US6139433A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Video game system and method with enhanced three-dimensional character and background control due to environmental conditions
Assignee: Nintendo Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-06-05
•
Granted: 2000-10-31
•
Expires: 2017-06-05
Abstract
Abstract A video game system includes a game cartridge which is pluggably attached to a main console having a main processor, a 3D graphics generating coprocessor, expandable main memory and player controllers. A multifunctional peripheral processing subsystem external to the game microprocessor and coprocessor is described which executes commands for handling player controller input/output to thereby lessen the processing burden on the graphics processing subsystem. The video game methodology involves game level organization features, camera perspective or point of view control features, and a wide array of animation and character control features. The system changes the "camera" angle (i.e., the displayed point of view in the three-dimensional world) automatically based upon various conditions and in response to actuation of a plurality of distinct controller keys/buttons/switches, e.g., four "C" buttons in the exemplary embodiment. The control keys allow the user at any time to move in for a close up or pull back for a wide view or pan the camera to the right and left to change the apparent camera angle. Such user initiated camera manipulation permits a player to better judge jumps or determine more precisely where an object is located in relation to the player controlled character. The video game system and methodology features a unique player controller, which permits control over a character's exploration of the three-dimensional world to an unprecedented extent. A player controlled character may be controlled in a multitude of different ways utilizing the combination of the joystick and/or cross-switch and/or control keys and a wide range of animation effects are generated.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Miyamoto
- 👤 Yasunari Nishida
- 👤 Takumi Kawagoe
- 👤 Satoshi Nishiumi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 17:49
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/40; A63F13/42; A63F13/50; A63F13/52; A63F13/525; A63F13/5252; A63F13/5255; A63F13/5258; G; G05; G05G; G05G9/00; G05G9/02; G05G9/04; G05G9/047; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/30; G06F21/31; G06F21/50; G06F21/51; G06F21/70; G06F21/78; G06F21/79; G06F21/82; G06F21/85; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/038; G06F3/0383; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04815; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/10; A63F13/20; A63F13/24; A63F13/45; A63F13/49; A63F13/55; A63F13/57; A63F13/577; A63F13/70; A63F13/73; A63F13/80; A63F13/822; A63F13/90; A63F13/92; A63F13/95; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/10; A63F2300/1018; A63F2300/20; A63F2300/201; A63F2300/206; A63F2300/60; A63F2300/63; A63F2300/636; A63F2300/64; A63F2300/66; A63F2300/6653; A63F2300/6661; A63F2300/6669; A63F2300/6676; A63F2300/6684; A63F2300/80; A63F2300/807; G05G2009/0474; G05G2009/04759; G06F2203/00; G06F2203/038; G06F2203/0382; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/21; G06F2221/2109
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
249 words
A video game system for use with a display unit which displays a player object and other objects in a video game as a three-dimensional image, comprising: an input device having an operations control member for generating player control data indicative of an amount of inclination and a direction of said operations control member in response to a player's manipulation; first image data generating storage locations for storing data for generating first image data for displaying a player object; second image generating storage locations for storing data for generating second image data for displaying an environmental condition in a three-dimensional space where the player object exists; program storage locations for storing environmental state related instructions for determining, at least in part in response to the second image data, whether the environmental condition in which the player object is to be displayed is a condition which requires a change in the display state of the player object; a display processing system for generating first three-dimensional display data for the display of the player object, based on the manipulation state of said input device, the first image data and the execution of environmental state related instructions and for generating a second three-dimensional display data for displaying the environmental conditions in which the player object exists based on the second image data; and (g) image signal generating circuitry outputting an image signal to said display unit based on the first and second three-dimensional display data generated by said display processing system system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
249 words
A video game system for use with a display unit which displays a player object and other objects in a video game as a three-dimensional image, comprising: an input device having an operations control member for generating player control data indicative of an amount of inclination and a direction of said operations control member in response to a player's manipulation; first image data generating storage locations for storing data for generating first image data for displaying a player object; second image generating storage locations for storing data for generating second image data for displaying an environmental condition in a three-dimensional space where the player object exists; program storage locations for storing environmental state related instructions for determining, at least in part in response to the second image data, whether the environmental condition in which the player object is to be displayed is a condition which requires a change in the display state of the player object; a display processing system for generating first three-dimensional display data for the display of the player object, based on the manipulation state of said input device, the first image data and the execution of environmental state related instructions and for generating a second three-dimensional display data for displaying the environmental conditions in which the player object exists based on the second image data; and (g) image signal generating circuitry outputting an image signal to said display unit based on the first and second three-dimensional display data generated by said display processing system system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
135 words
A video game system according to claim 1, wherein said display processing system is operable to generate a first three-dimensional display data in which a change based on the manipulation of said input device affects the player object generated by said first image data generating means when said display processing system determines the environmental condition does not require a change in the display state of the player's object, and said display processing system is operable to generate the second three-dimensional display data in which both a change based on the manipulation of said input device and a change determined by the environmental state affect player object display generated by said first image data generating storage locations when said processing system determines that an environmental condition exists which changes the display state of the player's object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The video game system according to claim 2, wherein: said second image data includes image data representing an environmental condition, said display processing system changing the simulated operation of the player object depending upon said environmental condition, and wherein said three-dimensional display data processing system generates first three-dimensional display data in which the player object display is modified as a function of the manipulation state of said input device and an environmental condition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
The video game system according to claim 1, wherein: said second image data includes image data representing an environmental condition which is used to change the motion velocity of the player object; said three-dimensional display data processing system is operable to generate first three-dimensional display data in which a change is made to the motion velocity of the player object determined by the manipulation state of said input device and the detected environmental condition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
85 words
