Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/EP1082983A2/en
Timestamp: 2019-05-25 19:33:11
Document Index: 309307936

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5']

EP1082983A2 - Game system - Google Patents
EP1082983A2
EP1082983A2 EP00119325A EP00119325A EP1082983A2 EP 1082983 A2 EP1082983 A2 EP 1082983A2 EP 00119325 A EP00119325 A EP 00119325A EP 00119325 A EP00119325 A EP 00119325A EP 1082983 A2 EP1082983 A2 EP 1082983A2
EP00119325A
EP1082983A3 (en
1999-09-07 Priority to JP25368699A priority Critical patent/JP2001070652A/en
1999-09-07 Priority to JP25368699 priority
2000-09-06 Application filed by Konami Holdings Corp filed Critical Konami Holdings Corp
2001-03-14 Publication of EP1082983A2 publication Critical patent/EP1082983A2/en
2001-05-30 Publication of EP1082983A3 publication Critical patent/EP1082983A3/en
A game system is provided with a converting means including a voice input member such as a microphones 4 for allowing the game player or his/her friend to input voices and for converting the inputted voices into electrical signal data, a sound data storage 48 for storing the electrical signal data obtained by the converting means together with predetermined sound-relating data corresponding to contents of instructions, a sound generating means (47, 49, 7, 11) for generating voices from the corresponding electrical signal data when a game player makes a motion in response to the content of instruction, and an evaluating means for evaluating a game result based on the content of instruction. Accordingly, a sound output type game system which can provide more interesting and enjoyable games can be realized.
FIG. 6 is a section along 6-6 of FIG. 5,
FIG. 21 is a table showing contents of sound modulations performed by a sound controller provided in the game system.
A game system 1 is provided with a base table 2, a television (TV) monitor 3 provided on the base table 2 for displaying game contents, microphones 4 provided at the opposite sides of the TV monitor 3 and used for inputting voices, four signal generating devices 5 placed on a placing portion 2a projecting forward at the top of the base table 2, woofer loudspeaker units 6 provided inside the opposite side portions of the base table 2, a loudspeaker 7 designed for the entire frequency band and provided above the TV monitor 3, illumination-effect lamps 8 provided above the loudspeaker 7, a coin inserting device 9 provided on a front surface 2b of the base table 2, two switch operation units 14 provided in left and right positions of the front surface 2b, and a control system 40 to be described later which is provided inside the game system 1.
Each switch operation unit 14 is, as shown in FIG. 3, comprised of three operation buttons 14a, 14b, 14c and one slide switch 14d. The triangular operation buttons 14a and 14b provided at the opposite sides of the rectangular operation button 14c are pressed to select a music number and a degree of difficulty of a game based on a sound output from the loudspeaker 7 and a content of an image displayed on the TV monitor 3. This operation button 14c is also used to decide whether a single-player game or a duel-player game is to be played. For example, the single-player game is selected when the operation button 14c of the switch operation unit 14 provided at the left side of the front surface 2b, whereas the duel-player game is selected when the operation button 14c of the switch operation unit 14 provided at the right side of the front surface 2b. It is assumed that the operation buttons 14a, 14b and 14c of the left switch operation unit 14 on the front surface 2b are operated in the case that the single-player game is selected, and the operation buttons 14a, 14b and 14c of the left and right switch operation units 14 are operated in the case that the duel-player game is selected. The slide switch 14d provided at an upper part of each switch operation unit 14 is adapted to change types of sound modulation to be described by being slid to left and right, and a gauge portion 14e for measuring a sliding amount is provided around a slidable range of the slide switch 14d.
Each loudspeaker unit 6 includes, as shown in FIG. 4, a box-shaped mount portion 10b which is mounted inside the front surface 2b of the base table 2 and has an entirely open ceiling surface and a bottom surface open in its center, a transparent tubular body 10 having a circular cross section and suspended from the mount portion 10b via L-shaped supporting members 10e, a woofer loudspeaker 11 which is so provided inside the tubular body 10 via a supporting member 11a as to face upward, and a mount portion 10c on which the supporting member 11a is mounted and which is mounted on a bottom plate 2c of the base table 2.
