Tablet unit and virtual experience method

Details Tablet unit and virtual experience method Tablet unit and virtual experience method

1998-03-05

2001-06-12

Sager, Mark (Department: 3713)

Amusement devices: games

Including means for processing electronic data

Player-actuated control structure

C446S141000, C446S318000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06244960

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tablet unit for inputting instruction information by approaching a touch pen to a tablet, which (tablet unit) can be removably connected to an electronic device, and a virtual experience method by the use of an electronic device with the tablet unit connected to.
As an image device typically exemplified by video game devices for children is known an image device in which picture book-type software is loaded into the device, children play the game, watching both the picture book and the TV monitor screen so that they can enjoy experiencing a simulation.
FIG. 22
shows an example of such video game device.
The video game device
12
includes a foldable game device body
14
. An upper lid
18
is taken off from a bottom lid
16
of the game device body
14
to open and load a game cartridge
22
of picture book-type in a cartridge slot
20
formed in the inside of the upper lid
18
. Four direction buttons
24
and one operation button
26
are disposed on the left side of the bottom lid
16
of the game device body
14
, a tablet
28
is disposed at the center of the bottom lid
16
, and a touch pen holder
30
is disposed at the right of the bottom lid
16
. The four direction buttons
24
are an upward direction button
24
a,
a downward direction button
24
b,
a leftward button
24
c
and a rightward button
24
d
which are arranged in a cross.
The direction buttons
24
and the operation button
26
are operated by a game player, and the game player commands four directions, upward, downward, leftward and rightward directions, by the direction buttons
24
and give execution instructions by the operation button
26
. A touch pen holder
30
holds a touch pen
32
. The touch pen
32
is used to touch a picture book of the game cartridge
22
and the tablet
28
to operate the picture book software. A video game device
12
detects by electromagnetic induction system a position on the tablet
28
to which the touch pen
32
is approached. The electromagnetic induction system is one, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 137846/1993, that electromagnetic signals generated by the table
28
are received by the touch pen
32
to detect positions.
At the center of the inside of the upper lid
18
of the game device body
14
, there is disposed a picture book mount
34
for the picture book-type game cartridge
22
to be mounted on. The picture book mount
34
detects by the same electromagnetic system as the tablet
28
a position on the picture book-type game cartridge
22
where the touch pen
32
is approached.
In the video game device
12
thus using picture book software, a required position of the picture book is touched by the touch pen
32
to change a game display presented on a TV monitor screen, or a specific position on a game display is commanded by the touch pen
32
, whereby various games can be played. The tablet
28
is traced by the touch pen
32
as a picture is drawn with a pencil on a sheet of paper, whereby a picture can be freely drawn on a TV monitor screen.
However in the above-described video game device
12
inputting means a game player can operate for operational inputs are only the direction buttons
24
, the operation button
26
and the touch pen
32
. Accordingly simulation games played by personal computers in which operational inputs are made by means of a keyboard cannot be played.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide tablet unit for inputting instruction information by approaching a touch pen to a tablet, which (tablet unit) can be removably connected to a game device and which permits operational inputs to be made by means of a number of keys, etc.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a virtual experience method by the use of a game device with the tablet unit connected to.
The above-described object can be achieved by a tablet unit for inputting required instruction information by approaching a touch pen to a tablet including antenna lines for a scan signal to be supplied to and being removably connectable to an electronic device, the tablet unit comprising: a receiving antenna which is brought near a prescribed position on the tablet when the tablet unit is connected to the electronic device and receives the scan signal supplied to the antenna line; operating means which has coordinate values on the tablet assigned to and inputs instruction information by operation of an operator; instruction signal generating means for generating an instruction signal delayed with respect to the scan signal received by the receiving antenna by a prescribed time which is based on the coordinate values assigned to the operating means when the operating means is operated by the operator; and transmitting means which is brought near the touch pen when the tablet unit is connected to the electronic device and transmits the instruction signal generated by the instruction signal generating means to the touch pen. The tablet unit including the operational means, which inputs instruction information by approaching the touch pen to the tablet is connected to an electronic device, whereby the operational means is operated to input instruction information.
In the above-described tablet unit it is preferable that the receiving antenna has a non-symmetric receiving surface, and the scan signal received by the receiving surface of the receiving antenna differs depending on a scan direction of the tablet.
In the above-described tablet unit it is preferable that the receiving antenna includes a plurality of receiving parts, and the scan signal received by said a plurality of receiving parts of the receiving antenna differs depending on scan directions of the tablet.
In the above-described tablet unit it is preferable that the tablet unit imitates a keyboard, and the operating means is a plurality of keys of the keyboard.
In the above-described tablet unit it is preferable that the tablet unit imitates a telephone and further comprises a handset for inputting/outputting voices, and the operating means is a plurality of buttons of the telephone.
The above-described object can be achieved by a virtual experience method using the electronic device with the tablet unit described above connected to, personal computer communication, game or educational virtual experiences are enjoyed by operating said a plurality of keys. The video game device with the tablet unit connected to can provide the virtual experience method.
The above-described object can be achieved by a virtual experience method using the electronic device with the tablet unit described above connected to, telephone communication, game or educational virtual experiences are enjoyed by inputting/outputting voices in/from the handset by operating said a plurality of buttons of the telephone. The video game device with the tablet unit connected to can provide the virtual experience method.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 33662 (1991-08-01), Blair et al.
patent: 4353552 (1982-10-01), Pepper, Jr.
patent: 4526078 (1985-07-01), Chadabe
patent: 5209665 (1993-05-01), Billings et al.
patent: 5681220 (1997-10-01), Bertram et al.
patent: 5777605 (1998-07-01), Yoshinobu
patent: 5967898 (1999-10-01), Takasaka et al.
patent: 5-137846 (1993-06-01), None

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