Patents by Inventor Kenta Motokura

Kenta Motokura 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: 11559739
    Abstract: In a second mode where a first enemy object attacks a player object in a virtual space, no matter which of a switching condition that a second time elapses and a switching condition that the player object gains a second required number of target objects smaller than a first required number before the second time elapses is satisfied, a game mode is switched to a first mode where the first enemy object does not attack the player object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Motokura, Shinya Hiratake, Katsuyasu Ando
  • Patent number: 11491397
    Abstract: In a first mode, based on an operation input to a controller of a first player, a game system controls a first character object and controls a pointer object. In the first mode, the game system automatically controls a second character object and causes the second character object to perform a predetermined action on a position in a virtual space indicated by the pointer object. In a second mode, the game system controls the first character object based on the operation input to the controller of the first player and controls the second character object based on an operation input to a controller of a second player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Motokura, Shinya Hiratake, Katsuyasu Ando, Jonathan Johnson, Brandon Dulyea
  • Patent number: 11298619
    Abstract: An information processing system for controlling movements of a character (200) in a virtual three-dimensional space, comprising movement control unit (231) that controls the movements of the character (200), and a switching determination unit (232) that determines switching of the movement of the character (200) by the movement control unit (231) between a three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and a movement in a predetermined surface (211) provided in the virtual three-dimensional space. The movement control unit (231) determines a speed of the character (200) after the switching on the basis of a speed of the character (200) before the switching when the switching is performed between the three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and the movement in the predetermined surface (211).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Tanaka, Kenta Motokura
  • Publication number: 20220062762
    Abstract: In a second mode where a first enemy object attacks a player object in a virtual space, no matter which of a switching condition that a second time elapses and a switching condition that the player object gains a second required number of target objects smaller than a first required number before the second time elapses is satisfied, a game mode is switched to a first mode where the first enemy object does not attack the player object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kenta MOTOKURA, Shinya HIRATAKE, Katsuyasu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20220062760
    Abstract: In a first mode, based on an operation input to a controller of a first player, a game system controls a first character object and controls a pointer object. In the first mode, the game system automatically controls a second character object and causes the second character object to perform a predetermined action on a position in a virtual space indicated by the pointer object. In a second mode, the game system controls the first character object based on the operation input to the controller of the first player and controls the second character object based on an operation input to a controller of a second player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kenta MOTOKURA, Shinya HIRATAKE, Katsuyasu ANDO, Jonathan JOHNSON, Brandon DULYEA
  • Publication number: 20210008452
    Abstract: An information processing system for controlling movements of a character (200) in a virtual three-dimensional space, comprising movement control unit (231) that controls the movements of the character (200), and a switching determination unit (232) that determines switching of the movement of the character (200) by the movement control unit (231) between a three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and a movement in a predetermined surface (211) provided in the virtual three-dimensional space. The movement control unit (231) determines a speed of the character (200) after the switching on the basis of a speed of the character (200) before the switching when the switching is performed between the three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and the movement in the predetermined surface (211).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Wataru TANAKA, Kenta MOTOKURA
  • Patent number: 10821362
    Abstract: An information processing system for controlling movements of a character (200) in a virtual three-dimensional space, comprising movement control unit (231) that controls the movements of the character (200), and a switching determination unit (232) that determines switching of the movement of the character (200) by the movement control unit (231) between a three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and a movement in a predetermined surface (211) provided in the virtual three-dimensional space. The movement control unit (231) determines a speed of the character (200) after the switching on the basis of a speed of the character (200) before the switching when the switching is performed between the three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and the movement in the predetermined surface (211).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Tanaka, Kenta Motokura
  • Patent number: 10610782
    Abstract: In an example of a game system, switching to an imaging mode is performed according to an operation performed by a player while a game is being performed. In the imaging mode, a virtual camera in a virtual space is rotated in a roll direction according to an operation performed by the player. In the game system, when rotation of the virtual camera in the roll direction represents a value greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, information indicating that 90 degrees rotation is to be performed is stored as rotation information of an image. In the game system, according to an instruction from the player, an image displayed on a screen at a time of the instruction, and the rotation information of the image are stored in a storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenta Motokura, Yusuke Kitazono, Youtarou Kiriyama, Wataru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10220322
    Abstract: A game system includes a stick for being tilted in a direction in which a player character moves in a virtual space and for being pressed for an operation of a virtual camera in the virtual space, and a CPU for moving the player character in the virtual space on the basis of tilt, moving the virtual camera in a first control method when the stick is not pressed but tilted, and moving the virtual camera in a second control method on the basis of tilt when the stick is tilted and pressed at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Tanaka, Kenta Motokura
  • Publication number: 20190060755
    Abstract: In an example of a game system, switching to an imaging mode is performed according to an operation performed by a player while a game is being performed. In the imaging mode, a virtual camera in a virtual space is rotated in a roll direction according to an operation performed by the player. In the game system, when rotation of the virtual camera in the roll direction represents a value greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, information indicating that 90 degrees rotation is to be performed is stored as rotation information of an image. In the game system, according to an instruction from the player, an image displayed on a screen at a time of the instruction, and the rotation information of the image are stored in a storage medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kenta MOTOKURA, Yusuke KITAZONO, Youtarou KIRIYAMA, Wataru TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20180342094
    Abstract: An information processing system for controlling movements of a character (200) in a virtual three-dimensional space, comprising movement control unit (231) that controls the movements of the character (200), and a switching determination unit (232) that determines switching of the movement of the character (200) by the movement control unit (231) between a three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and a movement in a predetermined surface (211) provided in the virtual three-dimensional space. The movement control unit (231) determines a speed of the character (200) after the switching on the basis of a speed of the character (200) before the switching when the switching is performed between the three-dimensional movement in the virtual three-dimensional space and the movement in the predetermined surface (211).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Wataru TANAKA, Kenta MOTOKURA
  • Patent number: 10071313
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a novel game apparatus on which a plurality of characters are controlled in a virtual space. An example game apparatus 10 executing a game in which each of a plurality of players controls his/her plurality of characters in a virtual space includes a first input unit 11 and a second input unit 12 for receiving a command from a first player and a second player respectively, and an information processing unit 14 causing the characters controlled by the first player to act according to a first player's command and causing the characters controlled by the second player to act according to a second player's command, wherein the plurality of characters controlled by the first player are on an equality with each other and the plurality of characters controlled by the second player are on an equality with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Motokura, Katsuyasu Ando
  • Publication number: 20180036642
    Abstract: A game system includes a stick for being tilted in a direction in which a player character moves in a virtual space and for being pressed for an operation of a virtual camera in the virtual space, and a CPU for moving the player character in the virtual space on the basis of tilt, moving the virtual camera in a first control method when the stick is not pressed but tilted, and moving the virtual camera in a second control method on the basis of tilt when the stick is tilted and pressed at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Wataru TANAKA, Kenta MOTOKURA
  • Patent number: 9616342
    Abstract: An example video game system includes user controls and memory for storing a video game program. A processing system including at least one processor executes the video game program to provide a three-dimensional (3D) virtual game world including a player character. The processing system periodically stores in the memory ghost data for the player character as the player character moves in the 3D virtual game world, based on inputs to the user controls, during a first game play session. The processing system generates a ghost character during a second game play session whose movement in the 3D virtual game world is based on the ghost data stored in the memory. The ghost character appears in the second game play session at a time subsequent to the beginning of the second game play session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenta Motokura, Tatsuro Ota, Yusuke Kitazono
  • Patent number: 9349349
    Abstract: An example apparatus, which includes a predetermined input device for outputting operational data indicating operational inputs entered by a player and a display unit that displays predetermined characters in a virtual space, moves a first character in the virtual space based on the operational data, moves a second character in the virtual space based on automatic operating data which is a set of operational data for continuously moving a character, determines whether the first character satisfies a predetermined condition or not, and moves the second character from a state in which the second character satisfies the predetermined condition based on the automatic operating data in response to the first character satisfying the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Motokura, Koichi Hayashida, Yusuke Kitazono
  • Publication number: 20150336006
    Abstract: An example video game system includes user controls and memory for storing a video game program. A processing system including at least one processor executes the video game program to provide a three-dimensional (3D) virtual game world including a player character. The processing system periodically stores in the memory ghost data for the player character as the player character moves in the 3D virtual game world, based on inputs to the user controls, during a first game play session. The processing system generates a ghost character during a second game play session whose movement in the 3D virtual game world is based on the ghost data stored in the memory. The ghost character appears in the second game play session at a time subsequent to the beginning of the second game play session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenta MOTOKURA, Tatsuro OTA, Yusuke KITAZONO
  • Patent number: 9072971
    Abstract: One embodiment of a present invention causes a computer to execute controlling a position of an object in the virtual space, determining an area where the object is positioned from among a plurality of areas set in the virtual space, setting a stereoscopic parameter which is used for rendering a stereoscopic image according to the determined area, generating a stereoscopic image including the object based on the set stereoscopic parameter, and displaying the generated stereoscopic image on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Hayashida, Hideyuki Sugawara, Kenta Motokura, Kiyoshi Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20150080122
    Abstract: There is provided a game apparatus capable of providing enhanced player controllability of characters in a game where a plurality of characters are controlled in a virtual space. An example game apparatus 10 that executes a game where a plurality of characters in a virtual space are controlled includes an input unit 11 for receiving a command from a player and an information processing unit 14 moving a plurality of characters according to the command from the player and on the basis of a relative positional relation between the plurality of characters in the virtual space. When the plurality of characters are not in a predetermined relative positional relation, the plurality of characters are moved according to the command from the player so as to bring the plurality of characters into a fixed positional relation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta MOTOKURA, Katsuyasu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20150080123
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a novel game apparatus on which a plurality of characters are controlled in a virtual space. An example game apparatus 10 executing a game in which each of a plurality of players controls his/her plurality of characters in a virtual space includes a first input unit 11 and a second input unit 12 for receiving a command from a first player and a second player respectively, and an information processing unit 14 causing the characters controlled by the first player to act according to a first player's command and causing the characters controlled by the second player to act according to a second player's command, wherein the plurality of characters controlled by the first player are on an equality with each other and the plurality of characters controlled by the second player are on an equality with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenta MOTOKURA, Katsuyasu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20140292640
    Abstract: An example apparatus, which includes a predetermined input device for outputting operational data indicating operational inputs entered by a player and a display unit that displays predetermined characters in a virtual space, moves a first character in the virtual space based on the operational data, moves a second character in the virtual space based on automatic operating data which is a set of operational data for continuously moving a character, determines whether the first character satisfies a predetermined condition or not, and moves the second character from a state in which the second character satisfies the predetermined condition based on the automatic operating data in response to the first character satisfying the predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta MOTOKURA, Koichi HAYASHIDA, Yusuke KITAZONO