JPH10328413A - Operating equipment for video game - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain usage where the both functions of picture drawing and a video game are utilized by providing a mainbody part where a tablet is contained and a joy stick operating part which is provided in the upper part of the mainbody part for inputting input pen inclination information to the tablet. SOLUTION: A game operating equipment 5 consists of the mainbody part 50 and the joy stick operating part 60 provided in the upper part of it and the tablet is inserted form a tablet insertion hole 51 so as to be stored in a mainbdy inner part. The tablet 1 is provided so as to read a signal such as electromagnetic wave for example, which is exchanged with an input pen 2 by plural sense line which are provided in X- and Y-directions under an input area, to execute a prescribed arithmetic processing in an obtained guide voltage value, to calculate an indication position (XY coordinate) on the input area of the input pen 2 and to transmit it to a controller 3. The input pen insertion hole 62 for penetrating an operation shaft 63 from a top is formed in the grip part 61 of the joy stick operating part 60.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for a video game.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A drawing tablet for children, which has a television as a display screen, has conventionally been known. Tablets were originally designed as coordinate input devices for computers, but drawing tablets do not require a special display device such as a computer display in order to use a television as a display screen. You can write and erase many times in full color without using paper or crayons. On the other hand, many home-use game consoles using a television as a display screen have become widespread. They are used, for example, by operating devices such as push button switches and joysticks for instructing the moving direction of a specific display object on the screen. By the way, conventional drawing tablets and video game consoles only have functions as a single unit, and an apparatus having both functions has not yet been known.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a video game operating device using a drawing tablet.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus according to the present invention comprises a main body capable of accommodating a tablet, and inputting inclination information of an input pen to the tablet at an upper portion of the main body. And a joystick operation unit for Then, the input pen is inserted into the joystick operation unit, and the pen tip is positioned within the effective reading height of the tablet housed in the main body. Also, when the input pen is inserted into the joystick operation unit, the rear end of the input pen is exposed from the joystick grip. Further, the rotation mechanism of the joystick is made of an elastic body. Further, the device of the present invention comprises a main unit capable of accommodating a tablet, and a control rod-like operation unit connected to the main unit and configured to input information about the front and rear inclination and left and right rotation angle of the input pen to the tablet. Become. Then, the input pen is inserted into the control rod-like operation unit, so that the pen tip is located within the effective reading height of the tablet housed in the main body. Further, the input pen is inserted at a position shifted from the center point of the axis of the control rod-like operation unit.

[0005]

According to the apparatus of the present invention, when the user plays with a drawing, he or she uses a tablet and an input pen as usual. When playing the game, the tablet is inserted into the main body, and the input pen is inserted into the joystick or the handle-like control rod. The pen tip of the input pen inserted into the joystick or the like is located within the effective reading height of the tablet inserted inside the main body. Here, when the joystick or the like is moved, the input pen inclines or rotates in a predetermined direction at a predetermined angle with respect to the tablet with the movement. The tablet detects this angle and direction and transmits the data to the control device. According to the movement of the joystick, the control device
Move a specific display object on the display screen.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, a drawing tablet used in the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 1 denotes a tablet, which reads signals such as electromagnetic waves transmitted and received between the input pen 2 and a plurality of sense lines provided in the X and Y directions below the input area, and converts the signals into an obtained induced voltage value. A predetermined calculation process is performed to calculate a designated position (XY coordinates) on the input area of the input pen 2. The calculated coordinate signal is transmitted from the predetermined interface 34 to the control device 3 and then transmitted to the television (display device) 4 so that a handwritten figure or the like input to the tablet is displayed. In this case, cassette-like drawing software 30 is inserted into the control device 3 and used. When the power of the control device 3 is turned on, the CPU 32 starts up the software (corresponding to application software). The ROM 37 stores a program (corresponding to a tablet driver) for temporarily storing the coordinate data transmitted from the tablet every moment in the RAM 33 and passing the data to the drawing software 30. The drawing software 30 executes the intended processing as appropriate while receiving the data from time to time. As drawing software, information such as animation composed of bitmap data can be stored. In such a case, the information can be displayed on a television, and a handwritten figure or the like can be overwritten thereon, or a coloring book can be played. The animation information and the handwritten graphic information can be output from the image output terminal 34 of the control device to the image input terminal of the television. In addition, audio information may be stored in the application software, and audio may be emitted from a speaker of the television as needed. The audio information can be output from the audio output terminal 35 of the control device to the audio input terminal of the television. In the figure, the tablet 1 and the control device 3 are illustrated separately for convenience of explanation, but may be configured integrally.

Next, a first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a game operating device of the present invention, which comprises a main body 50 and a joystick operating portion 60 provided on an upper portion thereof. The joystick operation unit includes a grip 61 and an operation shaft 63. In the grip portion 61, the dented portion shown in the figure is the portion where the back of the hand or the finger enters. The operation shaft 63 connects the grip portion 61 to a rotation mechanism 70 inside the main body.

