Offline Progress of Console Game via Portable Device

• US 20120052954A1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Osman, Steven, ZHU, Yunpeng, Stafford, Jeffrey Roger
• Granted Patent: US 9,421,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device

Abstract

Methods systems and computer programs method for playing a game using a portable device are presented. One method includes operations for establishing a connection between a portable device and a computing system executing a game, and for receiving a task at the portable device from the computing system. Further, the portable device is disconnected from the computing system allowing the task to be performed using the portable device independently from the computing system. The method includes interaction of a user with the portable device to receive at the portable device input from the user to perform the task. Once the task is performed, the portable device reports that the task has been performed to the computing system. As a result, the game being executed in the computing system progresses after the portable device reports that the task has been performed.

Claims

1. A method for playing a game using a portable device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between a portable device and a computing system executing a game;

receiving a task at the portable device from the computing system;

disconnecting the portable device from the computing system, the task being performed using the portable device independently from the computing system;

receiving at the portable device input from a user to perform the task; and

reporting by the portable device that the task has been performed to the computing system, wherein the game being executed in the computing system progresses after the portable device reports that the task has been performed.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein reporting that the task has been performed further includes:

re-establishing the connection with the computing system; and

sending information related to the task from the portable device to the computing system.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein reporting that the task has been performed further includes:

establishing a network connection with the computing system when the portable device is in a remote location; and

sending information related to the task via the network connection from the portable device to the computing system.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further including:

receiving a new task at the portable device via the network connection.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein reporting that the task has been performed further includes:

establishing a network connection with a server that holds status information for the game; and

sending information related to the task via the network connection from the portable device to the server.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further including:

downloading the information related to the task from the server to the computing system when the computing system is connected to the network.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, further including:

sending a new task to the portable device via the network connection from the server.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further including:

receiving a plurality of additional tasks at the portable device, wherein the portable device can interact with the user to perform the task and the additional tasks in any order.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of additional portable devices receive the task, wherein the user and additional users interacting with corresponding additional portable devices compete to perform the task.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the portable device and the plurality of additional portable devices receive a plurality of additional tasks, wherein the user and the additional users compete to perform the task and the additional tasks.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the user and the additional users cooperate to complete the task.

12. A system for playing a game using a portable device, the system comprising:

a computing system executing a game; and

a portable device configured to connect to the computing system to receive a task from the computing system, wherein the task can be performed using the portable device when the portable device is connected to the computing system and when the portable device is disconnected from the computing system, wherein the portable device enables user interaction to perform the task, wherein the portable device reports that the task has been performed to the computing system after completion of the task, wherein the game progresses after the portable device reports that the task has been performed.

13. The system of claim 12, further including:

a server configured to connect to the computing system or to the portable device via network connection, the server storing game status information downloaded from the computing system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the portable device communicates with the server via the network connection to report that the task has been performed.

15. A computer program embedded in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, when executed by one or more processors, for playing a game using a portable device, the computer program comprising:

program instructions for establishing a connection between a portable device and a computing system executing a game;

program instructions for receiving a task at the portable device from the computing system;

program instructions for disconnecting the portable device from the computing system, the task being performed using the portable device independently from the computing system;

program instructions for receiving user input at the portable device to perform the task;

program instructions for saving information at the portable device regarding the performed task; and

program instructions for reporting by the portable device that the task has been performed to the computing system, wherein the game being executed in the computing system progresses after the portable device reports that the task has been performed.

16. The computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the task includes taking a picture with the portable device of an item selected from a group consisting of a shape, a person, a building, a color, a bar code, a CyberCode, and an infrared marker.

17. The computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the task includes performing an action with the portable device when the portable device is at a specific geographic location designated by the task.

18. The computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the task includes carrying the portable device to a specific geographic location designated by the task.

19. The computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the task includes successfully completing a game at the portable device.

20. The computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the task includes capturing a sound with the portable device.

21. The computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the task includes taking simultaneous pictures with the portable device of areas in front and behind the portable device using two separate cameras.

22. The computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the task includes linking a plurality of portable devices together simultaneously.

23. A method for playing a game using a portable device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between a portable device and a computing system executing a game;

receiving a task at the portable device from the computing system using the connection;

completing the task using the portable device, the task being defined to be completed independently from the computing system and without using the connection;

receiving at the portable device input from a user to perform the task; and

reporting by the portable device that the task has been performed to the computing system, wherein the game being executed in the computing system progresses after the portable device reports that the task has been performed.