Patents by Inventor Masahide Kawakami

Masahide Kawakami 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: 7119817
    Abstract: There are provided an image generating system and program which can generate an image of an object variable in its state depending on an impacted position, in real-time with less amount of data and reduced load in computation. The image generating system generates an image of an aggregate object formed by a plurality of part objects. The image generating system comprises: an object determination section (120) which determines part objects within a predetermined area in the aggregate object as objects to be changed in display form when an impact is applied to the aggregate object and the impacted position is included within the predetermined area; and an image generation section (160) which changes at least one of shape, color, position, rotation angle, direction, moving direction and moving speed of the part objects determined as objects to be changed and generates an image. The aggregate object may be formed by assembling a plurality of part objects having different shapes without any gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
    Inventor: Masahide Kawakami
  • Patent number: 6967650
    Abstract: Am image generating system and program which can generate an image in which the change of state in an object propagate with less amount of data and reduced load in computation is provided. The image generating system generates an aggregate object (600) which is formed by a plurality of elemental objects. Each of the elemental objects (610-1 to 610-9) has means (620-1 to 620-9) for holding its own state in its own state buffer (622-1 to 622-9), means (640-1 to 640-9) for monitoring the other elemental objects belonging to the same aggregate object, and means (650-1 to 650-9) for changing the state of that elemental object when the states of the other elemental objects having a predetermined relationship relative to the elemental object are changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Namco Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohito Hanai, Masahide Kawakami
  • Patent number: 6614436
    Abstract: An image generation device and information storage medium that make it possible to increase the realism and degree of variety of the motion of a target object. When a shot has hit a target object within an object space, the motion of the target object varies with the direction of the trajectory of the shot that hit the target object. If a plurality of players are playing the game, the motion of the target object varies depending upon which player's shot has hit the target object. The system determines which of a plurality of angular ranges contains the angle between the direction of the shot trajectory and the direction in which the target object is facing, and plays motion data that has been set for the angular range that contains that angle. The orientation of the target object is corrected on the basis of this angle. Images as seen from first and second viewpoints are generated and output to first and second display screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Namco Ltd
    Inventors: Masahide Kawakami, Takashi Satsukawa
  • Patent number: 6501478
    Abstract: An image generation device and information storage medium that make it possible to increase the realism and degree of variety of the motion of a target object. When a shot has hit a target object within an object space, the motion of the target object varies with the direction of the trajectory of the shot that hit the target object. If a plurality of players are playing the game, the motion of the target object varies depending upon which player's shot has hit the target object. The system determines which of a plurality of angular ranges contains the angle between the direction of the shot trajectory and the direction in which the target object is facing, and plays motion data that has been set for the angular range that contains that angle. The orientation of the target object is corrected on the basis of this angle. Images as seen from first and second viewpoints are generated and output to first and second display screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Namco Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Kawakami, Takashi Satsukawa
  • Publication number: 20020190981
    Abstract: An image generation device and information storage medium that make it possible to increase the realism and degree of variety of the motion of a target object. When a shot has hit a target object within an object space, the motion of the target object varies with the direction of the trajectory of the shot that hit the target object. If a plurality of players are playing the game, the motion of the target object varies depending upon which player's shot has hit the target object. The system determines which of a plurality of angular ranges contains the angle between the direction of the shot trajectory and the direction in which the target object is facing, and plays motion data that has been set for the angular range that contains that angle. The orientation of the target object is corrected on the basis of this angle. Images as seen from first and second viewpoints are generated and output to first and second display screens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: NAMCO LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide Kawakami, Takashi Satsukawa
  • Patent number: 6379249
    Abstract: An image generation device and an information storage medium that make it possible to increase the virtual realism and dramatic effect of a shooting, game in an efficient manner. A plurality of objects such as target objects are set within an object space, and a hit check is performed on shots from 1P and 2P players and the target objects. First and second viewpoints for the 1P and 2P players are controlled and images as seen from those first and second viewpoints are output to first and second display screens, respectively. Although the viewpoints of the 1P and 2P players are the same in the prior art, they can be made different in this game. The first and second viewpoints move along first and second movement paths, and the first and second viewpoints are controlled in such a manner that the first and second movement paths diverge when a given circumstance occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Namco Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Satsukawa, Naohito Hanai, Masahide Kawakami, Atsushi Hayashi