CONTROLLER DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20140078053A1
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamashita, Toru, Ito, Kuniaki, SHIMOHATA, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• 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 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A controller device is used for more information processes. The controller device is capable of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device. The controller device includes a communication unit, a display unit, and a program executing unit. The communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, operation data obtained based on an operation performed on the controller device, and receives, from the information processing device, image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on operation data. A display unit displays an image represented by the image data received from the information processing device. When a predetermined operation on the controller device is performed, the program executing unit executes a predetermined program and displays at least the image resulting from the execution of the program on the display unit. The communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A controller device capable of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device, the controller device comprising:

a communication unit for transmitting operation data obtained based on an operation performed on the controller device to the information processing device, and receiving, from the information processing device, image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data;

a display unit for displaying an image represented by the image data received from the information processing device; and

a program executing unit for executing a predetermined program and displaying at least an image resulting from the execution of the program on the display unit, if a predetermined operation is performed on the controller device,

wherein the communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed.

39. The controller device according to claim 38, wherein the display unit at least displays, as the image resulting from the execution of the program, a control image used for performing an operation regarding a predetermined process executed by the program.

40. The controller device according to claim 38, wherein:

the communication unit receives the image data from the information processing device, irrespective of whether the predetermined program is being executed; and

while the predetermined program is being executed, the display unit displays an image represented by the image data, together with the image resulting from the execution of the program.

41. The controller device according to claim 40, wherein:

the communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, operation data representing an operation performed on operation units of the controller device;

the program executing unit executes the predetermined process using, as an input, an operation performed on one or more of the operation units; and

when data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed is received, the information processing device generates the image data by executing a process based on the operation data while invalidating operations performed on the one or more of the operation units.

42. The controller device according to claim 41, comprising, as the one or more of the operation units, a touch panel provided on a screen of the display unit.

43. The controller device according to claim 41, comprising, as the one or more of the operation units, one or more button.

44. The controller device according to claim 40, further comprising a sensor for detecting at least one of a position, an attitude and a movement of the controller device, wherein:

the communication unit transmits operation data including data based on detection results obtained by the sensor, irrespective of whether the predetermined program is being executed; and

the program executing unit executes the predetermined process without using the detection results obtained by the sensor.

45. The controller device according to claim 40, wherein:

the communication unit receives sound data from the information processing device;

the controller device further comprises a sound outputting unit for outputting a sound represented by the sound data and/or a sound generated by the predetermined process; and

while the predetermined program is being executed, the sound outputting unit outputs the sound represented by the sound data together with the sound generated by the predetermined process, with the sound represented by the sound data being output at a lower volume as compared with that when the predetermined program is not being executed.

46. The controller device according to claim 38, wherein the communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating whether the predetermined program is being executed, together with the operation data, with a predetermined frequency.

47. The controller device according to claim 38, wherein the display unit lays an image resulting from the execution of the predetermined program over the image represented by the image data.

48. The controller device according to claim 38, wherein the program executing unit executes, as the predetermined program, a program for controlling, in accordance with an operation performed on the controller device, a display device capable of displaying an image generated in the information processing device.

49. The controller device according to claim 48, wherein:

the controller device includes an infrared light emitting unit for emitting an infrared light signal;

the display device includes an infrared light receiving unit for receiving the infrared light signal; and

the program executing unit controls the display device by making the infrared light emitting unit output the infrared light signal.

50. The controller device according to claim 38, comprising a predetermined button,

wherein the program executing unit executes the predetermined program when an operation on the predetermined button is performed as the predetermined operation.

51. The controller device according to claim 50, wherein the communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating whether the predetermined program is being executed, and data representing an operation on the predetermined button.

52. The controller device according to claim 38, further comprising a storage unit for storing an image,

wherein the program executing unit displays the image stored in the storage unit on the display unit when the predetermined operation is performed.

53. The controller device according to claim 38, wherein:

the communication unit receives, as the image data, game image data generated by a game process executed in the information processing device; and

the display unit displays an image represented by the game image data.

54. An information processing system comprising an information processing device and a controller device capable of wirelessly communicating with the information processing device, wherein:

the information processing device generates image data through a process performed based on operation data transmitted from the controller device, and transmits the generated image data to the controller device;

the controller device includes;

a communication unit for transmitting the operation data obtained based on an operation performed on the controller device to the information processing device, and receiving the image data from the information processing device;

a display unit for displaying an image represented by the image data received from the information processing device; and

a program executing unit for executing a predetermined program and displaying at least an image resulting from the execution of the program on the display unit, if a predetermined operation is performed on the controller device,

wherein the communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed.

