INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20120046767A1
• Filed: 08/12/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuroda, Ryoji, SHIMOHATA, Yasuyuki, Hosoi, Kazuhiro, Okamura, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 9,381,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/217 using environment-related information, i.e. information generated otherwise than by the player, e.g. ambient temperature or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, and an information processing method that that are capable of always obtaining information even while any application is not being executed, and effectively using the obtained information. To achieve this, a state of the environment in a place where the information processing apparatus is present is detected; detection data indicating the state of the environment detected by the detection section is stored; an operation mode is switched at least between a normal mode in which power is being supplied to the application execution section and the predetermined application can be executed, and a power saving mode in which at least supply of power to the application execution section is restricted and the predetermined application cannot be executed; and at least in the power saving mode, a state of the environment is detected, and detection data indicating the state of the environment detected is stored in the first storage section at predetermined time intervals.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which executes a predetermined application, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a detection section for detecting a state of the environment in a place where the information processing apparatus is present;

a first storage section for storing detection data indicating the state of the environment detected by the detection section;

an application execution section for executing the predetermined application;

an operation mode switching section for switching an operation mode at least between a normal mode in which power is being supplied to the application execution section and the predetermined application can be executed, and a power saving mode in which at least supply of power to the application execution section is restricted and the predetermined application cannot be executed; and

a detection data control section for, at least in the power saving mode, causing the detection section to detect a state of the environment, and storing, in the first storage section, at predetermined time intervals, detection data indicating the state of the environment detected by the detection section.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection section includes at least one of an atmospheric pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application execution section can, in the normal mode, execute an application selected from a plurality of applications including an application using the detection data.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection data control section, at least both in the normal mode and in the power saving mode, causes the detection section to detect a state of the environment, and storing, in the first storage section, at predetermined time intervals, detection data indicating the state of the environment detected by the detection section.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a second storage section having a larger storage capacity than that of the first storage section; and

a data transfer control section for, when the operation mode is shifted from the power saving mode to the normal mode, storing, in the second storage section, the detection data stored in the first storage section,

wherein the application execution section, in executing the application using the detection data, uses the detection data stored in the second storage section.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a second storage section having a larger storage capacity than that of the first storage section; and

a data transfer control section for, in the power saving mode, storing, in the second storage section, with a predetermined period, the detection data stored in the first storage section,

wherein the application execution section, in executing the application using the detection data, uses the detection data stored in the second storage section.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication section for communicating data with another apparatus via a network; and

a data communication control section for, in the power saving mode, transmitting the detection data to the other apparatus via the communication section with a predetermined period.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the detection section includes at least the atmospheric pressure sensor,

the detection data control section stores, as the detection data, atmospheric pressure data indicating the value of the atmospheric pressure detected by the atmospheric pressure sensor, in the first storage section, and

the application execution section, in executing the application using the detection data, performs processing of predicting the weather based on the atmospheric pressure data.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the application execution section executes an application of a game as the application using the detection data, and performs processing of the game by using the predicted weather.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a signal output section for outputting a radio signal having a predetermined signal pattern to another apparatus that can be remotely operated by means of wireless communication; and

a signal pattern control section for controlling the signal pattern of the radio signal outputted by the signal output section,

wherein the application execution section, in executing the application using the detection data, causes the signal output section to output a radio signal having a signal pattern that causes the other apparatus to operate, via the signal pattern control section, based on a comparison between a threshold value and a detection value indicated by the detection data.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the signal output section outputs an infrared light signal having a predetermined signal pattern to an air conditioner by means of infrared communication,

the detection section includes at least the temperature sensor,

the detection data control section stores, as the detection data, temperature data indicating the value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, in the first storage section, and

the application execution section, in executing the application using the detection data,

when the value of the temperature indicated by the temperature data is higher than a first threshold value, causes the signal output section to output an infrared light signal having a signal pattern that causes the air conditioner to operate in a cooling mode, and

when the value of the temperature indicated by the temperature data is lower than a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value, causes the signal output section to output an infrared light signal having a signal pattern that causes the air conditioner to operate in a heating mode.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the information processing apparatus can be operated by an input apparatus including an imaging section for taking an image of infrared light, which is an imaging target, outputted by the signal output section, and

the application execution section, in executing an application selected from the plurality of applications, calculates a motion of the input apparatus, based on the position of the imaging target on the image taken by the imaging section, and performs processing according to the motion.

13. An information processing system including at least a server and a plurality of the information processing apparatuses according to claim 7, wherein

the detection section includes at least the atmospheric pressure sensor,

the detection data control section stores, as the detection data, atmospheric pressure data indicating the value of the atmospheric pressure detected by the atmospheric pressure sensor, in the first storage section,

the data communication control section transmits the atmospheric pressure data to the server via the communication section, and

the server draws an isobar based on the values of the atmospheric pressures indicated by the respective pieces of atmospheric pressure data obtained from the plurality of the information processing apparatuses, and creates a weather chart including the isobar.

14. An information processing method to be executed by one processor or a plurality of processors being coordinated, included in at least one information processing apparatus which executes a predetermined application, the information processing method comprising:

a detection step of detecting a state of the environment in a place where the information processing apparatus is present;

a first storage control step of storing detection data indicating the state of the environment detected in the detection step;

an application execution step of at least one application execution processor executing the predetermined application;

an operation mode switching step of switching an operation mode at least between a normal mode in which power is being supplied to the application execution processor and the predetermined application can be executed, and a power saving mode in which at least supply of power to the application execution processor is restricted and the predetermined application cannot be executed; and

a detection data control step of, at least in the power saving mode, executing the detection step of detecting a state of the environment, and executing the first storage control step of storing detection data indicating the state of the environment detected in the detection step, at predetermined time intervals.