The tubular body 10 is coupled to the mount portion 10b by mounting the L-shaped supporting members 10e in four positions of a bottom surface 10d of the mount portion 10b to support the tubular body 10. A clearance 13 is formed between the upper edge of the tubular body 10 and the bottom surface 10d so as to cause sounds created by the speaker 11 to come out. A tubular member 12 having a circular cross section is mounted on the bottom surface 10d in such a manner as to surround an upper part of the tubular body 10, and the sounds from the loudspeaker 11 coming out through the clearance 13 propagate downward inside the tubular member 12 to come outside. Inside the mount portion 10b is provided a light source mount portion 15, in which a light source 16 is mounted. Light from this light source 16 is guided down through an opening in the center of the bottom wall of the mount portion 10b to illuminate the speaker 11 and its neighboring members.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the signal generating device 5, FIG. 6 is a section along 6-6 of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a right side view of the signal generating device 5.
The signal generating device 5 includes a lower part 5A, an upper part 5B, a cord 5C and a belt 5D. A circular member comprised of four layers: i.e. first to third layers 20, 21, 22 placed one over another in this order, and a fourth layer 23 provided above the third layer 22 with a space 24 defined therebetween, is provided in the lower part 5A. The second layer 21 is made of a metal plate, and tubular portions 21a projecting upward are formed in four positions of the upper surface thereof. The third layer 22 is made of, e.g. a resin circular plate and is formed with through holes 22a in four positions corresponding to the tubular portions 21a. The fourth layer 23 is made of, e.g. a metal plate, and is formed with through holes 23a in four positions corresponding to the tubular portions 21a. The tubular portions 21a penetrate through the through holes 22a, 23a, and screws 25a having heads of a larger diameter than the through holes 22a, 23a are mounted into the tubular portions 21a from above to make the second to fourth layers 21, 22 and 23 into a unit. Further, ring-shaped spacers 25 for ensuring the space 24 are provided between the third and fourth layers 22, 23 while having the tubular portions 21a inserted through holes formed inside them. The spacers 25 are preferably made of, e.g. a foamed urethane or like soft material which can be restored to its original shape.
The upper part 5B provided on the lower part 5A includes a substantially semispherical cover 32, and an upper portion of the cover 32 partly project to form a projecting portion 32a. The cord 5C is drawn out through the projecting portion 32a. An other end of the cord 5C is coupled to the front surface 2b of the base table 2 (see FIG. 1). The cover 32 has its bottom surface held in contact with the upper end of the first layer 20 of the lower part 5A and is coupled to the lower part 5A via four screws 33.
Belt fixing members 34 are provided in two positions of the cover 32, and the belt 5D is mounted in mount holes 34a formed in the belt fixing devices 34. The belt 5D includes a belt main body 35 and a so-called surface fastener 36 having hooks 36a at one side and loops 36b at the other side. The belt main body 35 is an elongated strip, and one side thereof is introduced through one mount hole 34a and folded and has its overlapping portion fastened by a locking member 37, whereas the other side thereof is instructed through the other mount hole 34a and folded and has the surface fastener 36 mounted on its overlapping portion. By adjusting an overlapping area of the surface fastener 36, the signal generating device 5 can be securely fixed to a game player's hand regardless of the size of his hand, i.e. regardless of whether the game player is a child or an adult.
FIG. 12 shows a display content representing contents of instructions to shout at the microphone 4 after the start of an introduction. Identified by 53A, 53B and 53G are displays representing contents of instructions and a display representing a shouting voice, e.g. "HAAA-!". At the time of this display, a disk jockey instructs a content of shouting and a shouting timing by voice. The shouting timing is instructed by temporarily changing the color of 5 letters, i.e. "HAAA-" of the display 53G of the display screen one by one at a specified speed from the left. The game player may shout following the color change. Instead of changing the color, a mark such as an arrow may be moved letter by letter. The moving or changing speed may not be constant, and may be partly changed. In this embodiment, two kinds of voices are inputted to the microphone 4 (hereinafter also referred to as a voice input member). However, in the case that the game player does not input his voice, sounds based on the sound data stored in the CD-ROM 41 are generated.
