1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interactive game apparatus and a game controller used in the same and, more particularly, to an interactive game apparatus having a game controller into which two kinds of motion sensors are integrated.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Electronic game apparatuses currently provide three-dimensional animation scenes with brilliant images and realistic sound effects. Therefore, players enjoy interactive and real time amusement through their immediate instructions detected by wireless peripheral modules. That is, the players can utilize joysticks and buttons to control specified objects shown in images. Moreover, they give full play to their handling ability as the story of the game changes.
Excluding utilizing joysticks and buttons to control objects on a monitor, R.O.C. patent No. 588,258 puts forth a game apparatus 11 utilizing a camera to control the location of the cursor representing an object, as shown in FIG. 1. An image sensor 12 captures optical instructions from a player 90. For example, a light beam emitted from an infrared pointer 13 is held and moved by the player 90, and a light gun is triggered to emit light. However, such an image sensor 12 has a disadvantage because of the limitation of a visual angle range 14 for effectively receiving light. In some cases, additional reflective dots acting as reference points are needed to mark the margin of the visual angle range 14. When the light beam emitted from the infrared pointer 13 is out of either the vertical view angle or the horizontal view angle, the control of objects in the game is temporarily terminated and control of the game may be lost. In particular, the light beam is likely to be sheltered by an obstacle such as a desk lamp or a decoration so as to cause the instruction transmission to unintentionally pause. That is, the player 90 cannot sequentially perform the interactive function of the game apparatus 11. U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,804 also puts forth a similar technique utilizing an image sensor capturing optical instructions from a player.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,908,386 and 6,908,388 disclose a game controller having tilt sensor to detect 3-dimensional (X, Y, and Z axes) motion instructions given by the player. For example, acceleration movement toward a specified direction results in electrical signals that are transmitted to a game host and a monitor. Unlike the image sensor 12, the use of the tilt sensor is not limited by the visual angle range. However, it cannot point the cursor representing an object under control at an accurate position. In particular, the quality of the game execution is severely affected by the issues regarding to locating the initial position of the cursor and to relocating its position after a pause. Such a game controller is also limited by a substantial connection cable, because the distance between the game controller and the game host cannot be flexibly extended. If the connection cable is blocked by obstructions, it needs to be routed over or around the obstructions.
As a result, the conventional game apparatus and game controller cannot satisfy the requirements of the player. Accordingly, the interactive game is awkward to be manipulated.