Game apparatus, wireless module and game system

• US 20080096662A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shoya, Kuwahara, Masato
• Application Number:
  US11/898,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20080096662A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/41
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

A master wireless module transmits a beacon signal to a client wireless module in the same cycle as a game processing cycle. Each of the master wireless module and the client wireless module outputs an interrupt signal when a transmission time of the beacon signal arrives. A game processing section of each of the master wireless module and the client wireless module adjusts a V counter based on the interrupt signal. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily synchronize, when a multiplayer gameplay is performed using a plurality of game apparatuses capable of performing wireless communication with each other, times at which the plurality of game apparatuses execute predetermined processes.

Claims

1. A game apparatus which realizes a multiplayer gameplay using the game apparatus and at least one other game apparatus capable of performing wireless communication with each other, comprising:

a wireless module having a time synchronization function of synchronizing a timer provided inside the wireless module to another timer provided inside another wireless module of the at least one other game apparatus which is set as a communication party for the multiplayer gameplay;

a processing section for executing a predetermined process; and

an adjustment section for adjusting a time at which the processing section executes the predetermined process based on a value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processing section executes a process of generating image data and storing the image data in a display buffer, and

the game apparatus further includes an output section for outputting the image data stored in the display buffer to a display section, and

the adjustment section adjusts a time at which the output section outputs the image data to the display section based on the value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processing section executes a process of generating image data and storing the image data in a display buffer, and

the game apparatus further includes an output section for outputting the image data stored in the display buffer, and

the adjustment section adjusts a time at which the processing section updates the image data stored in the display buffer based on the value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processing section executes a process of generating image data and storing the image data in either of at least two display buffers, and

the game apparatus further includes an output section for outputting the image data stored in either of the at least two display buffers to a display section, and

the adjustment section adjusts a time at which the at least two display buffers used by the output section are switched between each other based on the value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processing section repeatedly executes game processing of one unit, which processing defines a predetermined procedure, and

the adjustment section adjusts a time at which the processing section executes the game processing of one unit based on the value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an input section operated by a player, wherein

the processing section executes the predetermined process based on operation information inputted to the input section, and

the adjustment section adjusts a time at which the predetermined process, which is executed by the processing section based on the operation information, is executed based on the value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the wireless module determines a time at which the operation information is exchanged with the at least one other game apparatus based on the value of the timer.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a counter for measuring a processing cycle, wherein

the processing section executes the predetermined process in a cyclic manner based on a value of the counter, and

the adjustment section adjusts the value of the counter based on the value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless module includes interrupt signal outputting means of outputting an interrupt signal in a constant cycle based on the value of the timer, and

the adjustment section adjusts a time at which the predetermined process is executed based on a time at which the wireless module outputs the interrupt signal.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a counter for measuring a processing cycle, wherein

the processing section executes the predetermined process in a predetermined cycle based on a value of the counter,

the interrupt signal outputting means outputs the interrupt signal in the predetermined cycle based on the value of the timer, and

the adjustment section adjusts the value of the counter such that the value of the counter obtained when the wireless module outputs the interrupt signal becomes close to a predetermined fixed value.

11. The game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the wireless module transmits a beacon signal to the said another wireless module, and

includes beacon interval setting means of setting a cycle of the beacon signal transmitted from the wireless module to a constant cycle, and

the interrupt signal outputting means outputs the interrupt signal when a transmission time of the beacon signal arrives.

12. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processing section repeatedly executes the predetermined process based on data necessary for game processing, which is received from the said another wireless module in a constant cycle, and

includes beacon interval setting means of setting a cycle of a beacon signal transmitted by the wireless module to the constant cycle, and

the wireless module transmits the beacon signal in a constant cycle based on the value of the timer, and transmits or receives the data necessary for the game processing to or from the said another wireless module each time the wireless module transmits the beacon signal to the said another wireless module, and

the adjustment section adjusts the time at which the processing section executes the predetermined process based on a transmission time of the beacon signal, which is obtained based on the value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

13. The game apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an input section operated by a player, wherein

the processing section repeatedly executes the predetermined process based on operation information inputted to an input section of the game apparatus and the operation information inputted to another input section of the at least one other game apparatus, and

the wireless module exchanges the operation information with the at least one other game apparatus each time the wireless module transmits the beacon signal to the said another wireless module.

14. The game apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the wireless module further includes interrupt signal outputting means of outputting the interrupt signal based on the value of the timer, when the transmission time of the beacon signal arrives, and

the adjustment section adjusts a time at which the predetermined process is executed based on a time at which the wireless module outputs an interrupt signal.

15. The game apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the wireless module transmits or receives the data necessary for the game processing to or from the said another wireless module after transmitting the beacon signal to the said another wireless module, and further includes a sleep function of operating in a sleep mode until the transmission time of the beacon signal subsequently arrives after transmitting or receiving the data necessary for the game processing to or from the said another wireless module.

16. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processing section reads the value of the timer of the wireless module in a constant cycle, and adjusts the time at which the processing section executes the predetermined process based on the read value.

17. The game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the processing section repeatedly executes game processing of one unit, which processing defines a predetermined procedure, and reads the value of the timer of the wireless module in a cycle N times (N is a natural number) as long as the game processing of one unit.

18. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless module synchronizes the timer provided inside the wireless module to the said another timer provided inside the said another wireless module of the at least one other game apparatus based on an IEEE802.11 standard.

19. A game apparatus which realizes a multiplayer gameplay using the game apparatus and at least one other game apparatus capable of performing wireless communication with each other, comprising:

a wireless module having a time synchronization function of synchronizing a timer provided inside the wireless module to another timer provided inside another wireless module of the at least one other game apparatus which is set as a communication party for the multiplayer gameplay;

a processing section for executing a predetermined process; and

a determination section for determining a time at which the processing section executes the predetermined process based on a value of the timer of the wireless module of the game apparatus.

20. A game apparatus which realizes a multiplayer gameplay using the game apparatus and at least one other game apparatus capable of performing wireless communication with each other, comprising:

a connector connectable to a wireless module having a time synchronization function of synchronizing a timer provided inside the wireless module to another timer provided inside another wireless module of the at least one other game apparatus which is set as a communication party for the multiplayer gameplay;

a processing section for executing a predetermined process;

an adjustment section for adjusting a time at which the processing section executes the predetermined process based on the value of the timer of the wireless module connected to the connector.

21. A wireless module which realizes a multiplayer gameplay using a game apparatus and at least one other game apparatus, comprising:

time synchronization means of synchronizing a timer provided inside the wireless module to another timer provided inside another wireless module; and

interrupt signal outputting means of outputting an interrupt signal in a constant cycle based on a value of the timer.

22. A game system which realizes a multiplayer gameplay using a plurality of game apparatuses including at least a first game apparatus and a second game apparatus, all of which are capable of performing wireless communication with each other,

the first game apparatus including:

a first wireless module having a time synchronization function of synchronizing a timer provided inside the first wireless module to another timer provided inside a second wireless module of the second game apparatus;

a first processing section for executing a predetermined process; and

a first adjustment section for adjusting a time at which the first processing section executes the predetermined process based on a value of the timer of the first wireless module, and

the second game apparatus including;

the second wireless module having the time synchronization function of synchronizing the said another timer provided inside the second wireless module to the timer provided inside the first wireless module of the first game apparatus;

a second processing section for executing a predetermined process; and

a second adjustment section for adjusting a time at which the second processing section executes the predetermined process based on a value of the said another timer of the second wireless module.