Reference numeral 51 denotes a tablet insertion slot, which allows the tablet to be stored in and taken out of the main body. Reference numeral 62 denotes an input pen insertion hole, through which the input pen 2 can be inserted and removed from the top of the grip portion 61 through the operation shaft 63 and into the inside of the main body.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the joystick and the main body as viewed from the direction of the tablet insertion hole 51 of the game operating device 5. As shown in the figure, the tablet 1 is inserted from the tablet insertion hole 51 and stored inside the main body. Numeral 70 denotes a joystick rotating mechanism made of a substantially sucker-like elastic body (rubber), which is fixed to a top plate forming a tablet insertion hole. An operation shaft 63 is embedded and fixed at the center of the elastic body. When the grip 61 is tilted to the right, for example (as viewed from the paper), as shown in FIG.
The rotation mechanism 70 is deformed to assist its movement. When the tilting force is released, the joystick is restored to its original position by the restoring force of the elastic body.

[0010] The rotating mechanism of the joystick is not limited to an elastic body, but is preferably non-metallic so as not to obstruct a signal exchanged between the input pen and the tablet. Operation shaft 63 and main body housing 52
The space between them is shielded by a bellows 53 so that dust and the like do not enter the inside of the main body.

The internal shape of the input pen insertion hole 62 is the same as that of the input pen 2 so that the input pen 2 can be stably inserted into the input pen 2 as it is. ing. When the input pen enters the bottom, the input pen is positioned within the effective reading height of the tablet. Therefore, the tablet can read the signal from the input pen (FIGS. 3 and 4).
The operating shaft 63 is configured to be tiltable and restorable around a position (point P in the figure) slightly above the pen tip of the input pen when the input pen is inserted to the lowermost position.

The tablet used in the present invention is capable of detecting the inclination α of the input pen viewed from the vertical line and the angle θ formed by the projected image of the input pen on the XY plane and the X axis. (Hereinafter, it is referred to as “angle information” including α and θ in the first embodiment. For α and θ, see FIG. 6). Some of such tablets have already been filed by the applicant of the present invention and have become publicly known, and therefore description thereof will be omitted in this specification.

When the joystick is moved, the angles α and θ of the input pen change with the movement. The tablet calculates angles α and θ by applying a predetermined arithmetic program to the induced voltage values detected by the plurality of sense loops provided below the input area. The calculation program is stored in a ROM provided in the tablet, and the calculation is performed by a microprocessor provided in the tablet.

The game operating device of the present invention is intended to be used when playing a video game. Thus, the control device uses the same software used in the drawing tablet, except that the software used is for a video game. Hereinafter, a control device 3 for playing a video game using the game operating device of the present invention.
Will be described.

When the power supply of the control device is turned on and predetermined game software (cassette) is mounted, the CPU 3
2 starts the software 31. The angle data sent from the tablet is temporarily stored in the RAM 33 by the program stored in the ROM 37, and sent to the software 31. The game software 31 appropriately executes the target process while receiving the data from time to time.

This will be described with a specific example. For example, when the software is an Invader Game (trademark), when the joystick is tilted (tilted) to the left, an object that fires a bullet moves to the left on the screen based on the angle information, while the joystick is moved. Is tilted to the right, the object moves to the right based on the angle information.
By the way, the pen tip of the input pen is in contact with the bottom of the insertion hole 62 by its own weight, and the rear end of the input pen is slightly lower than the top of the joystick with the pen tip in contact with the bottom. It protrudes (see FIGS. 3 and 5). Therefore, when the protruding portion is pressed with the thumb or the like holding the joystick, a pen-down signal is input to the tablet by the operation of a switch inside the input pen which is turned on by the pressing force of the pen tip. This pen down signal can be used to perform the same operation as a push button switch normally provided in a joystick device. For example, in the case of the above software, if there is a pen down signal, a bullet is fired from the object toward an “intruder”. At the same time as this bullet is fired, for example, a sound of “Zukun” is output from a television speaker. In this way, the joystick is configured so that the rear end protrudes slightly from the top of the joystick when the input pen is inserted to the bottom, so not only is it easy to push the rear end of the input pen as a switch, but also It can be easily put in and out of the hole 62. The image information and the audio information are respectively represented by an image output 36 and an audio output 3
5 and input to the television display device.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which is an apparatus for enjoying a control rod-like operation in game software using a tablet and an input pen. Reference numeral 50 'denotes a main body portion, similarly to the first embodiment, provided with a tablet insertion hole 51 on the left side of the main body, from which the tablet 1 can be stored (and taken out) inside the main body.
Reference numeral 60 'denotes a control rod, which includes a handle 61' which can be tilted forward and backward by a predetermined angle and which can rotate left and right by a predetermined angle, and an operation shaft 63 'which connects the control rod to the inside of the main body. An input pen insertion hole 62 'is provided on the upper surface of the operation shaft 63', from which the input pen 2 is inserted toward the inside of the main body.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a mechanism portion of the control rod fixed on the top plate constituting the tablet insertion hole. In the figure, two semicircular flat plates 8 constituting a guide groove are shown.
0-1 and 80-2 are for tilting the operation shaft 63 'only forward and backward as viewed from the operator. Both plates are
They are provided parallel to each other at the same distance as the diameter of the operation shaft 63 '. Reference numerals 90-1 and 90-2 denote stoppers for preventing the shaft from inclining back and forth more than a predetermined angle. In order to tilt the operating shaft 63 ', the handle of the control rod is held with both hands, and the control rod is tilted to the front side or the opposite side. Note that the control axis 63 'is a flat plate 80-
It is configured to rotate around a shaft 100 that is connected between 1 and 80-2 (FIGS. 8, 9 (a front view of FIG. 8)). The shaft 100 is provided with a sphere as shown in FIG. 11, and a distal end of the operation shaft 63 'is provided with a hole which is fitted with and integrated with the sphere (FIG. 10). With such a configuration, the operation shaft 6
3 'can be rotated by operating the handle (FIGS. 8 and 9). However, a stopper 64 for limiting the rotation angle is provided on the operation shaft 63 '(see FIG. 8,
12 (the plan view of FIG. 8), when the handle is rotated by a predetermined angle (for example, 60 °), the stopper 64
-1 or 80-2 so that the handle does not turn beyond a certain angle. This stopper 64
Can be made of an elastic material such as rubber.

