CONTROLLER DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

• US 20140160361A1
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: ITO, Kuniaki, SHIMOHATA, Yasuyuki, UEKI, Jumpei
• Granted Patent: US 9,615,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• 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: 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: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control

Abstract

An object is to appropriately transmit operation data from a controller device to an information processing device. The controller device is capable of wirelessly communicating with the information processing device. The controller device includes a generating unit, a communication unit, and a display unit. The generating unit generates operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device. The communication unit receives one image'"'"'s worth of image data from the information processing device with a first frequency, the image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data, and transmits the operation data to the information processing device with a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency. The display unit displays an image based on the image data.

Claims

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

a generating unit for generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device;

a communication unit for receiving, from the information processing device, one image'"'"'s worth of image data with a first frequency, the image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data, and transmitting the operation data to the information processing device with a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency; and

a display unit for displaying an image based on the image data.

2. The controller device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit transmits the operation data with a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency with which the image data is received.

3. The controller device according to claim 1, wherein:

the information processing device transmits a sync signal to the controller device, and transmits the image data with a timing determined based on the sync signal; and

the communication unit transmits the operation data with the timing determined based on the sync signal transmitted from the information processing device.

4. The controller device according to claim 3, wherein the display unit updates and displays the image data with the timing determined based on the sync signal and with the first frequency.

5. The controller device according to claim 4, wherein the display unit starts rendering the image data transmitted with the timing determined based on the sync signal within an amount of time shorter than an interval of the first frequency since reception of the sync signal.

6. The controller device according to claim 3, wherein the communication unit receives sound data from the information processing device with a timing independent of the sync signal.

7. The controller device according to claim 3, wherein:

the controller device further includes a microphone; and

the communication unit transmits sound data obtained by the microphone to the information processing device with a timing independent of the sync signal.

8. The controller device according to claim 1, wherein

the controller device further includes a camera;

and

the communication unit transmits one image'"'"'s worth of camera image data generated by the camera to the information processing device with a frequency that is lower than the first frequency.

9. The controller device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit receives one packet of sound data from the information processing device with a frequency that is higher than the first frequency and lower than the second frequency.

10. The controller device according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller device further includes a microphone; and

the communication unit transmits one packet of sound data with a frequency that is higher than the first frequency and lower than the second frequency, the sound data generated by the microphone to the information processing device.

11. The controller device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit transmits newly-generated operation data for each transmission.

12. The controller device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor unit including at least one of a touch panel, an acceleration sensor and a gyrosensor,

wherein the generating unit generates operation data including data based on an output of the sensor unit.

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

a camera;

a generating unit for generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device;

a communication unit for transmitting camera image data generated by the camera to the information processing device with a predetermined frequency, and transmitting the operation data with a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency with which one image'"'"'s worth of the camera image data is transmitted.

14. The controller device according to claim 13, wherein the communication unit receives one image'"'"'s worth of image data from the information processing device with a first frequency, the image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data, and transmits the operation data to the information processing device with a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency.

15. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein the communication unit transmits the operation data with a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency with which the image data is received.

16. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein:

the information processing device transmits a sync signal to the controller device, and transmits the image data with a timing determined based on the sync signal; and

the communication unit transmits the operation data with the timing determined based on the sync signal transmitted from the information processing device.

17. The controller device according to claim 16, wherein the display unit updates and displays the image data with the timing determined based on the sync signal and with the first frequency.

18. The controller device according to claim 17, wherein the display unit starts rendering the image data transmitted with the timing determined based on the sync signal within an amount of time shorter than an interval of the first frequency since reception of the sync signal.

19. The controller device according to claim 16, wherein the communication unit receives sound data from the information processing device with a timing independent of the sync signal.

20. The controller device according to claim 16, wherein:

the controller device further includes a microphone; and

the communication unit transmits sound data obtained by the microphone to the information processing device with a timing independent of the sync signal.

21. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein the communication unit receives one packet of sound data from the information processing device with a frequency that is higher than the first frequency and lower than the second frequency.

22. The controller device according to claim 14, wherein:

the controller device further includes a microphone; and

the communication unit transmits one packet of sound data with a frequency that is higher than the first frequency and lower than the second frequency, the sound data generated by the microphone to the information processing device.

23. The controller device according to claim 13, wherein the communication unit transmits newly-generated operation data for each transmission.

24. The controller device according to claim 13, further comprising a sensor unit including at least one of a touch panel, an acceleration sensor and a gyrosensor,

wherein the generating unit generates operation data including data based on an output of the sensor unit.

