U.S. Pat. No. 7,704,134

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Selected embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Construction of the Game Device

FIG. 1is an external view of a portable game unit (an example of a computer) that can use a game program according to the present invention. In addition,FIG. 2is one example of a control block diagram of the portable game unit.

As shown inFIG. 1, the portable game unit1primarily has a main case2, a liquid crystal monitor unit3, an input unit4, a cartridge mounting unit5, and a communication unit (not shown in the drawings). The main case2has an upper case2aand a lower case2b. The upper case2aand the lower case2bare connected to each other such that they can be opened and closed. The liquid crystal monitor unit3comprises an upper liquid crystal monitor3aprovided in the upper case2a, and a lower liquid crystal monitor3bprovided in the lower case2b. Here, for example, the upper liquid crystal monitor3ais a non-touch panel type monitor, and the lower liquid crystal monitor3bis a touch panel type monitor. The non-touch panel type monitor is comprised of a liquid crystal panel, and the touch panel type monitor is comprised of a liquid crystal panel and a touch panel. On the touch panel type monitor, the display surface of the liquid crystal panel and the data input surface of the touch panel are laminated together so as to be integral with each other. The input unit4comprises a cross-shaped directional command button4athat is arranged on the central portion of the left side of the lower case2b, a select button4band a start button4carranged from left to right on the upper portion of the left side of the lower case2b, command buttons4dthat are arranged in the central portion of the right side of the lower case2b, a power button4ethat is arranged on the upper portion of the right side of the lower case2b, and an L button4fand a R button4garranged on the left and right corners of the lower case2b. The cartridge mounting unit5is provided in the lower portion of the lower case2b. A game cartridge or the like can be mounted in the cartridge mounting unit5. The communication unit is built into the main case2, e.g., the lower case2a. A local wireless network function, internet connection via wireless LAN function, or the like are provided by the communication unit. Note that a sound volume adjustment button, an earphone jack, and the like are provided in the game unit1, but an explanation of these will be omitted.

As shown inFIG. 2, the portable game unit1has a control device10in the interior thereof. A CPU (Central Processing Unit)11which uses a microprocessor, a ROM (Read Only Memory)12as a main storage device, a RAM (Random Access Memory)13, an image processing circuit14, a sound processing circuit15, and a communication control circuit20of the control device10are connected to each other via a bus16.

The CPU11will interpret instructions from a game program, and will perform various types of data processing and control. The ROM12will store programs and the like needed for basic control of the game unit1(e.g., start-up control). The RAM13will maintain a working area for the CPU11. The image processing circuit14controls the liquid crystal monitor unit3in response to rendering commands from the CPU11, and displays predetermined images on at least one of the upper liquid crystal monitor3aand the lower liquid crystal monitor3b. In addition, a touch input detection circuit14ais included in the image processing circuit14. When a command means, e.g., a touch pen, a finger, or the like is brought into direct contact with the touch panel, coordinate date of the contact position will be supplied from the touch input detection circuit14ato the CPU11, and the contact position will be identified by the CPU11. In addition, when the command means is brought into direct contact with the touch panel at the position of a target object displayed on the liquid crystal panel, coordinate data of the target object will be supplied from the touch input detection circuit14ato the CPU11, and the target object will be identified by the CPU. The sound processing circuit15will produce analog audio signals in response to sound generation commands from the CPU11, and will output the same to a speaker22. The communication control circuit20is included in the communication unit, and is employed in order to wirelessly connect the game unit1to another game unit or the like. The communication control circuit20is connected to the CPU11via the bus16. In response to instructions from the CPU11, the communication control circuit20will control and dispatch connection signals for connecting the game unit1to the internet via a local wireless network or a wireless LAN.

An external storage device17that is separate from the control device11is connected to the bus16. For example, the external storage device17is a game cartridge that is removably mounted in the main case2, e.g., the lower case2b. A ROM18as a storage medium, and a memory19as a rewriteable user memory, are provided in the interior of the external storage device17. A game program that causes the game unit1to function as a computer, and various types of data needed in the execution of the game program, are stored in advance in the ROM18. The various types of data include various types of character image data, e.g., various types of panel image data, attribute image data, and the like. Rewriteable memory such as flash memory is used in the memory19. Saved game data or the like will be stored in the memory19in response to need. Note that the storage medium of the external storage device17is not limited to a semiconductor memory element, and various other types of storage media may be used, such as a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, a magneto-optical storage medium, or the like. Note also that an interface circuit is interposed between the bus16and each element, but illustration of these will be omitted here.

