Combiner method for altering game gearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9682319-B2
Application number	US-76810807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2007
Priority date	Jul 31, 2002
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

Computer implemented methods, apparatus and systems for enabling interactive interfacing with a computer game program are provided. One method provides an input device to accept and transmit user input to the computer game program. The input device enables activation of one or more gearing parameters associated with interactive components of the computer game program. In another operation, the method identifies an interactive component of the computer game program. The interactive component used to receive the transmitted user input to enable the interactive interfacing. In yet another operation the method detects user input to apply one of the gearing parameters to the interactive component if so dictated by the transmitted user input. The applied gearing parameter used to define a scaling ratio between the user input and a rate at which the interactive component reacts during execution of the computer game program.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with a computer game program executed by a processor, comprising:
providing an input device for accepting user input and wirelessly transmitting the user input to the computer game program, the input device being hand-held and enabling activation of one or more gearing parameters associated with interactive components of the computer game program;
identifying an interactive component of the computer game program, the interactive component receiving the transmitted user input to enable the interactive interfacing; and
detecting the user input at the input device to apply one of the one or more gearing parameters to the interactive component if the transmitted user input dictates, the applied gearing parameter defining a scaling ratio between the user input and a rate at which the interactive component reacts during execution of the computer game program, the application of the rate at which the interactive component reacts being defined for events occurring during the execution of the computer game program,
wherein the scaling ratio for the gearing parameter that is applied is configured to additionally change in response to particular events occurring during execution of the computer game program without additional user command to change the gearing parameter.

2. The computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with the computer game program as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring the user input to determine if a change in the applied gearing parameter has occurred; and
applying an updated gearing parameter when the change in the applied gearing parameter has occurred, the updated gearing parameter defining a new scaling ratio.

3. The computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with the computer game program as recited in claim 2 , wherein repetition of the user input cycles between a plurality of updated gearing parameters.

4. The computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with the computer game program as recited in claim 3 , wherein a different user input applies a particular gearing parameter, the particular gearing parameter associated with the different user input.

5. The computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with the computer game program as recited in claim 1 , wherein the input device accepts the user input based on motion sensors capable of detecting translational and rotational movement in three orthogonal axes.

6. The computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with the computer game program as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting sound;
processing the sound to determine if the sound should be mapped to the user input; and
if the sound is determined to be mapped to the user input, applying the user input to apply one of the gearing parameters during execution of the computer game program.

7. The computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with the computer game program as recited in claim 1 , wherein the applied gearing parameter includes one of a plurality of different scaling ratios to be applied to different interactive components of the computer game program.

8. The computer implemented method for enabling interactive interfacing with the computer game program as recited in claim 1 , wherein the applied gearing parameter is configurable using a graphical user interface.

9. A computer implemented method for enabling user controlled application of gearing parameters to interactive components of a computer program executing on a computer having a processor, comprising:
providing an input device for accepting user input and wirelessly transmitting the user input to a computer system that is at least partially executing the computer program, the input device being hand-held and enabling application of one or more gearing ratios associated with the interactive components of the computer program;
receiving a gearing trigger at the computer from the input device, the gearing trigger being a particular type of the user input;
looking up a gearing parameter associated with the gearing trigger, the gearing parameter stored in a first memory associated with the computer system and defining a scaling ratio between the user input and a rate at which the interactive component reacts during execution of the computer program, the application of the rate at which the interactive component reacts being defined for events occurring during the execution of the computer program, and the scaling ratio for the gearing parameter is configured to additionally change in response to particular events occurring during execution of the computer program without additional user command to change the gearing parameter;
copying the gearing parameter from a first memory to a second memory, the second memory for storing an applied gearing parameter; and
executing the computer program using the applied gearing parameter obtained from the second memory so that subsequent user input responds according to the scaling ratio and changes to the scaling ratio in response to the particular events occurring during execution of the computer program.

10. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the input device is capable of detecting, and the computer program is responsive to, translational and rotational movements of the input device in three orthogonal axes.

11. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 9 wherein the computer system is part of a computer network and the computer program allows interaction between other users of the computer network.

12. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 11 , wherein execution of the computer program can be shared between computer systems connected to the computer network.

13. A computer implemented method for changing responses of interactive components of a computer game program that executes on a processor of a game console, comprising:
at an input device that is hand-held, detecting user input and wirelessly transmitting the user input to the game console;
executing the computer game program at the game console;
during execution of the computer game program, detecting the user input to include an instruction to change a gearing parameter from a first state to a second state;
applying the change in the gearing parameter to the second state during the execution of the computer game program, the gearing parameter defining a scaling ratio between the user input and a rate at which an interactive component of the computer game program reacts during execution of the computer game program, wherein the scaling ratio of the gearing parameter, when in the second state, is configured to additionally change based on specific in-game events without requiring additional user command to change the gearing parameter; and
continuing interaction with the user input device in the second state until an additional instruction based on the user input is detected to cause a change in the gearing parameter from the second state to the first state or to another state;
wherein the changes in the gearing parameter are interactively set during interaction with the interactive component.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the user input is derived from detected translational and rotational movements of the input device.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the user input is providing by selecting a button on the input device or pointing the input device toward an object on a video display that is in communication with the gam

Assignees

• Zalewski Gary M
• Marks Richard
• Mao Xiadong
• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Zalewski Gary M
• Marks Richard
• Mao Xiadong

Classifications

• A63F2300/6045

  for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands · CPC title

• A63F2300/1087

  comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera · CPC title

• A63F2300/105

  using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes · CPC title

• A63F2300/1018

  Calibration; Key and button assignment · CPC title

• A63F13/42

  by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle · CPC title