Patents by Inventor Yoji Inagaki

Yoji Inagaki 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: 9270245
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus generates a signal of a first sound to be output to a first output device, and a signal of a second sound which is a sound to be output to a second output device and whose content is different from that of the first sound. The second output device is capable of setting a volume, and outputs a sound based on the signal of the second sound at a set volume. In addition, the second output device notifies an information processing apparatus of information about the set volume. When the set volume is small, the information processing apparatus generates the signal of the first sound so that at least a part of sounds included in the second sound is included in the first sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoji Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20140105421
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus generates a signal of a first sound to be output to a first output device, and a signal of a second sound which is a sound to be output to a second output device and whose content is different from that of the first sound. The second output device is capable of setting a volume, and outputs a sound based on the signal of the second sound at a set volume. In addition, the second output device notifies an information processing apparatus of information about the set volume. When the set volume is small, the information processing apparatus generates the signal of the first sound so that at least a part of sounds included in the second sound is included in the first sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoji INAGAKI
  • Patent number: 8447605
    Abstract: A game apparatus includes a CPU core for creating an input envelope and a registered envelope. The input envelope has a plurality of envelope values detected from a voice waveform input in real time through a microphone. The registered envelope has a plurality of envelope values detected from a voice waveform previously input. Both of the input envelope and the registered envelope are stored in a RAM. The CPU core evaluates difference of the envelope values between the input envelope and the registered envelope. When an evaluated value satisfies a condition, the CPU core executes a process according to a command assigned to the registered envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoji Inagaki
  • Patent number: 7890199
    Abstract: A sound output control apparatus includes a controller for a user to perform a stroke operation. The controller is provided with an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations of two axes, for example. The sum of the accelerations is calculated, and the output of a sound is controlled in accordance with a change in the sum of the accelerations. More specifically, when the sum of the accelerations exceeds each of threshold values associated with strings of a string instrument such as a guitar, a sound corresponding to the threshold value is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoji Inagaki
  • Patent number: 7571103
    Abstract: A command processing apparatus includes an LCD. A manual trick action instruction to a dog object displayed on the LCD is accepted through a touch panel. The dog object performs a trick according to the accepted trick action instruction. An arbitrary voice command is fetched by a microphone in relation to the trick action. A voice command being coincident with the fetched voice command is retrieved from among the registered voices in a RAM through a voice verification process by a CPU core. When the verification process fails, a verification result indicates “?1”. The fetched voice command is assigned to the current trick. On the other hand, if the voice command found by the verification process is the voice command that is assigned to the current trick, a degree of relation corresponding to the trick is incremented. The dog object performs a different action depending on the degree of relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Mizuki, Yoji Inagaki, Yoshitaka Ajioka
  • Publication number: 20070255434
    Abstract: A sound output control apparatus includes a controller for a user to perform a stroke operation. The controller is provided with an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations of two axes, for example. The sum of the accelerations is calculated, and the output of a sound is controlled in accordance with a change in the sum of the accelerations. More specifically, when the sum of the accelerations exceeds each of threshold values associated with strings of a string instrument such as a guitar, a sound corresponding to the threshold value is output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoji Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20060217986
    Abstract: A command processing apparatus includes an LCD. A manual trick action instruction to a dog object displayed on the LCD is accepted through a touch panel. The dog object performs a trick according to the accepted trick action instruction. An arbitrary voice command is fetched by a microphone in relation to the trick action. A voice command being coincident with the fetched voice command is retrieved from among the registered voices in a RAM through a voice verification process by a CPU core. When the verification process fails, a verification result indicates “?1”. The fetched voice command is assigned to the current trick. On the other hand, if the voice command found by the verification process is the voice command that is assigned to the current trick, a degree of relation corresponding to the trick is incremented. The dog object performs a different action depending on the degree of relation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Mizuki, Yoji Inagaki, Yoshitaka Ajioka
  • Publication number: 20050273323
