JP3856129B2 - Wireless communication device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wireless communication devices.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Wireless communication devices in the form of cellular telephones are widespread. Cellular phones have become an integral part of everyday life, and users rarely leave their homes intentionally without a cellular phone.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Based on this observation, the present invention relates to providing secondary communication-related applications relating to games to wireless communication devices using the above-described popularity.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In view of the above, according to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device that performs selection of a token used in a game in response to vibration.
[0005]
These features allow the user to enjoy the game and use the always-on existing wireless communication device as a game tool or tool in an intuitive manner.
[0006]
In one embodiment, the wireless communication device can be used in a “Janken” game (discussed more fully below), and the wireless communication device reacts to the vibration and displays a token corresponding to one of paper, scissors, or stone on the display. To generate. Thus, in this embodiment, the wireless communication device provides an electronic alternative to the user's hand gesture.
[0007]
The generated token is purely random and the user does not affect the selected token. Alternatively, the generated token may depend, in part or in full, on the vibration action applied to the wireless communication device, which allows the user some control over the selected token.
[0008]
In another embodiment, a lottery game (described more fully below) number can be selected using a wireless communication device.
[0009]
In another embodiment, the wireless communication device additionally or alternatively generates an essentially non-visual token such as a sound or can be directly sensed by a human, such as an electronic data or RF signal, for example. Alternatively, a token that is directly used in the game without being directly recognized by a human may be generated.
[0010]
In another aspect, the present invention provides a wireless communication device that performs control of an application in response to vibration.
[0011]
In a preferred embodiment, vibration is used to randomly select an encryption scheme or encryption key.
[0012]
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1 (a), a wireless communication device in the form of a cellular radiotelephone 10 is shown. The wireless telephone includes a display 15. FIG. 1B shows a functional diagram of the circuit 20 in the radio telephone 10. The circuit 20 includes a cellular radio interface 22 capable of receiving and transmitting data / voice over a cellular network, a Bluetooth module 24 providing all the functions of a Bluetooth node, and a camera unit for taking digital photographs that can be transmitted over the cellular interface 22. 26. The camera unit 26 includes a set of accelerometers 28 to stabilize the camera's optical system when capturing an image. The radiotelephone 10 further includes a central control unit 30 that coordinates the overall operation of the device.
[0014]
According to the present invention, the radiotelephone 10 further includes vibration detection means 35. As shown, the vibration detection means 35 is shown as a software module executed in the central control unit 30 and receives a signal from the accelerometer 28 as one input. The vibration detection means 35 analyzes the signals received from the accelerometer 28 and determines whether or not the user is shaking the radio telephone based on the characteristics of these signals.
[0015]
In order to understand the first embodiment of the present invention, it is necessary to know how to play “Janken”, which play is well known but will be briefly described next for completeness. “Janken” is the simplest form, where two players shake their hands one at a time in a neutral position (usually accompanied by a certain song) and at the same time with their hands. It is a gesture that corresponds to one of paper, scissors or stone according to the player's own choice. The rule is that paper wins against stones because it can wrap stones, but scissors lose against scissors because they can cut paper, and scissors lose against stones because they are spoiled with stones. Children usually play this game as a game, but adults may do it to provide a random selection process for other activities, for example, randomly dividing groups of people into two teams (some countries) ).
[0016]
According to the first embodiment of the present invention, for example, user A and user B play this game on the same radio telephone 10. When the appropriate option is selected from the menu and the game is started, users A and B begin to shake their wireless telephones. The force applied to the radio telephone while waving appears as an acceleration signal from the accelerometer 28. Each vibration detecting means 35 recognizes these signals as characteristic signals generated when the radio telephone is being shaken, and this conclusion is sent to the central control unit 30. After repeated shaking, the user stops shaking the wireless phone at the same time. The vibration detection means 35 in each radiotelephone recognizes that the characteristic accelerometer signal generated when the radiotelephone is being shaken has been interrupted, and the signal indicating this conclusion is the central control unit 30. Sent to. Upon receiving this signal, each central control unit 30 generates a predetermined range of random numbers. Within this predetermined range, an equal number of subranges are allocated to the tokens of paper, scissors and stone. Based on which subrange the random number is in, the token graphics are displayed.
[0017]
Based on a visual comparison of the tokens displayed on the displays 15 of the radio telephones 10a and 10b of the users A and B, the users A and B determine the game winner according to the rules.
[0018]
According to the second embodiment of the present invention, users A and B play a game on the same wireless telephone 10. Users A and B begin to shake the wireless telephone. The force applied to the radiotelephone while waving appears as an acceleration signal from the accelerometer 28. Each vibration detecting means 35 recognizes these signals as characteristic signals generated when the radio telephone is being shaken, and this information is sent to the central control unit 30. Each central unit then initiates the formation of an ad hoc network via the Bluetooth module 24 and may act as a master node or a slave node. After repeated shaking, the user stops shaking the wireless telephone at the same time. The vibration detecting means 35 in each wireless telephone recognizes that the signal from the accelerometer is a signal generated when the wireless telephone is being shaken, and the signal indicating this conclusion is It is sent to the control unit 30. Upon receiving this signal, each central control unit 30 generates a predetermined range of random numbers. Within this predetermined range, an equal-sized number of subranges are allocated to paper, scissors, and stone tokens. Based on which subrange the random number is in, the token graphics are displayed. Further, the slave node transmits the selected token to the master node, and the master node determines the winner of the game and transmits this determination to the slave node via the Bluetooth link. The displays on both devices are then adjusted to show who won.
[0019]
In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, for the sake of explanation, a simple example involving only two people has been shown. It should be understood that the above can be simply extended and applied to more than two people.
[0020]
In the third embodiment of the present invention, a user who bets on a lottery ticket using the wireless telephone 10 can be assisted. In this embodiment, the wireless telephone 10 is the same as the wireless telephone described in connection with the first embodiment, except that the nature of the token changes. For example, one of the typical lottery forms is to select 6 from 1 to 50 numbers. In this case, when the vibration detection means 35 determines that the vibration has stopped, the control unit 30 generates a random number between 1 and 50 and displays this number on the display 15. The user then enters the lottery ticket using the selected number. Since it is necessary to select six numbers, the user repeats the above process five more times. The central control unit prevents the same number from being selected twice.
[0021]
In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the radiotelephone 10 uses the radio described with respect to the third embodiment, except that the number selected by vibration is transmitted to the lottery terminal via the Bluetooth interface 24. Same as telephone.
[0022]
In the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the radiotelephone is the same as the radiotelephone described with respect to the fourth embodiment, except that one vibration is used to generate six different numbers of sets. . The six numbers are then transmitted via the Bluetooth interface 24 to the lottery terminal.
[0023]
In another embodiment of the present invention, instead of making the token a pure random number, the vibration detection means 35 evaluates the nature of the vibration applied by the user, and then the control unit 30 is based solely on this evaluation or this A token may be selected by combining an evaluation and a random element. For example, in the first or second embodiment of the present invention, the user can learn to adjust the nature of the vibration by practice and can influence the selected token partially or completely. Also good.
[0024]
In other embodiments, the radiotelephone 10 performs application control in response to vibration. For example, vibration is used to randomly select an encryption scheme or encryption key for an email application.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a radiotelephone according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a partial functional diagram of a circuit in the radiotelephone of FIG.
FIG. 2 is an illustration of a paper, scissors, and stone icon used to illustrate an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: wireless telephone 20: circuit 22: cellular wireless interface 24: Bluetooth module 26: camera unit 28: accelerometer 30: central control unit 35: vibration detection means

