Game information storage medium and game system using the same

• US 20010031665A1
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Murakawa, Teruki, Akasaka, Hideya, Taho, Sagahiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,955,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/207 for accessing game resources from local storage, e.g. streaming content from DVD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface

Abstract

A game information storage medium is removably connected to a first game machine having a first architecture, and includes a game program for a second game machine having a second architecture, an emulator program for converting the second architecture into an architecture compatible with the first architecture, and a game selection program. When the game information storage medium is started-up on the first game machine, by executing the game selection program, the first game machine displays a game title to be selected by a player, and executes a game program of the selected game title by using the emulator program.

Claims

1. A game information storage medium utilized for a first game machine having a first architecture, comprising:

at least one game program for a second game machine having a second architecture different from the first architecture of the first game machine;

at least one emulator program which emulates the second game machine in the first game machine to thereby render the game program executable on the first game machine; and

a game selection program for displaying information indicative of a game title of the game program to be selected by a player, whereby when the game information storage medium is utilized on the first game machine, the game selection program is executed to permit a player to select a game title, and the game program corresponding to the selected game title is executed using the emulator program.

2. A game information storage medium according to

claim 1

, wherein the game program includes at least two game programs, and

the game selection program displays game titles of the at least two game programs so as to cause the player to select any one of the game titles.

3. A game information storage medium according to

claim 1

, further comprising at least one game program for the first game machine, wherein

the game selection program displays information indicative of the game titles of the game program for first game machine and the game program for second game machine so as to prompt a player to select any one of the game titles, and when a game title selected by the player is of the game program for first game machine, the game program for first game machine is directly executed, and when the game title selected by the player is of the game program for second game machine, the game program for second game machine is executed based on the emulation program.

4. A game information storage medium according to

claim 2

, wherein the emulator program includes at least two emulator programs which emulate at least two kinds of second game machines having architectures different from each other, and

the game selection program starts execution of a game program for the second game machine of the selected game title based on the emulator program corresponding to the game program for second game machine.

5. A game information storage medium according to

claim 2

, wherein the emulator program includes at least two emulator programs which emulate the second game machine in at least two kinds of first game machines having architectures different from each other, and

the game selection program includes a program for starting execution of the game program for the second game machine based on the emulation program corresponding to a kind of the first game machine.

6. A game information storage medium according to

claim 1

, wherein the second game machine has a lesser processing capability than the first game machine.

7. A game information storage medium according to

claim 1

, further including a preliminary program for outputting preliminary information indicative of an outline of a game according to the game program, wherein

when a game title is provisionally selected, the game selection program executes the preliminary program associated with the provisionally-selected game title so as to output the preliminary information, and when the game title is formally selected, the game selection program starts execution of the game program of the formally-selected game title and execution of the emulator program which causes the game program to be executed in the first game machine.

8. A game information storage medium according to

claim 1

, further including graphics data of a plurality of kinds of characters usable in a game;

a character display/selection program which displays the respective characters prior to the execution of the game program so as to prompt a player to select a desired character out of the displayed characters; and

a data replacement program which replaces the graphics data read-out by the emulator program with the graphics data of the character that has been selected by the player.

9. A game information storage medium used in a first game machine which includes a first processing system for processing a program stored in the game information storage medium, a writable/readable memory and a controller operated by a player for utilizing a game program for a second game machine which includes a second processing system having an architecture different from an architecture of the first processing system in the first game machine, comprising:

at least one game program for the second game machine;

at least one emulator program which includes a program for converting the architecture of the second processing system into the architecture of the first processing system such that the first processing system can process the game program for the second game machine; and

a game selection program for displaying information indicative of a game title to be selected by the player in starting the medium, wherein

the emulator program and at least a portion of the game program of the game title selected by the player are accessed when the player selects the information indicative of a game title of the game program for the second game machine.

10. A game information storage medium according to

claim 9

, wherein the emulator program includes a program which sets a virtual register corresponding to a register included in the second processing system in a storage area of the writable/readable memory and calculates data to be generated by the second processing system by utilizing the virtual register in response to an instruction in the game program for the second game machine.

11. A game information storage medium according to

claim 9

, wherein the first processing system includes a first graphics processor for performing graphics processing for displaying an image by the first game machine based on the game program for the first game machine, and a first operation processor for performing processing operations other than the graphics processing, and

the second processing system includes a second graphics processor for performing graphics processing for displaying an image by the second game machine based on the game program for the second game machine, and a second operation processor for performing processing operations other than the graphics processing, and wherein

the emulator program includes

a graphics processing emulator program for causing the first processing system to emulate a function of a second graphics processor provided in the second game machine, and

an operation processing emulator program for causing the first processing system to emulate a function of the second processing system provided in the second game machine.

12. A game information storage medium according to

claim 9

, wherein the game program includes game programs for at least two kinds of the second game machines having architectures different from each other and the architecture of the first game machine, and wherein

the emulator program includes a program for converting each of the game programs for different kinds of second game machines into the architecture of the first game machine, and

the game selection program includes information necessary for selecting the emulator program for executing the game program of the selected game title when information indicative of a desired game title is selected by the player.

13. A game information storage medium according to

claim 9

, further including a preliminary program for outputting preliminary information indicative of an outline of a game according to the game program, wherein

when a game title is provisionally selected, the game selection program executes the preliminary program associated with the provisionally-selected game title so as to output the preliminary information, and when the game title is formally selected, the game selection program starts execution of the game program of the formally-selected game title and execution of the emulator program which causes the game program to be executed in the first game machine.

14. A game information storage medium according to

claim 9

, further comprising:

graphics data of a plurality of kinds of characters usable in a game;

a character display/selection program which displays the respective characters prior to the execution of the game program so as to prompt a player to select a desired character out of the displayed characters; and

a data replacement program which replaces the graphics data read-out by the emulator program with the graphics data of the character that has been selected by the player.

15. A game information storage medium according to

claim 9

, wherein the second game machine has a lesser processing capability than that of the first game machine.

16. A game system for providing in a first game machine having a first architecture which executes a program stored in a game information storage medium for playing a game for a second game machine having a second architecture different from the first architecture of the first game machine, wherein

said game information storage medium includes

at least one game program for the second game machine;

at least one emulator program which enables the game program to be executed by emulating the second game machine in the first game machine; and

a game selection program which displays information indicative of at least one game title of the game program to be selected by a player, and

said first game machine includes

a game selection program executing processor for executing the game selection program to display information indicative of the game title on a display for prompting the player to select the game title, and start execution of the game program of the selected game title based on the emulator program, and

wherein the game program execution is started based on the emulator program when the game program of a game title selected by the player is the game program for the second game machine.

17. A game system according to

claim 16

, wherein the emulator program includes at least two emulator programs which emulate at least two kinds of second game machines having architectures different from each other,

the game selection program starts execution of a game program for the second game machine of the selected game title based on the emulator program corresponding to the game program for second game machine.

18. A game system according to

claim 17

, wherein the emulator program includes at least two emulator programs which emulate the second game machine in at least two kinds of first game machines having architectures different from each other, and

the game selection program includes a program for starting execution of the game program for second game machine based on the emulation program corresponding to a kind of the first game machine.

19. A game system according to

claim 16

, wherein the second game machine has a lesser processing capability than that of the first game machine.

20. A game system comprising:

a first game machine including a first processing system which processes a program stored in a game information storage medium, a writable/readable memory, and a controller operated by a player to play a game program for a second game machine including a second processing system having an architecture different from an architecture of the first processing system, wherein

said game information storage medium includes

at least one game program for the second game machine;

at least one emulator program which includes a program for converting the architecture of the second processing system into the architecture of the first processing system such that the first processing system can process the game program for the second game machine; and

a game selection program for displaying information indicative of a game title to be selected by the player, and wherein

said first processing system includes

first reading circuitry for reading the game selection program and storing the same in the writable/readable memory;

a game program executing processor for displaying information indicative of the game title stored in the game information storage medium based on the game selection program;

second reading circuitry for reading the emulator program and at least a portion of the game program of the game title selected by the player and for transferring the same to the writable/readable memory when the player selects the game title; and

wherein said game program executing processor is operable for executing the game program stored in the writable/readable memory while referring to the emulator program to process the game program for the second game machine of the selected game title.

21. A game information storage medium utilized for a first game machine having a first architecture, comprising:

at least one game program for the first game machine;

at least one game program for a second game machine having a second architecture different from the first architecture of the first game machine;

at least one emulator program which emulates the second game machine in the first game machine to thereby allow the game program to be executed in the first game machine; and

a game selection program for displaying information indicative of a game title of the game program to be selected by a player, wherein

when the game information storage medium is accessed during the execution of the game selection program by the first game machine to display the information indicative of the game titles of the game program for first game machine and the game program for second game machine, and when the game title selected by the player is a game program for first game machine, execution of the game program for first game machine is started, and when the game title selected by the player is of the game program for second game machine, execution of the game program for second game machine is started based on the emulate program.

26. A game information storage medium according to

claim 21

, further comprising a preliminary program for outputting preliminary information indicative of an outline of a game according to the game program, wherein

when the game title is provisionally selected, the game selection program executes the preliminary program associated with the provisionally-selected game title so as to output the preliminary information, and when the game title is formally selected, the game selection program starts execution of the game program of the formally-selected game title.

27. A game information storage medium according to

claim 21

, further comprising:

graphics data of a plurality of kinds of characters usable in a game;

a character display/selection program which displays the respective characters prior to the execution of the game program so as to cause the player to select a desired character out of the displayed characters; and

a data replacement program which replaces the graphic data read-out by the emulator program with the graphic data of the character that has been selected by the player.

22. A game information storage medium used in a first game machine which includes a first processing system for processing a program stored in the game information storage medium, a writable/readable memory and a controller operated by a player so as to utilize a game program for a second game machine which includes a second processing system having an architecture different from an architecture of the first processing system in the first game machine comprising:

at least one game program for the first game machine;

at least one game program for the second game machine;

at least one emulator program which includes a program for converting the architecture of the second processing system into an architecture compatible with the first processing system such that the first processing system can process the game program for the second game machine; and

a game selection program for displaying information indicative of a game title to be selected by the player, wherein

when the player selects information indicative of the game title of the game program for the first game machine, at least a portion of the game program of that game title is read-out, and when the player selects the game title of the game program for the second game machine, the emulator program and at least a portion of the game program of the game title selected by the player are read-out.

23. A game information storage medium according to

claim 22

, wherein the emulator program includes a program which sets a virtual register corresponding to a register included in the second processing system in a storage area of the writable/readable memory and calculates data to be generated by the second processing system by utilizing the virtual register in response to an instruction by the game program for the second game machine, whereby the first processing system indirectly executes said data as an instruction of the game program for the first game machine.

24. A game information storage medium according to

claim 22

, wherein the first processing system includes a first graphics processor for performing processing for displaying an image by the first game machine based on the game program for the first game machine, and a first operations processor for performing processing operations other than the graphics processing, and

the second processing system includes a second graphics processor for performing processing for displaying an image by the second game machine based on the game program for the second game machine, and a second operations processor for performing processing operations other than the graphics processing, and

the emulator program includes

a graphics processing emulator program for causing the first processing system to emulate a function of a second graphics processor provided in the second game machine, and

an operation processing emulator program for causing the first processing system to emulate a function of the second processing system provided in the second game machine.

25. A game information storage medium according to

claim 22

, wherein the game program includes game programs for at least two kinds of the second game machines having architectures different from each other and the architecture of the first game machine, and

the emulator program includes a program for converting each of the game programs for different kinds of second game machines into the architecture of the first game machine, and

the game selection program includes information necessary for selecting the emulator program for executing the game program of the selected game title when the desired game title is selected by the player.

