Game console and memory card

• US 20050245313A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo, Yoshino, Hiroshi, Yasumoto, Yoshitaka, Nishida, Kenji, Ibuki, Masato, Sugino, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,267,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• 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 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2432 actuated by a sound, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2491 with a detachable memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• 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 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6669 : using a plurality of virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character change rooms
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6692 : using special effects, generally involving post-processing, e.g. blooming
• 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: G06F 1/1616 : with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 : the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 : including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 : Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 : the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 : the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 : by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 : Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 : using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 : using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 : Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 : Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 : General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0247 : Flicker reduction other than flicker reduction circuits used for single beam cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 : Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 : to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 : Graphics controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/399 : using two or more bit-mapped memories, the operations of which are switched in time, e.g. ping-pong buffers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 : Games
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A portable, handheld game console includes a main body incorporating a first display screen, and a cover body incorporating a second display screen. The main body is hingedly connected to the cover body along adjacent forward and rearward edges, respectively, such that the cover body is movable between a closed and open positions. The main body is provided with a plurality of control buttons and a pair of game card slots for receiving game cards of different dimensions. One of the game cards is substantially square and comprises a substantially flat card body having a plurality of electrically conductive terminal strips adjacent the forward edge. One of the side edges of the card has a single continuous step configuration along substantially the entire length dimension of the card. A first notch is formed in a first forward corner of the card where the forward edge meets the other of the pair of side edges and a second notch is formed along the other of the pair of side edges, between the forward and rearward edges.

Claims

1. A portable, handheld game console comprising a main body incorporating a first display screen on an inner face of said main body, and a cover body incorporating a second display screen on an inner face of said cover body, said main body hingedly connected to said cover body along adjacent forward and rearward edges, respectively, such that said cover body is movable between a closed position where said cover body overlies said main body with said first and second display screens hidden from view, and an open position where said cover body is folded away from said main body with said first and second display screens visible to a user;

wherein said main body is provided with a plurality of control buttons and at least one game card slot for receiving a game card of first predetermined dimensions.

2. The portable, handheld game console of claim 1 wherein said at least one game slot is located in a forward or lower portion of a peripheral edge of said main body.

3. The portable, handheld game console of claim 1 wherein said main body is provided with a second game slot for receiving another game card of second predetermined dimensions different from said first predetermined dimensions.

4. The portable, handheld game console of claim 3 wherein said second game slot is located in a rearward or upper portion of a peripheral edge surrounding said main body.

5. The portable, handheld game console of claim 2 wherein said main body is provided with a second game slot for receiving another game card of second predetermined dimensions different from said first predetermined dimensions.

6. The portable, handheld game console of claim 5 wherein said second game slot is located in a rearward or upper portion of a peripheral edge of said main body.

7. The portable, handheld game console of claim 1 wherein said first display screen comprises a touch-sensitive liquid crystal display.

8. The portable, handheld game console of claim 2 wherein a volume-control slide is located in said forward or lower portion of said peripheral edge.

9. The portable, handheld game console of claim 1 wherein a microphone is located on said inner face of said main body.

10. The portable, handheld game console of claim 2 wherein headphone and microphone connectors are located in said forward or lower portion of said peripheral edge.

11. The portable, handheld game console of claim 4 wherein an AC adaptor connector is located in said rearward or upper portion of said peripheral edge.

12. The portable, handheld game console of claim 4 wherein a stylus port is provided in said main body, accessible via said rearward or upper portion of said peripheral edge.

13. The portable, handheld game console of claim 1 wherein additional control buttons are located in a rearward or upper portion of a peripheral edge surrounding said main body.

14. The portable, handheld game console of claim 4 wherein additional control buttons are located in said rearward or upper portion of said peripheral edge surrounding said main body.

15. The portable, handheld game console of claim 1 wherein a pair of stereo speakers are located in said cover body, with speaker grills on said inner face of said cover body, on either side of said second display screen.

16. A portable, handheld game console comprising a main body incorporating a first touch-sensitive display screen on an inner face of said main body, and a cover body incorporating a second display screen on an inner face of said cover body, said main body hingedly connected to said cover body along adjacent forward and rearward edges, respectively, such that said cover body is movable between a closed position where said cover body overlies said main body with said first and second display screens hidden from view, and an open position where said cover body is folded away from said main body with said first and second display screens visible to a user;

wherein said main body is provided with a plurality of control buttons, at least one game card slot for receiving a game card of first predetermined dimensions; and

a second game slot for receiving another game card of second predetermined dimensions different from said first predetermined dimensions.

17. The portable, handheld game console of claim 16 wherein said at least one game slot is located in a forward or lower portion of a peripheral edge surrounding said main body.

18. The portable, handheld game console of claim 16 wherein said second game slot is located in a rearward or upper portion of a peripheral edge surrounding said main body.

19. The portable, handheld game console of claim 17 wherein a volume-control slide is located in said forward or lower portion of said peripheral edge.

20. The portable, handheld game console of claim 17 wherein headphone and microphone connectors are located in said forward or lower portion of said peripheral edge.

