Wireless user network for handheld information terminals

• US 20070121534A1
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: McCarten, David, Link, Patrick, James, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/88 Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6036 for offering a minigame in combination with a main game
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An example user network provides information and entertainment for users via handheld information terminals. The “look and feel” and personality of the handheld information terminals can be location-specific so that the most relevant information and entertainment can be provided to users in a useful and appealing manner.

Claims

1. A portable handheld information terminal for use in a network comprising wireless access points each associated with a respective one of a plurality of attractions, the portable handheld information terminal comprising:

wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication with the wireless access points of the network; and

a interactive interface that changes in dependence on the wireless access point with which the portable handheld information terminal communicates.

2. The portable handheld information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the interactive interface comprises two separate display screens.

3. The portable handheld information terminal according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two separate display screens comprises a touch-sensitive display screen.

4. The portable handheld information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the interactive interface is changed in accordance with an interface application downloaded from the wireless access point with which the portable handheld information terminal communicates.

5. A method of providing information to a user carrying a portable handheld information terminal from attraction to attraction at a site having multiple attractions, the method comprising:

when the user carries the portable handheld information terminal to a first attraction at the site, downloading from a wireless access point associated with the first attraction a first interface application, the first interface application being executable by the portable handheld information terminal to provide an interface dedicated to the first attraction; and

when the user carries the portable handheld information terminal to a second attraction at the site, downloading from a wireless access point associated with the second attraction a second interface application, the second interface application being executable by the portable handheld information terminal to provide an interface dedicated to the second attraction.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the site is an amusement park.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the site is a museum.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the site is a zoo.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the site is a shopping mall.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the site is a theme park.

11. A method of providing information to a user carrying a portable handheld information terminal from attraction to attraction at a site having multiple attractions, the method comprising:

providing a wireless access point at each of multiple attractions at the site; and

downloading from the wireless access points at the multiple locations interface applications for execution by the portable handheld information terminal, each respective interface application providing a user interface for the portable handheld information terminal that is dedicated to the corresponding attraction.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the downloading comprises a push operation for pushing the interface applications to the portable handheld information terminal.

13. A portable handheld information terminal for use in a network comprising wireless access points each associated with a respective one of a plurality of attractions, the portable handheld information terminal comprising:

first and second display screens, the first display screen comprising a touch sensitive display screen; and

wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication with a first wireless access point using a first wireless protocol and with a second wireless access point using a second different wireless protocol,

wherein a core application is communicated to the portable handheld information terminal via the first wireless access point using the first wireless protocol and incremental content is communicated to the portable handheld information terminal via the second wireless access point using the second wireless protocol.

14. The portable handheld information terminal according to claim 13, wherein the contents of the first and second display screens automatically change in dependence on the wireless access point with which the portable handheld information terminal communicates.

15. The portable handheld information terminal according to claim 13, wherein one or more hot spots are displayed on the touch sensitive display screen and touching of the hot spots changes the display on the second display screen.