Video game system

• US 5,634,848 A
• Filed: 09/01/1995
• Issued: 06/03/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazuhiro, Tsuda, Yoichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/522,548
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2-6.3, 463/25, 463/29, 463/1, 463/30-31, 463/40-43, 395/491, 395/200.08, 395/200.12, 395/200.11, 379/90, 379/105, 379/106, 379/111, 379/91, 379/101, 348/3-13
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• 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 2300/5513 involving billing
• 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: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A video game system has a game supplier and a terminal device connected to the game supplier through a transmission line. The terminal device has a plurality of game units on which a video game program is played. A first memory is provided in the game supplier wherein a plurality of video game programs are stored. The video game program is transmitted to the terminal device. A second memory is provided in the terminal device for storing the video game programs transmitted from the game supplier. A third memory is provided in the game unit for storing information on playing condition of the video game program. A calculator is provided in the game supplier for calculating a charge for using the video programs in accordance with the information stored in the third memory and applied to the calculator through the transmission line.

Claims

1. A video game system having a game supplier and a terminal device connected to the game supplier through a transmission line and said terminal device having a plurality of game units, said video game system comprising:

a first memory provided in the game supplier wherein a plurality of video game programs are stored;

transmitting means for deriving a video game program from the first memory and for transmitting the program to the terminal device through the transmission line;

a second memory, provided in the terminal device, for storing the video game programs transmitted from the game supplier;

a display, provided on each of the game units, for displaying the video game program stored in the second memory;

operating means for operating the game unit;

a third memory, provided in the terminal device, for storing information on playing condition of each of the video game programs;

calculating means, provided in the game supplier, for retrieving the information stored in the third memory through the transmission line and for calculating a charge for using the video programs in accordance with the information; and

charging means, provided in the game supplier, for communication with a banking organ so as to draw out the charge calculated by the calculation means by way of on-line processing.

2. The video game system according to claim 1 wherein the transmitting means has appending means for appending a data error check code and a data correcting code to the video game program for checking and correcting the data therein, and the terminal device has processing means for checking and correcting the data in the transmitted video game program in accordance with the data error check code and a data correcting code, wherein the processing means applies a retransmission demand signal to the transmitting means when errors in the video game program are not corrected.

3. A video game system having a game supplier and a terminal device connected to the game supplier through a transmission line and said terminal device having a plurality of game units, said video game system comprising:

a first memory provided in the game supplier wherein a plurality of video game programs are stored;

transmitting means for deriving a video game program from the first memory and for transmitting the program to the terminal device through the transmission line;

a second memory, provided in the terminal device, for storing the video game programs transmitted from the game supplier;

a display, provided on each of the game units, for displaying the video game program stored in the second memory;

operating means for operating the game unit;

a charge receiving device, provided in each game unit, for receiving charge in order to execute the video game program;

a third memory, provided in the terminal device, for storing information on charge received by the charge receiving device;

calculating means, provided in the game supplier, for retrieving the information on the charge stored in the third memory through the transmission line and for calculating a charge for using the video programs in accordance with the information; and

charging means, provided in the game supplier, for communication with a banking organ so as to draw out the charge calculated by the calculation means by way of on-line processing.

4. A video game system having a game supplier and a terminal device connected to the game supplier through a transmission line and the terminal device having a plurality of game units, the video game system comprising:

a first memory provided in the game supplier wherein a plurality of video game programs are stored;

transmitting means for deriving a video game program from the first memory and for transmitting the program to the terminal device through the transmission line;

a second memory, provided in the terminal device, for storing the video game programs transmitted from the game supplier;

a display, provided on each of the game units, for displaying the video game program stored in the second memory;

operating means for operating the game unit;

counting means, provided in each game unit, for counting number of playing times of each of the video game programs;

a third memory, provided in the terminal device, for storing information on the number of playing times;

calculating means, provided in the game supplier, for retrieving the information on the number of playing times stored in the third memory through the transmission line and for calculating a charge for using the video programs in accordance with the information; and

charging means, provided in the game supplier, for communication with a banking organ so as to draw out the charge calculated by the calculating means by way of on-line processing.