Patents by Inventor Hideki Kotani
Hideki Kotani 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).
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Patent number: 7001272Abstract: A game system that allows a player to manipulate a real interface device in a real space and have a representation of the real interface device (i.e., a virtual interface device) be displayed in a virtual space is disclosed. The position of the real interface device in the real space is detected by a position detector and converted into spatial coordinates by a three-dimensional input conversion means at predetermined time intervals. When a player moves the real interface device, a virtual interface device is displayed within the virtual space and moves identically with the real interface device. The virtual interface device is determined to have struck an object in the virtual space (e.g., an enemy) when the coordinates of at least a portion of the object in the virtual space are the same as, or within a predetermined range of, the coordinates of the virtual interface device.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2002Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Konami CorporationInventors: Akihisa Yamashita, Masato Nagatomi, Kenichi Yamamoto, Hideki Kotani
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Publication number: 20020151337Abstract: A game system that allows a player to manipulate a real interface device in a real space and have a representation of the real interface device (i.e., a virtual interface device) be displayed in a virtual space is disclosed. The position of the real interface device in the real space is detected by a position detector and converted into spatial coordinates by a three-dimensional input conversion means at predetermined time intervals. When a player moves the real interface device, a virtual interface device is displayed within the virtual space and moves identically with the real interface device. The virtual interface device is determined to have struck an object in the virtual space (e.g., an enemy) when the coordinates of at least a portion of the object in the virtual space are the same as, or within a predetermined range of, the coordinates of the virtual interface device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Applicant: KONAMI CORPORATIONInventors: Akihisa Yamashita, Masato Nagatomi, Kenichi Yamamoto, Hideki Kotani
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Patent number: 6383097Abstract: A table tennis apparatus includes a ball projecting section disposed rearward of one playing surface of a table for projecting balls towards the other playing surface, a moving mechanism for allowing ball projecting section to be moved laterally, a detecting unit for detecting which side the balls have dropped on one playing surface in the lateral direction, and a driving and controlling unit for driving the moving mechanism according to the drop positions of the balls detected by the detecting unit, and for moving the ball projecting section towards the drop positions of the balls. The moving mechanism includes a guide rail disposed along a lateral direction, and a base having the ball projecting section mounted thereon, and slidably disposed on the guide rail.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2001Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kojiro Minami, Toshimitsu Oishi, Akihisa Yamashita, Hideki Kotani, Hirofumi Fujimoto, Katsunori Hirasawa
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Patent number: 6375192Abstract: A moving object restorer is provided with a connecting cord having one end held at a fixed position and the other end connected with a moving object, a guiding member fixedly provided between the moving object and the fixed position for guiding the connecting cord, a regulator movably provided between the guiding member and the fixed position and having a holder portion for holding the connecting cord slidably. The regulator is movable between a first position for allowing the moving object to be moved and a second position for holding the moving object in a restored position.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Uchiyama, Hideki Kotani, Tomohisa Tanaka, Atsushi Yamazaki, Yoshikazu Matsui, Masakazu Shibamiya, Takashi Honda
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Publication number: 20020004423Abstract: A manual operating device including a joystick lever tiltably supported by a bearing provided on a support plate, a control unit for controlling and detecting tilt displacement of the control lever, and a stimulation-imparting mechanism provided in the joystick lever for vibrating the joystick lever to impart stimulation. This simple arrangement of the manual operating device enables not only that an action command made by an operator due to the operation of the joystick lever is imparted to characters displayed on a screen but also that a stimulation corresponding to contents of images displayed on the screen is imparted from the control unit to the operator. A game apparatus using the manual operating device, a game method and a computer readable medium are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 1998Publication date: January 10, 2002Inventors: KOJIRO MINAMI, HIDEKI KOTANI, TOSHIMITSU OISHI
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Patent number: 6276682Abstract: An air hockey game apparatus provides appropriate dynamic characteristics to the game, thereby effectively improving amusement characteristics of the game. The air hockey game apparatus has a puck sliding surface having blowholes for blowing air to float a puck, an air-blower for blowing and sending air toward blowholes, a puck-reflecting frame around the puck sliding surface, goals on the puck sliding surface, blocking members in the individual goals, opening/closing driving units for changing the open sizes of the individual goals by using the blocking members, and a controller for controlling the opening/closing driving units, thereby allowing competition for entering the puck into the goals.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2000Date of Patent: August 21, 2001Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akihisa Yamashita, Kojiro Minami, Eita Kada, Hideki Kotani, Yusuke Fujimoto, Hajime Dohki
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Publication number: 20010006915Abstract: A table tennis apparatus includes a ball projecting section disposed rearward of one playing surface of a table for projecting balls towards the other playing surface, a moving mechanism for allowing ball projecting section to be moved laterally, a detecting unit for detecting which side the balls have dropped on one playing surface in the lateral direction, and a driving and controlling unit for driving the moving mechanism according to the drop positions of the balls detected by the detecting unit, and for moving the ball projecting section towards the drop positions of the balls. The moving mechanism includes a guide rail disposed along a lateral direction, and a base having the ball projecting section mounted thereon, and slidably disposed on the guide rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2001Publication date: July 5, 2001Applicant: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kojiro Minami, Toshimitsu Oishi, Akihisa Yamashita, Hideki Kotani, Hirofumi Fujimoto, Katsunori Hirasawa