FIG. 13A shows a display content after the start of the game, FIG. 13B is a display showing instruction marks 53a for the hitting motion, and FIG. 13C is a display showing instruction marks 53b for the swinging motion.
L1, L2, L3, L4 in FIG. 13A are virtual lines on which the instruction marks (timing notes) 53a, 53b move. The instruction marks 53a for the hitting motion are so displayed as to move up straight on the respective virtual lines (scroll-display). On the other hand, the instruction marks 53b for the swinging motion are so displayed as to move up straight on the respective virtual lines (scroll-display) and to transversely swing. L1, L2, L3, L4 are the virtual line for the left hand of the left player, the virtual line for the right hand of the left player, the virtual line for the left hand of the right player, and the virtual line for the right hand of the right player, respectively. In the case of the single-player game, the virtual lines L1, L2 are used because the left switch operation unit 14 is used.
The signal generating device 5 is hit or swung during a specified period within which the instruction marks 53a, 53b coincide with reference marks 53A1, 53A2, 53A3, 53A4 provided in reference positions 53C on the respective virtual lines L1, L2, L3, L4. While this display is made, a background sound of the music number to be described later comes out through the loudspeakers 7 and 11. If the signal generating device 5 makes a corresponding motion during the specified period within which the instruction marks 53a, 53b coincide with the reference marks 53A1, 53A2, 53A3, 53A4, either one kind of sound set in advance corresponding to each one of the instruction marks 52a, 53b or the inputted voice comes out through the loudspeakers 7 and 11.
Detection signals from the impact sensor 30 and the acceleration sensor 31, sound data obtained by converting voices into electrical signals by the voice converting means including the microphones 4 (as voice input member) and further converting the electrical signals into digital signals by an unillustrated analog-to-digital converter, and a detection signal from an unillustrated coin detector provided in the coin inserting device 9 are inputted to the main controller 42 via an interface (I/O) 42a. The sound data inputted via the microphones 4 are sent to the sound data storage 48.
The evaluating section 42C estimates a game result based on a signal received from the signal input timing judging section 42B. Specifically, the evaluating section 42C calculates the numbers of the perfect, great, good and bad motions and judges a miss motion if a motion different from the instruction mark was made, no motion was made despite the fact that the instruction mark was displayed or the signal input timing corresponding to the motion made lies outside the bad period. Further, if the perfect motions continue, the largest of the numbers of continuous perfect motions is obtained as the maxcombo. In this example, SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, F are set as levels representing the game results. These numbers and letters are displayed on the monitor 3 (see FIG. 15). Here, the score and the level are determined based on a ratio of the number of the signals judged to be perfect, great or good by the signal input timing judging section 42B to a total number of the marks 53a, 53b set in the evaluating section 42C. The marks 53a, 53b may be those stored in the CD-ROM 41 beforehand. Alternatively, the evaluating section 42C or the like may successively add the number of the marks 53a, 53b in accordance with the program.
The coin number detecting section 42D judges that a single-player game is possible in the case that one detection signal is detected by the coin detector (not shown) while judging that a duel-player game is possible in the case that two detection signals is detected by the coin detector. Whether the single-player game or the duel-player game is to be played is actually decided by operating the operation button 14c as described above.
The sound data storage 48 is so constructed as to store, for example, about 60 kinds of sound data in the respective storage areas. The sound data stored in the storage areas include the sound data stored in the CD-ROM 41 and signals (sound data) obtained by converting voices given by a game player into electrical signals by the microphones 4 and further converting the electrical signals into digital signals by the unillustrated analog-to-digital converter. Such sound data are set in one-to-one correspondence with the instruction marks 53a, 53b.
In the sound controller 47 thus constructed, the sound data read from the sound data storage 48 is modulated by the corresponding sound modulating section 47A to 47E and/or sound changing section 47F according to the preprogrammed type of modulation for the corresponding one of the instruction marks 53a, 53b. The type (or degree) of modulation is changed by the sound changing section 47F for inputting a signal corresponding to the operational position of the slide switch (referred also to as a slider) 14d. For instance, the types of sound modulation at the upper part of FIG. 10 are selected if the slide switch 14d is set at left-side positions, whereas those at the lower part of FIG: 10 are selected if the slide switch 14d is set at right-side positions.
