Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-14
2003-11-04
Harrison, Jessica (Department: 3714)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641482
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable game apparatus with an acceleration sensor and information storage medium storing a game program, and more particularly to a portable game apparatus and information storage medium storing a game program wherein tilting or movement of the portable game apparatus is detected by an acceleration sensor and utilized as operational information for game control.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional portable game apparatuses have an input device, such as a cross key and push button so that a player can manipulate the input device while holding the portable game apparatus by hand, thereby enabling game character movement and command selection.
There are prior art devices, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. H8-191953 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. H10-21000, that utilize, as a game input device, a tilt sensor or acceleration sensor. In such prior art devices, the tilt or acceleration sensor is provided on a controller which is separate from a game machine main body so as to detect movement or tilt of the controller. This allows a player to control game characters being displayed on a TV screen by moving or tilting the controller.
However, the above-described prior art devices are not directly applicable to a portable game apparatus. This is because the acceleration sensor or the like is added on the video game apparatus controller having a display, such as a television receiver, separate from the game apparatus main body. The portable game apparatus includes a display, such as an LCD, and adapted to be gripped for game play on housing ends by the hands of the user. It is a usual practice for the player to play a game while holding the portable game apparatus such that it has a tilt relative to the horizontal position, in a manner facilitating viewing of the LCD display. However, when the portable game apparatus is tilted relative to the horizontal, the acceleration sensor would detect acceleration even when no intentional acceleration input (or tilt input) is given by the player. In addition, the tilt angle of a portable game apparatus differs due to a variety of factors, such as a difference between individual players, light source position of electric light or the like, game content, player's game playing posture, and so on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel portable game apparatus with an acceleration sensor.
Another object of the invention is to provide a portable game apparatus with an acceleration sensor which can set as a neutral position a tilted position of the portable game apparatus used by a player, so that the player can hold it with a desired tilt that makes it easy to play a game.
Another object of the invention is to provide an information storage medium for a portable game apparatus with an acceleration sensor that stores a game program capable of setting a neutral position.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a game cartridge which can control for a game based on an output of an acceleration sensor that is simple in structure and low in cost, even where the portable game apparatus has already been produced.
A portable game apparatus according to the present invention, includes: a housing to be gripped by a hand of a player; a display arranged in one main surface of the housing to display game scenes; an acceleration sensor movable with the housing; a neutral position setter for setting a reference tilt position for the housing; a temporary storage for temporarily storing as a neutral position data an output value of the acceleration sensor corresponding to the neutral position; a corrector for correcting an output value of the acceleration sensor based on the neutral position data; and a game controller for changing a display state of a game scene to be displayed on the display based on an output value of the corrector.
Specifically, the neutral position setter includes an operation key to be operated by the player, and a program to write as the neutral position data into the temporary storage a corresponding output value of the acceleration sensor to a tilt of the housing when the player operates the operation key.
In another embodiment, the neutral position setter includes a sight display to display on the display a sight movable depending upon a tilt of the housing, and a target coordinate display to display on the display a target coordinate that the sight is to position or when the housing is in a proper tilted position, wherein the neutral position data is set by a corresponding output value of the acceleration sensor to a tilt of the housing when the sight overlaps with the target coordinate.
In this embodiment, the game scene is a scene constituted by game characters (player characters, ally characters, enemy characters and stationary characters, etc.), an environment where the game character exist (“water” for the presence of the game character underwater, etc.) and a background. The game controller varies a state of these items. For example, the player character or enemy character is displayed with movement or shape change, or the environment or background is varied or scrolled on the display.
In the portable game apparatus of the invention, prior to game play, a reference tilt of the portable game apparatus is set by the neutral position setter. The reference tilt may be set arbitrarily by the player or at a tilt previously determined by a program. Alternatively, the player may select any one of a plurality of tilts previously determined by a program. For example, where the player sets an arbitrary tilt, the player holds the portable game apparatus with a desired tilt that makes it easy to play a game and then manipulates an operation key. Thereupon, an output value of the acceleration sensor upon operating the operation key is written and held as neutral position data into the temporary storage. During the game, the output value of the acceleration sensor is corrected based on the neutral position data by the corrector. Then, the game controller changes a display state of the game scene according to the corrected acceleration sensor output. Incidentally, the neutral position setter may be configured such that a neutral position can be set in the course of game play.
According to the invention, in the portable game apparatus with an acceleration sensor, it is possible to set as a neutral position a tilt given when the player grips the portable game apparatus.
An information storage medium according to the present invention is a storage medium to be loaded on a portable game apparatus, having a display to display game scenes, a housing to be gripped by a hand of a player and arranged with the display on one main surface thereof, a processor, and stored information to be processed by the processor, including: an acceleration sensor output read program to read out an output value of the acceleration sensor; a neutral position set program for setting a reference tilt of the portable game apparatus; a write program for writing as neutral position data to a temporary storage memory a corresponding output value of the acceleration sensor to the neutral position; a correction program for correcting the acceleration sensor output value by the neutral position data; and a game control program for changing a display state of the game scene to be displayed on the display based on an output value of the correction program.
In this embodiment, prior to game play, the neutral position set program sets a reference tilt of the portable game apparatus. The acceleration sensor output read program reads out a corresponding acceleration output value to the set neutral position, and the write program writes it as neutral position data to the temporary storage. This temporary storage may be a storage in the information storage medium or a storage in the portable game apparatus. In game play, the acceleration sensor output read program reads out an acceleration sensor output val
Masuyama Iwao
Suzuki Toshiaki
Harrison Jessica
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Vanderhye PC
White Carmen D.
LandOfFree
Portable game apparatus with acceleration sensor and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Portable game apparatus with acceleration sensor and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Portable game apparatus with acceleration sensor and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3131062