The video game system according to claim 1, wherein: said second image data includes image data representing an environmental condition which upon detection may change both the operation and the motion velocity of the player object; said three-dimensional display data processing system being operable to generate the first three-dimensional display data in which a change is made with respect to both the operation and the motion velocity of the player object determined by the manipulation state of said input device and the detected environmental condition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
286 words
A video game system for use with a display unit for displaying a player object and other objects in a video game as a three-dimensional image, comprising: an input device having an operations control member for generating player control data indicative of an amount of inclination and a direction of said operations control member in response to a player's manipulation; first image data storage locations for storing data for generating first image data for displaying the player object; second image data storage locations for storing data generating second image data for displaying a plurality of other objects including a plurality of types of terrain states in a three-dimensional space in which the player object exists; program storage locations for storing terrain state detecting instructions for detecting the type of terrain state where the player object exists based on the image data generated from said second image data storage locations, and for storing motion amount changing instructions for changing the distance a player object is to be moved in one display frame based on the inclination amount of said input device and the type of detected terrain states; a three-dimensional display generating data processing system for generating first three-dimensional display data for the display of the player object based on the first image data and the motion amount to be changed based upon executing the motion amount changing instructions and for generating second three-dimensional display data for the display of at least one of said other plurality of objects based on the second image data; and an image signal generating circuit outputting an image signal to said display unit based on the first and second three-dimensional display data generated by said three-dimensional display data generating processing system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
286 words
A video game system for use with a display unit for displaying a player object and other objects in a video game as a three-dimensional image, comprising: an input device having an operations control member for generating player control data indicative of an amount of inclination and a direction of said operations control member in response to a player's manipulation; first image data storage locations for storing data for generating first image data for displaying the player object; second image data storage locations for storing data generating second image data for displaying a plurality of other objects including a plurality of types of terrain states in a three-dimensional space in which the player object exists; program storage locations for storing terrain state detecting instructions for detecting the type of terrain state where the player object exists based on the image data generated from said second image data storage locations, and for storing motion amount changing instructions for changing the distance a player object is to be moved in one display frame based on the inclination amount of said input device and the type of detected terrain states; a three-dimensional display generating data processing system for generating first three-dimensional display data for the display of the player object based on the first image data and the motion amount to be changed based upon executing the motion amount changing instructions and for generating second three-dimensional display data for the display of at least one of said other plurality of objects based on the second image data; and an image signal generating circuit outputting an image signal to said display unit based on the first and second three-dimensional display data generated by said three-dimensional display data generating processing system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The video game system according to claim 6, wherein: said terrain state detecting instructions include terrain inclination instructions for detecting an inclination state of the terrain.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The video game system according to claim 6, wherein said terrain state detecting instructions include terrain material detecting instructions for detecting a terrain material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The video game system according to claim 6, wherein said motion amount detecting instructions are executed to change the distance the player object is to be moved in one display frame based upon a combination of the inclination amount of said input device, the inclination state of the terrain and the material of the terrain.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
317 words
A video game system for use with a display unit for displaying a player object and others object in a video game as a three-dimensional image, comprising: an input device having an operations control member for generating player control data indicative of an amount of inclination and a direction of said operations control member in response to a player's manipulation; first image data storage locations for storing data for generating first image data for displaying the player object; second image data storage locations for storing data for generating second image data for displaying a plurality of other objects in a three-dimensional space in which the player object exists; program storage locations for storing motion mode instructions for determining whether the player object based on the inclination amount of said input device is to be in a first motion mode or a second motion mode; a three-dimensional display data processing system for generating first three-dimensional display data for the display of the player object based on the first image data and the execution of said motion mode instructions and for generating second three-dimensional display data for the display of the plurality of other objects based on the second image data; wherein said three-dimensional display data processing system: generates first three-dimensional display data in which a predetermined first modification is made to the player object's motion based upon data generated by said first image data when the execution of said motion mode instructions indicates the first motion mode, and generates second three-dimensional display data in which a predetermined modification is made to the player object's motion based upon data generated by said first image data when the execution of said motion mode instructions indicate the second motion mode; and an image signal generating circuit outputting an image signal to said display unit based on the first and second three-dimensional display data generated by said three-dimensional display data processing system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
317 words
A video game system for use with a display unit for displaying a player object and others object in a video game as a three-dimensional image, comprising: an input device having an operations control member for generating player control data indicative of an amount of inclination and a direction of said operations control member in response to a player's manipulation; first image data storage locations for storing data for generating first image data for displaying the player object; second image data storage locations for storing data for generating second image data for displaying a plurality of other objects in a three-dimensional space in which the player object exists; program storage locations for storing motion mode instructions for determining whether the player object based on the inclination amount of said input device is to be in a first motion mode or a second motion mode; a three-dimensional display data processing system for generating first three-dimensional display data for the display of the player object based on the first image data and the execution of said motion mode instructions and for generating second three-dimensional display data for the display of the plurality of other objects based on the second image data; wherein said three-dimensional display data processing system: generates first three-dimensional display data in which a predetermined first modification is made to the player object's motion based upon data generated by said first image data when the execution of said motion mode instructions indicates the first motion mode, and generates second three-dimensional display data in which a predetermined modification is made to the player object's motion based upon data generated by said first image data when the execution of said motion mode instructions indicate the second motion mode; and an image signal generating circuit outputting an image signal to said display unit based on the first and second three-dimensional display data generated by said three-dimensional display data processing system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