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

a generating unit for generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device;

an extension communication unit for communicating with another external device different from the information processing device; and

a communication unit for transmitting, to the information processing device, communication management data together with the operation data with a predetermined frequency, the communication management data representing management information for communication with the external device,

wherein the communication unit is capable of transmitting first-type data of more transmission opportunities and second-type data of fewer transmission opportunities to the information processing device, and transmits the communication management data and the operation data to the information processing device as the first-type data, and transmits data received from the external device to the information processing device as the second-type data.

26. The controller device according to claim 25, wherein the communication unit receives one image'"'"'s worth of image data from the information processing device with a first frequency, the image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data, and transmits the operation data to the information processing device with a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency.

27. The controller device according to claim 26, wherein the communication unit transmits the operation data with a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency with which the image data is received.

28. The controller device according to claim 26, wherein:

the information processing device transmits a sync signal to the controller device, and transmits the image data with a timing determined based on the sync signal; and

the communication unit transmits the operation data with the timing determined based on the sync signal transmitted from the information processing device.

29. The controller device according to claim 28, wherein the display unit updates and displays the image data with the timing determined based on the sync signal and with the first frequency.

30. The controller device according to claim 29, wherein the display unit starts rendering the image data transmitted with the timing determined based on the sync signal within an amount of time shorter than an interval of the first frequency since reception of the sync signal.

31. The controller device according to claim 28, wherein the communication unit receives sound data from the information processing device with a timing independent of the sync signal.

32. The controller device according to claim 28, wherein:

the controller device further includes a microphone; and

the communication unit transmits sound data obtained by the microphone to the information processing device with a timing independent of the sync signal.

33. The controller device according to claim 26, wherein the communication unit receives one packet of sound data from the information processing device with a frequency that is higher than the first frequency and lower than the second frequency.

34. The controller device according to claim 26, wherein:

the controller device further includes a microphone; and

the communication unit transmits one packet of sound data with a frequency that is higher than the first frequency and lower than the second frequency, the sound data generated by the microphone to the information processing device.

35. The controller device according to claim 25, wherein the communication unit transmits newly-generated operation data for each transmission.

36. The controller device according to claim 25, further comprising a sensor unit including at least one of a touch panel, an acceleration sensor and a gyrosensor,

wherein the generating unit generates operation data including data based on an output of the sensor unit.

37. The controller device according to claim 25, wherein the communication unit communicates with the information processing device using a wireless communication method in which the transmission of the first-type data is given a higher priority over the transmission of the second-type data, and the reception of the image data transmitted from the information processing device is given a higher priority over the transmission of the first-type data.

38. 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 from the controller device, and transmits one image'"'"'s worth of image data to the controller device with a first frequency; and

the controller device comprises;

a generating unit for generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device;

a communication unit for receiving the one image'"'"'s worth of image data from the information processing device with a first frequency, and transmitting the operation data to the information processing device with a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency; and

a display unit for displaying an image based on the image data.

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

a camera;

a generating unit for generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device; and

a communication unit for transmitting camera image data generated by the camera to the information processing device with a predetermined frequency, and transmitting the operation data with a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency with which one image'"'"'s worth of the camera image data is transmitted,

wherein the information processing device receives the operation data and the camera image data.

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

a generating unit for generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device;

an extension communication unit for communicating with another external device different from the information processing device; and

a communication unit for transmitting, to the information processing device, communication management data together with the operation data with a predetermined frequency, the communication management data representing management information for communication with the external device, wherein;

the information processing device receives the operation data and the communication management data; and

the communication unit is capable of transmitting first-type data of more transmission opportunities and second-type data of fewer transmission opportunities to the information processing device, and transmits the communication management data and the operation data to the information processing device as the first-type data, and transmits data received from the external device to the information processing device as the second-type data.

41. A communication method carried out in a controller device capable of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device, the communication method comprising:

a generating step of generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device;

a communication step of receiving one image'"'"'s worth of image data from the information processing device with a first frequency, the image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data, and transmits the operation data to the information processing device with a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency; and

a display step of displaying an image based on the image data.

42. A communication method carried out in a controller device capable of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device, the communication method comprising:

a generating step of generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device; and

a communication step of transmitting camera image data generated by a camera of the controller device to the information processing device with a predetermined frequency, and transmitting the operation data with a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency with which one image'"'"'s worth of the camera image data is transmitted.

43. A communication method carried out in a controller device capable of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device, the communication method comprising:

a generating step of generating operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device; and

an extension communication step of communicating with another external device different from the information processing device; and

a communication step of transmitting, to the information processing device, communication management data together with the operation data with a predetermined frequency, the communication management data representing management information for communication with the external device,

wherein in the communication step, the controller device is capable of transmitting first-type data of more transmission opportunities and second-type data of fewer transmission opportunities to the information processing device, and transmits the communication management data and the operation data to the information processing device as the first-type data, and transmits data received from the external device to the information processing device as the second-type data.