With the game unit1constructed as described above, a player can play various game genres on the liquid crystal monitor unit3by loading a game program stored in the ROM18of the external storage device17, and executing the loaded game program with the CPU11. In addition, by connecting the game unit1with another game unit with a wireless network, or connecting the game unit1with another game unit via a communication cable or the like, data can be exchanged with another game unit or a competition type game can be played via the communication control circuit10.

Summary of Various Types of Processes in the Game Device

A game that can be executed in the present game unit1is, for example, a baseball game.FIG. 3is a function block diagram for explaining the functions that play an essential role in the present invention.

With the present game unit1, a moving object will be dispatched from a character displayed on a touch panel type of monitor. This game unit1comprises pass area setting means50, dispatch operation initiation means51, pass position display means52, contact position identification means53, expected pass position identification means53a, contact position movement means54, moving speed change means54a, moving contact position display means55, final contact position identification means56, monitor separation determination means56a, moving object dispatch means57, and moving object display means58.

The pass area setting means50is implemented by a function that sets the expected pass display area, e.g., the hitting plane, of a ball character between the dispatch position of the ball character and the arrival position of the ball character. With the pass area setting means50, the coordinate data of the predetermined position between the dispatch position of the ball character and the arrival position of the ball character, e.g., the position coordinate data of home base, will be calculated by the CPU11based upon the coordinate data of the dispatch position of the ball character and the coordinate data of the arrival position of the ball character. Then, based upon the position coordinate data of home base, the hitting plane will be set above home base. Note that the hitting plane is a virtual plane where a batter character will hit a ball character with a bat character. A strike zone for the batter is set in the hitting plane by the CPU11. Note that the coordinate data of the dispatch position of the ball character shown here is the position coordinate data of the pitcher character, and the coordinate data of the arrival position of the ball character is the position coordinate data of the catcher character.

The dispatch operation initiation means51is implemented by a function that initiates a character dispatch operation. With the dispatch operation initiation means51, the CPU11that received command signals from the operation means or the command means will initiate a dispatch operation with a character.

The pass position display means52is implemented by a function that will display the expected pass position of a moving object with a predetermined object in the expected pass display area when the character dispatch operation is initiated. With the pass position display means52, when a character dispatch operation is initiated, the expected pass position of the ball will be calculated by the CPU11, and the expected pass position of the ball will be displayed on the monitor3, i.e., the lower monitor3b, by the image processing circuit14. More particularly, the expected pass position of the ball will be displayed on the touch panel liquid crystal panel of the lower monitor3b. The expected pass position of the ball will be displayed in the expected pass display area displayed on the monitor, e.g., the hitting plane, by employing a predetermined object read out from the ROM18and stored in the RAM13.

The contact position identification means53is implemented by a function that identifies the contact position of the command means in the hitting plane when the contact means is placed in contact with the monitor. With the contact position identification means53, when the command means, e.g., a touch pen, a finger, or the like, is brought into contact with the touch panel in the hitting plane displayed on the liquid crystal panel, the coordinate data of the contact position of the command means will be supplied from the touch input detection circuit14ato the CPU11, and the contact position of the command means will be identified by the CPU11.

The contact position identification means53includes expected pass position identification means53a. The expected pass position identification means53ais implemented by a function that will identify the expected pass position as the contact position of the command means when the command means is placed into contact with the expected pass position. With the expected pass position identification means53a, when the command means, e.g., a touch pen, a finger, or the like, is brought into contact with the touch panel in the expected pass position displayed on the liquid crystal panel, the coordinate data of the expected pass position of the command means will be supplied from the touch input detection circuit14ato the CPU11, and the expected pass position will be identified by the CPU11.

The contact position movement means54is implemented by a function that makes it possible for the contact position of the command means to be moved in the hitting plane, before the ball character is dispatched from the pitcher character, in response to the characteristics of the pitcher character. With the contact position movement means54, when the command means, e.g., a touch pen, a finger, or the like, is placed into contact with and moved in the hitting plane before the ball character is dispatched from the pitcher character in response to the characteristics of the pitcher character, e.g., the ability of the pitcher character to control the ball, the coordinate data of the contact position of the command means will be continuously supplied from the touch input detection circuit14ato the CPU11, and the movement of the contact position of the command means will be identified by the CPU11.