192 words
For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system to execute said video game program to create a display simulating a three-dimensional world, and at least one player controller having a joystick control member and a plurality of control keys and operable by a player to generate video game control signals, a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising: a memory media for storing video game instructions and graphics and sound data; interface circuitry for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics and sound data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console; said video game instructions including instructions for causing said game program executing processing system to display a player-controlled character and to respond to changes in the joystick position to control the direction of motion of the player-controlled character, and further including instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to detect whether a player controlled character is moving on a sloped surface and to modify the character's moving speed as a function of the slope of the surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
192 words
For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system to execute said video game program to create a display simulating a three-dimensional world, and at least one player controller having a joystick control member and a plurality of control keys and operable by a player to generate video game control signals, a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising: a memory media for storing video game instructions and graphics and sound data; interface circuitry for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics and sound data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console; said video game instructions including instructions for causing said game program executing processing system to display a player-controlled character and to respond to changes in the joystick position to control the direction of motion of the player-controlled character, and further including instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to detect whether a player controlled character is moving on a sloped surface and to modify the character's moving speed as a function of the slope of the surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to display the character in a running motion if the amount of joystick angular rotation is above a first predetermined value.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
A portable storage device according to claim 12, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to display the character in a running motion which is at a higher rate than when the amount of joystick angular rotation is at said first predetermined value, if the amount of joystick angular rotation is at a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein instruction in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to display the character in a walking motion if the amount of joystick angular rotation is below a predetermined value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to display the character in one of an acceleration running mode and a deceleration running mode.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
A portable storage device according to claim 15, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to apply a different relationship between the amount of joystick change and the speed of motion in the acceleration and the deceleration modes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein said instructions control said game program executing processing system to detect whether a player controlled character is moving on an upwardly inclined sloped surface relative to the character's direction of movement.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to display the character in a running motion with the upper body tilted forward if the amount of joystick angular rotation is above a first predetermined value.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
49 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to detect whether the player controlled character is turning in a predetermined direction and to display the character with the upper body in the direction of the turn.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to detect whether a player controlled character is being subjected to an environmental condition and to control the character's movement as a function of the detected environment condition.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A portable storage device according to claim 20, wherein said environmental condition is the wind and the character is controlled to be moved in the direction of the wind.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A portable storage device according to claim 20, wherein said environmental condition is the condition of the terrain on which the character is disposed and the character's movement is controlled as a function of the terrain condition.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
50 words
A portable storage device according to claim 11, wherein instructions in said memory media control said game program executing processing system to detect whether the player controlled character has been motionless for a predetermined period of time and to control the motion of the character to be indicative of inactivity.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A portable storage device according to claim 23, wherein said character is displayed to be in a sleeping state.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
190 words
For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system to execute said video game program to create a display simulating a three-dimensional world, and at least one player controller having an operations control member and a plurality of control keys and operable by a player to generate video game control signals, a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising: a memory media for storing graphics data including data for displaying an environmental condition in a three-dimensional space where the player object exists, said memory media further storing video game instructions including environmental state related instructions; interface circuitry for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console; said environmental state related instructions including instructions for causing said game program executing processing system to determine, at least in part in response to said data for displaying an environmental condition, whether the environmental condition in which the player object is to be displayed is a condition which requires a change in the display state of the player object.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
190 words
For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system to execute said video game program to create a display simulating a three-dimensional world, and at least one player controller having an operations control member and a plurality of control keys and operable by a player to generate video game control signals, a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising: a memory media for storing graphics data including data for displaying an environmental condition in a three-dimensional space where the player object exists, said memory media further storing video game instructions including environmental state related instructions; interface circuitry for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console; said environmental state related instructions including instructions for causing said game program executing processing system to determine, at least in part in response to said data for displaying an environmental condition, whether the environmental condition in which the player object is to be displayed is a condition which requires a change in the display state of the player object.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-31 | 2004-05-01 | 2004-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-31 | 2008-05-01 | 2008-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-31 | 2012-05-01 | 2012-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |