Video game distribution network

• US 20020045484A1
• Filed: 09/18/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kamada, Hiroshi, Elliott, Scott, McCarten, David, Link, Patrick, Eck, Charles P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,884,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/20 characterised by details of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/60 Methods for processing data by generating or executing the game program
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 : where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD

Abstract

A video game distribution network for use in airlines, trains, hotels, cruise ships, set top boxes, cable television systems, satellite and other wireless systems or other communications systems, distributes special purpose game binary image files to general purpose computing/display devices. Software emulators running on the general purpose computing/display devices model the game source platform and interpret and/or compile the game files to provide interactive video game play. Software emulators for emulating a handheld video game platform such as GAME BOY®, GAME BOY COLOR® and/or GAME BOY ADVANCE® on a low-capability target platform (e.g., a seat-back display for airline or train use, a personal digital assistant, a cell phone) may provide any number of features and optimizations to provide high quality graphics and sound that nearly duplicates the game playing experience on the native platform.

Claims

16. A vehicle-based video game distribution network comprising:

at least one server disposed on a vehicle, said server storing a video game library comprising plural video game files;

at least one user device disposed on said vehicle and connected to said server, said user device including a display, a user input interface, an audio playback transducer, and a processor; and

emulation software executable on said user device processor, said emulation software emulating at least some of hardware functionality of at least one dedicated video game platform,

wherein said server selectively downloads selected game files from said video game library to said user device for interoperation with said emulation software.