INFORMATION PROCESSOR

• US 20080182668A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Keisuke, Higuchi, Masaki, Tominaga, Takehiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• 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 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game

Abstract

A related ID information retaining unit relates and stores IDs of game titles related to each other. A game data storage unit stores saved data with a title ID. A title ID acquisition unit acquires a title ID of a game program to be executed, and a related title acquisition unit then acquires another game title ID related to the acquired title ID in a related ID information database. A game data identification unit identifies game data stored in the game data storage unit, based on the title ID acquired by the related title acquisition unit.

Claims

1. An information processor comprising:

a related identification information retaining unit which relates and stores pieces of identification information of contents related to each other;

a content data storage unit which stores content data;

a process data identification information acquisition unit which acquires identification information of content data to be processed;

a related data acquisition unit which acquires, from the related identification information retaining unit, identification information of other content data related to identification information acquired by the process data identification information acquisition unit; and

an identification unit which identifies other content data related, based on identification information acquired by the related data acquisition unit.

2. The information processor of claim 1, the information processor being an information processor for executing a game program for a game device, wherein:

the related identification information retaining unit relates and stores pieces of identification information of game titles related to each other;

the content data storage unit comprises a game program storage unit which stores a game program, and a game data storage unit which stores game data together with the identification information of the game title;

the process data identification information acquisition unit comprises a title identification information acquisition unit which acquires identification information of a game title of which game program is to be executed;

the related data acquisition unit comprises a related title acquisition unit which acquires, from the related identification information retaining unit, identification information of another game title related to identification information acquired by the title identification information acquisition unit; and

the identification unit identifies game data stored in the game data storage unit, based on identification information acquired by the related title acquisition unit.

3. The information processor of claim 2, wherein the related identification information retaining unit relates and stores pieces of identification information of a plurality of game titles that constitute a series.

4. The information processor of claim 2, further comprising a storage control unit which defines, in the first activation of a game program, a storage area for storing game data of the game program to create a game data storage unit, using the identification information of the game title for a directory name or a file name, wherein

the storage control unit replicates game data identified by the identification unit in the game data storage unit thus created.

5. The information processor of claim 2, further comprising a notification unit which, when the identification unit identifies the game data, notifies a user of information on the identified game data.

6. An information processor comprising:

an identification unit which identifies other content data related to content data to be processed; and

a notification unit which provides information on identified content data.

7. The information processor of claim 6, the information processor being an information processor for executing a game program for a game device, and further comprising a game data storage unit which stores game data together with the identification information of the game title, wherein:

the identification unit identifies, among game data stored in the game data storage unit, game data of a game title related to another game title of which game program is to be executed, based on the identification information of the another game title; and

the notification unit provides information on identified game data.

8. A program product for an information processor which relates and stores pieces of identification information of contents related to each other, comprising:

a module which acquires identification information of content data to be processed;

a module which acquires identification information of other content data related to acquired identification information, from among pieces of related identification information which are stored and related to each other; and

a module which identifies, based on identification information of other content data acquired, the other content data related, within a content data storage unit storing pieces of content data of a plurality of kinds.

9. A recording medium storing the emulator program of claim 8 provided for a game device.

10. A program product for an information processor, comprising:

a module which identifies other content data related to content data to be processed, within a content data storage unit storing pieces of content data of a plurality of kinds; and

a module which provides information on identified content data.

11. A recording medium storing the emulator program of claim 10 provided for a game device.