Vibration control system, vibration control apparatus and vibration control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10912994-B2
Application number	US-201815862726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2018
Priority date	Jan 12, 2017
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A non-limiting example game apparatus functions as a vibration control apparatus. When vibration data are simultaneously input from a plurality of programs during execution of the plurality of programs, the game apparatus drives a vibration motor incorporated in the game apparatus by preferentially using the vibration data from the program that is granted with a vibration control right. The vibration control right is authority of performing vibration control preferentially, and is basically granted to a program corresponding to an image being displayed forefront; however, when a plurality of images are displayed, the vibration control right is granted to a program having authority of acquiring an input from an input device (controller).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vibration control system, comprising:
a processor connected to a memory storing software instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
first vibration reception configured to receive first vibration data that first software generates;
second vibration reception configured to receive second vibration data that second software generates; and
vibration control configured to, when the second vibration reception receives the second vibration data at the same time that the first vibration reception receives the first vibration data, select between the first vibration data and the second vibration data and make a predetermined apparatus or a predetermined terminal connected to the predetermined apparatus vibrate by using the selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data and not the other one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data that was not selected.

2. The vibration control system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to set a priority for indicating a priority level of vibration control for the first software and the second software, wherein
the vibration control operation is configured to use a selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data according to the priority that is set.

3. The vibration control system according to claim 2 , wherein the first software further generates first sound data and the second software further generates second sound data, and the processor is further set a sound volume balance in sound control for the first software and the second software;
perform a first sound reception operation configured to receive the first sound data;
perform a second sound reception operation configured to receive the second sound data; and
perform a sound control operation configured to output, when the second sound reception receives the second sound data at the same time that the first sound reception receives the first sound data, at least one of the first sound data and the second sound data while changing an amplitude thereof according to the sound volume balance that is set by the sound volume balance setting.

4. The vibration control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first software is concurrently executed with the second software.

5. The vibration control system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first software and the second software is a game program.

6. The vibration control system of claim 1 wherein the vibration control operation outputs only the selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data and suppresses output of a non-selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data.

7. The vibration control system of claim 1 wherein the first vibration data is assigned a first priority level, the second vibration data is assigned a second priority level, and the processor is configured to select between the first vibration data and the second vibration data based on which of the first and second priority levels has a higher priority.

8. The vibration control system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to select between the first vibration data and the second vibration data based on which has a higher priority.

9. A vibration control apparatus, comprising:
a processor connected to a memory storing software instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
first vibration reception configured to receive first vibration data that first software generates;
second vibration reception configured to receive second vibration data that second software generates; and
vibration control configured to, when the second vibration reception receives the second vibration data at the same time that the first vibration reception receives the first vibration data, select between the first vibration data and the second vibration data and make a predetermined apparatus or a predetermined terminal connected to the predetermined apparatus vibrate by using the selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data and not the other one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data that was not selected.

10. The vibration control apparatus of claim 9 wherein the vibration control operation outputs only the selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data and suppresses output of a non-selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data.

11. The vibration control apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first vibration data is assigned a first priority level, the second vibration data is assigned a second priority level, and the processor is configured to select between the first vibration data and the second vibration data based on which of the first and second priority levels has a higher priority.

12. The vibration control apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processor is configured to select between the first vibration data and the second vibration data based on which has a higher priority.

13. A vibration control method, comprising:
(a) receiving first vibration data that first software generates;
(b) receiving second vibration data that second software generates;
(c) when the second vibration data is received in the step (b) at the same time that the first vibration data is received in the step (a), selecting between the first vibration data and the second vibration data; and
(d) making a predetermined apparatus or a predetermined terminal connected to the predetermined apparatus vibrate by using the selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data and not the other one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data that was not selected.

14. The vibration control method of claim 13 wherein the making (d) outputs only the selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data and suppresses output of a non-selected one of the first vibration data and the second vibration data.

15. The vibration control method of claim 13 wherein:
the method further includes assigning the first vibration data a first priority level and assigning the second vibration data is assigned a second priority level; and
the selecting comprises selecting between the first vibration data and the second vibration data based on which of the first and second priority levels has a higher priority.

16. The vibration control method of claim 13 wherein:
the selecting comprises selecting between the first vibration data and the second vibration data based on which has a higher priority.

Assignees

• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamashita Kei
• Aoki Takafumi

Classifications

• A63F13/537 Primary

  using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen · CPC title

• A63F13/54

  involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall · CPC title

• A63F13/235

  using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet · CPC title

• A63F13/28

  responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light · CPC title

• A63F2300/638

  according to the timing of operation or a time limit · CPC title