SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

• US 20110113423A1
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimada, Takeshi, Yamamoto, Kenji, Shibata, Yusuke, Kaneshige, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 8,621,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• 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 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An example method of installing an application onto an apparatus involves displaying an application menu screen comprising a fixed number of menu item display locations, at least one of the menu item display locations displaying a first menu item for an non-installed application. An announcement screen is displayed in response to selection of the first menu item for the non-installed application, the announcement screen comprising a selection item configured to initiate a downloading operation for the non-installed application. The downloading operation is initiated in response to selection of the selection item. The application can be installed/non-installed separately from other applications.

Claims

1. A method of installing an application onto an apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying an application menu screen comprising a fixed number of menu item display locations, at least one of the menu item display locations displaying a first menu item for a non-installed application;

displaying an announcement screen in response to selection of the first menu item for the non-installed application, the announcement screen comprising a selection item configured to initiate a downloading operation for the non-installed application; and

initiating the downloading operation in response to selection of the selection item, wherein

the application can be installed/non-installed separately from other applications.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling an appearance of the first menu item for the non-installed application based at least in part on a current availability/unavailability of the non-installed application for downloading from a server.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the selection item is configured to initiate a downloading operation for the non-installed application if the non-installed application is currently available for downloading from the server.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining the availability/unavailability of the non-installed application based on downloaded availability/unavailability information.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining the availability/unavailability of the non-installed application based on availability/unavailability information pre-stored in the apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the announcement screen is configured with a first screen and at least one other screen; and

the first screen is displayed in response to selection of the first menu item for the non-installed application;

the at least one other screen is displayed in response to a predetermined input while the first screen is displayed; and

the selection item is disposed on one of the at least one other screen.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a content relating to the non-installed application comprises an icon.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the content relating to the non-installed application further comprises a banner.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a color of the banner is set in accordance with the availability/unavailability of the non-installed application for downloading.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the banner comprises a first color when the non-installed application is unavailable for downloading and the banner comprises a different, second color when the non-installed application is available for downloading.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the content relating to the non-installed application further comprises a text message.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the text message is scrolled on the first menu item.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the appearance of the first menu item for the non-installed application is based at least in part on a current release schedule of the non-installed application for downloading from a server.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

changing appearance of the first menu item after the downloading operation is completed.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the appearance of the first menu item is based on menu item appearance information downloaded to the apparatus.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the appearance of the announcement screen is based on announcement screen appearance information downloaded to the apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the appearance of the first menu item is based on menu item appearance information pre-stored in the apparatus.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the appearance of the announcement screen is based on announcement screen appearance information pre-stored in the apparatus.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

navigating from one of the announcement screens to another in response to navigation inputs.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the downloading operation is initiated from a shopping screen.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first menu item for the non-installed application is pre-installed.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory storing a pre-installed program,

wherein the processor executes the program to install an application on the apparatus by;

displaying an application menu screen comprising a fixed number of menu item display locations, at least one of the menu item display locations displaying a first menu item for an non-installed application;

displaying a announcement screen in response to selection of the first menu item for the non-installed application, the announcement screen comprising a selection item configured to initiate a downloading operation for the non-installed application; and

initiating the downloading operation in response to selection of the selection item, wherein

the application can be installed/non-installed separately from other applications.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the processor executes the pre-installed program when the apparatus is first turned on.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a microprocessor to perform the following steps:

displaying an application menu screen comprising a fixed number of menu item display locations, at least one of the menu item display locations displaying a first menu item for an non-installed application;

displaying a announcement screen in response to selection of the first menu item for the non-installed application, the announcement screen comprising a selection item configured to initiate a downloading operation for the non-installed application; and

initiating the downloading operation in response to selection of the selection item, wherein

the application can be installed/non-installed separately from other applications.