JP3231275B2 - Electronic equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus which, when an item is acquired, produces an effect in accordance with the item.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various types of electronic apparatuses for raising pets such as dogs and cats within a predetermined screen have been proposed and sold. A conventional electronic device of this type is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei 7-261962 and Hei 7-281.
No. 819 is known. In the conventional example disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-261962, a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are provided in an apparatus main body, and infrared light from the light-emitting element is reflected by a hand or the like by a user (player) in a non-contact operation. The light is received by the light receiving element. And
Since the data of multiple patterns of dog characters and the biorhythm of the dog characters are stored in the memory,
The data of the dog character corresponding to the number of the non-contact operations and the biorhythm of the day is selectively read out from the memory and displayed. Thus, a character image that matches the physical condition of the dog character can be selectively displayed.

In the conventional example disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-281819, a light emitting element and a light receiving element are provided in an apparatus main body, and infrared light from the light emitting element is reflected by a hand or the like by a user's non-contact operation. The non-contact operation distance is detected by causing the light receiving element to receive light. In addition, since a plurality of types of dog character data, each of which has changed in motion, such as a dog turning around and a dog holding a hand, and sound effect data thereof are stored in the memory, the dog character data is stored in the memory in accordance with the non-contact operation distance. From the speaker and display it, and the sound effect is generated from a speaker. As a result, a character image in accordance with a gesture command by the user's hand can be selectively displayed.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a specific character image is displayed according to a user's command, and the displayed character image is uniform, and the appearance method is surprising. However, since it does not have the property, there is a problem that the user gets tired immediately.

[0005] The present invention has been devised in view of the above, and is intended to provide a highly interesting electronic device by changing to a surprising virtual creature or performing a special effect. Aim.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus comprising:
It has the following requirements. That is, (a) having a virtual creature storage means for storing images of one virtual creature and a plurality of types of virtual creatures visiting the virtual creature. (B) Item storage means for storing images of a plurality of types of items. (C) A visit event generating means for randomly reading an arbitrary virtual creature from the plurality of types of virtual creatures to visit and generating an event for causing the virtual creature to visit the virtual creature. (D) An accumulating means for accumulating the number of visits for each virtual creature. (E) When the number of visits to a specific virtual creature reaches a preset value, a corresponding item is read from the item storage unit, and acquisition means for acquiring the item is provided. (F) Producing means for performing a special effect according to the acquired item. (G) display means for displaying the one virtual creature, and / or the visited virtual creature, and / or the effect contents by the effect means;

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the following requirements are added. That is, (a) an image of one virtual creature stored in the virtual creature storage means has a plurality of types of shapes before and after the change. (B) The rendering means reads the image of the one virtual creature after the change, and changes the virtual creature to the read virtual creature.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the following requirements are added. (B) The effect means displays the display content of the display means at high speed.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided the electronic apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the following requirements are added. That is, (a) having time information output means for outputting time information; (B) Having a living time setting means for setting a living time of the virtual creature based on the time information. (C) having an action control means for controlling a living action of the virtual creature according to the living time.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 according to the first aspect includes a display unit 13 and a control device 21 connected to the display unit 13. The control device 21 includes a storage unit 22, a CPU 23, a counter circuit 25, and a clock circuit 27. Storage unit 22
Is a virtual creature storage unit in which images of one virtual creature and a plurality of types of virtual creatures visiting the virtual creature are stored. The storage unit 22 is an item storage unit that stores images of a plurality of types of items. The storage unit 22 stores various programs and various control data such as a program related to an event for visiting the virtual creature, a program for acquiring an item, a program for performing a special effect according to the acquired item, and the like. It is remembered.

The control device 21 randomly reads a virtual creature stored in the storage unit 22, that is, an arbitrary virtual creature from a plurality of types of virtual creatures to visit.
There is a visit event generating means for generating an event for visiting the virtual creature. The control device 21
When the number of visits to a specific virtual creature reaches a preset value, a corresponding item is read from the item storage means, and an acquisition means for acquiring the item; Has an effect means for effecting the effect. The counter circuit 25 is an integrating means for integrating the number of visits for each virtual creature. The display unit 13 configured by a liquid crystal display or the like is a display unit that displays the one virtual creature or / and the visited virtual creature or / and the contents of the effect by the effect unit.

The virtual creatures are pet animals such as dogs and cats,
Moving objects that imitate humans and other animals and plants, various vehicles,
Appropriate virtual creatures such as fantasy objects such as robots and monsters are used. When the electronic apparatus 1 is small, for example, when the electronic apparatus 1 is formed compact so as to be portable, the storage unit 22 includes a ROM, a RAM, an EEPROM, and the like.
M, SRAM, and the like are fixedly or detachably provided. When the electronic apparatus 1 is large, for example, when incorporated in a personal computer system, the storage unit 22 may be, for example, a CD-ROM,
An appropriate recording medium such as a DR, a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a DVD is used.