In this shown example, the sound data blocks 1, 4 are not modulated because being the sound data stored in the CD-ROM 41, whereas the sound data blocks A and B storing the sound data relating to the voices sampled by the microphones 4 are subjected to the modulations 1 and 3 for the corresponding ones of the instruction marks 53a, 53b. The modulation which can be changed according to a slid amount of the slide switch 14d can be applied to all the sound data read from the sound data storage 48. Although the modulations 1 and 3 are performed in the example of FIG. 21, desired one(s) of the modulations 1 to 5 can be applied.
The remaining data and programs stored in the CD-ROM 41 include, for example, a lamp turning program. The lamp turning program is inputted to the main controller 42 via the interface 42a, the main controller 42 sends a command signal based on this program to the lamp driving device 44, and the lamp driving device 44 controllably turns on the corresponding one(s) of a plurality of lamps 8 in accordance with the received command signal from the main controller 42. Since the CD-ROM 41 is detachably mounted as described above, another storage medium storing other music numbers and different positions of the instruction marks can be set in the game system 1.
If one or more coins have been inserted, a game title, e.g. "Rap Freaks" is displayed on the monitor 3 for a predetermined time (Step ST3), and a specified selection screen is then displayed on the monitor 3 (Step ST4).
It is then discriminated whether the voice sampling has been completed (Step ST16), and the game is started (Step ST17) if the voice sampling has been completed. As the game is started, the game content shown in FIG. 13A is displayed on the monitor 3, and the game player moves the signal generating member 5 in response to the instruction marks 53a for the hitting motion and the instruction marks 53b for the swinging motion. During the game, a life is administered by the accumulation of evaluations made by the main controller 42. This life administration is such that a life gauge increases upon a good evaluation (perfect, great) and decreases upon a bad evaluation (bad, miss). If the life gauge runs short, the game is over.
If the life is discriminated to have ended (NO in Step ST18) or if the music number is discriminated to have ended (YES in Step ST19), a display is made to inform the end of the music number (Step ST20). Specifically, a message "CLEARED" as shown in FIG. 14 is displayed on the monitor 3 if the music number is played to the end, whereas a message "FAILURE" is displayed if the music number is ended upon exhaustion of the life.
Subsequently, it is discriminated whether a predetermined time has elapsed (Step ST21). If the discrimination result is affirmative, a game result as shown in FIG. 15 is displayed on the monitor 3 (Step ST22). This game result is a result of evaluation of the evaluating section 42C as to whether the game player made the hitting motions and the swinging motions in response to the instruction marks 53a, 53b within a predetermined period while holding the signal generating device 5.
Subsequently, it is discriminated whether a predetermined time has elapsed (Step ST27). If the discrimination result is affirmative, the game is ended and a message "GAME OVER" shown in FIG. 18 is displayed on the monitor 3 (Step ST28).
(2) In the foregoing embodiment, the game is such that the hitting and swinging motions are made in response to the instruction marks 53a, 53b and the voice inputted through the microphone 4 is outputted based on such motions. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and other kinds of motions may be made in response to other kinds of instructions, and the voice inputted through the microphone 4 may be outputted based on such motions. An example of the other kind of motion in response to the other kind of instruction is as follows. An operation lever stands on a plane in such a manner that it can be inclined in any direction of 360° from its vertical position, and inclining directions of the operation lever are displayed on a display screen as contents of instructions. The operation lever is inclined in the instructed direction (may be located within a specified angle range). This is merely an example, and various other motions may be adopted.
A game system in which a game player make motions in response to contents of instructions displayed on a display screen and generating predetermined sounds corresponding to the contents of instructions, the game system comprising:
a voice converting means having an voice input member for inputting voices and for converting the voices input through the voice input member into electrical signal data,
A game system according to claim 1, wherein the sound generating means includes a data processing means for processing the electrical signal data of the voices and generates voices corresponding to the electrical signal data processed by the data processing means.
