Acceleration Data Processing for Real-Time Game Input Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing game systems experience delays in responding to player inputs, particularly in action and fighting games, due to the time required to identify punch types using acceleration data from sensors, leading to a less immersive gaming experience.

Innovation Solution

A game system that includes a controller with a three-axis acceleration sensor and a processing unit that calculates the attitude and movement of the controller in real-time, allowing for immediate determination of the waving direction and enabling faster game responses by cumulatively adding acceleration change amounts to a speed vector, thereby reducing latency in game processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the system waits to identify punch type after the player finishes the punch action, then the punch type identification accuracy is improved, but the game response time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepunch type identification accuracyVSAvoidgame response time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system preliminarily determines the waving direction of the controller during the punch action itself, rather than waiting until the action is complete. This allows the direction information to be prepared in advance, enabling immediate game response without sacrificing identification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically updates the waving direction determination based on acceleration data throughout the motion, allowing the identification process to occur continuously during the action rather than as a static post-processing step. This dynamic approach enables real-time response while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the system calculates punch type based on complete acceleration waveform analysis, then the identification accuracy is improved, but the processing time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepunch type identification accuracyVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential waving direction information from the acceleration data during the punch action, rather than performing complete waveform analysis. This extraction of key directional information maintains sufficient identification accuracy while dramatically reducing processing time and enabling immediate game response.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Manufacturing precision

If the system waits to render the punch action image after identification, then the rendering accuracy is improved, but the visual response delay deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepunch action representation accuracyVSAvoidvisual response delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system preliminarily determines the waving direction during the punch action, preparing the essential information needed for accurate punch action representation. This preliminary determination enables the rendering process to begin immediately with accurate directional data, eliminating visual response delay while maintaining representation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP1947549B1Storage medium having acceleration data processing program stored thereon, storage medium having game program stored thereon, and acceleration data processing apparatus
Publication Date: 2016.06.29 NINTENDO CO LTD
  • EP1947549B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1947549B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1947549B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The data acquisition means acquires the acceleration data at predetermined time intervals. The change amount calculation means calculates a change amount vector representing a change amount of the acceleration by using the acceleration data having been acquired by the data acquisition means. The accumulation vector calculation means calculates an accumulation vector by sequentially and cumulatively adding the change amount vector having been calculated by the change amount calculation means. The direction determination means determines, as a waving direction representing a moving direction of the input device, a direction of the accumulation vector, when the accumulation vector having been calculated by the accumulation vector calculation means satisfies a predetermined condition.