Game machine system

• US 20020187833A1
• Filed: 07/13/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SNK Playmore Corporation
• Original Assignee: SNK Playmore Corporation
• Inventors: Nishiyama, Takashi, Matsumoto, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 7,077,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi

Abstract

A game system including a stationary game machine requiring an external power supply, such as a coin-operable business-use game machine or a home game machine, and a portable game machine having an internal power supply. Game programs for raising game characters are installed in the stationary and portable game machines. The stationary game machine has more internal resources, and its programs support higher resolution video game data. The portable game machine has a vibration sensor for receiving input during play, resulting in the raising of the character. Each of these game machines are provided with a radio data transfer means through which a game result from a memory in one of the game machines can be transferred to a memory in the other game machine. The game machine receiving the game result can use that result in subsequent processing, such as for a starting point in further play or for creating video data that can be printed on a printer. The game machine receiving the result can include a camera for generating images of a player and an image synthesizing mechanism for combining player images with character images so that the resulting synthesized image can be printed. Further game results can be passed back to the portable game machine, or to another game machine, for further game play.

Claims

1. A game machine system comprising:

a stationary game machine;

a portable game machine; and

a connector configured for transferring data between the stationary and portable game machines;

wherein said stationary game machine is configured for playing games from a first set of one or more game programs;

wherein said portable game machine is configured for playing games from a second set of one or more game programs, the second set of game programs differing from the first set of game programs;

wherein said stationary game machine is configured to receive game result data from said portable game machine via the connector, the game result data representing the results of one or more games from the second set of game programs that were played on said portable game machine; and

wherein said stationary game machine is configured to play a game, from the first set of game programs, that is based on the received game result data.

2. The game machine system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector connects between said stationary game machine and said portable game machine via electromagnetic waves.

3. The game machine system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said connector is configured as a system selected from the group of a spurious spread system, a time division system, a frequency shift key system, an infrared communication system, a pulse communication system, an AM communication system, and an FM communication system.

4. The game machine system according to claim 1, wherein:

the stationary game machine and the first set of one or more game programs are configured to display three-dimensional images on a first display, the three-dimensional images being associated with the play of the stationary game machine'"'"'s games; and

the portable game machine and the second set of one or more game programs are configured to display two-dimensional images on a second display, the two-dimensional images being associated with the play of the portable game machine'"'"'s games.

5. A game system comprising:

a first game machine including

a first game program configured to simulate raising a character through a first state change from a first initial state to a first raised state, and

a state memory configured to store data received from the first game program representing a first raised state of a character that was raised via the first game program;

a second game machine including

a second game program configured to simulate raising a character through a second state change from a second initial state to a second raised state,

a state memory configured to store data received from the second game program representing a second raised state of a character, and

an image memory for storing image data based on at least one of a character'"'"'s first or second raised states; and

a display configured to display an image based on image data stored in said second game machine'"'"'s image memory; and

a connector configured to transfer data between said first game machine and said second game machine,

wherein said first and second game machines are configured such that data representing the first raised state of a character can be transferred from said first game machine to said second game machine through said connector; and

wherein said second game machine can use the first raised state of a character transferred from the first game machine as the initial state for the second state change.

6. The game machine system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second game machine further comprises an image printer configured to print character images based on image data in said second game machine'"'"'s image memory.

7. The game machine system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first game machine further includes

an image memory configured to store image data based on the first raised state of a character;

and

a first display configured to display an image based on image data stored in said first game machine'"'"'s image memory;

wherein the image data stored in said second game machine'"'"'s image memory is of higher image quality than the image data stored in said first game machine'"'"'s image memory; and

wherein images displayed on said second game machine'"'"'s display are of higher quality than like images displayed on said first game machine'"'"'s display.

8. The game machine system according to claim 5, wherein:

the first game machine and the first game program are configured to display two-dimensional images on a display associated with the first game machine, the two-dimensional images being associated with playing the first game program; and

the second game machine and the second game program are configured to display three-dimensional images on the second game machine'"'"'s display, the three-dimensional images being associated with playing the second game program.

