Sensing ball game machine

Abstract

A sensing baseball game apparatus ( 10 ) has a game machine ( 12 ) connected to a television monitor ( 18 ). A bat input device ( 32 ) is provided with an acceleration sensor. An acceleration signal is transmitted by an infrared-ray LED ( 34 ) to an infrared-ray receiving part of the game machine ( 12 ) whereby the game machine ( 12 ) determines a moving speed of the bat input device ( 32 ) to calculate a moving parameter of a ball to be batted. Accordingly, a batted ball is moved in the game scene according to the parameter.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . A body-sensible game apparatus for playing by first and second game players a game by displaying a character on a screen of a display, comprising:
 a first input device to be grasped and moved in a three-dimensional space by said first game player;   a second input device to be grasped and moved in a three-dimensional space by said second game player;   first signal output means incorporated in said first input device to output a first acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said first input device in the three-dimensional space;   second signal output means incorporated in said second input device to output a second acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said second input device in the three-dimensional space;   first control means for making a change on said character in accordance with said first acceleration correlated signal; and   second control means for making, in accordance with said second acceleration correlated signal, a change on said character that is made to be changed by said first control means.   
   
   
       16 . A body-sensible game apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said first control means makes, in accordance with said first acceleration correlated signal, a change on said character that is made to be changed by said second control means. 
   
   
       17 . A body-sensible game apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said first control means controls in accordance with said first acceleration correlated signal the movement of said character that is thrown by a pitcher character being displayed on said screen, and
 said second control means determines, in accordance with the position of said character that is thrown by said pitcher character and said second acceleration correlated signal, whether or not said character that is thrown by said pitcher character is hit back.   
   
   
       18 . A body-sensible game apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said second control means determines, when said character thrown by said pitcher character according to said first input device reaches a catcher position, a strike or ball in accordance with a reach position of said character and a strike zone being set, at a time it is determined based on said second acceleration correlated signal that said second input device was not swung. 
   
   
       19 . A body-sensible game apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said first control means determines, when said character hit-back by said second acceleration correlated signal of said second input device reaches a first ball-return limit position, an out ball or safe ball in accordance with whether or not a reach position of said character is on a table character, at a time it is determined based on said first acceleration correlated signal that said first input device was not swung, and
 said second control means determines, when said character hit-back by said first acceleration correlated signal of said first input device reaches a second ball-return limit position, an out ball or safe ball in accordance with whether or not a reach position of said character is on a table character, at a time it is determined based on said second acceleration correlated signal that said second input device was not swung.   
   
   
       20 . A method for controlling a body-sensing ball game played on a game apparatus played by first and second game players for playing a game by displaying a character on a screen of a display, comprising:
 grasping and moving a first input device in a three-dimensional space by said first game player;   grasping and moving a second input device in a three-dimensional space by said second game player;   outputting a first acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said first input device in the three-dimensional space;   outputting a second acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said second input device in the three-dimensional space;   making a change on said character in accordance with said first acceleration correlated signal; and   making, in accordance with said second acceleration correlated signal, a change on said character that is made to be changed by said first control means.   
   
   
       21 . A computer program embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for executing a computer process in an electronic device, the computer process including steps for controlling a body-sensing game played by first and second game players on a game apparatus for playing a game by displaying a character on a screen of a display, the steps comprising:
 grasping and moving a first input device in a three-dimensional space by said first game player;   grasping and moving a second input device in a three-dimensional space by said second game player;   outputting a first acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said first input device in the three-dimensional space;   outputting a second acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said second input device in the three-dimensional space;   making a change on said character in accordance with said first acceleration correlated signal; and   making, in accordance with said second acceleration correlated signal, a change on said character that is made to be changed by said first control means.   
   
   
       22 . A body-sensing game apparatus that a game player plays a game by displaying a character on a screen of a display, comprising:
 an input device to be grasped and moved in a three-dimensional space by the game player;   signal output means incorporated in said input device to output an acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said input device in the three-dimensional space; and   a control means for causing said character to be changed, wherein   said input device includes an external switch that is operated by said game player during the game play to provide a change in said character.   
   
   
       23 . A body-sensing game apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said external switch is operated by said game player to a course of said character. 
   
   
       24 . A body-sensing game apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said external switch is operated by said game player at a time that a service is to be performed. 
   
   
       25 . A method for controlling a body-sensing game apparatus that a game player plays a game by displaying a character on a screen of a display, comprising:
 grasping and moving an input device in a three-dimensional space by the game player;   outputting an acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said input device in the three-dimensional space; and   causing said character to be changed, wherein   said input device includes an external switch that is operated by said game player during the game play to provide a change in said character.   
   
   
       26 . A computer program embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for executing a computer process in an electronic device, the computer process including steps for controlling a body-sensing game apparatus that a game player plays a game by displaying a character on a screen of a display, the steps comprising:
 grasping and moving an input device in a three-dimensional space by the game player;   outputting an acceleration correlated signal according to an acceleration upon moving said input device in the three-dimensional space; and   causing said character to be changed, wherein   said input device includes an external switch that is operated by said game player during the game play to provide a change in said character.