Music-based video game with user physical performance

• US 8,696,456 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bright, Brian, Hilliker, Jonathan L., Chrzanowski, Michael J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US12/511,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20110028214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 463/35, 463 36- 38
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• 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 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/342 for guitar-like instruments with or without strings and with a neck on which switches or string-fret contacts are used to detect the notes being played electric guitars in which the tones are generated by the vibration of strings G10H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection tempo display G10H2220/081; tempo control G10H2210/375
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/091 for performance evaluation, i.e. judging, grading or scoring the musical qualities or faithfulness of a performance, e.g. with respect to pitch, tempo or other timings of a reference performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/145 Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/201 for movement interpretation, i.e. capturing and recognizing a gesture or a specific kind of movement, e.g. to control a musical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321

Abstract

A music-based video game additionally evaluates a game player'"'"'s physical performance. The game player'"'"'s physical performance is evaluated in some embodiments by determining if an indication of controller movement matches predefined patterns while the game player responds to instructive cues to operate a representation of a musical instrument. A representation of a musician may be provided, with the game player to mimic movements of the representation of the musician. The game player may be provided additional points for properly responding to instructive cues while moving in predefined manners.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating game player movement in a music-based video game, comprising:

commanding presentation of instructive cues for operation of controllers, the instructive cues including instructive cues for operation of at user-manipulable input device on the controllers;

determining compliance with the instructive cues by a first game player operating a first controller by evaluating input signals indicative of user manipulation of user-manipulable input devices on the first controller and determining compliance with the instructive cues by a second game player operating a second controller by evaluating input signals indicative of user manipulation of user-manipulable input devices on the second controller;

recording information of additional input signals indicative of rotational or translational movement of the first controller by the first game player, the additional input signals being detected by one or more position sensing input devices coupled to the first controller;

determining if information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the second controller by the second game player matches the recorded information of the additional input signals indicative of the rotational or translational movement of the first controller by the first game player; and

commanding presentation of feedback to at least the second game player based on extent of matching of the information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the second controller by the second game player and the recorded information of the additional input signals indicative of rotational or translational movement of the first controller by the first game player.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional input signals indicative of rotational or translational movement of the first controller by the first game player include signals received by a position or acceleration sensing device coupled to the first controller operated by the first game player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the second controller by the second game player includes input signals detected by one or more position sensing input devices on-board the second controller operated by the second game player.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the feedback to at least the second game player comprises a score.

5. A system for use in providing for music-based video game play, the system comprising:

a processor configured by program instructions to;

command presentation of instructive cues for operation of input devices of a first controller and a second controller, the input devices including at least one user-manipulable input device;

determine extent of compliance by a first game player and a second game player with the instructive cues based on signals from the first controller and the second controller;

command presentation of feedback to the first and second game players as to extent of compliance with the instructive cues;

command storage of information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the first controller by the first game player;

compare information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the second controller by the second game player with the information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the first controller by the first game player; and

command presentation of feedback to the second game player as to an extent of matching of the information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the second controller by the second game player with the information indicative of rotational or translational movement of the first controller by the first game player.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a display for displaying the instructive cues and the feedback to the first and second game players and the feedback to the second game player.

7. The system of claim 5 further comprising the first controller, the controller having the input devices, and the second controller.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the first controller and the second controller each include at least one accelerometer, the information indicative of movement of the first controller by the first game player being based at least in part on output of the at least one accelerometer of the controller and the information indicative of movement of the second controller by the second game player being based on output of the at least one accelerometer of the second controller.