JP3075336B2 - Target hit game machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a target hitting game machine which hits a moving object such as a ball.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as the above-mentioned target hit game machine,
As shown in FIG.
2 is known, in which a target image is projected onto a target image 2, and a player P hits, that is, releases a ball 53 toward the target image. However, this conventional apparatus has a problem that the apparatus becomes large-scale because a projection apparatus is used. Further, since the ball hits the screen and is prevented from proceeding, it is not possible to display a state in which the ball breaks through the target and proceeds further forward, and therefore, there is a problem that a realistic display cannot be performed. In addition, since the ball was hit against the screen, the device was severely damaged. In particular, since the screen is a member that directly touches the eyes of the player, it is a serious problem that they are damaged.

[0003] Further, a bowling game machine of a type in which bowling equipment installed in a bowling alley is reduced as it is has been conventionally known as one type of target hitting game machine. However, in this bowling game machine, the target was always limited to pins, and the game was monotonous. In addition, a special alignment mechanism must be prepared to align the fallen pins, which also makes the device large,
There was a problem that the cost was high.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and enables a variety of games to be played by expressing a target by video. It is an object of the present invention to express a relationship between a moving object such as a ball and a target image in a more realistic form, and to reduce the size of the entire apparatus.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a target hitting game machine according to the present invention comprises a video display means for displaying a target as a video, a target image on the video display means and a different background. A half mirror for synthesizing an image and displaying the image to a player; a moving object sensor for detecting a moving object moved by the player; and an image control means for controlling the image display means based on an output signal of the moving object sensor. . The half mirror is arranged at a position where the moving object moved by the player can be passed, and the image control means switches the target image when the moving object sensor detects the moving object. A display device such as a CRT monitor device, a liquid crystal display, or the like is used as the image display means.

[0006] As the moving body to be moved by the player, those having various shapes and various moving forms can be considered. For example, a sliding body that slides on a passage like a puck in a hockey game, a running body that runs along a rail, an object that is supported by a telescopic pantograph mechanism, and the like can be considered. Further, the ball may be a spherical ball released by the player. The release of the ball by the player is an action that includes throwing and launching the ball. The ball released in this manner or the moving body moved by the player passes through any of the upper, lower, left, and right side positions of the half mirror and advances to the rear position of the half mirror. At this rear position, for example, a dark partition member is provided, and if a ball or a moving body hits the partition member and rebounds, a visual display as if the ball or the like hits the target and rebounds is provided. can get.

[0007] As a more specific configuration of the above-mentioned target hitting game machine, a ball passage or a moving object passage for rolling a ball or moving a moving object is provided, and at least an interval through which the ball or the moving object can pass. The half mirror can be opened to arrange the half mirror above the ball passage or the moving body passage. In this configuration, the ball or the moving body passes through the half mirror while rolling or moving on the ball path or the moving body path. In this configuration, especially when a ball is used as a moving object, a bowling game with a great sense of reality can be produced by displaying a pin of the bowling game as the target image.

[0008] Balls and other moving objects are not only released by the player in a manner of rolling or sliding on the ball path or the moving object path, but may also be discharged into the space. In such a case, it is desirable to configure the moving object sensor with a two-dimensional sensor that can two-dimensionally detect the position of the ball or the moving object in a plane.

[0009]

In the target hitting game machine according to the first aspect, the target image on the image display means is reflected by the half mirror and guided to the player's eyes. At this time, the half mirror combines the background image transmitted therethrough with the target image, and the combined image appears to the player's eyes. The background image may be any scenery, or may be a single color such as black or dark gray, which cannot be clearly recognized as the background by the player's eyes.

[0010] The player moves the moving object toward the target image by throwing, launching, or using various other methods toward the target image that is viewed. The ball or the moving body released in this way passes through any one of the upper, lower, left, and right side positions of the half mirror and advances to the back side of the half mirror. The player can visually check the target image by the function of the reflection characteristics of the half mirror, and also visually check the ball or the moving body that has advanced to the rear side of the half mirror by the function of the transmission visibility characteristics of the half mirror. Therefore, a situation in which the ball or the moving object collides with the target is displayed in a realistic manner in the eyes of the player.