9. The game machine system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first game machine is a portable game machine.

10. A game machine comprising:

a game program configured to simulate raising a character through a state change from an initial state to a raised state, wherein the game program is configured to produce image data representing an image of a character in a raised state;

a camera configured to generate image data representing a person'"'"'s image;

a circuit configured to combine the image data representing a person'"'"'s image with the image data representing an image of a character in a raised state to form combined image data; and

a display configured to produce an image from the combined image data.

11. The game machine system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the display is a printer.

13. The game machine system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the printer is separably attached to the game machine.

15. The game machine system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the image production unit is a printer.

16. The game machine system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second game machine further includes:

a camera configured to generate image data representing a person'"'"'s image; and

a circuit configured to combine the image data representing a person'"'"'s image with the image data representing an image of a character in a raised state to form combined image data;

wherein the second game machine is configured to produce a combined image on its image production unit from the combined image data.

17. The game machine system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said image production unit is selected from the group of a display, a printer, or a laser beam machining unit.

18. The game machine system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first game machine further includes a vibration sensor;

and wherein the first game program raises the character based vibration sensed by said vibration sensor.

19. The game machine system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first game machine further includes a hook.

20. The game machine system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the game program is configured to produce data representing the raised state of a character based on player participation.

12. A game machine system comprising:

a game machine having a game program configured to simulate raising a character through a state change from an initial state to a raised state, wherein the game program is configured to produce image data representing an image of a character in a raised state;

a state memory, wherein the game program is configured to store state data in the state memory, the stored state data representing the raised state of a character that was raised via the game program;

an image memory configured to store image data representing the raised state of a character that was raised via the game program; and

a printer configured to print an image based upon the image data stored in the image memory.

14. A game machine system comprising:

a first game machine that is portable, including

a game program configured to simulate raising a character through a state change from an initial state to a raised state, and

a state memory configured to store state data received from the first game program representing the raised state of a character that was raised via the game program;

a second game machine including

an image production unit, and

an image memory configured to store image data for an image; and

a data connector configured to transfer state data from said first game machine to said second game machine;

wherein the second game machine is configured to produce image data in the image memory, the image data representing an image of a character in a raised state based on state data transferred to the second game machine via the data connector; and

wherein the second game machine is configured to produce an image on its image production unit from the image data in the image memory.

21. A game machine comprising:

an image memory for storing image data for a plurality of images;

a display configured to display image data selected from among the image data stored in said image memory;

a program configured to raise a character that is based on image data displayed on said display, the character being raised in response to an input to the program; and

a vibration sensor configured to provide input to the program, wherein the program is configured to use input from the vibration sensor to raise the character and change the displayed image data.

22. The game machine as claimed in claim 21, and further including a connector for hanging the game machine on the user.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, and further comprising:

transferring data representing the second raised state of the character from the stationary game machine to the state memory in the portable game machine, wherein the data is transferred via the connector; and

again raising the state of the character, from the second raised state to a third raised state, using a game program on the portable game machine.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, and further comprising:

transferring image data representing the second raised state of the character to a image memory; and

displaying an image based on the image data stored in the image memory.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23, the first game program being configured to display a two-dimensional image on a first display, and the two-dimensional image being associated with the play of the first game, wherein:

in the step of raising the state of the character, the second game program is configured to display a three-dimensional image on a second display, the three-dimensional image being associated with the play of the second game.

28. The game machine system according to claim 27, wherein the game played by the game program on the at least one portable game machine is different from the game played by the game program on the stationary game machine, and wherein the game programs are configured to allow sequential transferred game result states, each sequential transferred game result state having a relationship to the prior sequential transferred game result state.

