COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING ACTIVATION CONTROL PROGRAM STORED THEREIN AND ACTIVATION CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20100083181A1
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsushima, Yoshihiro, Onozawa, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,726,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Desired software is easily selected and activated. The CPU core 21 is caused to function as: a first display control section 218 for selectively displaying, in a first display area, a second predetermined number of first objects among first objects, corresponding to a first predetermined number of game programs, for which an order is set, the second predetermined number being smaller than the first predetermined; a second display control section 219 for displaying a position designation image at a position corresponding to a position, of subject software, in an order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software; a display change section 217 for designating a first object to be displayed in the first display area, based on an operation input received by using the position designation image; and an activation execution section 220 for activating software corresponding to one first object which is selected from among the second predetermined number of first objects displayed in the first display area, based on the operation input.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an activation control program executed by a predetermined information processing apparatus which selects and activates one of a first predetermined number of pieces of software for which an order is set, and the first predetermined number of pieces of software is greater than or equal to two, the activation control program causing a computer of the predetermined information processing apparatus to function as:

first display control means for selectively displaying, in a first display area on a monitor, a second predetermined number of first objects among first objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, respectively, wherein the second predetermined number is smaller than the first predetermined number;

second display control means for displaying, in a second display area different from the first display area on the monitor, a position designation image representing subject software among the first predetermined number of pieces of software, at a position corresponding to a position of the subject software in the order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software;

display change means for receiving an operation input from outside, and changing, based on the operation input having been received, at least one of the second predetermined number of first objects to be displayed in the first display area; and

activation execution means for receiving an operation input from outside, and selecting, based on the operation input having been received, one of the second predetermined number of first objects displayed in the first display area, and activating software corresponding to the selected one of the second predetermined number of first objects.

2. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1, wherein the display change means receives an operation input, from outside, on the second display area, and changes, based on the operation input having been received, the second predetermined number of first objects to be displayed in the first display area.

3. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1,

wherein the computer is caused to further function as

enablement determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined function of the predetermined information processing apparatus is able to be used, and

wherein, when the enablement determination means determines that the predetermined function is able to be used, the second display control means sets, as the subject software, software for causing the computer to perform a predetermined process using the predetermined function, among the first predetermined number of pieces of software, and displays the position designation image at a position corresponding to a position of the subject software in the order.

4. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 3,

wherein the computer is configured such that a communication function for enabling a communication with a predetermined communication apparatus is able to be used as the predetermined function;

wherein the enablement determination means determines whether or not the communication with the predetermined communication apparatus is enabled by using the communication function; and

wherein the second display control means sets, as the subject software, software for causing the computer to perform a predetermined process using the communication function, among the first predetermined number of pieces of software, and displays the position designation image at a position corresponding to a position of the subject software in the order.

5. The activation control program according to claim 3, wherein the first display control means displays a first object corresponding to the subject software, in a manner depending on a determination result obtained from the enablement determination means, and the first object corresponding to the subject software is among the first objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software.

6. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1, wherein the second display control means displays, in the second display area, second objects which are each smaller than the first objects, and which correspond to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, respectively, and displays, as the position designation image, a second object which corresponds to the subject software, and are among the second objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, so as to be distinguishable from the second objects other than the second object corresponding to the subject software.

7. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 6,

wherein the computer is caused to further function as

enablement determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined function of the predetermined information processing apparatus is able to be used, and

wherein, when the enablement determination means determines that the predetermined function is able to be used, the second display control means displays the second object corresponding to the subject software, in a manner depending on a determination result obtained from the enablement determination means.

8. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 6, wherein the second display control means linearly arranges and displays the first predetermined number of the second objects.

9. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 8,

wherein the second display control means displays scroll buttons, near both ends of the second display area, respectively, for scrolling the first display area in which the second predetermined number of first objects are displayed, and

wherein, when an operation input for scrolling the first display area in which the second predetermined number of first objects are displayed is received through one of the scroll buttons, the display change means scrolls, by means of the first display control means, the first display area in which the second predetermined number of first objects are displayed so as to change the second predetermined number of first objects to be displayed.

10. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 6, wherein, when an operation input for selecting the second object which corresponds to the subject software and is displayed by the second display control means is received, the display change means displays, in the first display area, a first object which corresponds to the subject software and is among the first objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, by means of the first display control means.

11. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 6,

wherein the computer is caused to further function as

classification means for classifying the first predetermined number of pieces of software into a predetermined number of types, and the predetermined number of types is greater than or equal to two, and

wherein the second display control means displays the second objects which correspond to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, respectively, and which are classified into the predetermined number of types by the classification means, so as to be each identified by one of the predetermined number of types.

12. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 6, wherein the second display control means displays third objects so as to be distinguishable from the first predetermined number of the second objects, and a number of the third objects is a number corresponding to a difference obtained by subtracting the first predetermined number from a third predetermined number which is a maximum number of pieces of software which can be activated by the activation control program.

13. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 12, wherein the computer is caused to further function as number increasing means for determining whether or not predetermined requirements are satisfied, and increasing the third predetermined number by a predetermined amount when it is determined that the predetermined requirements are satisfied.

14. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 13,

wherein the computer is connected to a predetermined communication apparatus so as to enable communication therebetween;

wherein the computer is caused to further function as

communication enablement determination means for determining whether or not the communication with the predetermined communication apparatus is enabled, and

wherein the predetermined requirements are requirements that the communication enablement determination means determines that the communication with the predetermined communication apparatus is enabled, and an operation input for starting the communication with the predetermined communication apparatus is received.

15. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1, wherein the display change means receives an operation input from outside by displaying the position designation image in the second display area, and displays, based on the operation input having been received, a first object which corresponds to the subject software and is among the first objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, in the first display area.

16. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1, wherein the second display control means displays an image, in a visual manner, indicating a position, of the software selected as software to be activated, in the order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software, before the activation execution means activates the software selected as the software to be activated.

17. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1, wherein the second display control means displays an image, in a visual manner, indicating positions, of software corresponding to the second predetermined number of first objects, respectively, displayed by the first display control means, in the order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software.

18. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1, wherein, when the computer performs a predetermined process, the second display control means sets, as the subject software, software corresponding to the predetermined process, and displays the position designation image at a position which corresponds to a position, of the software corresponding to the predetermined process, in the order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software.

19. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1,

wherein the computer is provided in a housing to which a storage medium storing software is detachably mounted,

wherein the activation control program is operable to activate first software corresponding to the software stored in the storage medium, and second software corresponding to software stored in a non-volatile storage medium in the housing, and the first software and the second software form the first predetermined number of pieces of software, and

wherein the second display control means sets the first software as the subject software, and displays the position designation image at a position corresponding to a position of the first software in the order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software.

20. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 19,

wherein the computer is caused to further function as medium detection means for detecting whether or not the storage medium is mounted to the housing, and

wherein the second display control means displays the position designation image when the medium detection means detects that the storage medium is mounted.

21. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 19, wherein the second display control means displays, in the second display area, second objects which are each smaller than the first objects, and correspond to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, respectively, and displays, as the position designation image, a second object which corresponds to the subject software and is among the second objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software so as to be distinguishable from the second objects other than the second object corresponding to the subject software.

22. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 21, wherein the second display control means displays a second object corresponding to the second software, and displays, as the position designation image, a second object which corresponds to the first software and is distinguishable from the second object corresponding to the second software.

23. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 21,

wherein an order of the first software, among the first predetermined number of pieces of software, for a case where the storage medium is mounted is set regardless of whether or not the storage medium is mounted in the housing,

wherein the second display control means displays, as the position designation image, a second object corresponding to the first software, at a position corresponding to a position of the second object in the order for the first software when the medium detection means detects that the storage medium is mounted, and

wherein a third object which corresponds to the first software and is distinguishable from the second object is displayed at a position corresponding to a position of the third object in the order for the first software when the medium detection means does not detect that the storage medium is mounted.

24. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 21,

wherein an order of the first software for a case where the storage medium is mounted is set regardless of whether or not the storage medium is mounted in the housing,

wherein the second display control means displays second objects such that a portion of the second objects correspond to the first software, and a remaining portion of the second objects correspond to the second software, and

wherein an image obtained by changing display state of the second objects corresponding to the first software is displayed as the position designation image when the medium detection means detects that the storage medium is mounted.

25. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 20, wherein the medium detection means detects whether or not the storage medium is mounted in the housing after the predetermined information processing apparatus is powered on.

26. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1,

wherein the computer is connected to another computer so as to enable communication therebetween, the another computer being capable of transmitting software,

wherein the computer is caused to further function as

acquisition determination means for determining whether or not each of the first predetermined number of pieces of software is acquired from the another computer, and

wherein the second display control means sets, as the subject software, the software determined, by the acquisition determination means, as having been acquired from the another computer, among the first predetermined number of pieces of software, and displays the position designation image at a position corresponding to a position of the software in the order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software.

27. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is caused to further function as order change means for receiving an operation input from outside, and changing, based on the operation input having been received, a display order of the first objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software.

28. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1,

wherein the second display control means displays an order of a fourth predetermined number of pieces of software by using a display order of second objects corresponding to the fourth predetermined number of pieces of software, respectively, and the fourth predetermined number of pieces of software is greater than or equal to the second predetermined number of pieces of software, and is smaller than or equal to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, and the fourth predetermined number of pieces of software includes the second predetermined number of pieces of software included in the first predetermined number of pieces of software, and

wherein the display change means receives an operation input from outside based on the fourth predetermined number of the second objects displayed in the second display area, and displays, in the first display area, the second predetermined number of first objects including a first object of software corresponding to one of the second objects, which is designated through the operation input having been received.

29. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the activation control program according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined information processing apparatus is provided in a game apparatus, and

wherein the software is application software for executing a game.

30. An activation control apparatus for selecting and activating one of a first predetermined number of pieces of software for which an order is set, and the first predetermined number of pieces of software is greater than or equal to two, the activation control apparatus comprising:

first display control means for selectively displaying, in a first display area on a monitor, a second predetermined number of first objects among first objects corresponding to the first predetermined number of pieces of software, respectively, wherein the second predetermined number is smaller than the first predetermined number;

second display control means for displaying, in a second display area different from the first display area on the monitor, a position designation image representing subject software among the first predetermined number of pieces of software, at a position corresponding to a position of the subject software in the order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software;

display change means for receiving an operation input from outside, and changing, based on the operation input having been received, at least one of the second predetermined number of first objects to be displayed in the first display area; and

activation execution means for receiving an operation input from outside, and selecting, based on the operation input having been received, one of the second predetermined number of first objects displayed in the first display area, and activating software corresponding to the selected one of the second predetermined number of first objects.