Game input device and game system using the same

Abstract

A game input device and a game system using the same are described. The game system includes a physical object, a position detector, and a game console. The physical object has an identification tag, and identification information of the physical object is recorded in the identification tag. The position detector detects position information of the physical object and reads the identification information of the physical object. The game console stores and runs game software, and has a communication interface capable of communicating with the position detector to obtain the position information and the identification information of the physical object and then update a configuration of a corresponding virtual role in the game environment (a role data table) according to the position information and the identification information of the physical object. A game player can control a progress of a game by simply using the physical object and the position detector.

1 . A game input device, communicating with a game console, and inputting relevant data of a virtual role in a game environment into the game console for controlling and influencing a configuration of the virtual role in the game environment, comprising:
 a physical object, having an identification tag, wherein identification information of the physical object is recorded in the identification tag, and the identification information is corresponding to the virtual role in the game; and   a position detector, having a communication interface, and for detecting position information of the physical object on the position detector, reading the identification information of the physical object, and transmitting the position information and the identification information to the game console via the communication interface.   
   
   
       2 . The game input device according to  claim 1 , wherein the physical object is a chessman, a doll, or a plush toy. 
   
   
       3 . The game input device according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification tag is a resistor, the position detector comprises a matrix detection circuit, a slot with position coordinates of (X, Y) is disposed at an intersection point of the matrix detection circuit, the resistor is inserted into the slot, and the position detector obtains a resistance value of the resistor as the identification information and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       4 . The game input device according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification tag is an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the position detector comprises a matrix detection circuit, a slot with position coordinates of (X, Y) is disposed at an intersection point of the matrix detection circuit, the IC chip is inserted into the slot, and the position detector obtains the identification information stored in the IC chip and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       5 . The game input device according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the position detector comprises a matrix RFID tag sensing antenna, and the matrix RFID tag sensing antenna obtains the identification information stored in the RFID tag and position coordinates of the RFID tag on the position detector, and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       6 . The game input device according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification tag has a memory function and is capable of performing a read/write operation on the identification information stored in the identification tag. 
   
   
       7 . The game input device according to  claim 1 , wherein the position detector stores a role database, an “identification information-role ID comparison table” is recorded in the role database, the position detector finds a role ID of the corresponding virtual role in the game in the position detector according to the identification information of the physical object, and transmits the role ID and the position information of the physical object on the position detector to the game console. 
   
   
       8 . A game system, capable of providing a game environment with a virtual role, comprising:
 a game input device, comprising at least one physical object and a position detector, wherein the physical object has an identification tag, identification information of the physical object is recorded in the identification tag such that the physical object is corresponding to one virtual role in the game, and the position detector has a communication interface, and detects position information of the physical object on the position detector and reads the identification information of the physical object; and   a game console, storing and running game software and having a communication interface capable of communicating with the communication interface of the position detector to obtain the position information and the identification information of the physical object, wherein the game software changes a configuration of the corresponding virtual role in the game environment according to the position information and the identification information of the physical object.   
   
   
       9 . The game system according to  claim 8 , wherein the physical object is a chessman, a doll, or a plush toy. 
   
   
       10 . The game system according to  claim 8 , wherein the identification tag is a resistor, the position detector comprises a matrix detection circuit, a slot with position coordinates of (X, Y) is disposed at an intersection point of the matrix detection circuit, the resistor is inserted into the slot, and the position detector obtains a resistance value of the resistor as the identification information and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       11 . The game system according to  claim 8 , wherein the identification tag is an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the position detector comprises a matrix detection circuit, a slot with position coordinates of (X,Y) is disposed at an intersection point of the matrix detection circuit, the IC chip is inserted into the slot, and the position detector obtains the identification information stored in the IC chip and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       12 . The game system according to  claim 8 , wherein the identification tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the position detector comprises a matrix RFID tag sensing antenna, and the matrix RFID tag sensing antenna obtains the identification information stored in the RFID tag and position coordinates of the RFID tag on the position detector, and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       13 . The game system according to  claim 8 , wherein the game software comprises:
 an environment database, storing environment data during the game;   a role database, comprising image data and a role ID of the virtual role and an “identification information-role ID comparison table”;   a role data table, recording the role ID that has appeared in the game and configuration data of the virtual role;   a physical object control program, working with the position detector to determine whether the physical object appears, disappears, or moves, and generating real-time information of the physical object at the same time;   a role control program, updating a configuration of the corresponding virtual role in the role data table according to the real-time information of the physical object;   an event processing program, comprising a role growth processing program, a role influence processing program, a role behavior processing program, and even parameters; and   an event trigger program, adapted to trigger the corresponding event processing program according to the real-time information of the physical object.   
   
   
       14 . The game system according to  claim 13 , wherein the game software controls the game by the following steps:
 loading the event processing program, the role database, and the role data table into the game console, and creating a game environment and a virtual role;   obtaining the position information of the physical object on the position detector and the identification information of the physical object;   when it is found that the new physical object is disposed on the position detector, creating a virtual role corresponding to the physical object in the game environment and updating the role data table;   when it is found that the physical object is removed from the position detector, deleting the virtual role corresponding to the physical object in the game environment and updating the role data table; and   executing the corresponding event processing program according to the position information and the identification information of the physical object, and updating configuration data of the relevant virtual role in the role data table.   
   
   
       15 . The game system according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a display, communicating with the game console to display a game picture; and   an image processing program, displaying the game picture and an image of the virtual role on the display according to the configuration and the environmental data of the virtual role in the game.   
   
   
       16 . A game system, comprising a game console capable of providing a game environment with a virtual role, an image of the virtual role, and an image of the game environment, and further comprising:
 a game input device, comprising at least one physical object and a position detector, wherein the physical object has an identification tag, identification information of the physical object is recorded in the identification tag such that the physical object is corresponding to one virtual role in the game, and the position detector has a communication interface, and detects position information of the physical object on the position detector, reads the identification information of the physical object, and transmits the position information and the identification information to the game console via the communication interface; and   a display, communicating with the game console to display the image of the virtual role and the image of the game environment, wherein a configuration of the virtual role varies with the position information and the identification information of the physical object.   
   
   
       17 . The game system according to  claim 16 , wherein the physical object is a chessman, a doll, or a plush toy. 
   
   
       18 . The game system according to  claim 16 , wherein the identification tag is a resistor, the position detector comprises a matrix detection circuit, a slot with position coordinates of (X, Y) is disposed at an intersection point of the matrix detection circuit, the resistor is inserted into the slot, and the position detector obtains a resistance value of the resistor as the identification information and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       19 . The game system according to  claim 16 , wherein the identification tag is an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the position detector comprises a matrix detection circuit, a slot with position coordinates of (X,Y) is disposed at an intersection point of the matrix detection circuit, the IC chip is inserted into the slot, and the position detector obtains the identification information stored in the IC chip and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       20 . The game system according to  claim 16 , wherein the identification tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the position detector comprises a matrix RFID tag sensing antenna, and the matrix RFID tag sensing antenna obtains the identification information stored in the RFID tag and position coordinates of the RFID tag on the position detector, and transmits the identification information and the position coordinates to the game console via the communication interface. 
   
   
       21 . The game system according to  claim 16 , wherein the identification tag has a memory function and is capable of performing a read/write operation on the identification information stored in the identification tag. 
   
   
       22 . The game system according to  claim 16 , wherein the position detector stores a role database, an “identification information-role ID comparison table” is recorded in the role database, the position detector finds a role ID of the corresponding virtual role in the game in the position detector according to the identification information of the physical object, and transmits the role ID and the position information of the physical object on the position detector to the game console.