# US 8,771,069 B2 · Game machine, a storage medium storing a computer program used thereof, and control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,069 B2 - Document ID: US8771069B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/813,729 - Filed: 2012-07-06 - Published: 2013-05-23 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-08 - Assignees: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kazuha Hayashi; Yoshitaka Nishimura; Tetsuhiro Honjo; Aoi Tagami; Takayuki Ishikawa; Hidenori Kotera; Yuki Sato; Yuma Miyazaki; Eriko Motohashi - Inventors: Kazuha Hayashi; Yoshitaka Nishimura; Tetsuhiro Honjo; Aoi Tagami; Takayuki Ishikawa; Hidenori Kotera; Yuki Sato; Yuma Miyazaki; Eriko Motohashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771069B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/44: involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot - A63F 13/537: using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen - A63F 13/5372: for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player - A63F 13/54: involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall - A63F 13/67: adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use - A63F 13/814: Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation - A63F 13/245: specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels - A63F 2300/302: specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser - A63F 2300/305: for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player - A63F 2300/638: according to the timing of operation or a time limit - A63F 2300/8047: Music games - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A game machine includes: a monitor (2) that displays and outputs a game screen (40R); a control panel (3) that includes volume controllers (9) operated so as to change a position of an outer circumferential portion (SP) of a knob portion (9T); a external storage device (20) that stores sequence data (30) in which a reference timing at which the volume controllers (9) are operated during a game is associated with a reference position at which the outer circumferential portion (SP) is to be positioned at the reference timing. And, the game machine teaches information of the reference timing and the reference position to a player, based on the sequence data (30). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A game machine comprising: a display apparatus that displays and outputs a game screen; an input apparatus that includes at least one operating unit operated so as to change a position of a reference portion; a reference timing data storage device adapted and configured to store reference timing data in which a reference timing at which the operating unit is operated during a game is associated with information related to a reference position at which the reference portion is to be positioned at the reference timing; and an operation teach device adapted and configured to teach a player about the reference timing and the information of the reference position based on the reference timing data, wherein the operation teach device includes: a reference timing determining device adapted and configured to determine the reference timing included within a predetermined time range from a current time on the game to a future and the information of the reference position corresponding to the reference timing based on the reference timing data; and a mark control device adapted and configured to cause a reference mark representing each reference timing and the information of the reference positions corresponding to each reference timing determined by the reference timing determining device, and a current time mark corresponding to the current time, to be displayed along a time axis on the game by an arrangement of a time order, and cause relative displacement along the time axis between the reference mark and the current time mark such that a distance in a time axis direction between the reference mark and the current time mark changes with a decrease in a time difference between the reference timing to be taught by the reference mark and the current time, wherein information related to a position in a second direction crossing a first direction going along the time axis direction is described in the reference timing data as the information related to the reference position, and the mark control device teaches information related to the position in the second direction by displaying the reference mark at the position in the second direction corresponding to the reference timing at the reference timing on the time axis based on the information related to the position in the second direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the mark control device causes the relative displacement along the time axis such that the reference mark moves toward the current time mark. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the mark control device further displays an operation corresponding mark in which the position in the second direction changes according to a change in the position of the reference portion while matching the current time mark in the first direction at the current time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein an orthogonal direction among directions crossing the first direction is used as the second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the mark control device displays an instruction path extending from one end side of the time axis toward the other end side while passing through each position in the second direction corresponding to each reference timing in a time order of each reference timing determined by the reference timing determining device as the reference mark. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The game machine according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of operating units is provided in the input apparatus, the reference timing is described in the reference timing data further in association with information designating any one of the plurality of operating units, and the mark control device displays the instruction path corresponding to each of the plurality of operating units to be distinguishable for each operating unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The game machine according to claim 6, wherein the mark control device displays the instruction path corresponding to each of the plurality of operating units to be distinguishable for each operating unit by arranging at least one of the one end side and the other end side of the instruction path at a different position for each operating unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The game machine according to claim 6, wherein the mark control device displays the instruction path corresponding to each of the plurality of operating units to be distinguishable by causing a color of the instruction path to differ according to the operating unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein information related to the change direction and the amount of change of the reference portion are described in the reference timing data as the information related to the reference position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of operating units is provided in the input apparatus, the reference timing is described in the reference timing data further in association with information designating any one of the plurality of operating units, and the operation teach device teaches the reference timing corresponding to each of the plurality of operating units and the information of the reference position to be distinguishable for each operating unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the input apparatus is configured to detect an operation on the operating unit, and the operation teach device comprises an evaluating unit adapted and configured to evaluate an operation on the operating unit based on the reference timing and the information of the reference position described in the reference timing data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, further comprising: an audio output apparatus that reproduces and outputs a sound; a song data storage device adapted and configured to store song data to reproduce a song; and a song reproducing device adapted and configured to reproduce the song through the audio output apparatus based on the song data, and wherein a timing during reproduction of the song is described in the reference timing data as the reference timing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the input apparatus is provided with a rotational operating member that has a center line and is configured to rotate on the center line as the operating unit, wherein a position of an outer circumferential portion changes with the rotation, and the outer circumferential portion of the rotational operating member is used as the reference portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The game machine according to claim 13, wherein the rotational operating member is provided with a distinguishing device for distinguishing a portion of the outer circumferential portion from the remaining portion, and the portion of the outer circumferential portion distinguished by the distinguishing device is used as the reference portion. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for a game machine comprising: a display apparatus that displays and outputs a game screen; an input apparatus that includes at least one operating unit operated so as to change a position of a reference portion; a reference timing data storage device adapted and configured to store reference timing data in which a reference timing at which the operating unit is operated during a game is associated with information related to a reference position at which the reference portion is to be positioned at the reference timing; and wherein the computer program is configured so as to cause a computer which is incorporated in the game machine to serve as: an operation teach device adapted and configured to teach a player about the reference timing and the information of the reference position based on the reference timing data, wherein the operation teach device includes: a reference timing determining device adapted and configured to determine the reference timing included within a predetermined time range from a current time on the game to a future and the information of the reference position corresponding to the reference timing based on the reference timing data; and a mark control device adapted and configured to cause a reference mark representing each reference timing and the information of the reference positions corresponding to each reference timing determined by the reference timing determining device, and a current time mark corresponding to the current time, to be displayed along a time axis on the game by an arrangement of a time order, and cause relative displacement along the time axis between the reference mark and the current time mark such that a distance in a time axis direction between the reference mark and the current time mark changes with a decrease in a time difference between the reference timing to be taught by the reference mark and the current time, wherein information related to a position in a second direction crossing a first direction going along the time axis direction is described in the reference timing data as the information related to the reference position, and the mark control device teaches information related to the position in the second direction by displaying the reference mark at the position in the second direction corresponding to the reference timing at the reference timing on the time axis based on the information related to the position in the second direction. ### Claim 16 A control method of controlling a computer incorporated in a game machine comprising: a display apparatus that displays and outputs a game screen; an input apparatus that includes at least one operating unit operated so as to change a position of a reference portion; a reference timing data storage device adapted and configured to store reference timing data in which a reference timing at which the operating unit is operated during a game is associated with information related to a reference position at which the reference portion is to be positioned at the reference timing, and wherein the control method of controlling the computer comprises an operation teach step that teaches a player about the reference timing and the information of the reference position based on the reference timing data, wherein the operation teach step includes: determining the reference timing included within a predetermined time range from a current time on the game to a future and the information of the reference position corresponding to the reference timing based on the reference timing data; and causing a reference mark representing each reference timing and the information of the reference positions corresponding to each reference timing determined by the reference timing determining device, displaying a current time mark corresponding to the current time along a time axis on the game by an arrangement of a time order, and causing relative displacement along the time axis between the reference mark and the current time mark such that a distance in a time axis direction between the reference mark and the current time mark changes with a decrease in a time difference between the reference timing to be taught by the reference mark and the current time, wherein information related to a position in a second direction crossing a first direction going along the time axis direction is described in the reference timing data as the information related to the reference position, and displaying the reference mark at the position in the second direction corresponding to the reference timing at the reference timing on the time axis based on the information related to the position in the second direction.