Game system, game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game data exchange method

• US 10,507,384 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shoya, Kuwahara, Masato, Oe, Toru, Yoshioka, Teruyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar A
• Application Number:
  US15/842,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20180104575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

A game system including a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, and a mobile game apparatus that can communicate with another game apparatus that exists within a communicable range by use of a radio communications unit. When a communicated state is established, exchanging conditions for exchanging game data are received and transmitted, and in a case the exchange conditions are coincident with each other, the game data are exchanged.

Claims

1. A method for performing wireless radio communication, the method comprising:

alternately repeating the functioning of an apparatus in a first mode and in a second mode,

wherein the first mode includes the apparatus broadcasting data capable of being received by other apparatuses functioning in the second mode;

wherein in the second mode, broadcasted data from other apparatuses functioning in the first mode is receivable by the apparatus; and

wherein the length of the period in which the apparatus functions in the first mode and/or the length of the period in which the apparatus functions in the second mode is/are determined at random.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the length of the period in which the apparatus functions in the first mode and/or the period in which the apparatus functions in the second mode is/are determined at random once per cycle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second modes is performed for a fixed length of time, and the other of the first and second modes is performed for a random length of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each alternation between the first and second modes is automatic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination(s) of the length(s) of the period(s) is/are made independently of other apparatuses.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mode includes the apparatus sending responding data in response to reception of broadcasted data, to another apparatus that sent the received broadcasted data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising after finding another apparatus by broadcasting data in the first mode or receiving broadcasted data in the second mode, establishing a connection with the found apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein data is intermittently broadcasted plural times by the apparatus during at least one repetition of the first mode.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

at least one processor configured to cooperate with the wireless transceiver and cause the apparatus to at least alternately repeat functioning in a first mode and in a second mode,

wherein the first mode is configured to cause the apparatus to at least broadcast data capable of being received by other apparatuses functioning in the second mode;

wherein in the second mode, broadcasted data from other apparatuses functioning in the first mode is receivable by the apparatus; and

wherein the length of the period in which the apparatus is caused to function in the first mode and/or the length of the period in which the apparatus is caused to function in the second mode is/are determined at random.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the length of the period in which the apparatus is caused to function in the first mode and/or the period in which the apparatus is caused to function in the second mode is/are determined at random once per cycle.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein one of the first and second modes is performable for a fixed length of time, and the other of the first and second modes is performable for a random length of time.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to make each alternation between the first and second modes automatically.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is configured to make the determination(s) of the length(s) of the period(s) independently of other apparatuses.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second mode is further configured to cause the apparatus to at least send responding data in response to reception of broadcasted data, to another apparatus that sent the received broadcasted data.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to, after finding another apparatus by broadcasting data in the first mode or receiving broadcasted data in the second mode, establish a connection with the found apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first mode is further configured to cause data to be intermittently broadcasted plural times by the apparatus during at least one of its repetitions.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing instructions for use with an apparatus including a processor and a transceiver configured to perform wireless radio communication, the instructions being executable in connection with the apparatus to provide functionality including at least:

alternately repeating the functioning of an apparatus in a first mode and in a second mode,

wherein the first mode includes the apparatus broadcasting data capable of being received by other apparatuses functioning in the second mode;

wherein in the second mode, broadcasted data from other apparatuses functioning in the first mode is receivable by the apparatus; and

wherein the length of the period in which the apparatus functions in the first mode and/or the length of the period in which the apparatus functions in the second mode is/are determined at random.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the length of the period in which the apparatus functions in the first mode and/or the period in which the apparatus functions in the second mode is/are determined at random once per cycle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein one of the first and second modes is performed for a fixed length of time, and the other of the first and second modes is performed for a random length of time.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein each alternation between the first and second modes is automatic.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the determination(s) of the length(s) of the period(s) is/are made independently of other apparatuses.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the second mode includes the apparatus sending responding data in response to reception of broadcasted data, to another apparatus that sent the received broadcasted data.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to provide functionality including after finding another apparatus by broadcasting data in the first mode or receiving broadcasted data in the second mode, establishing a connection with the found apparatus.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein data is intermittently broadcasted plural times by the apparatus during at least one repetition of the first mode.