At an appropriate timing before the timing at which the ball or the moving object hits the target, the ball or the moving object is detected by the ball sensor or the moving object sensor. Based on the detection of the moving object, the image control unit switches the target image to a hit effect image, for example, an image in which the target is flipped off. By this video switching, a state in which a ball or a moving object collides with the target and the target is flipped off is projected in a realistic state. When the partition member is not disposed at the rear position of the half mirror, a state in which the ball or the moving body breaks through the target and proceeds further forward after the target is flipped is displayed. On the other hand, when a partition member is provided at a position behind the half mirror, the ball or the moving body is rebounded by the partition member, so that a state in which the ball or the mobile body rebounds when hitting the target can be displayed.

[0012]

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows a target hitting game machine according to the present invention,
More specifically, an embodiment of a ball hitting game machine in which a ball as a moving object hits a target is shown. This ball hitting game machine includes a moving body passage or a ball passage 2 formed on a floor 1 simulating a lane of a bowling game, and a half mirror 3 fixedly installed at an appropriate position above a terminal side of the ball passage 2. , Its half mirror 3
CRT as a video display means fixedly installed above the camera
It has a monitor 4 and a ball sensor 5 as a moving body sensor disposed above the ball passage 2 and at a position behind the half mirror 3. As shown in FIG. 5, the ball sensor 5 is arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction of the ball passage 2.
It is composed of a plurality of reflective optical sensors arranged in a row.

Returning to FIG. 1, as is well known, the half mirror 3 is an optical element having a property of combining and displaying an image on the front side and an image on the back side. In the case of the embodiment, the image on the CRT monitor 4 arranged on the front side of the half mirror 3 and the image on the back side H of the half mirror 3 are combined and displayed on the player P as a combined image. That is, CR
The image on the T monitor 4 is displayed as a virtual image at the position indicated by the broken line 4a. In the embodiment, the rear side H of the half mirror 3 is used.
Is provided with a partition member 6 which is a flat plate of one color of black, so that the background image is one color of black. As a result, the player P sees an image on the CRT monitor 4 floating on a black background.

The CRT monitor 4 displays an image calculated by the image control device 7. Also, the image control device 7
Controls the video content of the CRT monitor 4 based on the output signal of the ball sensor 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the video control device 7 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 10, a ROM 11 storing a control program for the entire game, and the like.
RAM that stores various progress states of the game in a readable and writable manner
12, a ROM 14 for storing a target image, a hit effect image, and the like described later, a drawing controller 15 for driving the CRT monitor 4 by electron beam scanning, and a VRAM 16 for instructing the drawing controller 15 on the address of character data to be read. Have. The output line of the ball sensor 5 is connected to the CP via the input interface.
Connected to input port of U10.

In a predetermined storage location of the ROM 14, for example,
A target image 8 as shown in FIG. 3 and a hit effect image 9 as shown in FIG. 4 are stored as image data. In the case of the embodiment, the target video 8 displays the pins 17 of the bowling game, and the hit effect video 9 visually displays how those pins 17 are flipped. In the present description, it is assumed that one target image and one hit effect image are used for the sake of simplicity. However, in practice, a plurality of target images are prepared as desired by a player or the like, or ,
It is also possible to prepare a plurality of types of hit effect images which are determined according to which position on the ball path 2 the ball rolls.

