Memory cartridge and game apparatus using the same

• US 5,014,982 A
• Filed: 08/24/1988
• Issued: 05/14/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Nishizawa, Kenji, Okada, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/235,657
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1 E, 273/148 B, 273/85 G, 273/DIG. 28, 364/410
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/70 Game security or game management aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game

Abstract

A memory cartridge (10) is attachably/detachably loaded to a game machine (22) which includes a microprocessor (24) and a working RAM (26) provided in association with the microprocessor. When the memory cartridge is loaded to the game machine, a program ROM (18) included in the memory cartridge is connected to the microprocessor and the working RAM through data bus and address bus such that the data can be communicated between them. When a game is terminated, a password is generated in accordance with a program stored in the program ROM in advance by modifying game status data including data of score, power or energy and the stage number which are stored in the working RAM. The password thus generated is displayed on a display. When the password is inputted by a player prior to consecutively starting a succeeding game in accordance with the display, by restoring the inputted password, the game status data is set in the working RAM, whereby the microprocessor consecutively starts the succeeding game from the game status at the timing when the preceding game was terminated.

Claims

1. A game apparatus, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a program memory connected to said microprocessor for storing a game program to be executed by said microprocessor;

a game terminating means provided in association with said microprocessor for terminating a game being executed by said microprocessor in accordance with said game program stored in said program memory;

a data storage;

a password generating means for generating a password based upon game status data being stored in said data storage at the time when the game has been terminated by said game terminating means;

a displaying means for displaying the password generated by said password generating means;

an instructing means for permitting an operator to instruct that the game be subsequently started at a point corresponding to the point when the game was terminated;

an inputting means for enabling an operator to input a password when starting of the game is instructed by said instructing means;

a data setting means for setting said game status data in said data storage based upon an inputted password, wherein said password generating means includes a modifying means for modifying said game status data stored in said data storage, and said data setting means includes a restoring means for restoring data obtained from the inputted password into the game status data stored in said data storage, wherein said data storage includes a data area for storing data used during password generation, wherein said modifying means includes a shifting means for shifting the data being stored in said data area; and

means for generating a random number, wherein said shifting means includes a means for shifting the data being stored in said data area by a number of bits determined by the random number.

2. A game apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said restoring means includes a reverse shifting means for shifting the data in reverse to said modifying means.

3. A game apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said program memory is included in a memory cartridge which is attachably/detachably loaded to said microprocessor.

4. A game apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said shifting means shifts data in a first shifting direction and wherein said restoring means includes a further modifying means for modifying said inputted password to generate modified data and additional shifting means for shifting said modified data in a shifting direction reverse to said first shifting direction, the number of shifting times determined by data included in said inputted password.

5. A game apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said game status data includes data composed of a plurality of words indicative of a plurality of game status conditions, each of said plurality of words being constituted by a plurality of bits, wherein said password generating means produces a password including a plurality of words, each of which is composed of a number of bits less than the number of bits of a word of said game status data.

6. A game apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said password generating means produces a password the number of bits of which is equal to the number of bits of said game status data and the number of words of which is less than the number of words of said game status data.

7. A memory cartridge having a program memory and capable of being attachably/detachably loaded into a game machine which includes a microprocessor and a data storage provided in association therewith, said memory cartridge comprising:

random number generating program means for enabling said microprocessor to generate a random number;

first password program means for enabling said microprocessor to produce a password based upon game status data stored in said data storage, said first password program means including first shifting means for shifting said game status data in a first shifting direction, the number of shifting times being determined by said random number to generate shifted data and first modifying means for modifying said shifted data to produce said password;

second password program means for enabling said microprocessor to process a password input by a player generated in association with said first password program means; and

third program means for enabling said microprocessor to set predetermined game status data in said data storage based upon an inputted password, said third program means including restoring means for restoring status data obtained from said inputted password into said game status data stored in said data storage.

8. A memory cartridge in accordance with claim 7, wherein said restoring means includes means for shifting the data in a reverse direction from said first shifting direction means.

9. A memory cartridge in accordance with claim 7, wherein said restoring means includes second modifying means for modifying said inputted password to generate modified data and second shifting means for shifting said modified data in a second shifting direction reverse to said first shifting direction by said first shifting means, the number of shifting times determined by said shifting times data included in said inputted password.

10. A memory cartridge in accordance with claim 9, wherein said first modifying means includes AND logic means for ANDing said shifted data and said random number.

11. A memory cartridge in accordance with claim 7, wherein said game status data includes data composed of a plurality of words indicative of a plurality of game status conditions, each of said plurality of words being constituted by a plurality of bits, wherein said first password program means produces a password including a plurality of words, each of which is composed of a number of bits less than the number of bits of a word of said game status data.

12. A memory cartridge in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first password program means produces a password the number of bits of which is equal to the number of bits of said game status data and the number of words of which is less than the number of words of said game status data.

13. A memory cartridge in accordance with claim 11, wherein said second modifying means includes OR logic means for ORing said inputted password and said shifting times data.

14. A method for consecutively starting a game, comprising the steps of:

(a) terminating a game being executed by a microprocessor in accordance with a program stored in a program memory;

(b) generating a password based upon game status data being stored in a data storage at the time when the game has been terminated, said generating step including the steps of

generating random number data, and modifying an arrangement of the stored game status data by bit-shifting the stored game status data in accordance with said random number data;

(c) displaying the password thus generated;

(d) instructing that the game is to be started consecutively such that the game may be subsequently started at a point corresponding to the point where the game was terminated;

(e) enabling an operator to input a password when consecutive starting of the game is instructed; and

(f) setting the game status data in the data storage based upon an password inputted by the operator.