Game System Multi-Screen Pointing via Acceleration Sensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing game systems require complex configurations with multiple sensors to accurately determine which of two screens an operation device is pointing to, increasing costs and processing load.

Innovation Solution

A game system using a simple configuration with an acceleration sensor to determine the attitude of the operation device, allowing it to point to either of two screens placed in different directions, by calculating the direction based on acceleration data and determining the screen pointed to without complex calculations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If multiple sensors (acceleration sensor and gyro sensor) are included in the operation device to calculate attitude, then the accuracy of determining which screen is pointed to is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of screen pointing determinationVSAvoidconfiguration complexity of operation device

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the gyro sensor from the operation device, keeping only the acceleration sensor. The system achieves screen pointing determination by using the acceleration sensor data in combination with information about the relative positions and orientations of the first and second display devices, eliminating the need for complex multi-sensor configuration while maintaining functional capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses information copying from the display device configurations (relative positions and orientations) to supplement the limited data from the acceleration sensor alone, enabling the system to determine which screen is being pointed to without requiring the full sensing capability of both acceleration and gyro sensors in the operation device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If multiple sensors are used to calculate attitude based on both acceleration and gyro data, then the reliability of screen pointing determination is improved, but the processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of screen pointing determinationVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the gyro sensor processing requirement, reducing the computational tasks to only those needed for processing acceleration sensor data combined with pre-known display device spatial relationships, thereby reducing processing load while maintaining determination reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing information about the relative positions and orientations of the first and second display devices. This pre-prepared spatial information is then used in combination with acceleration sensor data to quickly and reliably determine which screen is being pointed to, reducing real-time processing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient and cost-effective game processing using a simple operation device configuration, reducing processing load and allowing dynamic gameplay across two screens.

Implementation Method 1

an operation device including a predetermined motion sensor... data outputted from the motion sensor... calculates an attitude of the operation device, based on data outputted from the motion sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration sensor detection: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentUS9120012B2Game system, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having game program stored thereon, game processing method, and game apparatus, for performing game processing based on pointed positions on multiple, differently oriented, display devices

Publication Date: 2015.09.01 NINTENDO CO LTD

AI summary

A first display device is placed so that its screen faces in a direction along a gravity direction axis, and a second display device is placed so that its screen faces in a predetermined axis direction perpendicular to the gravity direction axis. Based on data of a motion sensor which is outputted from an operation device including the motion sensor, an attitude of the operation device is calculated, and it is determined which of the first display device and the second display device the operation device faces. Then, based on the result of the determination, a predetermined position on either the screen of the first display device or the screen of the second display device is pointed to, and a predetermined game process is performed based on the pointed position.