A game system according to claim 2, wherein the data processing means has one, two or more of a frequency modulating function; an amplitude modulating function; a function of changing the sound level of voices lying within at least part of frequency ranges divided at specified intervals; a function of thinning out sounds lying within part of the frequency ranges; and a function of expanding and compressing at least part of sound waves with respect to a time axis.
A game system according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising a signal generating means for generating a signal based on the motion made by the game player, wherein the sound generating means outputs a sound when the signal generating means generates a signal within a predetermined period.
A game system according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising a second storage means in addition to the storage means, wherein a second electrical signal data stored in the second storage means is stored in the storage means, and the sound generating means generates a sound corresponding to the second electrical signal data.
A game system according to any one of claims 2-4, further comprising a second storage means in addition to the storage means, wherein a second electrical signal data stored in the second storage means is stored in the storage means, and the sound generating means generates a sound corresponding to the second electrical signal data.
A game system according to claim 6, wherein the data processing means processes the second electrical signal data, and the sound generating means generates a sound based on the processed second electrical signal data.
A game system according to claim 6 or claim 7, further comprising a changing means for changing a degree of data processing by the data processing means, wherein the changing means changes the degree of data processing applied to at least one of the electrical signal data and the second electrical signal data.
A game system according to any one of claims 5-8, wherein sounds relating to the second electrical signal data and background sounds are stored in the second storage means, and the sound generating means outputs the background sounds without modification.
A game system according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein an instruction regarding a timing to input a voice to the voice input member of the voice converting means is displayed on the display screen at a specified moving speed.
A game system according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein the sound generating means generates a predetermined sound corresponding to the electrical signal data instead of generating a voice if no voice is input to the voice input member of the voice converting means.
EP00119325A 1999-09-07 2000-09-06 Game system Withdrawn EP1082983A3 (en)
JP25368699A JP2001070652A (en) 1999-09-07 1999-09-07 Game machine
JP25368699 1999-09-07
EP1082983A2 true EP1082983A2 (en) 2001-03-14
EP1082983A3 EP1082983A3 (en) 2001-05-30
ID=17254747
EP00119325A Withdrawn EP1082983A3 (en) 1999-09-07 2000-09-06 Game system
US (1) US6843726B1 (en)
EP (1) EP1082983A3 (en)
JP (1) JP2001070652A (en)
KR (1) KR100433643B1 (en)
CN (1) CN1156326C (en)
TW (1) TW527203B (en)
CN101499216B (en) 2008-01-28 2012-10-03 曾秋昇 Limb interaction type learning method and apparatus
JP4206332B2 (en) 2003-09-12 2009-01-07 任天堂株式会社 Input device, a game system, program and information storage medium
KR100883860B1 (en) 2004-05-17 2009-02-17 이종예 Compositions and methods for preventing erythropoietin-associated hypertension
CN1023052C (en) 1989-12-07 1993-12-08 求桑德有限公司 Sound imaging system for video game
JPH07288667A (en) 1994-04-15 1995-10-31 Ricoh Co Ltd Method for notifying arrival of call to facsimile equipment
JPH07299948A (en) 1994-05-06 1995-11-14 Canon Inc Printer and detection of abnormality at time of printing
JPH09160752A (en) 1995-12-06 1997-06-20 Sega Enterp Ltd Information storage medium and electronic device using the same
1999-09-07 JP JP25368699A patent/JP2001070652A/en active Pending
2000-09-05 US US09/655,656 patent/US6843726B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
2000-09-06 EP EP00119325A patent/EP1082983A3/en not_active Withdrawn
2000-09-06 KR KR10-2000-0052611A patent/KR100433643B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
2000-09-06 TW TW089118254A patent/TW527203B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
2000-09-07 CN CNB001244582A patent/CN1156326C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
CN1156326C (en) 2004-07-07
TW527203B (en) 2003-04-11
CN1307917A (en) 2001-08-15
US6843726B1 (en) 2005-01-18
JP2001070652A (en) 2001-03-21
KR20010050342A (en) 2001-06-15
KR100433643B1 (en) 2004-05-31
EP1082983A3 (en) 2001-05-30
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