    Abstract: A game apparatus includes a CPU core for creating an input envelope and a registered envelope. The input envelope has a plurality of envelope values detected from a voice waveform input in real time through a microphone. The registered envelope has a plurality of envelope values detected from a voice waveform previously input. Both of the input envelope and the registered envelope are stored in a RAM. The CPU core evaluates difference of the envelope values between the input envelope and the registered envelope. When an evaluated value satisfies a condition, the CPU core executes a process according to a command assigned to the registered envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoji Inagaki
  • Patent number: 6908386
    Abstract: Character data including an image generation program, image data, a sound program, and sound data, which are previously determined for each of characters used in a game, is stored in a game device 10. A controller 12 having a built-in tilt sensor 12c is connected to the game device, and operated by a player performing a tilt operation. The image generation program and the sound program concurrently process the image data and the sound data, respectively, using the same tilt data output from the tilt sensor. As a result, an image and sound of the character are concurrently changed in accordance with the tilt operation of the controller. Thus, it is possible to provide the game device enhancing the realism and the staging effects of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Suzuki, Kazumi Totaka, Yoji Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20030216179
    Abstract: Character data including an image generation program, image data, a sound program, and sound data, which are previously determined for each of characters used in a game, is stored in a game device 10. A controller 12 having a built-in tilt sensor 12c is connected to the game device, and operated by a player performing a tilt operation. The image generation program and the sound program concurrently process the image data and the sound data, respectively, using the same tilt data output from the tilt sensor. As a result, an image and sound of the character are concurrently changed in accordance with the tilt operation of the controller. Thus, it is possible to provide the game device enhancing the realism and the staging effects of the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Toshiaki Suzuki, Kazumi Totaka, Yoji Inagaki
  • Patent number: 6485369
    Abstract: A video game apparatus includes an external ROM. This external ROM has a sound memory area storing sound sequence data. The sound sequence data includes a plurality of block sequences for each of three status of “move”, “fight” and “stop” of a player object. A CPU detects a status of the player object according to a mode flag, and read a block sequence to a RAM in compliance with the status detected. It is possible to output a series of game melodies in a manner matching the status of the player object by the repetition of using the plurality of block sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Kondo, Yoji Inagaki, Hideaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6464585
    Abstract: When any of push-button switches on a handheld controller is pressed in a sound input mode, a video game machine generates and temporarily stores frequency data of a tone corresponding to the depressed switch. When a joystick on the controller is tilted to a predetermined direction, the video game machine changes the generated frequency data according to the amount of tilt of the joystick. It is therefore possible to input various sounds in tone using a limited number of switches. The frequency data stored in the video game machine is read later to be converted into audio signals, and outputted from a speaker incorporated in a CRT display. When a melody based on the inputted sound coincides with a predetermined melody set, the video game machine makes various changes in the progress of the game. For example, a hero character can be warped to a position that is different from the present position, or provided with various items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Miyamoto, Yoichi Yamada, Eiji Onozuka, Koji Kondo, Yoji Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kihara
  • Publication number: 20010046895
    Abstract: A video game apparatus includes an external ROM. This external ROM has a sound memory area storing sound sequence data. The sound sequence data includes a plurality of block sequences for each of three status of “move”, “fight” and “stop” of a player object. A CPU detects a status of the player object according to a mode flag, and read a block sequence to a RAM in compliance with the status detected. It is possible to output a series of game melodies in a manner matching the status of the player object by the repetition of using the plurality of block sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Kondo, Yoji Inagaki, Hideaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6280329
    Abstract: A video game apparatus includes an external ROM. This external ROM has a sound memory area memorized with sound sequence data. The sound sequence data includes a plurality of block sequences for each of three status of “move”, “fight” and “stop” of a player object. A CPU detects a status of the player object according to a mode flag, and read to a RAM a block sequence in compliance with the status detected. It is possible to output a series of game melodies in a manner matched to the status of the player object by the repetition of using the plurality of block sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Kondo, Yoji Inagaki, Hideaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: D699780
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Fumihiko Miura, Yoji Inagaki
  • Patent number: D711964
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Yoji Inagaki, Toshiaki Inoue
  • Patent number: D726247
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventor: Yoji Inagaki
  • Patent number: D740237
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: ROLAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoji Inagaki, Hirofumi Muramatsu
  • Patent number: D772334
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nishi, Yoji Inagaki
  • Patent number: D805126
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Yoji Inagaki, Fumihiko Miura, Hidemasa Togai, Akihiro Nagata