Video signal reproducing apparatus

• US 5,791,994 A
• Filed: 05/31/1995
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Shinichi, Hirano, Tetsuya, Noda, Shinji, Kunigita, Hisayuki, Yutaka, Teiji
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/454,837
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 463/43, 463/44, 463/47, 463/36, 463/37, 345/157, 345/161, 345/162
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• 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

In a video reproducing apparatus, operating devices and recording devices are connected with a simple structure to record game information while operating the game, and a plurality of small capacity of external secondary memory means can be used as a large capacity of external secondary memory means. The main body of the video game machine is connected to a plurality of the operating devices with a serial interface so that serial data is communicated bidirectionally in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure while at the same time connecting recording devices to the serial interface respectively corresponding to a plurality of operating devices to allow the main body of the game machine to write predetermined data into and read it from recording devices in accordance with a communication procedure. Moreover, the communication controller connected to the main bus to which the central processing unit of the main body of the machine is connected and a plurality of card connectors namely card slots where memory cards connected to the main bus via the communication controller are attached to or detached from freely are provided, and each card slot is independently controlled by the central processing unit via the communication controller to control the writing and/or reading of data extending over the plurality of external secondary memory means.

Claims

1. Apparatus for playing a video game recorded on a video recording medium, comprising:

a reproducing device including a first processing unit for reproducing information from said video recording medium under control of said first processing unit;

an operating device including a second processing unit for operating said reproducing device under control of said second processing unit;

a recording device including a third processing unit and a memory corresponding to said operating device for writing first data to said memory and for reading said first data from said memory under control of said third processing unit; and

a serial interface having multiple external signal lines shared by said reproducing, operating and recording devices for connecting said reproducing device to said operating device and to said recording device, said serial interface being operative to perform a plurality of first data transfers between said reproducing device and said recording device using said multiple external signal lines and to perform a plurality of second data transfers between said reproducing device and said operating device using the same said multiple external signal lines according to a predetermined communication procedure that includes said first data transfers selectively occurring between successive ones of said second data transfers.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second operating device which is controlled in accordance with said predetermined communication procedure.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising at least a second recording device corresponding to said second operating device, and wherein said reproducing device generates a system selection signal having an identification code for selecting one of said recording and operating devices such that only the selected one of said recording and operating devices communicates with said reproducing device.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a respective first data transfer and a respective second data transfer have a variable duration according to said predetermined communication procedure.