Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Player-actuated control structure
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-12-11
Clayton, Sheila (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Player-actuated control structure
C463S037000, C273S14800B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328650
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a game controller and an information storage medium that make it possible to obtain the coordinates of any indicated position on a screen.
BACKGROUND ART
A game machine that is known in the art and is gaining popularity enables a player to use a game controller in the shape of a gun or the like, to shoot at targets on a screen. In this type of game machine, targets that are displayed on the screen are shot at without actually firing bullets from the gun. Therefore, how to accurately detect the aimed-at position during this shooting is an important technical concern. Various techniques are known in the art for detecting this aimed-at position accurately, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 8-117447 and 8-117448.
However, if this type of shooting game is to be implemented in a domestic game machine, for example, the problems described below occur. In other words, a domestic game machine usually has only a small number of external output terminals, so that position detection by means such as a synchronizing signal is difficult, and thus the problem occurs that the detection of the aimed-at position is not accurate. Methods have been considered for correcting the detected position by software means, but it is not possible to ensure the same level of detection accuracy as that of an arcade type of game machine with any of these methods. A further problem occurs if it becomes too complicated to drag the cable of the game controller around, obstructing the player.
This invention was devised in order to solve the above technical problems, and has as an objective thereof the provision of a game controller and an information storage medium that make it possible to obtain accurate coordinates of an indicated position by utilizing a synchronizing signal.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above described problems, according to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a game controller used in a game machine having a first terminal for outputting a video signal and a second terminal to which a control signal is input, the game controller comprising: a first cable for transferring the video signal that is output from the first terminal; a second cable for transferring the control signal that is input to the second terminal; a separation means for separating a synchronizing signal from the video signal; a pointing body capable of being directed in any desired direction; an optical detection means provided in the pointing body, for detecting light from a position indicated by the pointing body on a screen of a display device; and position computation means for obtaining the coordinates of the indicated position, based on outputs from the separation means and the optical detection means.
With this aspect of the invention, a video signal that has been output from the first terminal is input to the separation means, and synchronizing signals such as horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals are separated from that video signal. The coordinates of an indicated position, such as an aimed-at position, are obtained from these synchronizing signals and an output from the optical detection means. This aspect of the invention makes it possible to obtain the coordinates of an indicated position accurately, because the synchronizing signals are used in the coordinate calculations. Since the synchronizing signals are generated and computated by separation of the video signal, the calculation of the coordinates of the indicated position can be done with time to spare, unlike with methods of coordinate calculations involving interrupt processing in the CPU, for instance. This also enables accurate coordinate calculations in a game machine in which synchronizing signals are not output from the first terminal. Note that the second terminal could be such that at least a control signal can be input thereto, or it could be an input-output terminal capable of outputting a given signal.
The first cable may transfer the video signal from the first terminal to the second cable, and the second cable may transfer the control signal input to the second terminal and the video signal received from the first cable.
This configuration makes it possible to reduce the cabling connected to the pointing body, such as a gun, to one cable. This makes it possible to prevent the complication of dragging cables around, making it more convenient for the player.
The game controller may further comprise a connector connected to the first cable,
wherein the connector comprises:
a third terminal formed to be connectable to the first terminal either directly or via a given cable, for transferring the video signal from the first terminal to the first cable; and
a fourth terminal formed to be connectable to a video input terminal of the display device or one of the terminals of a connector of a second game controller, either directly or via a given cable, for transferring the video signal transferred from the first terminal through the third terminal to the video input terminal or the one of the terminals of the connector of the second game controller.
The third terminal of the connector can be connected to the first terminal of the game machine and the fourth terminal of the connector can be connected by a given cable to the video input terminal of the display device. Alternatively, one of the terminals of the connector of a second game controller (the third terminal of the connector of the second game controller) could be connected to the fourth terminal, with the other terminal thereof (the fourth terminal of the connector of the second game controller) being connected by a given cable to the video input terminal. This configuration ensures that the video signal from the first terminal can be transferred to the game controller, a second game controller, and the display device, without forcing the player to use complicated wiring that differs from the usual setup.
The separation means may be provided within the pointing body.
This makes it possible to calculate the coordinates accurately while keeping the game controller compact.
Note that the separation means could be provided either in a connector linking the first cable to the first terminal or in a connector linking the second cable to the second terminal.
According to a second aspect of this invention, there is provided an information storage medium comprising information used for operating a game machine that uses any of the above described game controllers, wherein the information comprises: information for performing game computations, based on coordinates of an indicated position that are obtained by the game controller; and information for synthesizing an image to be displayed on the display device, based on results of the game computations.
This aspect of the invention makes it possible to perform game calculations such as those for determining whether a target has been hit and those for game sequences corresponding to the result of that determination, using a game controller that is capable of accurately calculating the coordinates of an indicated position. It is therefore possible to present a game which is extremely realistic and which further heightens the player's enthusiasm.
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patent: 60-96282 (1985-05-01), None
patent: 62-49881 (1987-03-01), None
patent: 8-117437 (1996-05-01), None
patent: 8-117447 (1996-05-01), None
patent: 8-117448 (1996-05-01), None
Fukawa Takashi
Takai Masatoshi
Clayton Sheila
Namco Ltd.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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