Control apparatus and method for games and others

Abstract

There is provided a control apparatus for a game or the like, that is capable of automatically carrying out a game or simulation starting/terminating process according to operations performed necessarily in executing the game or simulation. Controllers are mounted on or gripped by a player for operation. Position sensors detect the positional relationship of the controllers with respect to a space for executing the game. A control circuit controls the start/termination of the game, and the turning-on/off of power sources of the controllers, according to the results of the detection by the position sensors.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A control apparatus for a game or the like, comprising: 
 operating means mounted on or gripped by at least one player for operation;    detecting means for detecting a positional relationship of said operating means with respect to a space for executing the game; and    control means for carrying out a game starting/terminating process according to the positional relationship of said operating means detected by said detecting means.    
     
     
         2 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 1 , wherein said control means comprises power source control means for turning on/off a power source of said operating means according to a position of said operating means.  
     
     
         3 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 1 , wherein said detecting means detects a position of said operating means, and said control means carries out a game starting process if said operating means is detected as having entered a range of height where said operating means is normally used, and carries out a game terminating process if said operating means is detected as having exited the range of height.  
     
     
         4 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 2 , wherein said power source control means turns on the power source of said operating means if said detecting means detects that said operating means has entered a range of height wherein said apparatus is normally used, and turns off the power source of said operating means if said detecting means detects that said operating means has exited said range.  
     
     
         5 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 1 , wherein said control apparatus is a game executing apparatus that executes a game by means of a plurality of said operating means, said detecting means, said control apparatus comprises a plurality of said detecting means provided separately for respective ones of said plurality of operating means to detect positions of said plurality of operating means, and said control means carries out a game starting process if said detecting means detect that all of said plurality of operating means have entered a range of height where said plurality of operating means are normally used, and carries out a game terminating process if said detecting means detect that at least one of said plurality of operating means has exited the range of height.  
     
     
         6 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 2 , wherein said apparatus is a game executing apparatus that executes a game by means of a plurality of said operating means, said control apparatus comprises a plurality of said detecting means provided separately for respective ones of said plurality of operating means to detect positions of said plurality of operating means, and said control means turns on a power source of at least one of said plurality of operating means if at least corresponding one of said detecting means detects that the at least one of said plurality of operating means has entered a range of height where said plurality of operating means are normally used, and turns off a power source of at least one of said plurality of operating means if at least corresponding one of said detecting means detects that the at least one of said plurality of operating means has exited the range of height.  
     
     
         7 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 2 , wherein said detecting means is a distance sensor that detects a distance from a floor.  
     
     
         8 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 7 , wherein said operating means is a controller that is gripped in use so as to progress the game.  
     
     
         9 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 1 , wherein said control means carries out a game starting process if said detecting means detects that said operating means has entered a predetermined area for executing the game, and carries out a game terminating process if said detecting means detects that said operating means has exited the predetermined area.  
     
     
         10 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 2 , wherein said control means turns on a power source of said operating means if said detecting means detects that said operating means has entered a predetermined area for executing the game, and turns off the power source of said operating means if said detecting means detects that said operating means has exited the predetermined area.  
     
     
         11 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 1 , wherein said control apparatus is a game machine that executes a game by means of a plurality of said operating means, said control apparatus comprises a plurality of said detecting means provided separately for respective ones of said plurality of operating means to detect positions of said plurality of operating means, and said control means carries out a game starting process if said detecting means detect that all of said plurality of operating means have entered a predetermined game area for executing the game, and carries out a game terminating process if said detecting means detect that at least one of said plurality of operating means has exited the predetermined game area.  
     
     
         12 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 2 , wherein said control apparatus is a game machine that executes a game by means of a plurality of said operating means, said control apparatus comprises a plurality of said detecting means provided separately for respective ones of said plurality of operating means, and said control means separately turns on a power source of at least one of said operating means if at least corresponding one of said detecting means detects that the at least one of said plurality of operating means has entered a predetermined game area for executing the game, and separately turns off a power source of at least one of said operating means if at least corresponding one of said detecting means detects that the at least one of said plurality of operating means has exited the predetermined game area.  
     
     
         13 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 2 , wherein said control apparatus is a game machine that executes a game by means of a plurality of said operating means, said control apparatus comprises a plurality of said detecting means provided separately for respective ones of the plurality of said operating means, and said control means separately turns on a power source of at least one of said operating means if at least corresponding one of said detecting means detects that the at least one of said plurality of operating means has entered a predetermined storage area for storing said operating means, and separately turns off a power source of at least one of said operating means if at least corresponding one of said detecting means detects that the at least one of said plurality of operating means has the predetermined storage area.  
     
     
         14 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 13 , wherein said detecting means comprises a magnetic sensor, and a magnetic field is formed in the predetermined game area or the predetermined storage area.  
     
     
         15 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 14 , wherein said operating means comprises a HMD (Head Mount Display) that is mounted on a head of a player to display contents of a game.  
     
     
         16 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 14 , wherein said operating means comprises a glove type controller that is mounted on a hand of a player to progress a game.  
     
     
         17 . A method of controlling a game or the like, comprising: 
 a recognizing step of recognizing a positional relationship of operating means mounted on or gripped by at least one player for operation with respect to a space for executing the game; and    a game start/termination controlling step of starting/terminating the game according to the positional relationship of the operating means recognized in said recognizing step.    
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling a game or the like according to  claim 17 , wherein said controlling step comprises a power source controlling step of turning on/off a power source of said operating means according to a position of said operating means.  
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling a game or the like according to  claim 17 , wherein said controlling step comprises a detecting step of detecting a position of said operating means, and said start/termination controlling step comprises carrying out a game starting process if said operating means is detected at said detecting step as having entered a range of height where said operating means is normally used, and carrying out a game terminating process if said operating means is detected as having exited the range of height in said detecting step.  
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a processing program for executing a control method according to  claim 17 .  
     
     
         21 . A control apparatus for a game or the like, comprising: 
 operating means mounted on or gripped by at least one player for operation; and    control means for changing contents of the game according to a number of said operating means used simultaneously in a space for executing the game.    
     
     
         22 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 21 , wherein said control apparatus is a game machine that executes a game by means of a plurality of said operating means, said control apparatus comprises a plurality of said detecting means provided separately for respective ones of said plurality of operating means, and said control means changes contents of the game according to a number of said operating means detected by said detecting means as having entered a range of height where said plurality of operating means are normally used.  
     
     
         23 . A control apparatus for a game or the like according to  claim 21 , wherein said control apparatus is a game machine that executes a game by means of a plurality of said operating means, said control apparatus comprises a plurality of said detecting means provided separately for respective ones of said plurality of operating means, and said control means comprises means for changing contents of the game according to a number of said operating means detected by said detecting means as having entered a predetermined game area.