In the electronic apparatus 1 according to a second aspect, the image of one virtual creature stored in the storage unit 22 has a plurality of types of shapes before and after the change, and The image after the change of the virtual creature is read and changed to the read virtual creature. As described above, since the effect is made to change the virtual creature, a surprising virtual creature can be displayed.

The electronic device 1 according to a third aspect is configured such that the effecting means displays the display contents of the display unit 13 at high speed. As described above, the display content of the display unit 13 is displayed at high speed, so that the display content can be changed, and an electronic device having a high interest can be provided.

The electronic device 1 according to a fourth aspect has a clock circuit 27 as time information output means for outputting time information. The control device 21 has a living time setting unit that sets the living time of the virtual living body based on the time information, and a behavior control unit that controls the living behavior of the virtual living body according to the living time. In this way, the living time setting means sets the living time of the virtual creature based on the time information and controls the living behavior of the virtual creature, so that it is possible to interact as if playing with a virtual friend. Thus, it is possible to provide an electronic apparatus suitable for emotional education.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of an electronic apparatus 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the overall configuration of the electronic device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus main body 11 is formed in a portable shape using members such as synthetic resin. A key chain 12 is attached to the apparatus main body 11, which is convenient to carry. A display unit 13 is provided at the center of the apparatus main body 11, and a plurality of key switches SW1, SW2, and SW3 are arranged below the display unit 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the display unit 13 includes an image display unit 15 for displaying a character image of the virtual creature, a mark display unit 17 provided above the image display unit 15, and a display unit 13 below the image display unit 15. And a mark display unit 19 provided. The image display unit 15 is, for example, 32 dots wide x
It is formed by a liquid crystal screen of 16 dots vertically. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this, and a liquid crystal screen having an appropriate number of dots can be used.

The mark display section 17 has a parameter mark 17a, a meal mark 17b, and a game mark 17c.
And a plurality of marks of the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d are displayed. When the parameter mark 17a is selectively displayed, the age of the virtual creature, the weight, the physical parameters,
Each value of the tummy parameter and the power parameter can be confirmed on the meter display. Meal mark 1
When 7b is selected and displayed, rice or dorayaki can be given to the virtual creature. Thus, the stomach parameter of the virtual creature increases by +1 each time one meal is eaten.
In addition, every time a dorayaki is eaten by the virtual creature, the energy parameter increases by +1. When the game mark 17c is selectively displayed, for example, a slot game can be played. As a result of this game, for example, if the player wins three or more times in the five rounds, the virtual living organism's fine parameter is +1.
To increase. When the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d is selected and displayed, by selecting and executing a specific item from the items acquired so far, it is possible to change or cancel the change corresponding to the item. it can.
For other items, a special effect is set for each item, and the effect can be executed or canceled.

The mark display section 19 displays a plurality of marks including a repair mark 19a, a discipline mark 19b, a push-in mark 19c, and a call mark 19d. When the repair mark 19a is selectively displayed, when the virtual creature breaks down, the fault can be repaired. Of course, a treatment mark is set instead of the repair mark 19a,
When the treatment mark is selectively displayed, it can be configured to treat the disease when the virtual creature becomes sick. When the discipline mark 19b is selectively displayed, discipline can be performed for a self-call that does not require urgent virtual creatures. As described above, by disciplining the selfish calling of the virtual creature, the power parameter of the virtual creature increases by +1. When the push-in mark 19c is selectively displayed, the virtual creature can be put to sleep in the push-in. This function becomes effective after a preset bedtime. The call mark 19d is a mark indicating a call from the virtual creature. The call mark 19d is illuminated, for example, when the tummy parameter of the virtual creature becomes 0, when the bedtime has come, and the like, to notify the call from the virtual creature.

The key switch SW1 is a switch for selecting and displaying a desired mark from the mark display sections 17 and 19. Each time the key switch SW1 is pressed, a parameter mark 17a, a meal mark 17b,
Game mark 17c, four-dimensional pocket mark 17d, repair mark 19a, discipline mark 19b, push-in mark 19c,
Are displayed in the order shown. The key switch SW2 is
A switch for determining the selected mark. The key switch SW3 is a switch for canceling the displayed mark. The device body 1
1 has a built-in clock circuit 27, and uses key switches SW1, SW2, and SW3 for adjusting the time of the built-in clock. Further, a reset switch SW4 is provided on the back surface of the apparatus main body 11. This reset switch SW4
By operating, the display contents and the state of the virtual creature can be returned to the initial settings.