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Patent number: 6234476Abstract: An air hockey game apparatus allows game players to appropriately recognize statuses such as a game progress status, thereby effectively improving amusement characteristics. The air hockey game apparatus has a puck sliding surface having blowholes for blowing air to float a puck, an air-blower for blowing and sending air toward blowholes, a puck-reflecting frame around the puck sliding surface, and goals on the puck sliding surface. In the air hockey game apparatus, at least one portion of the puck sliding surface is transparent, and display sections are provided under the transparent portion, of which the display mode is changeable. Also, display-mode-setting units for setting the display mode of the display sections are provided, thereby controlling the display sections so as to be in the set display mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2000Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akihisa Yamashita, Kojiro Minami, Eita Kada, Hideki Kotani, Yusuke Fujimoto, Hajime Dohki
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Patent number: 6220452Abstract: In a table tennis ball-sorting device, a plurality of rails are disposed side by side in substantially a horizontal direction along the side of at least one playing surface of a table tennis table at intervals that are capable of having passed therethrough only deformed balls, and a plurality of rails are disposed side by side in substantially a horizontal direction along the rear part of the playing surface at intervals that are capable of having passed therethrough only deformed balls. The former rails are disposed to be inclined towards downstream, while the downstream side thereof is overlapped on the upstream part of the latter rails so that balls can be transferred. A table tennis apparatus using the table tennis ball-sorting device is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1998Date of Patent: April 24, 2001Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akihisa Yamashita, Toshimitsu Oishi, Kojiro Minami, Hideki Kotani, Hirofumi Fujimoto, Katsunori Hirasawa
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Patent number: 6200236Abstract: A table tennis apparatus includes a ball projecting section disposed rearward of one playing surface of a table for projecting balls towards the other playing surface, a moving mechanism for allowing ball projecting section to be moved laterally, a detecting unit for detecting which side the balls have dropped on one playing surface in the lateral direction, and a driving and controlling unit for driving the moving mechanism according to the drop positions of the balls detected by the detecting unit, and for moving the ball projecting section towards the drop positions of the balls. The moving mechanism includes a guide rail disposed along a lateral direction, and a base having the ball projecting section mounted thereon, and slidably disposed on the guide rail.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1998Date of Patent: March 13, 2001Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kojiro Minami, Toshimitsu Oishi, Akihisa Yamashita, Hideki Kotani, Hirofumi Fujimoto, Katsunori Hirasawa
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Patent number: 5915786Abstract: A simulation apparatus having a steering wheel includes a seat for the operator to be seated thereon, a support base supporting the seat thereon, and a swing frame supported on the support base for angular movement about a vertical axis, the seat being supported on the swing frame for angular movement about a horizontal axis transverse to the vertical axis. A support frame supports the seat in spaced relation to the vertical axis, the support frame having a curved surface which supports the seat through two movable points which are symmetrical with respect to a center of the seat. A linkage is operatively coupled to the steering wheel and the swing frame for moving the seat in response to operation of the steering wheel.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 1997Date of Patent: June 29, 1999Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideki Kotani
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Patent number: 5669685Abstract: A game machine includes a diorama mounting cabinet on the front side containing a diorama object and a semitransparent mirror and a projector mounting cabinet on the rear side containing a cathode ray tube and a screen. An image displayed on the cathode ray tube is projected onto the screen in such a way that it is superimposed on a virtual image of the diorama object, as viewed form a player. The cathode ray tube and screen are integrally mounted in a projector housing which is made movable within the projector mounting cabinet. This makes it possible to vary relative positions of the individual images in depth directions so that depth relationships therebetween can be changed to provide increased reality and flexibility in three-dimensional visual presentation.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 1996Date of Patent: September 23, 1997Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kotani, Kuniaki Kakuwa
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Patent number: D463501Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2001Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Konami CorporationInventors: Yoshitsugu Isetani, Akihisa Yamashita, Hideki Kotani
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Patent number: D465243Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Konami CorporationInventors: Yoshitsugu Isetani, Akihisa Yamashita, Hideki Kotani, Shingo Onkoshi, Masahiro Moriyama
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Patent number: D392688Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1997Date of Patent: March 24, 1998Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitsugu Isetani, Hideki Kotani
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Patent number: D414520Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1998Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Muraki, Kojiro Minami, Hirofumi Fujimoto, Hideki Kotani
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Patent number: D425568Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Muraki, Kojiro Minami, Hirofumi Fujimoto, Hideki Kotani