Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-05
2003-07-29
Harrison, Jessica (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S035000, C463S030000, C463S031000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06599195
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a background-sound switching apparatus, a background-sound switching method, and a readable recording medium containing a background-sound switching program which switch background sounds created corresponding to variations of events to be displayed in display means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a system for displaying variations of events, for example, in a video game, has been known. In this system, generally, background sounds created corresponding to images to be displayed on display means are outputted through a speaker so as to improve the effectiveness of the images displayed on the display means. For example, in a video game, background sounds produced corresponding to game images are outputted through a speaker so as to improve the simulation realism of the game. Generally, these background sound pieces are composed using multiple pieces of background-sound data created for, for example, individual game stages; and the background-sound data to be outputted through the speaker is switched as the displayed game stage changes.
However, the background-sound data to be outputted through the speaker is not suitably switched. This causes unnatural changes when the switching boundary is perceived by the ear, preventing the effectiveness of displayed images from being improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a background-sound switching apparatus, a background-sound switching method, a readable recording medium in which a background-sound switching program is recorded, and a video game apparatus that allow background-sound data to be switched suitably.
To achieve the above, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a background-music switching apparatus having display means for displaying variations of events, sound-generating means for generating background sounds, background-sound-data storing means containing background-sound data which is time-series data having been prepared corresponding to the events and including partitioning codes at predetermined partitioning positions, output control means for creating the background-sound data to the sound-generating means to generate background sounds, code-detecting means for detecting the partitioning code in the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means, switching instruction means for outputting an instruction signal for switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means to other background-sound data, and switching control means for switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to the other background-sound data in synchronous with timing of detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal.
According to this configuration, the event variations are displayed on the display means, the background-sound data corresponding to the event variations is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated. In this, when the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is detected, and the instruction signal causing switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is outputted, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to other data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal. Accordingly, the background-sound data is switched at the predetermined positions, by which the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched. This prevents unnatural changes which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data is clearly identified by the ear.
In the background-sound switching apparatus as described above, the background-sound data may include music data, and the partitioning code may be provided at the end position of a phrase of the music data.
According to this arrangement, since the partitioning code is provided at the end position of the phrase of the background-sound data, the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched, thereby preventing unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear.
Also, in the background-sound switching apparatus as described above, the switching instruction means may output the instruction signal according to the event variation.
According to this arrangement, in which the instruction signal is outputted according to the event variation, and switching can be performed at the predetermined positions of the background-sound data according to the event variation. Therefore, the background-sound data can be suitably switched.
Also, the background-sound switching apparatus as described above may further have standby-data storing means containing identification data for defining the other background-sound data, and data-number control means for storing the identification data in the standby-data storing means upon output of the instruction signal; in which switching control means determines whether or not the identification data is stored in the standby-data storing means when the partitioning code is detected, and if the identification data is stored, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data to be defined by the identification data.
According to this configuration, determination is performed as to whether or not the identification data is stored in the standby-data storing means when the partitioning code is detected, and if the identification data is stored, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data to be defined by the identification data, by which switching can be performed to the defined other background-sound data without fail in synchronous with timing of the detection of the partitioning code.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a background-sound switching method for switching from background-sound data prepared corresponding to variations of events to be displayed in display means that contains partitioning codes provided at predetermined partitioning positions of the background-sound data, detecting the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to sound-generating means, and switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to other background-sound data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be outputted following output of an instruction signal which causes switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to other data.
According to this configuration, the event variations are displayed on the display means, the background-sound data corresponding to the event variations is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated. In this, when the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is detected, and the instruction signal causing switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is outputted, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal. Accordingly, the background-sound data is switched at the predetermined positions, by which the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched. This prevents unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a readable recording med
Araki Shigeru
Inoue Hideto
Uehara Kazuhiko
Cherubin Yveste G
Harrison Jessica
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Konami Co. Ltd.
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