As can be understood from FIGS. 9, 10, and 12, the input pen insertion hole 62 'is provided at a position shifted from the center of the operation shaft. This is because when the input pen 2 is inserted into the operation shaft 62 'and the handle is rotated, the input pen 2
This is because the designated position (XY coordinates) of the tablet changes, and the rotation direction and rotation angle of the steering wheel can be detected based on the change in the detected coordinate value (see FIG. 13). In the case of this embodiment, the pointing position (XY coordinates) of the input pen, which is input momentarily to the tablet, is detected, and the tilt angle (α '; see FIG. 8) of the steering rod and the handle of the handle are determined from the coordinate values. Rotation angle θ '(FIG. 1
3) and sends the data to the control unit 3. The rotation direction (left or right) of the steering wheel may be determined by adding a sign such as + when the rotation direction of the steering wheel is left, and − when the rotation direction of the steering wheel is right. That is, the control unit is sent with the defined sign added to the absolute value of the rotation angle.
The CPU 32 executes game software based on the angle information (α ′, θ ′) sent from the tablet.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a video game operating device using a tablet and an input pen for drawing and playing. Furthermore, since the tablet and the input pen can be freely moved in and out of the operation device, the functions of both drawing and video games can be utilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

[Figure 1] System configuration diagram when playing with a tablet

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a joystick-like operation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 3] Sectional view of joystick-like actuator

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which the joystick-like operation device is tilted.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the input pen has been inserted into the input pen insertion hole.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of angles α and θ represented by an input pen.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a control rod-like operation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram (outline view) of a mechanism portion of the control and operation device.

9 is a sectional view of FIG. 8 as viewed from the front.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of an operation shaft of a control rod-like operation device.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a shaft portion for tilting a control rod-like operating device back and forth.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a mechanical portion of the pilot control device.

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining a state in which the pointing position of the input pen changes as the handle of the pilot control device is rotated.

FIG. 14 is a system configuration diagram when a video game is played.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 tablet 2 input pen 3 control device 30 drawing software 31 game software 32 CPS 33 RAM 34 interface 35 audio output 36 image output 4 TV (display device) 5, 5 ′ game controller (5: joystick-like controller) , 5 ': control rod-like operation device) 50 main body 51 tablet insertion hole 53 bellows body 60 joystick operation part 61 grip part 61' handle 62, 62 'input pen insertion hole 63, 63' operation axis 64 operation axis rotation angle limit Stopper 70 Rotating mechanism 80-1 80-2 Flat plate for forming guide groove 90-1 90-2 Stopper 100 for controlling inclination angle of operating shaft 100 Shaft

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An operation for a video game, comprising: a main body capable of accommodating a tablet; and a joystick operating part on an upper part of the main body for inputting tilt information of an input pen to the tablet. vessel. 2. An operating device for a video game, wherein an input pen is inserted into a joystick operating portion, and a pen tip is located within an effective reading height of a tablet housed in a main body. 3. The video game according to claim 1, wherein the rear end of the input pen is exposed from the joystick grip when the input pen is inserted into the joystick operation unit. Actuator 4. The joystick rotating mechanism is made of an elastic body.
An operation device for a video game according to the item. 5. A control device comprising: a main body capable of accommodating a tablet; and a control rod-like operation unit connected to the main body and configured to input information about a front and rear inclination and a left and right rotation angle of an input pen to the tablet. Characteristic video game controller. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the input pen is inserted into the control rod-like operation unit, and the pen tip is positioned within an effective reading height of the tablet housed in the main body. Video game controller. 7. The video game operating device according to claim 5, wherein the input pen is inserted at a position shifted from a center point of an axis of the control rod-like operation unit. .