INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM

• US 20140349753A1
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Enomoto, Shigeru, Saito, Hiroshi, Aoki, Toshimasa, Hashimoto, Satoshi, lmai, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 10,967,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• 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 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

When an acquisition unit acquires image data of a game being played on another information processing apparatus, a display processing unit displays, using the acquired image data, an image of game play. A participation processing unit allows a user to join the game being played on the other information processing apparatus, and an execution unit activates game software after it is determined that the user joins the game. While the execution unit is activating the game software, the display processing unit continues to display the image of the game play.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus operated by a user, comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data of a game being played on another information processing apparatus;

a display processing unit configured to display an image of game play using the acquired image data;

a participation processing unit configured to allow the user to join the game being played on the other information processing apparatus; and

an execution unit configured to activate game software after it is determined that the user joins the game,

wherein the display processing unit displays the image of the game play while the execution unit is activating the game software.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display processing unit displays the image of the game play until the activation of the game software is completed.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display processing unit displays the image of the game play even before the game software is activated.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display processing unit increases the display size of the image of the game play while the execution unit is activating the game software.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the execution unit automatically activates the game software when it is determined that the user joins the game.

6. A computer program embedded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, comprising:

a module configured to acquire image data of a game being played on another computer;

a module configured to display an image of game play using the acquired image data;

a module configured to allow a user to join the game being played on the other computer; and

a module configured to activate game software after it is determined that the user joins the game,

wherein the module configured to display an image of game play displays the image of the game play while the game software is being activated.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon the program according to claim 6.