29. The game machine system according to claim 27, wherein:

the portable game machine and its game program are configured to display a two-dimensional image on a first display, the two-dimensional image being associated with the play of the portable game machine'"'"'s game; and

the stationary game machine and its game program are configured to display a three-dimensional image on a second display, the three-dimensional image being associated with the play of the stationary game machine'"'"'s game.

23. A method of raising a virtual character through a state change from a first raised state to a second raised state, wherein the virtual character was raised to the first raised state via a first game program in a portable game machine through a state change from a first initial state, and wherein the portable game machine has a state memory, comprising:

storing data in the portable game machine'"'"'s state memory, the stored data representing the first raised state of the character;

transferring the data representing the first raised state of the character from the portable game machine'"'"'s state memory to a state memory in a stationary game machine, wherein the data is transferred via a connector configured to transfer data between the portable game machine and the stationary game machine, wherein the stationary game machine includes a game program configured to simulate raising a character through a state change from a second initial state to a raised state, and wherein the stationary game machine'"'"'s game program is configured to determine the second initial state of the character from the data stored in the stationary game machine'"'"'s state memory; and

raising the state of the character through a state change from the first raised state to a second raised state using the second game program.

27. A game machine system comprising:

a stationary game machine including a game program configured to play a game leading from a stationary-game-machine initial state to a stationary-game-machine game result state; and

at least one portable game machine including a game program configured to play a game leading from a portable-game-machine initial state to a portable-game-machine game result state;

wherein the stationary game machine and the at least one portable game machines are each configured to transmit a game result state to one another;

wherein the stationary game machine and the at least one portable game machines are each configured to receive a game result state transmitted from one another;

wherein the stationary game machine is configured to use a received game result state as a basis for creating the stationary-game-machine initial state for playing its game so as to provide a relationship between a received game result state and the game result state of a subsequently played game on the stationary game machine; and

wherein the at least one portable game machines are each configured to use a received game result state as a basis for creating the portable-game-machine initial state for playing its game so as to provide a relationship between a received game result state and the game result state of a subsequently played game on the portable game machine.

30. A method for playing a game, comprising:

raising a virtual game character from an initial state to a raised state according to a game player'"'"'s input to a first game program in a portable game machine, the first game program being configured to play a first game;

storing the raised state of the first game program'"'"'s virtual game character in a memory device; and

playing a second game with a virtual game character that starts from an initial state, the second game being played according to a game player'"'"'s input to a second game program in a second game machine, wherein the second game is different from the first game;

wherein the initial state of the second game program'"'"'s virtual game character is based on the raised state of the first game program'"'"'s virtual game character that is stored in the memory device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein in the step of playing a first game, the memory device is a removable memory card.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein:

in the step of raising, the first game program is configured to display a two-dimensional image on a first display, the two-dimensional image being associated with the play of the first game; and

in the step of playing a second game, the second game program is configured to display a three-dimensional image on a second display, the three-dimensional image being associated with the play of the second game.

33. A method for playing interactively, comprising:

playing a first game on a first game machine that includes a first game program and a state memory, wherein playing the first game program raises a first virtual character through a state change from an initial state to a raised state, and stores data representing the raised state of the first virtual character in the state memory;

transferring data representing the raised state of the first virtual character from the state memory to a second game machine that includes a second game program; and

interactively playing a second game with one or more other players using the second game program, wherein the second game is played with a virtual character based on the data transferred to the second game machine from the state memory, and wherein the one or more other players play with virtual characters based on other data transferred to the second game machine, the other data representing the raised states of other virtual characters that were raised through state changes from initial states to raised states.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein in the step of playing a first game, the state memory is contained in a removable memory card.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein, in the step of playing a first game, the first game is a combat game.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein:

in the step of playing a first game, the first game program is configured to display a two-dimensional image on a first display, the two-dimensional image being associated with the play of the first game; and

in the step of interactively playing a second game, the second game program is configured to display a three-dimensional image on a second display, the three-dimensional image being associated with the play of the second game.