INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, OPERATION DEVICE, AND POWER SUPPLY METHOD

• US 20180138727A1
• Filed: 03/10/2017
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: TAMAKI, Yuki, MATOBA, Hideto, FUKASAWA, Ryo, YASUDA, Shumpei, SHIMOHATA, Yasuyuki, OIZUMI, Toshiki
• Granted Patent: US 10,516,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

An example information processing system includes a main device, and an operation device attachable to the main device. The operation device includes a first control circuit, a first battery, and a first power supply circuit. The main device includes a second control circuit, a second battery, and a second power supply circuit. The second power supply circuit supplies power from the second battery to the operation device in response to satisfaction of a condition about the amount of remaining charge indicated by the remaining charge amount information transmitted from the operation device. When power is supplied from the main device to the operation device, the first power supply circuit supplies power supplied from the main device to the first control circuit, instead of power from the first battery.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a main device; and

an operation device attachable to the main device, wherein

the operation device includes

a first control circuit for controlling at least a portion of the operation device,

a first battery for supplying power to the first control circuit,

a first power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the first battery to the first control circuit, and

a remaining charge amount information transmission circuit for transmitting, to the main device, remaining charge amount information indicating the amount of charge remaining in the first battery,

the main device includes

a second control circuit for controlling at least a portion of the main device,

a second battery for supplying power to the second control circuit, and

a second power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the second battery to the second control circuit, and

the second power supply circuit supplies power from the second battery to the operation device in response to satisfaction of a condition about the amount of remaining charge indicated by the remaining charge amount information transmitted from the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit, and

when power is supplied from the main device to the operation device, the first power supply circuit supplies power supplied from the main device to the first control circuit, instead of power from the first battery.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the operation device further includes an operation unit,

the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit includes a first communication interface configured to perform wired communication with the main device,

the main device further includes a second communication interface configured to perform wired communication with the operation device,

the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit transmits operation information indicating an operation performed on the operation unit, and the remaining charge amount information, to the main device by the wired communication through the first communication interface, and

the second power supply circuit, when determining to supply power to the operation device, supplies power from the second battery to the operation device through the second communication interface.

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

the second control circuit performs a predetermined information process on the basis of the operation information transmitted from the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the operation device further includes an operation unit,

the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit includes a third communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the main device,

the main device further includes a fourth communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the operation device, and

the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit transmits operation information indicating an operation performed on the operation unit, and the remaining charge amount information, to the main device by the wireless communication through the third communication interface.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein

the second control circuit performs a predetermined information process on the basis of the operation information transmitted from the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit.

6. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein

when the operation device is performing the wireless communication with the main device, the first power supply circuit supplies power from the first battery to the first control circuit.

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

when the operation device is performing the wireless communication with the main device, even if the condition about the amount of remaining charge is satisfied, the first power supply circuit supplies power from the first battery to the first control circuit.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the main device further includes a power terminal configured to acquire power supplied from a power source external to the main device, and

when the second power supply circuit is supplied with power from the power source through the power terminal, the second power supply circuit supplies power supplied from the power source to the second control circuit, and supplies power supplied from the power source to the operation device.

9. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

when the first power supply circuit is supplying power from the first battery to the first control circuit, then if power is supplied from the main device to the operation device, the first power supply circuit stops supplying power from the first battery to the first control circuit, and starts supplying power supplied from the main device to the first control circuit.

10. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

when power is supplied from the main device to the operation device, the first power supply circuit supplies power supplied from the main device to the first control circuit, and charges the first battery using power supplied from the main device.

11. The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein

when the second power supply circuit is supplying power to the operation device, then if the amount of remaining charge indicated by the remaining charge amount information transmitted from the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit is greater than or equal to a first value, the second power supply circuit stops supplying power to the operation device, and

when the second power supply circuit is not supplying power to the operation device, then if the amount of remaining charge indicated by the remaining charge amount information transmitted from the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit is smaller than a second value which is smaller than the first value, the second power supply circuit starts supplying power to the operation device.

12. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

there are a plurality of the operation devices attachable to the main device, and

the second power supply circuit supplies power from the second battery to any operation device that has transmitted the remaining charge amount information satisfying the condition, of the plurality of operation devices attached to the main device.

13. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the operation device further includes an operation unit, and

the second control circuit executes a game process on the basis of an operation performed on the operation unit.

14. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

when the amount of charge remaining in the second battery is smaller than or equal to a predetermined value, the second power supply circuit stops supplying power from the second battery to the operation device, regardless of the amount of remaining charge indicated by the remaining charge amount information transmitted from the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit.

15. An information processing system comprising:

a portable main device; and

two operation devices simultaneously attachable to the main device, wherein

each of the operation devices includes

a first control circuit for controlling at least a portion of the operation device,

a first battery for supplying power to the first control circuit,

a first power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the first battery to the first control circuit,

a first communication interface configured to perform wired communication with the main device, and

a second communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the main device,

the main device includes

a second control circuit for controlling at least a portion of the main device,

a second battery for supplying power to the second control circuit,

a second power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the second battery to the second control circuit,

a third and a fourth communication interface configured to perform wired communication with the respective operation devices, and

a fifth communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the operation devices,

for any of the operation devices that is connected with the main device by the wired communication, the second power supply circuit supplies power from the second battery to said operation device in response to satisfaction of at least a condition that the main device is connected with said operation device by the wired communication, and

in each of the operation devices, the first power supply circuit supplies power from the first battery to the first control circuit when said operation device is not connected with the main device by the wired communication.

16. An information processing device to which an operation device is attachable, comprising:

a control circuit for controlling at least a portion of the information processing device;

a battery for supplying power to the control circuit, and

a power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the battery to the control circuit, wherein

the control circuit acquires, from the operation device, remaining charge amount information indicating the amount of charge remaining in the battery of the operation device, and

the power supply circuit supplies power from the battery to the operation device in response to satisfaction of a condition about the amount of remaining charge indicated by the remaining charge amount information.

17. An operation device attachable to a main device, comprising:

a control circuit for controlling a portion of the operation device;

a battery for supplying power to the control circuit;

a power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the battery to the control circuit;

a communication interface for allowing wired communication with the main device, and

a remaining charge amount information transmission circuit for transmitting remaining charge amount information indicating the amount of charge remaining in the battery, to the main device, by the wired communication through the communication interface, wherein

when power is supplied from the main device to the operation device through the communication interface, the power supply circuit supplies power supplied from the main device to the control circuit, instead of power from the battery.

18. A power supply method for use in an information processing system including a main device and an operation device attachable to the main device, wherein

the operation device includes

a first control circuit for controlling at least a portion of the operation device,

a first battery for supplying power to the first control circuit,

a first power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the first battery to the first control circuit, and

a remaining charge amount information transmission circuit for transmitting, to the main device, remaining charge amount information indicating the amount of charge remaining in the first battery,

the main device includes

a second control circuit for controlling at least a portion of the main device,

a second battery for supplying power to the second control circuit, and

a second power supply circuit for allowing power supply from the second battery to the second control circuit, and

the second power supply circuit supplies power from the second battery to the operation device in response to satisfaction of a condition about the amount of remaining charge indicated by the remaining charge amount information transmitted from the remaining charge amount information transmission circuit, and

when power is supplied from the main device to the operation device, the first power supply circuit supplies power supplied from the main device to the first control circuit, instead of power from the first battery.