Claims (6)

A wireless communication device that selects and generates a predetermined token in response to vibration from a plurality of tokens used in a game,
A cellular wireless interface capable of receiving and transmitting data / voice over a cellular network, an accelerometer for vibration detection, and a control unit for adjusting and controlling the operation of the entire wireless communication device,
The control unit comprises vibration detection means as a software module executed there,
The force applied to the wireless communication device during vibration appears as an acceleration signal from the accelerometer, and when the vibration detection means receives the signal from the accelerometer, it analyzes the signal, and Recognizing that the signal is a characteristic signal generated when the wireless communication device is vibrating, this conclusion is sent to the control unit, which determines when the wireless communication device vibrates Make a decision,
When the vibration of the wireless communication device stops, the vibration detecting means recognizes that the signal from the characteristic accelerometer generated when the wireless communication device is vibrating is interrupted, A signal indicating the conclusion is sent to the control unit, and when the control unit receives the signal, the control unit determines that the vibration is interrupted, and selects and generates a predetermined token from the plurality of tokens. A wireless communication device. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein
The control unit generates a random number in a predetermined range;
The wireless communication device is characterized in that the selection of the token is controlled to be performed purely randomly using the random number. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
A wireless communication device, further comprising a display for displaying a visual representation of the token. The wireless communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
In addition to the cellular radio interface , a low power radio interface is provided,
A wireless communication device, wherein the selected token is transmitted by the interface. The wireless communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
Comprising a camera unit for taking digital photos that can be transmitted over the cellular wireless interface;
The wireless communication device, wherein the accelerometer constitutes a part of the camera unit. A game system comprising first and second wireless communication devices configured from the wireless communication device according to claim 4 ,
Based on the information transmitted via the communication link, the first and second wireless communication devices establish a communication link with each other and a game involving vibrating the first and second communication devices. game system characterized in that it comprises means for determining, the Te.

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