Patents by Inventor Mari Shirakawa

Mari Shirakawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10146340
    Abstract: An information processing system including first and second information processing apparatuses capable of communicating with each other is provided. Each of the first and second information processing apparatuses includes an input portion which accepts an operation by a user and a display. The first information processing apparatus includes a first display control module which has, in response to a first input to the input portion, a first image corresponding to the first input displayed in a first manner of representation within a display area of the display of the first information processing apparatus and a second display control module which has, in response to a second input following the first input to the input portion, the first image displayed in a second manner of representation different from the first manner of representation within the display area of each of the first and second information processing apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Shikata, Mari Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 10016678
    Abstract: A movement controlling apparatus includes a pointing device for operating a movement of an object. A distance between a straight line connecting previous input coordinates and current input coordinates and a central point of the object is calculated. A velocity of the object is calculated on the basis of the distance to thereby control a movement of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mari Shirakawa, Giles Goddard
  • Publication number: 20160349866
    Abstract: An information processing system including first and second information processing apparatuses capable of communicating with each other is provided. Each of the first and second information processing apparatuses includes an input portion which accepts an operation by a user and a display. The first information processing apparatus includes a first display control module which has, in response to a first input to the input portion, a first image corresponding to the first input displayed in a first manner of representation within a display area of the display of the first information processing apparatus and a second display control module which has, in response to a second input following the first input to the input portion, the first image displayed in a second manner of representation different from the first manner of representation within the display area of each of the first and second information processing apparatuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Hiromasa SHIKATA, Mari SHIRAKAWA
  • Patent number: 9072969
    Abstract: A three-dimensional puzzle game apparatus includes an LCD on which a three-dimensional puzzle is displayed. The three-dimensional puzzle includes a plurality of blocks arranged in each of three-dimensional directions in a virtual three-dimensional space. Furthermore, a hint numeral indicating the number of blocks to be left in a block row is displayed as information being a hint for searching a block to be left from the block row, for example. When a deleting instruction is performed on a block by utilizing a touch panel, for example, it is then determined that whether or not the block is a block to be left. When it is determined that the block is not a block to be left, the block is erased. When it is determined that all the remaining blocks are blocks to be left, it is determined that the three-dimensional puzzle is solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd., Hal Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Mari Shirakawa, Yoshiki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8847927
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a pointing device and a display section for displaying an image. A coordinate detection section detects coordinates pointed to by the pointing device. A first change amount calculation section calculates a change amount of the coordinates in a first direction, the coordinates obtained when inputting is continuously performed by the pointing device. A second change amount calculation section a change amount of the coordinates in a second direction, the coordinates obtained when inputting is continuously performed by the pointing device. A first operation section performs a first operation based on the change amount in the first direction, the change amount calculated by the first change amount calculation section. A second operation section performs, based on the change amount in the second direction, a second operation different from the first operation, the change amount calculated by the second change amount calculation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mari Shirakawa, Akito Oshizawa, Mitsuteru Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8152640
    Abstract: A player can change the direction of the right hand of a character object, or extend and retract the right arm of the character object, by changing the direction of the core unit 70. The player can change the direction of the left hand of the character object, or extend and retract the left arm of the character object by changing the direction of the subunit 76. The player can retract and extend a leg of the character object, by shifting the center of gravity in the front-back direction when the player is standing on the load controller 36.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd., Vitei Inc.
    Inventors: Mari Shirakawa, Giles Goddard
  • Publication number: 20100188344
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a pointing device and a display section for displaying an image. A coordinate detection section detects coordinates pointed to by the pointing device. A first change amount calculation section calculates a change amount of the coordinates in a first direction, the coordinates obtained when inputting is continuously performed by the pointing device. A second change amount calculation section a change amount of the coordinates in a second direction, the coordinates obtained when inputting is continuously performed by the pointing device. A first operation section performs a first operation based on the change amount in the first direction, the change amount calculated by the first change amount calculation section. A second operation section performs, based on the change amount in the second direction, a second operation different from the first operation, the change amount calculated by the second change amount calculation section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Mari SHIRAKAWA, Akito OSHIZAWA, Mitsuteru OZAWA
  • Publication number: 20100137063
    Abstract: A player can change the direction of the right hand of a character object, or extend and retract the right arm of the character object, by changing the direction of the core unit 70. The player can change the direction of the left hand of the character object, or extend and retract the left arm of the character object by changing the direction of the subunit 76. The player can retract and extend a leg of the character object, by shifting the center of gravity in the front-back direction when the player is standing on the load controller 36.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Mari SHIRAKAWA, Giles Goddard
  • Publication number: 20100016049
    Abstract: A three-dimensional puzzle game apparatus includes an LCD on which a three-dimensional puzzle is displayed. The three-dimensional puzzle includes a plurality of blocks arranged in each of three-dimensional directions in a virtual three-dimensional space. Furthermore, a hint numeral indicating the number of blocks to be left in a block row is displayed as information being a hint for searching a block to be left from the block row, for example. When a deleting instruction is performed on a block by utilizing a touch panel, for example, it is then determined that whether or not the block is a block to be left. When it is determined that the block is not a block to be left, the block is erased. When it is determined that all the remaining blocks are blocks to be left, it is determined that the three-dimensional puzzle is solved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Mari SHIRAKAWA, Yoshiki SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20080300033
    Abstract: A game apparatus includes a first LCD and a second LCD, and on the second LCD, a touch panel is set. On the first LCD and the second LCD, game screens each including gear objects provided with a socket object are displayed. When a player makes a touch operation, the gear object on the game screen displayed on the second LCD is rotated in response thereto, one or more gear objects on the game screen displayed on the first LCD is accordingly rotated. At that time, a ball object held in the socket object of the gear object moves to other gear object. When each of the ball objects are accepted (held) in the socket object of the gear objects each applied with the same color as that of the ball objects, the puzzle game is cleared.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicants: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,, VITEI INC.,
    Inventors: Mari Shirakawa, Giles Goddard
  • Publication number: 20080297492
    Abstract: A movement controlling apparatus includes a pointing device for operating a movement of an object. A distance between a straight line connecting previous input coordinates and current input coordinates and a central point of the object is calculated. A velocity of the object is calculated on the basis of the distance to thereby control a movement of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicants: NINTENDO CO., LTD., VITEI INC.
    Inventors: Mari Shirakawa, Giles Goddard