55. The information processing system according to claim 54, wherein:

the communication unit receives the image data from the information processing device, irrespective of whether the predetermined program is being executed; and

while the predetermined program is being executed, the display unit displays an image represented by the image data, together with the image resulting from the execution of the program.

56. The information processing system according to claim 55, wherein:

the communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, operation data representing an operation performed on operation units of the controller device;

the program executing unit executes the predetermined process using, as an input, an operation performed on one or more of the operation units; and

when data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed is received, the information processing device generates the image data by executing a process based on the operation data while invalidating operations performed on the one or more of the operation units.

57. The information processing system according to claim 54, wherein the program executing unit executes, as the predetermined program, a program for controlling, in accordance with an operation performed on the controller device, a display device capable of displaying an image generated in the information processing device.

58. The information processing system according to claim 54, wherein:

the information processing device generates game image data by executing a predetermined game process based on the operation data;

the communication unit receives the game image data from the information processing device; and

the display unit displays an image represented by the game image data.

59. An information processing method to be carried out in a controller device capable of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device, the information processing method comprising:

a communication step of transmitting operation data obtained based on an operation performed on the controller device to the information processing device, and receiving, from the information processing device, image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data;

a display step of displaying an image represented by the image data received from the information processing device on a display unit of the controller device; and

a program executing step of executing a predetermined program and displaying at least an image resulting from the execution of the program on the display unit, when a predetermined operation on the controller device is performed,

wherein in the communication step, the controller device transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed, when the predetermined program is executed.

60. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device displays at least a control image used for performing an operation regarding a predetermined process executed by the program, as the image resulting from the execution of the program.

61. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein:

in the communication step, the controller device receives the image data from the information processing device, irrespective of whether the predetermined program is being executed; and

in the program executing step, while the predetermined program is being executed, the controller device displays an image represented by the image data, together with the image resulting from the execution of the program.

62. The information processing method according to claim 61, wherein:

in the communication step, the controller device transmits, to the information processing device, operation data representing an operation performed on operation units of the controller device;

in the program executing step, the controller device executes the predetermined process using, as an input, an operation performed on one or more of the operation units; and

when data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed is received, the information processing device generates the image data by executing a process based on the operation data while invalidating operations performed on the one or more of the operation units.

63. The information processing method according to claim 62, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device executes the predetermined process using, as an input, an operation performed on a touch panel provided on a screen of the display unit as one or more of the operation units.

64. The information processing method according to claim 62, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device executes the predetermined process using, as an input, an operation performed on one or more button of the controller device as one or more of the operation units.

65. The information processing method according to claim 61, further comprising a sensor for detecting at least one of a position, an attitude and a movement of the controller device, wherein:

in the communication step, the controller device transmits operation data including data based on detection results obtained by the sensor for detecting at least one of a position, an attitude and a movement of the controller device, irrespective of whether the predetermined program is being executed; and

in the program executing step, the controller device executes the predetermined process without using the detection results obtained by the sensor.

66. The information processing method according to claim 61, wherein:

in the communication step, the controller device receives sound data from the information processing device;

the information processing method further comprises a sound outputting step of outputting a sound represented by the sound data and/or a sound generated by the predetermined process; and

in the sound outputting step, while the predetermined program is being executed, the controller device outputs the sound represented by the sound data together with the sound generated by the predetermined process, with the sound represented by the sound data being output at a lower volume as compared with that when the predetermined program is not being executed.

67. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein in the communication step, the controller device transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating whether the predetermined program is being executed, together with the operation data, with a predetermined frequency.

68. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device lays an image resulting from the execution of the predetermined program over the image represented by the image data.

69. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device executes, as the predetermined program, a program for controlling, in accordance with an operation performed on the controller device, a display device capable of displaying an image generated in the information processing device.

70. The information processing method according to claim 69, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device controls the display device by outputting an infrared light signal.

71. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device executes the predetermined program when an operation on a predetermined button of the controller device is performed as the predetermined operation.

72. The information processing method according to claim 71, wherein in the communication step, the controller device transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating whether the predetermined program is being executed, and data representing an operation on the predetermined button.

73. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein in the program executing step, the controller device displays an image stored in a storage unit of the controller device on the display unit when the predetermined operation is performed.

74. The information processing method according to claim 59, wherein:

in the communication step, the controller device receives, as the image data, game image data generated by a game process executed in the information processing device; and

in the program executing step, the controller device displays an image represented by the game image data.