detecting a gravity center position of a user based on a signal from a gravity center position detection device,

a process unit for performing a predetermined process based on a relative position of the gravity center position, detected by the gravity center position detection unit, with respect to a reference position or a reference area that is stored in a storage area, and

a reference position update unit for updating, based on the gravity center position detected by the gravity center position detection unit, the reference position or the reference area that is stored in the storage area.

20. A method implemented in an information processing apparatus having one or more computer processors, the method comprising:

detecting a gravity center position of a user based on a signal from a gravity center position detection device;

performing, using one or more of the computer processors, a predetermined process based on a relative position of the detected gravity center position with respect to a reference position or a reference area that is stored in a storage area; and

updating, based on the detected gravity center position, the reference position or the reference area that is stored in the storage area.