21. The portable, handheld game console of claim 16 wherein a microphone is located on said inner face of said main body.

22. The portable, handheld game console of claim 18 wherein an AC adaptor connector is located in said rearward or upper portion of said peripheral edge.

23. The portable, handheld game console of claim 18 wherein a stylus holder is provided in said main body, accessible via said rearward or upper portion of said peripheral edge.

24. The portable, handheld game console of claim 16 wherein a pair of stereo speakers are located in said cover body, with speaker grills on said inner face of said cover body, on either side of said second display screen.

25. A substantially square memory card for a game machine comprising a substantially flat card body having length, width and thickness dimensions, said card body defined by upper and lower surfaces, and by a forward edge, a rearward edge and a pair of side edges;

and a plurality of electrically conductive terminal strips adjacent said forward edge;

wherein one of said side edges has a single continuous step configuration along the entire length dimension of said card, and wherein a first notch is formed in a first forward corner of said card where said forward edge meets the other of said pair of side edges.

26. The memory card of claim 25 wherein said plurality of terminal strips are located in a recess formed in a forward end of the card to a depth of about one half the thickness of the card, said recess and said plurality of terminal strips offset laterally along the forward edge of the card toward said one of said side edges.

27. The memory card of claim 25 wherein a second notch is formed along said other of said pair of side edges, between said forward and rearward edges.

28. The memory card of claim 25 wherein said plurality of terminal strips comprises seventeen terminal strips arranged in a parallel array, each pair of adjacent terminal strips separated by a non-conductive rib.

29. The memory card of claim 25 wherein said length dimension is 1⅜

″

;

said width dimension is 1¼

″

; and

said thickness dimension is ⅛

″

.

30. The memory card of claim 25 wherein said first notch has a length dimension of about ¼

″

.

31. The memory card of claim 25 wherein said second notch has a length dimension of about ⅛

″

.

32. The memory card of claim 26 wherein said first and second notches each have a depth of about half the thickness dimension of said card body.

33. The memory card of claim 25 wherein said first forward corner, a second forward corner, and third and fourth rearward corners are radiused, and wherein said first forward corner is defined by a radius larger than radii at said second, third and fourth corners of the card.

34. The memory card of claim 25 wherein said card body has four corners including said first forward corner, none of which is identical to any other of said four corners.

35. A portable, handheld game console comprising a main body incorporating a first display screen on an inner face of said main body, and a second body incorporating a second display screen on an inner face of said second body, said main body being spaced apart from said second body;

wherein said main body is provided with a plurality of control buttons and a game memory slot, and further including image processing circuitry for simultaneously displaying different images on said first display screen and said second display screen, wherein at least one of said images is a three-dimensional image.

36. A portable hand-held game console according to claim 35, wherein said image processing circuitry includes

a three-dimensional image processing unit which generates a first game image based on three-dimensional model data for each of a plurality of frames;

a capture circuit which captures the first game image generated by the three-dimensional image processing unit as two-dimensional image data;

storage locations that store the two-dimensional image data captured by the capture circuit;

a two-dimensional image processing unit which generates a second game image based on two-dimensional image data in a previous frame already stored in the storage locations; and

an output destination setting circuit which sets one of the first display and the second display as an output destination of the first game image and another one of the first display and the second display as an output destination of the second game image.

37. The portable, handheld game console of claim 35 wherein said game memory slot is located in a forward or lower portion of a peripheral edge of said main body.

38. The portable, handheld game console of claim 35 wherein said first display screen comprises a touch-sensitive liquid crystal display.

39. The portable, handheld game console of claim 38 further including a stylus port.

40. The portable, handheld game console of claim 35 wherein said plurality of control buttons are located on said main body and on each of a left and right side of said first display screen.

41. A portable, handheld game console comprising a main body incorporating a first display screen on an inner face of said main body, and a second display screen coupled to said main body;

wherein said main body is provided with a plurality of control buttons and a game memory slot, and further including image processing circuitry for simultaneously displaying different images on said first display screen and said second display screen, wherein at least one of said images is a three-dimensional image, said game processing circuitry including a three-dimensional image processing unit which generates a first game image based on three-dimensional model data; and

a two-dimensional image processing unit which generates a second game image based on two-dimensional image data.

42. A portable, handheld game console according to claim 41, wherein

in an n-th frame,

the first game image, generated by the three-dimensional image processing unit, is output to the first display and is simultaneously captured, and

the second game image, captured in an (n−

1)-th frame and based on the two-dimensional image data, is output to the second display, and

in an (n+1)-th frame,

the first game image, generated by the three-dimensional image processing unit is output to the second display and is simultaneously captured, and

the second game image, based on the two-dimensional image data and captured in the n-th frame, is output to the first display.

43. The portable, handheld game console of claim 41 wherein said first display screen comprises a touch-sensitive liquid crystal display.

44. The portable, handheld game console of claim 43 further including a stylus port.

45. The portable, handheld game console of claim 41 wherein said plurality of control buttons are located on said main body and on each of a left and right side of said first display screen.