...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7572188 | Backup memory managing device backup memory managing method game machine and recorded medium The purpose of the present invention is to provide a backup memory management system capable of indicating any misuse of data in a backup memory and imposing an appropriate sanction. The backup memory management device comprises a data saving system 10. When ... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7532211 | Image processing device and image processing method Games are processed in a more realistic and immediate manner during image processing for soccer games and the like. Specifically, the movements of characters more accurately simulate those of actual opponents, resulting in greater game realism. The invention ... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7513824 | Game device with moving objects competing for a game score A game device displays on a display monitor scenes of a vehicle moving in response to manipulations by the player. The display monitor further displays a plurality of goal determining elements. A goal point and a time limit to reach the goal point are set when one o... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7479958 | Image generating device and image generating method An image generating device for forming a behind object prepared with polygon data as a part of the background of a virtual three-dimensional space and generating images of the movement of a character object prepared with polygon data in this virtual three-dimensiona... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7471297 | Image processing device and information recording medium An image processing device for realizing more realistic pictures of explosions in video game devices as well as other devices. Objects displaying such pictures of explosions are formed of spherical polygons (R1, R2, R3, . . . ) and planar polygo... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7413514 | Video game machine with rotational mechanism The invention provides an image processing unit for a shooting game in which suitable images can be displayed according to a given situation, and in which more exciting and easy-to-manipulate images are displayed. Coordinate values for objects in three-dimensional v... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7199794 | Picture processing device, picture processing method, and game device and storage medium using the same The present invention provides a picture processing device capable of realizing the detailed shape and pattern of a display object which is far away from a viewpoint and which attracts a game player's attention. For example, a display object (or player) in a soccer ... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7128651 | Card game for displaying images based on sound recognition Provides a game machine with exceptional interactivity capable of ascertaining players' psychological states from player's voices and actions. It is a game device for executing a prescribed game program in response to information input by players. Comprises a device... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7090577 | Race game system and method of entry An object is to provide a free-entry type of race game apparatus wherewith a player can join at any time. This is a race game that simulates an endurance race in which many vehicles run for a long period of time. The vehicles are continually running on the track (ST... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7091958 | Image processing device, image processing method, input device used therin, game device and recording medium To provide a device capable of providing input force by striking to an object while providing object movement that is not based on a mechanical structure. Image signals from a data processing board 15 are supplied to a displ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7079150 | Image processing wherein decompression and compression methods provide faster transmission of texture data between a texture buffer and Aprocessor than between a storage device and a processor The present invention includes a processor, a storage device having compressed texture data, a texture buffer having decompressed texture data. The processor reads the compressed texture data from the storage device and decompresses the texture data. The processor t... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7057613 | Image processing unit, image processing method and medium, and game machine An image processing unit includes a shape memory in which object shape data are prerecorded, a processing component which establishes coordinate values for objects in a three-dimensional virtual space based on the shape data in the shape memory, a conversion compone... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7044855 | Game device A method of expressing, in an easily visible manner, a game proceeded in a plurality of game fields formed hierarchically, in which at least first and second game fields are hierarchically formed in a three-dimensional virtual space. With this method, games proceedi... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7033275 | Game device, game processing method and recording medium having a program recorded thereon An object of this invention is to provide a game device that can add much to the production of the game. The invention is a game device for displaying a game image which expresses a virtual three-dimensional space, which is characterized in that it displays the firs... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7030882 | Data processing apparatus and processing method and medium for electronic games To provide a data processing apparatus wherewith the work volume required to produce game characters is reduced. The image data processing apparatus is an apparatus for placing a plurality of polygons at predetermined positions, based on position information that pl... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7009613 | Game device, method of processing and recording medium for the same A game device models images of moving images such as motor-bikes or cars moving through a virtual space. The track along which a first such moving object moving through the virtual space is sampled at a prescribed interval in time in order to generate track data P | 03/07/2006 |
| 7004838 | Game device A game device, which monitors with a virtual camera a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controlled by a player and a second object controlled by a computer or an opponent and displays a picture on the screen of a monitor, include... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6999094 | Game device, game processing method and information recording medium Smooth, stable and high quality game image is provided by accurately pre-reading background data required for image processing each time. The game device therefore reads background data required for a game that displays a condition of a moving vehicle within a virtu... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6989829 | Image processing device and image processing method Games are processed in a more realistic and immediate manner during image processing for soccer games and the like. Specifically, the movements of characters more accurately simulate those of actual opponents, resulting in greater game realism. The invention ... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6980207 | Image processing device and information recording medium An image processing device for realizing more realistic pictures of explosions in video game devices and the like. Objects displaying such pictures of explosions are formed of spherical polygons (R1, R2, R3, . . . ) and planar polygons (S1 | 12/27/2005 |