In addition, the contact position movement means54includes a movement speed change means54a. The movement speed change means54ais implemented by a function that will change the movement speed of the contact position in the expected pass display area in response to the characteristics of a character. With the movement speed change means54a, the detected speed of the touch input detection circuit14athat detects the coordinate data of the contact position of the command means in the hitting plane will be changed by the CPU11, in response to the characteristics of the pitcher character, e.g., the ability of the pitcher character to control the ball, stored in the RAM13.

The moving contact position display means55is implemented by a function that will display a predetermined object in the contact position during movement, when the contact position identified by the expected pass position identification means53ais moved by the command means in the expected pass display area.

The moving contact position display means55is implemented by a function that will display a predetermined object in the contact position during movement, when the contact position identified by the expected pass position identification means53ais moved by the command means in the hitting plane. With the moving contact position display means55, when the contact position identified by the expected pass position identification means53ais moved by the command means in the hitting plane, the coordinate data of the contact position of the command means will be continuously supplied from the touch input detection circuit14ato the CPU11, and the movement of the contact position of the command means will be identified by the CPU11. At this point, the predetermined object stored in the RAM13will be displayed by the image processing circuit14in a position on the monitor3that corresponds to the coordinates of the contact position during movement, e.g., a position on the lower monitor3bthat corresponds to the coordinates of the contact position during movement. More particularly, the predetermined object will be displayed on the touch panel liquid crystal panel of the lower monitor3b.

The final contact position identification means56is implemented by a function that will identify the contact position after movement as the final contact position. With the final contact position identification means56, the contact position after movement will be identified by the CPU11as the final contact position.

The final contact position identification means56includes monitor separation determination means56a. The monitor separation determination means56bis implemented by a function that will determine whether or not the command means has been separated from the monitor. With the monitor separation determination means56a, it will be determined by the CPU11whether or not the command means, e.g., a touch pen, a finger, or the like, has been separated from the monitor, e.g., the touch panel. For example, if it was determined by the CPU11that the touch pen was separated from the touch panel, then at the point in time at which the touch pen is separated from the touch panel, the coordinate data of the contact position of the touch pen will be identified by the CPU11as the coordinate data of the final contact position. For example, if it was determined by the CPU11that the touch pen was not separated from the touch panel, then at the point in time at which the ball character was dispatched from the pitcher character, the coordinate data of the contact position will be identified by the CPU11as the final contact position.

The moving object dispatch means57is implemented by a function that causes a moving object to be dispatched from a character in the direction of the final contact position. With the moving object dispatch means57, command signals that will cause the ball character to be dispatched from the pitcher character, i.e., from the position of the coordinate data of the pitcher character to the position of the coordinate data of the final contact position, will be issued from the CPU11to the image processing circuit14.

The moving object display means58is implemented by a function that will display the ball character dispatched from the pitcher character on the monitor. With the moving object display means58, the ball character that moves from the position of the coordinate data of the pitcher character to the position of the coordinate data of the final contact position will be displayed on the monitor3, e.g., the lower monitor3b, by the image processing circuit14. More particularly, the moving ball character will be displayed on the touch panel liquid crystal panel of the lower monitor3b.

Summary of the Baseball Game

Next, the specific content of the baseball game of the present embodiment will be explained.

This baseball game primarily comprises a batting system that issues commands with regard to batting to a batter character, a defense system that issues commands with regard to catching and throwing to a fielder character, a pitching system that issues commands with regard to pitching to a pitcher character, and a base running system that issues commands with regard to base running to a base running character. Each of these systems is realized by a game program stored in the ROM18, for example, and is executed in the game unit1.

A summary of the pitching system that plays an essential role in the present invention will be explained below.

The pitching system allows a pitching operation to be performed by commanding the pitch location of a pitcher character by means of the command means, e.g., a touch pen, a finger, or the like.

In the present baseball game, when a player operates a pitcher character, as shown inFIG. 4, a pitcher character70, a catcher character71, a hitting plane72, a batter character73, and a ball character74will be primarily displayed on the lower touch panel type monitor.

The pitcher character70will be displayed in the approximate central portion of the screen, the catcher character71will be displayed in the upper portion of the screen, and the batter character73will be displayed in the right side portion of the screen. A strike zone72awill be displayed on the hitting plane72above home base.

