Software cartridge being extensible with additional programs and/or data and the method of fabricating the same

• US 5,785,598 A
• Filed: 06/18/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US08/666,640
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 463/43, 463/44, 463/45
• US Class Current: 463/44
• 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

Abstract

A software cartridge which is extensible with additional programs and/or data and the method of fabricating the same are provided. The software cartridge may connect with an add-on cartridge including additional data and/or programs of at least one game. A game console connected with the software cartridge and the add-on cartridge determines whether the additional game data stored in the add-on cartridge support the game of the software cartridge under control of the control programs stored in the software cartridge, and then use the additional program and/or data which support the game to enhance the content of the game.

Claims

1. A software cartridge being extensible with additional data and/or programs, which can connect to a game console, said software cartridge comprising:

at least one memory for storing game data and a control program to control the execution of a game;

a first connector for connecting said software cartridge to the game console, so that the game console can retrieve the game data to execute the game by the control program;

a second connector for connecting said software cartridge with an add-on cartridge, wherein the add-on cartridge is stored with game data and/or programs supporting the game of said software cartridge, said software cartridge being able to identify and retrieve the game data and/or programs stored in the add-on cartridge under control of the control program, so as to execute the codes in the add-on cartridge.

2. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the add-on cartridge is stored with various kinds of game data and/or programs.

3. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the memory is ROM.

4. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first connector and the second connector are connected to the game console by a common bus.

5. A software cartridge being extensible with additional data and/or programs, which can connect to a game console, said software cartridge comprising:

at least one memory for storing a signature of said software cartridge, and data of a game;

a first connector for connecting said software cartridge to the game console, so that the game console can execute the game according to the data stored in the memory;

a second connector for connecting said software cartridge with an add-on cartridge, the add-on cartridge storing a signature of the add-on cartridge and additional data and/or programs of at least one game, said software cartridge having means to identify and retrieve the additional game data and/or programs stored in the add-on cartridge which support the game of said software cartridge under control of the game data, so as to execute codes in the add-on cartridge.

6. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 5 wherein the memory is ROM.

7. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first connector and the second connector are connected to the game console by a common bus.

8. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a number data representing the number of games supported by the add-on cartridge, which is stored between the signature and the additional game data of the add-on cartridge.

9. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 8, wherein the additional game data includes data of a game, a signature of the game, and a pointer for indicating a storing position of the data of the game.

10. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an end data which is stored after the additional game data.

11. A software cartridge as claimed in claim 10, wherein the additional game data includes data of a game, a signature of the game, and a pointer for indicating a storing position of the data of the game.

12. A software cartridge as claimed in claims 5, wherein the additional game data includes data of a game, a signature of the game, and a pointer for indicating a storing position of the data of the game.

13. A method for extending additional data and/or programs to a software cartridge, comprising the steps of:

(i) determining whether an add-on cartridge is connected to the software cartridge by a game console under control of control programs stored in the software cartridge, and if there is no add-on cartridge connected to the software cartridge, directly executing a game of the software cartridge;

(ii) comparing the signature of the software cartridge with the signature of at least one game stored in the add-on cartridge by the game console under control of the control programs to determine whether the add-on cartridge supports the game of the software cartridge, and if the add-on cartridge does not support the game of the software cartridge, directly executing a game of the software cartridge;

(iii) retrieving additional game data stored in the add-on cartridge, which support the game of the software cartridge, by the game console so as to execute codes in the add-on cartridge.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the add-on cartridge is stored with data of various kinds of games.

15. Method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the format of storing the data of plural kinds of games is designed to sequentially store signatures and pointers of the various kinds of games, then to store game data and/or programs.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the add-on cartridge is sequentially stored with a signature data of the add-on cartridge, a number data for indicating the number of games supported by the add-on cartridge, and game data and/or programs.

17. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the add-on cartridge is sequentially stored with a signature data of the add-on cartridge, game data and/or programs, and an end data for indicating the end of the game data and/or programs.

18. A video game system being extensible with additional data and/or programs, comprising:

a game console;

a software cartridge and an add-on cartridge;

wherein the add-on cartridge interfaces with the software cartridge and includes data of at least one game and signatures respectively representing the add-on cartridge and the game data, and

wherein the software cartridge interfaces with the game console and includes control programs which can make the game console determine whether the add-on cartridge is connected to the software cartridge.