| 6972756 | Image generating device An image in which an enemy moving in the game space of a gun game is acquired from a movable camera viewpoint in the space is generated. A control means (steps S24 and S27–S31) which controls the movement of the camera viewpoint by using the p... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6958751 | Image processing device, image processing method and recording medium In an image processing device composed such that it can display a prescribed object while changing the shape of said object, there is provided a first memory for recording information for first polygons which form the object; a second memory for recording informatio... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6949024 | Image processing apparatus for a game, method and program for image processing for a game, and computer-readable medium This image processing device for games is a device whereby a prescribed number of models (characters) are setup in virtual space, these models are controlled such that they move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, and images of this virtual space from a v... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6932708 | Communication game system and communication game processing method This communication game system comprises a client system 1 and a game server system 2 for communicating with the client system 1. The game server system 2 comprises a database 21 for storing group information which relates a plural... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6923723 | Game device and image processing device To provide an image processing device, image processing method, and data processing method for a game device providing novel game features. In a multiple-player game device 1 comprising mutually coupled input mechanisms 31, it is possible for a game to... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6917371 | Game device, picture data forming method and medium It is an object of the present invention to provide special effects which will make a video game more realistic. When a virtual light source exists in a three-dimensional virtual space, if a light from the light source extends toward a camera, a flare is generated o... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6869363 | Game device, impact judgement method, and information storage medium A baseball game is provided which imitates reality more closely by reflecting player data in game characters. Data relating to good hitting courses and bad hitting courses for each batter are incorporated as batter parameters, and the selection of a good or bad cour... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6848997 | Network game system, game device terminal used in it and storage medium In this game system, a plurality of game devices 1 are connected to a game parent station 7 over a communication network 3, and an online game application may be executed on the game devices 1 by means of the game parent station 7.... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6831659 | Image processor unit, game machine, image processing method, and recording medium An image processing unit is provided that is configured so that it can display one or more objects deployed in virtual space and a character established so that it can move relative to such object or objects. A processing unit is comprised that is configured so that... | 12/14/2004 |
| 6827645 | Game processing apparatus, game processing methods and recording media Provides a game processing apparatus capable of getting players more excited about playing games. For that reason, the game processing apparatus of the present invention processes games on the basis of players' operating signals, and is equipped with processi... | 12/07/2004 |
| 6774900 | Image displaying device, image processing device, image displaying system An image displaying device 13 comprising a display unit for displaying images produced when a three-dimensional model is viewed from a predetermined observing point, and an input means provided along the display surface of the display unit, characterized in t... | 08/10/2004 |
| 6767286 | Game device, picture data forming method and medium It is an object of the present invention to provide special effects which will make a video game more realistic. When a virtual light source exists in a three-dimensional virtual space, if a light from the light source extends toward a camera, a flare is gene... | 07/27/2004 |
| D492695 | Portion of a computer screen with an icon image | 07/06/2004 |
| 6760050 | Virtual three-dimensional sound pattern generator and method and medium thereof A virtual three-dimensional sound pattern generator is provided. A player character may move within a virtual three-dimensional space using a sound source object and a sound marker. The player character may use the sound source object to shoot sound signals at the s... | 07/06/2004 |
| 6755743 | Communication game system and processing method thereof This communication game system comprises a client system 1 and a game server system 2 for communicating with the client system 1. The game server system 2 comprises a database 21 for storing group information which relates a plural... | 06/29/2004 |
| 6754395 | Image information encoding method and decoding method In the present invention, the appearance frequency of all image information items to be encoded is determined, short code words are allocated from predetermined code words in accordance with leaves of a bifurcating scheme to image information items having an appeara... | 06/22/2004 |
| 6752716 | Game machine for simulating vibration It is an object of the present invention to provide a game apparatus which can provide an experience of vibrations similar to a real experience. The game apparatus relating to the present invention executes a game program to display displayed bodies on a screen and ... | 06/22/2004 |
| 6746331 | Assisting a player to contact an object by adjusting timing Systems and methods consistent with the present invention assist a user's ability to control a game such that the user's proficiency is largely independent of prior experience with the game. Disparities between users arising from differences in experience or unfavor... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6739974 | Input device, data processing device, data processing method, game device and medium An input device comprises a board 14B whereon a player stands with both feet, and supporting the board such that it can oscillate, and it supplies oscillatory information when the player causes the board to oscillate to the game machine. In the supporting mec... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6738059 | Apparatus and methods for image processing using mixed display objects An object of this invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and image processing method capable of reducing a load for drawing, diversifying image representation and smoothing character motion. An image processing means (2) synthesizes back... | 05/18/2004 |