Methods and apparatus for a video game magic system

• US 9,545,571 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Johnson, Ian, Jackson, Dominic, Hanif, Nouman
• Primary Examiner(s): LIDDLE, JAY TRENT
• Application Number:
  US12/020,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20090191968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,280 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video 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 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

A system for allowing a player to invoke magic or other special powers in a video game is provided. To activate the magic, the player moves a motion detecting controller in accordance with one or more provided instructions. The outcome of the activation of the magic can be determinate on, for example, speed, accuracy, etc. Controllers in one or both hands may be used, and the instructions can be as simple as single direction gestures and as complex as multi-directional symbols which must be traced in the air. A sequence of any type of instructions may also be provided to instruct the activation of the magic.

Claims

1. A method of tracing symbols using a handheld input device wirelessly coupled to a computer-based system comprising a processor, memory and a display interface connected to a display device, the handheld input device including a sensor that can sense spatial controller pointing and/or motion in free space, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display device, a symbol comprising a sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs;

instructing a user to trace the displayed sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs comprising the symbol by moving the handheld input device in free space;

detecting, with the processor, at least spatial input device pointing and/or motion by monitoring signals sensed by the sensor and provided by the handheld input device to the computer-based system;

determining, with the processor, in response to monitoring the signals, whether the user moves the handheld input device in free space to gesture the displayed sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs; and

varying a degree of effectiveness of a game action based on the gesturing of the displayed sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs that is determined based on the user'"'"'s movement of the handheld input device in free space, the game action using a parameter corresponding to a strength defined by, at least, an accuracy of tracing the sequence divided by a value produced based on a quotient derived from a time taken for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs and a time allowed for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein two handheld input devices are spatially moved to provide input, each handheld input device being held in a different hand.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing feedback if the user moves the handheld input device to gesture the displayed sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the game action is displayed on the display device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the handheld input device transmits the signal to the computer-based system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the degree of effectiveness is greater when the accuracy of tracing the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs is greater.

7. A method of instructing player input to a video game controller capable of detecting spatial controller pointing and/or motion along a plurality of axes, comprising:

displaying a sequential series of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs on a display, the cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs defining a pattern in which a player is to spatially trace, in free space, using at least one handheld controller containing an inertial sensor;

detecting, with a processor remote from the handheld controller, aspects of the spatial pointing and/or motion of the handheld controller in response to signals the inertial sensor senses and which the handheld controller transmits to the processor;

determining, for the cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs in the sequential series, whether or not the detected aspects of the spatial pointing and/or motion of the handheld controller in free space was gestured in an instructed direction; and

varying a degree of effectiveness of a game action based on the gesturing of the displayed sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs that is determined based on the detected aspects of the spatial pointing and/or motion of the handheld controller in free space, the game action using a parameter corresponding to a strength defined by, at least, an accuracy of tracing the sequence divided by a value produced based on a quotient derived from a time taken for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs and a time allowed for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the displaying further includes displaying a sequential series of instructions on a display, the instructions each defining two patterns in which the player is to simultaneously spatially move two handheld controllers using separate hands.

9. The method of claim 7, further including displaying, in conjunction with the displayed pattern, at least one visual indicia that indicates in which direction the at least one handheld controller is to be moved.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the visual indicia include moving light points that move along the displayed pattern.

11. In a system including a processor coupled to a memory and a display, the processor executing software to display information on the display, the processor in wireless communication with a sensor that moves with a user'"'"'s body part in free space, a method for interacting with an interactive media system to instruct a user how to perform a task, the method comprising:

graphically displaying, on the display, at least one choreographic pattern comprising a sequential series of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs to prompt a user to attempt to mimic said displayed choreographic pattern by tracing in free space;

sensing pointing and/or motion with the sensor that moves with a user'"'"'s body part in free space;

detecting, with the processor, whether said sensor has sensed a pointing and/or motion signal having a timing that could correspond to the displayed choreographic pattern;

determining, with the processor, in response to the sensor sensing the signal, whether the user moves the sensor in free space to gesture the displayed at least one choreographic pattern; and

varying a degree of effectiveness of a game action based on the gesturing of the displayed sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs that is determined based on the user'"'"'s movement of the sensor in free space, the game action using a parameter corresponding to a strength defined by, at least, an accuracy of tracing the sequence divided by a value produced based on a quotient derived from a time taken for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs and a time allowed for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said graphically displaying comprises graphically displaying a sequence of choreographic patterns to prompt the user to attempt to mimic each displayed graphical pattern in said sequence by tracing each displayed graphical pattern in free space.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said sensing includes sensing free space motion of at least one handheld input device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said sensing comprises simultaneously sensing instantaneous positions of a left-handed handheld input device and a right-handed handheld input device.

15. A system for teaching a user how to form a symbol, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium storing a game program;

a processor device operable to execute the game program; and

at least one handheld controller in communication with the processor device, the handheld controller including an inertial sensor that can sense aspects of pointing and/or motion of a user operating the handheld controller in free space, wherein

execution of the game program by the processor device causes at least one instruction comprising a sequential series of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs to be displayed on a display connected to the processor device, wherein the at least one instruction instructs a player to move the controller in free space to trace the displayed sequential series of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs, wherein the game program determines, via the processor device, whether the user moves the handheld controller in free space to gesture the displayed sequential series of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs and varies a degree of effectiveness of a game action based on the gesturing of the displayed sequential series of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs that is determined based on the user'"'"'s movement of the handheld input device in free space, the game action using a parameter corresponding to a strength defined by, at least, an accuracy of tracing the sequence divided by a value produced based on a quotient derived from a time taken for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs and a time allowed for completing the tracing of the sequence of cursively-connected line segments and/or arcs.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a plurality of instructions are displayed, the instructions comprising displayed symbols.