Patents by Inventor Jinichiro Okuda

Jinichiro Okuda 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: 8191896
    Abstract: A card game apparatus includes a large-size panel display, a main control unit that controls screens on the large-size panel display, and a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are communicably connected to the main control unit. A game player purchases an integrated circuit card and, for example, eleven player cards on each of which, a soccer player's photograph is printed. When the game player arranges the player cards on a player card arrangement panel of one of the terminal apparatuses, card data recorded on the back of the player card will be read by an internal image sensor. Then, a team is organized by the player cards, and a game starts. The game player can direct a player's position and formation by changing placement of the player card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Sega Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kaji, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Patent number: 8172229
    Abstract: A card game system, including a plurality of terminal apparatuses, a card data reading unit for detecting unique data of each of cards when an operator arranges and manipulates a set of cards selected by the operator on a flat surface of the panel on the terminal apparatus, and a game execution unit which is arranged to organize a playing team in a virtual game space based on the data detected from the cards placed on the flat surface of the panel and to execute a game against another playing team organized on another terminal apparatus connected via a network. A progress of the game is controlled in response to manipulation by the operator with the cards on the panel, a main control unit to which individual game data is transmitted from the plurality of the terminal apparatuses, and a display connected to the main control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Sega Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kaji, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Patent number: 8020869
    Abstract: A game apparatus includes a game execution unit, casing, card arrangement panel, luminator that illuminates the panel, sensor unit that receives light from the panel and generates image data, and recognition unit to separate data of each card, and detect positions of the cards. Each of the plurality of cards is printed with a game character on one of its surfaces and formed on the other of the surfaces with a code pattern including data relating the game character. The sensor unit generates data of the image including the code patterns of the cards on the panel. The recognition unit separates data of each card, and detects position on play field of cards arranged on the panel, from the data of the image and supplies information thus obtained to the execution unit. The execution unit executes a game in response to card manipulation by an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Sega Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kaji, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Patent number: 7431297
    Abstract: A card game apparatus includes a large-size panel display, a main control unit that controls screens on the large-size panel display, and a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are communicably connected to the main control unit. A game player purchases an integrated circuit card and, for example, eleven player cards on each of which, a soccer player's photograph is printed. When the game player arranges the player cards on a player card arrangement panel of one of the terminal apparatuses, card data recorded on the back of the player card will be read by an internal image sensor. Then, a team is organized by the player cards, and a game starts. The game player can direct a player's position and formation by changing placement of the player card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Sega Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kaji, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Publication number: 20080132305
    Abstract: A card game system, including a plurality of terminal apparatuses, a card data reading unit for detecting unique data of each of cards when an operator arranges and manipulates a set of cards selected by the operator on a flat surface of the panel on the terminal apparatus, and a game execution unit which is arranged to organize a playing team in a virtual game space based on the data detected from the cards placed on the flat surface of the panel and to execute a game against another playing team organized on another terminal apparatus connected via a network. A progress of the game is controlled in response to manipulation by the operator with the cards on the panel, a main control unit to which individual game data is transmitted from the plurality of the terminal apparatuses, and a display connected to the main control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: SEGA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kaji, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Publication number: 20080085749
    Abstract: A card game apparatus includes a large-size panel display, a main control unit that controls screens on the large-size panel display, and a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are communicably connected to the main control unit. A game player purchases an integrated circuit card and, for example, eleven player cards on each of which, a soccer player's photograph is printed. When the game player arranges the player cards on a player card arrangement panel of one of the terminal apparatuses, card data recorded on the back of the player card will be read by an internal image sensor. Then, a team is organized by the player cards, and a game starts. The game player can direct a player's position and formation by changing placement of the player card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: SEGA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki KAJI, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Publication number: 20070275782
    Abstract: A card game apparatus includes a game execution unit, a casing, a card arrangement panel, a luminous source that illuminates the panel with invisible light, an image sensor unit disposed such that it receives the invisible light from the panel and generates image data, and a data recognition unit configured to separate data of each card, as well as to detect positions of the cards on the panel. Each of the plurality of thinly formed cards is printed with a game character on one of its major surfaces and formed on the other of the major surfaces with a code pattern including data relating the game character. The sensor unit generates data of the image including the code patterns of the cards arranged on the panel. The data recognition unit separates data of each card, as well as detects position on play field of the cards arranged on the panel by the operator, from the data of the image and supply the information thus obtained to the game execution unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: SEGA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kaji, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Publication number: 20060205512
    Abstract: A game device totals the circumstances of competition between users in each phase, and obtains the number of competitions being held in the phase. When the number of competitions obtained is smaller than the number of competitions which can be processed at once by the game device, the game device has surplus calculation capacity. In this case, the game device transmits a game request signal, together with information to specify the difference between the number of competitions which can be processed at once and the obtained number of competitions, to a server. The server receives the game request signal, and if there is information relating to unprocessed competitions, transmits this information to the game device which has transmitted the game request signal so as to have the game device perform the processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Jinichiro Okuda, Junichi Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20030171142
    Abstract: A card game apparatus includes a large-size panel display, a main control unit that controls screens on the large-size panel display, and a plurality of terminal apparatuses that are communicably connected to the main control unit. A game player purchases an integrated circuit card and, for example, eleven player cards on each of which, a soccer player's photograph is printed. When the game player arranges the player cards on a player card arrangement panel of one of the terminal apparatuses, card data recorded on the back of the player card will be read by an internal image sensor. Then, a team is organized by the player cards, and a game starts. The game player can direct a player's position and formation by changing placement of the player card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kaji, Toshikazu Yoshida, Hidenori Shiba, Takao Yamauchi, Fumihiro Kato, Junichi Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Maeyama, Jinichiro Okuda, Mitsuhiko Kakita
  • Patent number: 6579173
    Abstract: A game apparatus is disclosed that retains a player's game score, regardless of whether the player is a skilled player or a beginner. The game apparatus performs ranking under circumstances that are fair to both skilled players and beginners. The game apparatus is premised on a fact that a most recent game score of a most recent player is always retained and, because the game apparatus is constituted so as to be fair to beginners and skilled players alike, in storing the most recent score a temporally oldest game score, having a ranking outside of a prestige ranking, is replaced by the most recent score. A ranking display in connection with the game apparatus is not biased toward the skilled player and can be enjoyed even by a beginner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
    Inventor: Jinichiro Okuda