The operation of the ball hitting game machine having the above configuration will be described below. In FIG. 1, when the player P stands at the tip end position (right end position in the figure) of the ball passage 2, the half mirror 3 acts as shown in FIG.
A target image 8 as a still image is visually confirmed in front of the ball path 2. The player P throws the ball 13 toward the target image 8, that is, releases the ball 13 onto the ball path 2. The ejected ball 13 passes through a position below the half mirror 3 in FIG. 1, is further detected by the ball sensor 5, and thereafter, the screen member 6
Collide with

When the ball sensor 5 detects a ball, a signal to that effect is output, and the output signal is output to the image control device 7.
Sent to The video control device 7 that has received the ball detection signal, specifically, the CPU 10 of FIG. 2, instructs the VRAM 16 to switch the video to be displayed from the target video 8 (FIG. 3) to the hit effect video 9 (FIG. 4). Send this,
The display content of the CRT monitor 4 is switched to the hit effect image 9. Therefore, to the player P, as shown in FIG. 6, as if the ball 13 hits the pins 17 and the pins 17 are flipped off.

If there is a gap between the timing at which the ball 13 apparently hits the target image 8 and the timing at which the target image 8 switches to the hit effect image 9, the image state becomes unnatural for the player P who sees it. Reflected. Therefore, in order to avoid occurrence of such unnaturalness, both timings are set in advance so as to exactly match.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the partition member 6 is disposed at a position behind the half mirror 3, so that
After passing through the half mirror 3, the ball 13 hits the partition member 6 and rebounds. In this state, to the player P, in FIG. 6, the ball 13 hitting the pin 17 looks as if it has bounced back due to the reaction, and thus a realistic state can be reproduced. Moreover, since the hit effect image 9 is a virtual image and the ball 13 does not actually hit the hit effect image 9, the hit effect image 9 is not disturbed and a clear image can always be maintained.

Note that the partition member 6 can be removed from the ball passage 2. In this case, the player P sees the ball 13 breaking through the hit effect image 9 and moving further forward. become. This state is also a visual expression rich in realism from a different meaning than the bouncing state.

As described above, the partition member 6 is connected to the ball passage 2.
In the case where the partition member 6 is installed according to the contents of the target image 8 and the hit effect image 9,
It is desirable to be able to select whether or not to install. In addition, several types of images other than those shown in FIG. 4 are prepared as the hit effect images 9, and different hit effects having different contents are provided according to the difference in the passing position of the ball 13 detected by the ball sensor 5 (FIG. 5). It can also be set to project video. In this way, the game is diversified and interesting.

The ball passage 2 is preferably inclined at an appropriate angle, for example, about 4 ° to 5 ° so that the player P side is low and the half mirror 3 side is high. In this way, when the thrown ball 13 is weak, the ball 13 does not automatically roll back to the player P and stop on the ball path 2.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the target hitting game machine according to the present invention, particularly another embodiment of the ball hitting game machine. This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that the player P throws the ball 13 into the space instead of rolling it on the ball path. In this device, the ball sensor as a moving body sensor is modified in relation to the fact that the ball 13 is thrown into the space. That is, the ball sensor 25 used in this embodiment uses a two-dimensional sensor as shown in FIG.

This two-dimensional sensor comprises a plurality of horizontal light emitting sensors 20h arranged in a line in the horizontal direction with respect to the monitor virtual image 4a, a horizontal light receiving sensor 21h for receiving light from the light emitting sensors 20h, and a monitor. A plurality of vertical light emitting sensors 2 arranged in a line in a direction perpendicular to the virtual image 4a
0v, and a vertical light receiving sensor 21v that receives light from the light emitting sensors 20v.

Using the ball sensor 25, the ball 13 thrown into the space can be detected in a planar manner. Further, the direction in which the ball 13 is thrown out can be detected as a coordinate position in a plane. In some cases, it is possible to appropriately select and project hit effect images having different contents according to the difference in the coordinate position.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the target hitting game machine according to the present invention. This embodiment is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that a disk-shaped sliding body 23 is used as a moving body instead of a ball.
The same members as those in the embodiment of FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, when the player P hits the sliding body 23 with the stick 26, the sliding body 23
Slides on. Then, after passing through the position below the half mirror 3, it actually collides with the partition member 6 and visually collides with the target image on the virtual image 4 a of the CRT monitor 4. In addition, as shown in FIG. 14, a traveling body 29 provided with wheels 28 can be used as the moving body.

