JP4463379B2 - Controller set for multiplayer games connected to home video game consoles - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a game controller used by being connected to a home video game machine, and more particularly to a set including a plurality of controllers for enjoying a game by a large number of people.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Among games played on home video game machines, there is a genre game called party game. This party game is not a game that can be enjoyed by one or two people, such as a shooting game or a role-playing game, but a game that can be enjoyed by a larger number of people, for example, three or more people such as family members or friends. Specifically, there are car racing games, quiz games, athletic competition games, and the like. Each game participant is provided with a controller, and each participant has a controller and inputs a game operation while watching the game image displayed on the TV screen, and all the participants enjoy the same game in real time.
[0003]
In order to enjoy such a party game, it is necessary to connect a large number of controllers to be handled by game participants to a single home video game machine. However, in ordinary home video game machines such as “PlayStation” (trade name), the number of controller connection terminals is extremely small, such as two and at most four.
[0004]
Therefore, conventionally, a configuration has been adopted in which many controllers are connected to one controller connection terminal using a multi-tap. A multi-tap is an adapter for sharing a single controller connection terminal equipped in a home video game machine with a plurality of controllers, and includes two or more controller connection terminals. The multi-tap transmits operation input signals from a plurality of controllers connected thereto to a home video game machine. As another method, there is a method in which controllers are cascade-connected to a home video game machine.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the party game, there are many games that can be enjoyed by a very simple operation so that anyone who does not usually like the game or who has a different year or taste can quickly get used to the operation and enjoy the game. For this reason, the operation switches used are very limited, and many use only one or several push button switches. For example, in a car racing game, only three push button switches such as “right”, “left”, and “accelerator” are used. In the quiz game, if there are two-choice questions, only two push button switches “Yes” and “No” are used. In the case of a three-choice problem, only three push button switches “A”, “B”, and “C” are used.
[0006]
Despite this situation, it is very wasteful to use a commonly used controller such as a standard controller equipped with a dozen or so pushbutton switches. Moreover, in a home video game machine with a small number of control connection terminals, a separate means for connecting a plurality of controllers to one controller connection terminal such as a multi-tap is necessary, and this must also be purchased. It costs money.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a controller set for a multiplayer game that can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple configuration.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention for achieving the above object is a controller set for hand-numbered game specified by the following items (1) to (8).
(1) It is composed of one master unit and a plurality of slave units.
(2) Each slave unit has one or more switches for switching between on and off states, and a slave unit side connector that outputs an on / off state signal indicating the on and off states of each switch. And providing.
(3) The master unit is connected to the power line, and is individually connected to one or a plurality of switches for switching between the on and off states, and each slave unit side connector of the plurality of slave units. A plurality of master unit side connectors for connection, a home video game machine connector for connection with one of the controller connection terminals of the home video game machine, and a control means;
(4) the switch of each slave unit are both provided with two terminals, that one terminal is connected to the power line via the handset-side connector connected to the base-side connector.
(5) The on / off state signal output from the slave unit side connector is transmitted from the power supply line via the other terminal when two terminals are connected while the switch of the slave unit is on. It must be a flowing current.
(6) The control means inputs an on / off state signal from each slave unit from the master unit side connector connected to the slave unit side connector and detects the on / off state of the switch of the master unit itself. thing.
(7) the control means, wherein the on-off state of the detected own switch, based on the on-off state signal in the inputted each child device, the at their respective of the master unit and the slave unit To generate a bit string indicating the on / off state of the switch.
(8) The control means generates a data frame for the home video game machine according to a predetermined communication protocol including the generated bit string and outputs the data frame from the home video game machine connector To do.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of a controller set for a multiplayer game according to the present invention is shown in FIG. This controller set includes one master unit 12 connected to the home video game machine 2 and three slave units 14 connected to the master unit 12. The home video game machine 2 includes a drive device 4 in which a recording medium such as a CD-ROM storing a game program is set. When the recording medium is set in the drive device 4 and the power is turned on, the drive device 4 reads a game program from the recording medium, and a processor (not shown) of the home video game machine executes the read game program. This processor generates game video and game sound, and outputs them to a monitor device 1 such as a home television receiver.
[0010]
The base unit 12 is formed of a plastic case 13 whose outer side is a flat rectangular shape, and is equipped with three push button switches 16 on the surface thereof. The case 13 is formed in a shape that can be held by a game participant. The game participant performs the game operation by pressing his / her finger against the push button switch 16 while holding the parent device 12. A communication cable 22 is extended from the base unit 12, and a connector 24 is provided at the tip of the communication cable 22, and this connector 24 is one of the two controller connection terminals 6 of the home video game machine 2. Is plugged into and connected.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 2, the slave unit 14 is formed of a plastic case 15 having a flat rectangular shape on the outside, similar to the master unit 12, and has three push button switches 18 in the same form as the master unit 12 on the surface thereof. Is equipped. Each slave unit 14 and the master unit 12 are connected by a signal cable 20. Each signal cable 20 is integrally joined to the slave unit 14, is extended from the signal cable 20, and is detachably connected via a connector 26 provided in the master unit 12. The on / off state signals generated by the three push button switches 18 of the slave unit 14 are transmitted toward the master unit 12 through the signal cables 20.
[0012]
FIG. 3 shows an example of the electrical configuration of the controller set of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, each contact of each push button switch 18 of each slave unit 14 has one terminal connected to the Vcc power line 19 led from the master unit 12 to the slave unit 14 via the signal cable 20. The other terminal is connected to a signal line 21 individually set for each contact in the signal cable 20. When the pushbutton switch 18 is pushed and the contact is closed, a current flows from the Vcc power supply line 19 to the signal line 21 corresponding to the contact through the contact. This is detected by the operation input interface 28 built in the base unit 12.
[0013]
The operation input interface 28 detects the ON / OFF state of each push button switch 18 of each slave unit 14 and also detects the ON / OFF state of each push button switch 16 provided in the master unit 12 itself. The detection results are sequentially transmitted to the CPU 30.
[0014]
The CPU 30 transmits the detection result from the operation input interface 28 to the processor of the home video game machine 2 through the communication interface 32. The communication interface 32 has the same communication function as that mounted on the standard controller, and a data frame of a predetermined format is transmitted as a data transmission unit according to a predetermined communication protocol determined with the processor of the home video game machine 2. As transmitted.
[0015]
Based on the detection result of the operation input interface 28, the CPU 30 generates a bit string indicating the on / off state of the pushbutton switches 16 and 18 of the master unit 12 and the slave unit 14, and includes this bit string in the data frame to include a home video game machine. Send to 2 This bit string is generated by arranging the push button switches 16 and 18 in an on / off state by binary data and arranging them in a predetermined order. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the data area assigned to each push button switch of the standard controller is distributed to the push button switches 16 and 18 of the master unit 12 and the slave unit 14 of this controller set to generate a bit string. . The assignment order of the push button switches constituting this bit string is always set to be the same. In FIG. 4, “cross key left” and “cross key right” are assigned for identification of this controller set.
[0016]
The CPU 30 sequentially generates this bit string, places it in a data frame, and transmits it to the home video game machine 2 side one after another. The processor of the home video game machine 2 recognizes the bit string included in the received data frame, acquires information about the on / off states of the pushbutton switches 16 and 18 of the master unit 12 and the slave unit 14, and participates in each game The operation input from the player is reflected in the progress of the game.
[0017]
=== Other Embodiments ===
(1) About the main unit and the sub unit, it is preferable to have different colors by painting them in different colors for easy discrimination.
(2) The signal cable connecting the master unit and the slave unit does not necessarily need to be detachable via the connector.
(3) In the above embodiment, the number of operation switches provided in each of the master unit and the slave unit is three. However, the present invention is not limited to this. However, there may be four or more. At this time, the number of slave units may increase or decrease depending on the number of operation switches assigned to the master unit or the slave unit. In addition, the number of operation switches of the master unit and the slave unit may be different. For example, the master unit may be provided with five operation switches, and the slave unit may be provided with three operation switches.
(4) Two sets of this controller set may be prepared and connected to the two controller connection terminals of the home video game machine, respectively, so that eight people can enjoy the party game.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the state of the operation switch of the child device is recognized by the parent device, and this recognition result is transmitted to the home video game machine together with the result of recognition of the operation switch state of the parent device by a predetermined communication protocol. As a result, the configuration can be the same as that of a conventional standard controller, a very simple configuration is required, and it can be manufactured at a very low cost. By using such a controller, it is not necessary to purchase as many controllers as necessary. You can enjoy party games very economically.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a video game system including a multi-player game controller set of a home video game machine according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the appearance of one child device or parent device of the multiplayer game controller set of the home video game machine according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an electrical configuration diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a multiplayer game controller set of a home video game machine according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a table showing an example when the push button switches of the master unit and the slave unit of the controller set according to the present invention are assigned to data frames.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Home Video Game Machine 6 Controller Connection Terminal 12 Master Unit 14 Slave Units 16 and 18 Pushbutton Switch 20 Signal Cable 22 Communication Cable 24 Connector

