INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE

• US 20120221318A1
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Keisuke, Tominaga, Takehiro
• Application Number:
  US13/510,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221318A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/23
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• 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 13/88 Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
• 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 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/207 for accessing game resources from local storage, e.g. streaming content from DVD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and 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 2300/6036 for offering a minigame in combination with a main game

Abstract

In the provided information processing device, an acquisition unit (110) acquires an image file of an application program. Use information (166) is added to the image file, said use information indicating what real or virtual devices are usable when the application program is executed. On the basis of identifying information that identifies the application program to be executed, a memory management unit (138) reads, from a memory unit (180), use information (166) associated with the application program to be executed. A UI provision unit (136) refers to the use information (166) and provides a user with information regarding usable devices.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising:

a storage unit operative to store an image file of an application program; and

a processing unit operative to execute the application program, wherein

usage information, which indicates an available real device or an available virtual device when the application program is executed, is added to the image file, and

wherein the processing unit refers to the usage information and presents information relating to an available device to a user.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit comprises:

an execution unit operative to execute the application program;

a providing unit operative to provide a user interface; and

a memory management unit operative to manage the storage unit, wherein

the memory management unit reads out the usage information associated with the application program to be executed by the execution unit from the storage unit, and

wherein the providing unit refers to the read usage information and presents information relating to the available real device or the available virtual device so that the user can select the device.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein

a device-dedicated program that is to be executed in the available real device or virtual device is included in the image file, and key information for encrypting or decrypting the device-dedicated program is attached to the image file, and

the memory management unit stores the device-dedicated program in an encrypted state in the storage unit.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein

data for allowing the user to visually recognize the existence of the device-dedicated program is added to the image file, and

the memory management unit, on one hand, encrypts the device-dedicated program by using the key information and stores the device-dedicated program in the storage unit, and on the other hand, does not encrypt the data for allowing the user to visually recognize the existence of the device-dedicated program.

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

a first activator operative to activate a first emulator for the application program; and

a second activator operative to activate a second emulator for the device-dedicated program.

6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein

the first emulator provides an execution environment of a game console, and

the second emulator provides an execution environment of a portable game device that is a peripheral device of the game console.

7. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein

the second emulator monitors the execution status of the device-dedicated program, generates an instruction to stop the execution of the first emulator if the execution of the device-dedicated program is started, and generates an instruction to start the execution of the first emulator if the execution of the device-dedicated program is completed.

8. A computer program that is embedded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium and that allows an information processing device retaining an image file of an application program in a storage unit to implement:

a module configured to execute the application program;

a module configured to provide a user interface; and

a module configured to manage the storage unit, wherein

usage information, which indicates an available real device or an available virtual device when the application program is executed, is added to the image file retained in the storage unit,

the module configured to manage the storage unit is provided with a module configured to read out the usage information associated with the application program to be executed from the storage unit, and

the module configured to provide a user interface is provided with a module configured to refer to the read usage information and to present information relating to an available device so that a user can select the available device.

9. (canceled)