Fourth Embodiment FIG. 11 shows still another embodiment of the target hitting game machine according to the present invention. This embodiment is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that a moving body 3 running along a rail 32 is used instead of a ball as a moving body.
3 was used. Reference numeral 34 indicates wheels for smooth running of the running body 33. Also in this embodiment, the same members as those in the embodiment of FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the player P pushes the traveling body 33 toward the target image. After being pushed along the rail 32, the pushed traveling body 33 passes below the half mirror 3 and collides visually with the target image.

If the rail 32 is inclined such that the player P side is lower and the half mirror 3 side is higher, the traveling body 3
After reaching the end point position on the back side of the half mirror 3, 3 naturally returns to the player P's hand. The rail 32
The unit of the traveling body 33 can be a single set or a plurality of sets.

Embodiment 5 FIG. 12 shows still another embodiment of the target hitting game machine according to the present invention. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that a hitting body 43 supported by a pantograph mechanism 42 which moves in a telescopic manner is used instead of a ball as a moving body. In this embodiment, the player P pushes down the grip lever 47 of the pantograph mechanism 42 as indicated by the arrow A, aiming at the target image in the monitor virtual image 4a. Then, the pantograph mechanism 42 extends and moves, and the striking body 43 fixed to the tip moves until it passes below the half mirror 3 and hits the partition member 6. A striking sensor 45 is provided at a position corresponding to the target image in the partition member 6, and when the striking body 43 is detected by the striking sensor 45,
In accordance with a command from the video controller 7, the CRT monitor 4
Is switched to the hit effect image. As shown by an arrow B in FIG. 13, when the grip lever 47 is lifted upward, the pantograph mechanism 42, and thus the hitting body 43, can be pulled back to the player P side.

In FIG. 12, the pantograph mechanism 42
Can be supported so that it can freely reciprocate in the horizontal direction about the support shaft 46 as shown in the figure. Thereby, the player P can carry the hit body 43 to various positions with respect to the monitor virtual image 4a. In addition, hitting body 4
As a method for detecting whether or not the hitting object 3 hits the target image, in addition to the method of providing the hitting sensor 45 on the partition member 6 as described above, it is also possible to detect that the hitting body 43 is extended and to use a pantograph mechanism. It is also possible to adopt a detection method of detecting the rotational position of the hitting body 42 in the horizontal direction and specifying the position of the hitting body 43 based on both detection results.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to those embodiments, and can be variously modified within the technical scope described in the claims. For example, a display device other than a CRT monitor, such as a liquid crystal display, can be used as the image display means. Further, as a video control device for driving the video display means, a video control device other than the computer graphic device as shown in FIG.
For example, it is possible to use a laser disk device, a CD player, or the like, and read and reproduce and display a target image and a hit effect image stored in a storage medium such as a laser disk or a CD. In addition, the ball or other moving body is not limited to the case where it passes below the half mirror, and may pass on the left or right side or the upper side.

[0032]

According to the target hitting game machine according to the first and fifth aspects, a large-scale projection device is not required, so that the entire game machine can be formed small. In addition, since the ball or the moving object passes through the half mirror and further proceeds to the rear side, there is an apparent relationship between the target image of the virtual image created by the half mirror and the real ball or the moving object. Therefore, realistic expressions can be achieved. For example, it is possible to represent a state in which a ball or a moving body breaks through a target and moves further forward. Furthermore, since the position of the ball or the moving object is detected by the ball sensor or the moving object sensor and the content of the image on the image display means is switched according to the detected position,
In this sense, any expression that is realistic can be achieved. Also, since the half mirror that projects the target image and the ball or the moving object do not actually collide with each other,
Equipment damage can be avoided.

According to the target hitting game machine according to the fourth and sixth aspects, it is possible to express the state in which the ball or the moving object collides with the target image and rebounds with a sense of realism.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the ball can pass through the half mirror in a natural manner.