First, the pitcher character70will initiate a pitching operation when a player pushes one of the command buttons4d. At this point, the expected pass position of the ball will be displayed on the hitting plane72with an asterisk mark76. Here, the asterisk mark76is displayed in the central portion of the strike zone72a. Then, when the player places the touch pen into contact with the hitting plane72on the monitor, here, the position of the asterisk mark76, the contact position of the touch pen on the hitting plane72will be identified. Then, if the player moves the contact position of the touch pen in the hitting plane72, the asterisk mark76will move together with the contact position of the touch pen. At this point, the stronger the capabilities of the pitcher character70are, the easier it will be to move the touch pen, and the weaker the capabilities of the pitcher character70are, the more difficult it will be to move the touch pen. For example, the worst the pitcher character70's control is, the quicker the movement speed of the contact position identified on the monitor will become, and the more difficult it will become for the player to move the touch pen to the desired position and stop it in the desired position. In other words, because the touch pen slides on the monitor, it will be difficult for the player to maintain the contact position of the touch pen in a stable state and move the contact position. In contrast, the better the pitcher character70's control is, the slower the movement speed of the contact position identified on the monitor will become, and the easier it will become for the player to move the touch pen to the desired position and stop it in the desired position. In other words, it will be easy for the player to maintain the contact position of the touch pen in a stable state and move the contact position.

Next, if the player moves the contact position of the touch pen to a desired position and separates the touch pen from the monitor during a pitching operation of the pitcher character70, the position at which the touch pen was separated will be set as the destination of the ball dispatched by the pitcher character70. Then, the pitcher character70will throw the ball to that destination. In contrast, if during the pitching operation of the pitcher character70, the player has moved the contact position of the touch pen to the desired position, and the pitcher character70has released the ball in a state in which the touch pen is not separated from the monitor, the contact position of the touch pen when the pitcher character70has released the ball will be set as the destination of the ball dispatched by the pitcher character70. Then, the pitcher character70will throw the ball to that destination. Each process flow during execution of the pitching system

The flowchart shown inFIG. 5will be used to explain the pitching system in the baseball game of the present embodiment.

With this baseball game, if a player operates the pitcher character70, first, the characteristics of the pitcher character70, e.g., the ability of the pitcher character70to control the ball, will be identified (S1). In response to the characteristics of the pitcher character70, the speed at which the contact position of the touch pen will be moved on the monitor will be set (S2). Then, the hitting plane that includes the strike zone72awill be set in a predetermined position between the dispatch position of the ball character74and the arrival position of the ball character74(S3). In other words, the hitting plane72that includes the strike zone72will be set in a position above home base between the position of the pitcher character70and the position of the catcher character71.

Next, when a command button4dis pressed, a dispatch operation of the pitcher character70will be initiated (S4). At this point, an object indicating the expected pass position of the ball will be displayed in the hitting plane72with, for example, the asterisk mark76. The expected pass position is the initial dispatch target of the pitcher character70. Then, the position at which the touch pen was placed into contact with the hitting plane72, e.g., the expected pass position, will be identified as the contact position of the touch pen (S6). Then, if the contact position of the touch pen is moved in the hitting plane72(S7), the object that indicates the expected pass position of the ball, e.g., the asterisk mark76, will move together with the contact position in response to the set movement speed (S8).

Finally, it will be determined whether or not the touch pen has been separated from the monitor (S9). If it is determined that the touch pen has been separated from the monitor (S9is yes), then the contact position will be identified as the final contact position of the touch pen at the point in time at which the touch pen was separated from the monitor (S10). If it is determined that the touch pen has been separated from the monitor (S9is no), the contact position will be identified as the final contact position at the point in time at which the ball character74is dispatched from the pitcher character70. The ball character74will be dispatched from the pitcher character70in the direction of the final contact position identified above (S12).

Other Embodiments

(a) With the aforementioned embodiment, an example was illustrated in which the portable game unit1was used as an example of a computer that can utilize the game program, however the game device is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment, and can also utilize in the same way a game device formed separately from a monitor, a game device for commercial use that is formed integrally with a monitor, and a personal computer, a workstation, or the like that functions as a game device by executing a game program.

(b) The present invention also includes a program and method for executing the game described above, and a computer readable storage medium on which the program is stored. Other than the cartridge, examples of recording media include computer readable flexible disks, semiconductor memory, CD-ROM, DVD, MO, ROM cassettes, and the like.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

With the present invention, when a dispatch operation has been initiated by a character, the contact position of the command means in the expected pass display area will be identified if the command means is placed into contact with the expected pass display area of the monitor. Here, the contact position of the command means is made movable in the expected pass display area until the moving object is dispatched from the character. Then, if the contact position after movement is identified as the final contact position, the moving object will be dispatched from the character to the final contact position. Because of this, the player can cause a moving object to be dispatched from a character by simply moving the contact position in the expected pass display area with the command means. In this way, the player can accurately and easily place the moving object in a desired position.