28. A game system comprising:

a first game machine having a first architecture which executes a program stored in a game information storage medium for playing a game for a second game machine having a second architecture different from the first architecture of the first game machine, wherein

said game information storage medium includes

at lease one game program for the first game machine;

at least one game program for the second game machine;

at least one emulator program which allows the game program possible to be executed by emulating the second game machine in the first game machine; and

a game selection program which displays information indicative of at least one game title of the game programs to be selected by a player, and

when the first game machine executes the game selection program to display the information indicative of a game title on a display for prompting the player to select the game title, and when the game title selected by the player is a game program for the second game machine, the first game machine starts the execution of that program based on the emulator program, and when the game title selected by the player is of the game program for the first game machine, the first game machine directly starts the execution of that game program.

29. A game system comprising:

a first game machine including a first processing system processing a game program, a writable/readable memory and a controller operated by a player for playing a game program for a second game machine including a second processing system having an architecture different from an architecture of the first processing system and a lesser processing capability than the processing capability of the first game machine, wherein

a game information storage medium used for the first game machine includes

a game program for the first game machine;

at least one game program for the second game machine;

at least one emulator program which includes a program for converting the architecture of the second processing system into an architecture compatible with the first processing system such that the first processing system can process the game program for the second game machine; and

a game selection program for displaying information indicative of a game title to be selected by the player, and

the first processing system reads the game selection program to write the same into the writable/readable memory, displays a list of the game programs stored in the game information storage medium on a display screen based on the game selection program, and when the game program for the first game machine is selected by the player, after reading of at least a portion of that game program for the first game machine and transferring of the same to the writable/readable memory, executes the game program for the first game machine, and when the game program for the second game machine is selected by the player, after reading of the emulator program and at least a portion of that game program for the second game machine and transferring the same to the writable/readable memory, processes the game program for the second game machine stored in the writable/readable memory while referring to the emulator program stored in the memory.

30. A method for operating a video game system having a game information storage medium utilized for a first game machine having a first architecture, comprising the steps of:

storing in the game information storage medium at least one game program for a second game machine having a second architecture different from the first architecture of the first game machine;

storing in the game information storage medium at least one emulator program which emulates the second game machine in the first game machine to thereby render the game program executable on the first game machine; and

displaying information indicative of a game title of the game program to be selected by a player; and

executing a selected game program using the emulator program

31. A method according to

claim 30

, wherein the game program includes at least two game programs, and further including the step of displaying game titles of the at least two game programs so as to cause the player to select any one of the game titles.

32. A method according to

claim 30

, further comprising the steps of displaying information indicative of the game titles of the game program for the first game machine and the game program for second game machine so as to prompt a player to select any one of the game titles, and directly executing a game program when the game title selected by the player is of the game program for first game machine, executing the game based on the emulation program when the game title selected by the player is of the game program for second game machine.

33. A method according to

claim 31

, wherein the emulator program includes at least two emulator programs which emulate at least two kinds of second game machines having architectures different from each other, and

starting the execution of a game program for the second game machine of the selected game title based on the emulator program corresponding to the game program for second game machine.

34. A method according to

claim 31

, wherein the emulator program includes at least two emulator programs which emulate the second game machine in at least two kinds of first game machines having architectures different from each other, and

starting the execution of the game program for the second game machine based on the emulation program corresponding to a kind of the first game machine.

35. A method according to

claim 30

, further including the steps of outputting preliminary information indicative of an outline of a game according to the game program, and executing a preliminary program associated with the provisionally-selected game title so as to output the preliminary information, and starting the execution of a formally selected game title when the game title is formally selected.

36. A method according to

claim 30

, wherein graphics data of a plurality of kinds of characters usable in a game, further including the steps of:

displaying the respective characters prior to the execution of the game program so as to prompt a player to select a desired character out of the displayed characters; and

replacing the graphics data read-out by the emulator program with the graphics data of the character that has been selected by the player.