Next, the configuration of a circuit section incorporated in the apparatus main body 11 and its peripheral portion will be described with reference to FIG. A display unit 13 formed of a liquid crystal display or the like is connected to the control device 21. The control device 21 is formed by a one-chip integrated circuit. The key switches SW1, SW2, SW3 and the reset switch SW4 described above are connected to the control device 21. The control device 21 includes:
Capacitors CC1 to CC12, resistors RR1, RR2,
RR4 and RR5 are connected. And the control device 2
1 is connected to a buzzer BZ1 via resistors RR4 and RR5, and an oscillator XL is connected in parallel with the resistor RR2. The control device 21 reads a program and various control data stored in the storage unit 22 that stores programs and various control data related to various events such as visits of virtual creatures, and reads these control data. It has a CPU 23 that executes various control processes based on the information and a work memory of the CPU 23. Further, the control device 21 includes a driving circuit for driving the display unit 13,
A sounding circuit for sounding the buzzer BZ1, a clock pulse generating circuit for generating a clock pulse of a predetermined cycle based on an oscillation pulse from the oscillator XL, a clock circuit 27 for outputting clock information based on the clock pulse
And a timer circuit for outputting timer information based on a clock pulse.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, when the power is first turned on or when the reset switch SW4 is operated, the key switches SW1, S
The time is adjusted by operating W2 and SW3. Thereafter, the life time of the hero's virtual creature is determined based on the set time. Therefore, the virtual creature will be active along the real time zone. For example, the living time of the virtual creature of the protagonist is set to wake up at 9:00 am and start activities and go to bed at 9:00 pm.

Next, the operation of obtaining various items will be described. When an arbitrary virtual creature is randomly read from a plurality of types of friend's virtual creatures A, B, C,... And the virtual creature visits the hero's virtual creature,
Various items can be obtained by operating appropriate key switches within a predetermined time and responding appropriately. In step SP1, for the first time after the power is turned on, when a friend's virtual creature is visited, the player can select and display the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d, thereby acquiring the item "Bamboo Copter". (Step SP3). As described above, by appropriately responding to the visit of the friend's virtual creature, the power parameter of the hero's virtual creature can be increased by +1.
The player can then enter the four-dimensional pocket mark 17 at any time.
By selecting and displaying d and selecting and executing the acquired item “bamboo copter”, the ability to fly the air by changing the hero's virtual creature can be provided.

Next, at step SP5, the game marks 17c are operated by operating the key switches SW1, SW2 and SW3.
By selecting, a slot game can be played. In this slot game, if a pattern of "small light" appears (step SP7) and the same pattern of "small light" is aligned on the horizontal line (step SP9), the item "small light" is deleted. It can be acquired (step SP11). The player selects and displays the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d, selects and executes the acquired item "small light", and identifies the hero's virtual creature in advance in correspondence with the item "small light". Virtual creatures can be changed.

Subsequently, at step SP21, the friend A
When the visit of the virtual creature is received, an appropriate key switch is operated to respond appropriately, and when the number of visits reaches the second time, the process proceeds to step SP23 and the item “anywhere door” can be obtained. . The player can select and display the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d and select and execute the acquired item "door anywhere" to randomly visit a friend, or can correspond to the item "door anywhere". Special effects, such as a recital screen, can be displayed.

In step SP31, if the friend B's visit to the virtual creature is received and responded appropriately, if the number of visits reaches the third time, the process proceeds to step SP33, and the item "invisible cloak" can be obtained. . The player selects and displays the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d and selects and executes the acquired item “transparent cloak”, so that the virtual creature of the hero is specially set in correspondence with the item “transparent cloak”. It can be changed to a virtual creature, for example, a transparent virtual creature.

In step SP41, if the friend C's visit to the virtual creature is made and the visitor responds appropriately, if the number of visits reaches the fourth time, the process proceeds to step SP43 to acquire the item "translation konjac". . The player selects and displays the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d, selects and executes the acquired item “translation konjac”, and performs a special effect set corresponding to the item “translation konjac”, for example, on the display screen. Can be translated from Japanese to English, or from English to Japanese, and the translated characters can be displayed on the screen.

In step SP51, if the friend D's visit to the virtual creature is taken and the visitor responds appropriately, if the number of visits reaches the seventh time, the process proceeds to step SP53 to acquire the item "speed clock". . The player selects and displays the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d, selects and executes the acquired item “speed clock”, and thereby performs a special effect set corresponding to the item “speed clock”, for example, a display screen. The display speed can be increased.

