Patents Assigned to Namco Bandai Games, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8052532
    Abstract: A league is formed by a given number of teams formed by a plurality of players and having an identical team level, and the teams compete for league ranking based on team points obtained in a given period. A team level of each team is changed based on the league ranking. A player plays a game using a game device to obtain the team points. When the number of teams is less than the given number when forming a league, a mirror team of the team that belongs to another league is added. The team points of the mirror team are calculated separately from the team points of the actual team to determine league ranking in the league of the mirror team. The team level of the actual team of the mirror team is changed based on the league ranking of the actual team and the league ranking of the mirror team.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Umaki, Kunihiko Minakata, Kazuo Takahashi, Hironori Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8050502
    Abstract: A two-dimensional code in which given data is encoded as a two-dimensional image. The two-dimensional code includes as image elements: points each of which is placed at point placement reserved position in a two-dimensional region based on a binary data string uniquely associated with the given data according to a preset binary data string placement condition; and a line connecting each of the points and a connection target point according to a preset connection condition. The two-dimensional code is formed as a two-dimensional image by causing the line connecting the points to have a given width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
    Inventor: Kotaro Sato
  • Publication number: 20110263306
    Abstract: In computer and video games in which a character is managed by registering an ID assigned to an object, objects corresponding to the same player can be duplicately registered, and a bonus that increases the ability of the player corresponding to the duplicately registered object is granted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicants: NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc., BANDAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taira NAKAMURA, Osamu SARUDATE, Daisuke MASUI, Tsukasa OIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20110244965
    Abstract: When a piece 6a has stopped at an empty element 3, a castle 10 can be built at the element, and ownership can be set to the element. When another piece 6b has stopped at the element to which the ownership has been set, a sub-game is executed so that a player who owns the castle 10 (element 3), another player who uses a piece 6b, and a third player who uses a piece 6c that is positioned within a given range from the castle 10 participate in the sub-game. When the player who owns the castle 10 has won the sub-game, the player can collect the cost of staying from the player who uses the piece 6b. When the player who uses the piece 6b has won the sub-game, the player who uses the piece 6b can acquire the ownership of the castle 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventor: Tohru TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110244959
    Abstract: An image generation system includes an image information acquisition section that acquires image information from an image sensor, a grasp motion determination section that determines whether or not a player has made a grasp motion with one hand that is a right hand or a left hand based on the image information, a grasp-linked motion determination section that determines whether or not the player has made a grasp-linked motion that follows the grasp motion with the other hand based on the image information when the grasp motion determination section has determined that the player has made the grasp motion with the one hand, and an image generation section that generates an image based on the determination results of the grasp motion and the grasp-linked motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Taketoshi INAGAKI, Tadashi SAKAKIBARA, Kentaro YAMAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20110244937
    Abstract: Characters that form a word or a sentence having a meaning are assigned to squares, and are adjacently disposed so that a word or sentence is reproduced by reading the characters along the right route. The player inputs an answer route by tracing the squares with one stroke so as to read the characters correctly. A route indicator (32) is displayed along the answer route, and a moving object (34) is moved along the route indicator (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Akira YAMASHITA, Daisuke ONIZUKA, Hiroki YAKATA
  • Publication number: 20110244958
    Abstract: An image generation system includes an object space setting section, a character control section, a virtual camera control section, an inter-camera distance setting section that sets an inter-camera distance based on at least one of position information, direction information, and moving state information about the character or the virtual camera, the inter-camera distance being a distance between a left-eye virtual camera and a right-eye virtual camera for generating a stereoscopic image, and an image generation section that generates a left-eye image and a right-eye image, the left-eye image being an image viewed from the left-eye virtual camera in an object space, and the right-eye image being an image viewed from the right-eye virtual camera in the object space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Shinobu NIMURA, Tetsukazu NAKANISHI
  • Publication number: 20110244957
    Abstract: An image generation device includes a movement information calculation section, a virtual camera control section, and a special state transition section The movement information calculation section calculates the position of the player character based on input information. The special state transition section determines the position of the player character based on the position of the player character and a position determination condition that is set corresponding to the special point in the virtual space, and determines whether or not the player character has satisfied the special state transition condition based on the determination result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Norihiro NISHIMURA, Takehiro SHIMIZU, Takashi SATSUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20110244956
    Abstract: An image generation system includes an image information acquisition section that acquires image information from an image sensor, an information acquisition section that acquires position information about a player relative to a display section that displays an image or the image sensor based on the image information, a virtual camera control section that controls at least one of a distance between a character corresponding to the player and a virtual camera in a depth direction, a distance between the character and the virtual camera in a height direction, a distance between the character and the virtual camera in a transverse direction, and an angle of view of the virtual camera, based on the position information about the player acquired by the information acquisition section, and an image generation section that generates an image viewed from the virtual camera in an object space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Tadashi SAKAKIBARA, Kentaro YAMAGUCHI, Taketoshi INAGAKI, Akio ONDA
  • Publication number: 20110245942
    Abstract: A terminal sets a search range that includes a player object and is smaller than a radar map range in an object space based on the position of the player object, and generates a radar map image that indicates the position of the player object and the position of an enemy object within the search range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Kazuo YAMAMOTO, Masayoshi NODA, Masaya AMANO, Yoshitaka INOUE, Kazuya WATANABE
  • Patent number: 8013865