According to the target hitting game machine of the eighth aspect, it is possible to play a realistic bowling game.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, when the strength of the ball thrown by the player onto the ball passage is weak, the ball rolls back toward the player according to the inclination of the ball passage. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ball from stopping on the ball passage.

According to the target hitting game machine of the tenth aspect, in the ball hitting game machine of a type in which a ball is thrown into a space, a realistic image expression can be realized.

[0038]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a target hitting game machine, particularly a ball hitting game machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of a video control device used in the ball hitting game machine of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a target image.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hit effect image.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state where the ball hitting game machine shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from a player side, particularly a state when a target image is displayed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the ball hitting game machine shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from a player side, particularly a state in which an image is switched to a hit effect image.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing another embodiment of the target hitting game machine, particularly the ball hitting game machine according to the present invention.

8 is a front view showing an example of a moving object sensor, that is, a ball sensor used in the embodiment of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of a conventional target hitting game machine.

FIG. 10 is a front view showing another embodiment of the target hitting game machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing still another embodiment of the target hitting game machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing still another embodiment of the target hitting game machine according to the present invention.

13 is a view showing a state where the pantograph mechanism is contracted and moved in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing a modified example of the moving body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 floor 2 ball passage 3 half mirror 4 CRT monitor 5 ball sensor (moving object sensor) 6 screen member 7 image control device 8 target image 9 hit effect image 13 ball (moving object) 17 pin image 20h, 20v light emission sensor 21h, 21v light receiving sensor 25 ball sensor (moving object sensor) 22 moving object passage 23 sliding object (moving object) 29 traveling object 32 rail 33 traveling object 42 pantograph mechanism 43 hitting object 45 hitting sensor

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-7-275417 (JP, A) JP-A-3-222970 (JP, A) JP-A-53-49543 (JP, A) JP-A-7-47156 (JP, A) JP-A-6-261963 (JP, A) JP-A-6-34689 (JP, U) JP-A-50-126372 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB Name) A63F 9/00 A63B 67/00 A63B 69/00 A63F 9/02

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. A target hitting game machine including a moving object hitting a target, wherein a video display means for projecting the target as a video, a target image on the video display means, and a background image different from the target image are combined. A half mirror for displaying to the player, and a moving body sensor for detecting a moving body moved by the player; and a video control means for controlling the video display means based on an output signal of the moving body sensor, The half mirror is disposed at a position where the moving body moved by the player can be passed, and the image control means switches a target image when the moving body sensor detects the moving body. Hit game machine. 2. The target hitting game machine according to claim 1, wherein the moving body is a running body running along a rail. 3. The target hitting game machine according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is supported by a pantograph mechanism that moves in a telescopic manner. 4. The target hitting game machine according to claim 1, wherein a dark partition member is provided at a position behind the half mirror. Machine. 5. A target hitting game machine having a target hitting a ball as a moving object, an image display means for projecting a target as an image, a target image on the image display means, and a different background image from the target image A half mirror for synthesizing and displaying to the player, a ball sensor for detecting a ball released by the player, and an image control means for controlling the image display means based on an output signal of the ball sensor, The half-mirror is disposed at a position where a ball emitted from a player can pass, and the image control means switches a target image when a ball sensor detects the ball. Machine. 6. The target hitting game machine according to claim 5, wherein a dark partition member is provided at a position behind the half mirror. 7. The target hitting game machine according to claim 5, wherein a ball passage for rolling the ball is provided, and the half mirror is provided at an interval above the ball passage at least with an interval allowing the ball to pass. A target hit game machine to be arranged. 8. The target hitting game machine according to claim 7, wherein the target is a pin of a bowling game. 9. The target hitting game machine according to claim 7, wherein the ball passage is inclined so that the player side is lower and the half mirror side is higher. 10. The target hitting game machine according to claim 5, wherein the ball sensor is a two-dimensional sensor that detects a position in a plane of the ball emitted by the player and moving in the space, and the player controls the ball in the space. A target hit game machine characterized by being released inside.