Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-18
2001-09-11
Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
C463S009000, C273S273000, C434S169000, C434S172000, C434S184000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287197
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to video games and, more particularly, to an image generation and display system for video games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
All modern video games include a display for displaying various video images according to a game program. The images may include, for example static or animated characters, background graphics and/or text. Typically, the types of images available for display are stored in a game memory operably coupled to a game controller, and the sequence for displaying the images is determined by the game program in response to player inputs. Generally, it is desirable to maximize the numbers and types of images which may be displayed by a particular game, to provide greater flexibility for game designers and to provide games which are more likely to appeal to players. Heretofore, however, the numbers and types of images which may be displayed by a particular game has been limited by the storage capacity of the game memory. Accordingly, game designers have been forced to either limit the number(s) and type(s) of images which are displayed by their games corresponding to the capacity of their game memory or, conversely, to use game memories having very large capacities to accommodate games using large numbers of images. Nevertheless, even the highest-capacity memories are capable of storing only a finite number of images and thereby limit the flexibility of the game designer.
Accordingly, there is a need for an image generation and display system for video games having the capacity to generate and display virtually unlimited numbers and types of images and which may be employed with game memories of virtually any standard type or capacity. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for generating a video game display defining a number of pictures. The method includes the steps of defining target numbers of video images, defining target display positions for the images and identifying a number of basic images from which the pictures are to be derived. A number of change candidates are selected from among the basic images and change option(s) are selected for each respective change candidate. Execution of the selected change option(s) defines a number of changed images eligible for display. A game controller thereafter generates a display consisting of a number of the changed images and a number of the basic images displayed at selected target display positions. In one embodiment, the display consists of two adjacent pictures having images displayed at corresponding display positions defining a plurality of image pairs. The image pairs in one embodiment comprise a first number of matching image pairs and a second number of non-matching image pairs, wherein the matching image pairs consist of identical basic images in each picture and wherein the non-matching image pairs consist of one basic image and one changed image in each picture.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch-screen video game operable in a one-player or two-player mode. The video game includes a processor for generating first and second video pictures on a single display, each of the video pictures including a plurality of selectable images. In one embodiment, the pictures define in combination a plurality of image pairs, including a first number of matching image pairs and a second number of non-matching image pairs. In the two-player mode, the images associated with the first video picture are selectable by a first player and the images associated with the second video picture are selectable by a second player, respectively, by pressing the touch screen.
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“Description of Other Matching Type Games”.
Dickinson Vince
Goldberg Lauren
Jenkens & Gilchrist
Martin-Wallace Valencia
Midway Games Inc.
White Carmen D.
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