    Abstract: An image generation system including: a drawing section which draws an object to generate image data; and an overdrive effect processing section which performs overdrive effect processing for the generated image data and generates image data to be output to a display section. The overdrive effect processing section performs the overdrive effect processing based on differential image data between image data generated in a Kth frame and image data generated in a Jth frame (K>J).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
    Inventors: Takehiro Imai, Toshihiro Kushizaki, Naohiro Saito, Shigeki Tomisawa, Yoshihito Iwanaga
  • Publication number: 20110212776
    Abstract: A portable information terminal includes a state determination section that determines whether a current state of a screen is in a first state in which a first area in the screen is not touched, or in a second state in which the first area is touched, based on a touch operation and a touch position on the screen, an image generation section that generates an image in which a current touch position image is returned to an initial position when the second state changes to the first state, an update section that updates operation data based on the touch operation and the touch position in the first area when the screen is in the second state, the operation data indicating an operation direction and an operation amount of a moving object in a game space, and a calculation section that performs calculations for moving the moving object based on the operation data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
    Inventors: Naoyuki KISHIMOTO, Masamoto KATSUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110181703
    Abstract: A game system acquires an input image from an input section that applies light to a body and receives reflected light from the body. The game system controls the size of an object in a virtual space based on a distance between the input section and the body, the distance being determined based on the input image. The game system generates a display image including the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi KOBAYASHI, Kohtaro TANIGUCHI, Yasuhiro NISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20110183765
    Abstract: A game system determines whether or not an input start timing coincides with an auxiliary start timing that corresponds to a reference start timing and differs from the reference start timing, and determines whether or not input information that has been input during a given auxiliary determination period that starts from the auxiliary start timing coincides with defined input information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi KOBAYASHI, Kohtaro TANIGUCHI, Yasuhiro NISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 7971880
    Abstract: A spiral rod that is rotated by a motor is disposed in a fall passage connected to a token chute 4. A second special game medium AM2 is captured at an opening W2 between the spiral rod and a rear wall positioned diagonally rearward from the spiral rod. A first special game medium AM1 is captured at an opening W1 between the spiral rod and a rear fall guide, the opening W1 being positioned on a downstream side of the opening W2. A token M passes through the openings W1 and W2 and is received by a token reception section. The special game media that have been captured are transferred due to the spiral movement of the spiral rod. The special game media are discriminated by a first rear side opening and a second rear side opening, and separately received by guide slopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Niwa, Toyoji Kondou
  • Patent number: 7950991
    Abstract: A game performing method for executing a given sports game which is proceeded by performing match-ups by a plurality of teams arranged for every game owning a plurality of player characters a plurality of times during a virtual competition period, involves varying a value of a team parameter provided for each of the teams according to how a game is proceeding; determining a change-intended team, of which configuration of owned player characters is to be changed by addition and/or release of player characters, among the plurality of teams; judging approval or disapproval of a change of a configuration of owned player characters of the change-intended team based on the current value of the team parameter of the change-intended team; and changing the configuration of the owned player characters of the change-intended team, when it is judged that the change is approved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Shiozawa
  • Patent number: 7950589
    Abstract: A two-dimensional code generation system including: a data acquisition section which acquires size data of the two-dimensional code, original data to be read from the two-dimensional code, and given binary design data; an unused data region determination section which specifies an unused data region of the two-dimensional code depending on an amount of the original data, based on the size data and the original data; a binary design data conversion section which calculates a bit code by inversely converting the binary design data corresponding to the unused data region based on format information of the two-dimensional code; and a two-dimensional code generation section which converts the calculated bit code and a bit code of the original data based on the format information of the two-dimensional code to generate the two-dimensional code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
    Inventor: Satoru Oouchi
  • Publication number: 20110124415
    Abstract: A preferential winning item that has a high selection probability is set to each user from candidate items 14a to 14e of an event. The preferential winning item is set so that the type of the preferential winning item differs between a reference user 2a and friend users 2b to 2e of the reference user 2a. The type of item that is given to each user as a result of playing an event thus differs between each user. Each user can easily acquire a plurality of preferential winning items, but cannot easily acquire a non-preferential winning item. This urges each user to give an item to another user as a present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventor: Masataka SHIMONO
  • Publication number: 20110102469
    Abstract: An image control device includes a display control section that performs a normal display control process that controls an image based on a first designation position, and controls the image based on a second designation position, and performs a special display control process that controls the image based on the first designation position and the second designation position based on a given condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: NAMCO BANDAI GAMES INC.
    Inventors: Hirofumi KAMI, Masanao KURODA, Masahide KITO, Katsunori KIMIZU, Naohiro HAYASHI, Tomokazu MATSUMARU
  • Patent number: 7922584
    Abstract: An image generation method and computer-readable information storage medium which stores a program in which a processing causes a first object to perform a motion based on control data from a first control lever which is tilted in an arbitrary direction and of which tilt angle is detectable. The processing also causes the first object to move based on control data from a second control lever which is tilted in an arbitrary direction and of which tilt angle is detectable. The processing further generates an image including an image of the first object and in which the first object is caused to perform an attack motion toward an attack direction which corresponds to a tilting direction of the first control lever, when the first control lever is tilted by a given angle. The attack motion of the first object changes according to at least one of a distance between the first and second object and an angle between a direction to which the first object faces and a direction in which the second object exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games, Inc.
    Inventor: Norio Egashira