Claims (1)

The controller set for multiplayer games connected to the home video game machine specified by the following items (1) to (8).
(1) It is composed of one master unit and a plurality of slave units.
(2) Each slave unit has one or more switches for switching between on and off states, and a slave unit side connector that outputs an on / off state signal indicating the on and off states of each switch. And providing.
(3) The master unit is connected to the power line, and is individually connected to one or a plurality of switches for switching between the on and off states, and each slave unit side connector of the plurality of slave units. A plurality of master unit side connectors for connection, a home video game machine connector for connection with one of the controller connection terminals of the home video game machine, and a control means;
(4) the switch of each slave unit are both provided with two terminals, that one terminal is connected to the power line via the handset-side connector connected to the base-side connector.
(5) The on / off state signal output from the slave unit side connector is transmitted from the power supply line via the other terminal when two terminals are connected while the switch of the slave unit is on. It must be a flowing current.
(6) The control means inputs an on / off state signal from each slave unit from the master unit side connector connected to the slave unit side connector and detects the on / off state of the switch of the master unit itself. thing.
(7) the control means, wherein the on-off state of the detected own switch, based on the on-off state signal in the inputted each child device, the at their respective of the master unit and the slave unit To generate a bit string indicating the on / off state of the switch.
(8) The control means generates a data frame for the home video game machine according to a predetermined communication protocol including the generated bit string and outputs the data frame from the home video game machine connector To do.

Images