The player selects and displays the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d, and obtains the previously acquired item "time machine".
Is selected and executed, it is possible to shift to the past or the future at random. However, only when shifting to the future, an item “replacement rope” described later can be acquired. When the process shifts to the future in step SP80, the process proceeds from step SP80 to step SP61. In step SP61, if the friend E visits the virtual creature and responds appropriately, if the number of visits is two or more and the game mark 17c is selected and the slot game is played (step SP61). SP62),
A picture of "replacement rope" appears (step SP6)
3) In the case where the same pattern of the “replacement rope” is aligned on the horizontal line (step SP65), the item “replacement rope” can be obtained (step SP67). The player selects and executes the previously acquired item "anywhere door", the destination at that time is a virtual creature of a friend, and the item "Irekae Rope"
Item is automatically executed when the player has acquired the item. By executing the “replacement rope”, the friend can be changed to a virtual creature.

Then, in step SP71, when the power parameter (DMP) of the hero's virtual creature is 10 or more, and the game mark 17c is selected and a slot game is played (step SP73), the slot screen is displayed. When the pattern of “time machine” appears (step SP75) and the same pattern of “time machine” is aligned on the horizontal line (step SP77), the item “time machine” can be obtained. (Step SP79). The player is a four-dimensional pocket mark 1
By selecting and displaying 7d and selecting and executing the acquired item "time machine", it is possible to randomly transition to the past or the future, and to change the virtual creature to a form corresponding to the transitioned era Can be.

Here, when the process has shifted to the past (step S
P81) and the player is the game mark 17c
Is selected and a slot game is played (step S
(P83), if a pattern of “dried fish” appears on the slot screen (step SP85), and if the same pattern of “dried fish” is aligned on the horizontal line (step SP87), The item "Yuirei" can be obtained (step SP89). The player selects and displays the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d, selects and executes the acquired item “dried fish Yurei”, and thereby a special virtual creature set corresponding to the item “dried fish Yurei”, For example, a ghost virtual creature can be changed.

As described above, when all nine items are obtained (step SP91), the item "what if box" can be further obtained. That is, when the game mark 17c is selected and a slot game is performed, a pattern of "what if box" appears on the slot screen (step SP93), and the same pattern of "what if box" appears on the horizontal line. If they are complete (Step SP
95), an item "what if box" can be obtained (step SP97). The player selectively displays the four-dimensional pocket mark 17d and selects and executes the acquired item "what if box" to change it to a special virtual creature set corresponding to the item "what if box". be able to.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when a friend's virtual creature visits the hero's virtual creature and the number of visits reaches a preset value,
The corresponding item can be read from the item storage means to obtain the item. According to the acquired item, it has a production means for performing a special production, and various productions can be executed according to various items, so that it is changed into a surprising virtual creature, or a special production. Is performed, it is possible to provide an electronic device having a high interest.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the image of one virtual creature stored in the virtual creature storage means has a plurality of types of shapes before and after the change. , Since the image after the change of one virtual creature is read and is changed to the read virtual creature,
This has the effect that it can be changed to a surprising virtual creature and an electronic device with a high degree of interest can be provided.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the effecting means is configured to display the display content of the display means at a high speed, the display content is surprising and provides a highly interesting electronic device. It has the effect that it can be done.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 has time information output means for outputting time information, and sets the life time of the virtual creature based on the time information, and sets the virtual life according to the life time. Since the configuration is such that the body's living behavior is controlled, it is possible to contact as if playing with a virtual friend, and it is possible to provide an electronic device suitable for emotional education.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a liquid crystal display screen of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention and peripheral portions thereof.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of the electronic apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic apparatus 13 Display unit 21 Control device 22 Storage unit 23 CPU 25 Counter circuit 27 Clock circuit SW1 Key switch SW2 Key switch SW3 Key switch SW4 Key switch

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A63F 13/00-13/12 A63F 9/24 G09B 5/02 G09B 9/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electronic apparatus comprising the following requirements. (A) A virtual creature storage means for storing images of one virtual creature and a plurality of types of virtual creatures visiting the virtual creature. (B) Item storage means for storing images of a plurality of types of items. (C) A visit event generating means for randomly reading an arbitrary virtual creature from the plurality of types of virtual creatures to visit and generating an event for causing the virtual creature to visit the virtual creature. (D) An accumulating means for accumulating the number of visits for each virtual creature. (E) When the number of visits to a specific virtual creature reaches a preset value, a corresponding item is read from the item storage unit, and acquisition means for acquiring the item is provided. (F) Producing means for performing a special effect according to the acquired item. (G) display means for displaying the one virtual creature, and / or the visited virtual creature, and / or the effect contents by the effect means; 2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus has the following requirements. (A) A plurality of types of shapes before and after the change are prepared for the image of one virtual creature stored in the virtual creature storage means. (B) The rendering means reads the image of the one virtual creature after the change, and changes the virtual creature to the read virtual creature. 3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus has the following requirements. (B) The effect means displays the display content of the display means at high speed. 4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus has the following requirements. (B) It has time information output means for outputting time information. (B) Having a living time setting means for setting a living time of the virtual creature based on the time information. (C) having an action control means for controlling a living action of the virtual creature according to the living time.