Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method, and recording medium

• US 10,118,096 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambarella Incorporated, Nintendo Company Limited, Pokemon
• Original Assignee: Ambarella Incorporated, Nintendo Company Limited, Pokemon
• Inventors: Momose, Hiroshi, Ando, Kaori, Araki, Hideaki, Ito, Takayuki, Taga, Nayuta, Hatta, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/257,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 463 43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges

Abstract

An example system includes a contactless communication part that performs contactless communication with a data storage medium having a contactless communication function; a data writing part that writes data to the data storage medium by the contactless communication part; a storage part that stores the data written by the data writing part; and a data determination part that determines whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage part have a predetermined relationship with each other or not. When the data determination part determines that both of the data do not have the predetermined relationship with each other, the data writing part overwrites the data stored in the data storage medium with the data stored in the storage part.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

contactless communication circuitry configured to perform contactless communication with a data storage medium having a contactless communication function;

a processor configured to execute a game and write data to the data storage medium by the contactless communication circuitry; and

a storage memory configured to store the data to be written by the processor and for use in the game;

wherein

the processor is further configured to determine whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have a predetermined relationship with each other or not and to determine a presence or absence of a fraud according to the determination of whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have the predetermined relationship with each other or not,

when the processor determines that both of the data do not have the predetermined relationship with each other, the processor determines the presence of the fraud and overwrites the data stored in the data storage medium with the data stored in the storage memory; and

wherein the processor is further configured to perform the determination by regarding a case that the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory coincide with each other as the predetermined relationship.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor is further configured to generate writing identification information to identify data writing by the processor,

the storage memory is further configured to store the writing identification information generated by the processor,

the processor is further configured to write data including the generated writing identification information, to the data storage medium, and

the processor is further configured to perform the determination by at least regarding a case that the writing identification information stored in the data storage medium and the writing identification information stored in the storage memory coincide with each other as the predetermined relationship.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the writing identification information is a count value which increases every time the processor performs data writing, and

the processor is further configured to the determination by regarding a case that the count value stored in the data storage medium is not more than the count value stored in the storage memory as the predetermined relationship.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the processor is further configured to perform information processing and generate progress information related to progress of information processing performed by the processor,

wherein the storage memory is further configured to store data including progress information identification information for identifying the progress information,

the processor is further configured to write the data including the progress information identification information to the data storage medium, and

the processor is further configured to perform the determination by at least regarding a case that the writing identification information stored in the data storage medium and the writing identification information stored in the storage memory coincide with each other when the progress information identification information included in the data stored in the data storage medium and the progress information identification information included in the data stored in the storage memory coincide with each other as the predetermined relationship.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the storage memory is further configured to store the progress information including the progress information identification information, and

the processor is further configured to perform the determination by at least regarding a case that the writing identification information stored in the data storage medium and the writing identification information stored in the storage memory coincide with each other when the progress information identification information included in the data stored in the data storage medium, the progress information identification information included in the data stored in the storage memory and the progress information identification information included in the progress information stored in the storage memory coincide with one another as the predetermined relationship.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the progress information includes numerical information that increases or decreases according to the information processing, and

the processor is further configured to update the data stored in the data storage medium with a decrease of the numerical information.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the processor is further configured to read the data stored in the data storage medium by the contactless communication circuitry,

the processor is further configured to perform the information processing based on the data read by the processor and updates the data, and

the processor is further configured to write the data updated by the processor, to the data storage medium.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the processor is further configured to perform the determination when the processor performs the data reading.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the data storage medium is capable of storing a plurality of pieces of data, and

the processor is further configured to determine whether any of the pieces of data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have the predetermined relationship with each other or not.

10. A system comprising:

contactless communication circuity configured to perform contactless communication with a data storage medium having a contactless communication function;

a processing system, including at least one computer processor, configured to execute a game and write data to the data storage medium by the contactless communication circuitry; and

a storage memory configured to store the data to be written by the processing system and for use in the game;

wherein

the processing system is further configured to determine whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have a predetermined relationship with each other or not and to determine a presence or absence of a fraud according to the determination of whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have the predetermined relationship with each other or not,

when the processing system determines that both of the data do not have the predetermined relationship with each other, the processing system determines the presence of the fraud and overwrites the data stored in the data storage medium with the data stored in the storage memory; and

wherein the processing system is further configured to perform the determination by regarding a case that the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory coincide with each other as the predetermined relationship.

11. An information processing method comprising:

performing, using contactless communication circuity, contactless communication with a data storage medium having a contactless communication function and writing data to the data storage medium;

performing processing of executing a game and storing data to be written to a storage memory for use in the game;

determining, using a computer processor, whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have a predetermined relationship with each other or not;

determining a presence or absence of a fraud according to the determination of whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have the predetermined relationship with each other or not

when determining that both of the data do not have the predetermined relationship with each other, determining the presence of the fraud and overwriting the data stored in the data storage medium with the data stored in the storage memory; and

wherein the determination is performed by regarding a case that the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory coincide with each other as the predetermined relationship.

12. A non-transitory recording medium recording a computer program that causes a computer to at least provide operation comprising:

perform contactless communication, using contactless communication circuity, with a data storage medium having a contactless communication function and writes data to the data storage medium;

perform processing of executing a game and storing the data to be written and for use in the game, to a storage memory;

determine whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have a predetermined relationship with each other or not,

determine a presence or absence of a fraud according to the determination of whether the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory have the predetermined relationship with each other or not;

determine the presence of the fraud and overwrite the data stored in the data storage medium with the data stored in the storage memory when the determination is made that both of the data do not have the predetermined relationship with each other;

wherein the determination is performed by regarding a case that the data stored in the data storage medium and the data stored in the storage memory coincide with each other as the predetermined relationship.