Video game system

• US 5,935,005 A
• Filed: 12/13/1996
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazuhiro, Tsuda, Yoichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US08/764,231
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/25, 463/29, 463/30, 463/31, 463/40-43, 273/148 B, 364/410, 364/411, 455/2-6.3, 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: 463/41
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers

Abstract

A video game system has a host and a terminal device connected to the host through a transmission line. The terminal device has a plurality of game units. A first memory is provided in the host wherein a plurality of video game programs and playing instructions thereof are stored. The video game program and playing instructions thereof are transmitted to the terminal device. A second memory is provided in the terminal device for storing the video game programs and the playing instructions transmitted from the host. A display is provided on each of the game units for displaying the playing instructions stored in the second memory.

Claims

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

a first memory provided in the host wherein a plurality of various video game programs and playing instructions thereof are stored, said playing instructions are for a player to understand how to play the various video game programs prior to playing thereof;

first transmitting means for transmitting an erase instruction to the terminal device for erasing an old video game program and old playing instructions stored in the terminal device;

second transmitting means for deriving a new video game program and new playing instructions thereof from the first memory and for transmitting the new video game program and the new playing instructions to the terminal device at an appropriate time;

a second memory provided in the terminal device for storing the new video game programs and the new playing instructions transmitted from the host, so that the old video game program and old playing instructions are replaced with the transmitted new video game program and the new playing instructions;

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

a second display provided on each of the game units for displaying the playing instructions stored in the second memory; and

operating means for operating the game unit.

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

3. A video game system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of game units stores more than one of the plurality of various video game programs and playing instructions thereof.

4. The video game system according to claim 1, wherein first 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 cannot be corrected.

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

a first memory provided in the host wherein a plurality of various video game programs and playing instructions thereof are stored, said playing instructions are for a player to understand how to play the various video game programs prior to playing thereof;

first transmitting means for transmitting an erase instruction to the terminal device for erasing an old video game program and old playing instructions stored in the terminal device;

second transmitting means for deriving a new video game program and new playing instructions thereof from the first memory and for transmitting the new video game program and the new playing instructions to the terminal device at an appropriate time;

a second memory provided in the terminal device for storing the new video game programs and the new playing instructions transmitted from the host, so that the old video game program and playing instructions are replaced with the transmitted new video game program and the new playing instructions;

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

a second display provided on each of the game units for displaying the playing instructions stored in the second memory; and

operating means for operating the game unit,

wherein each of the plurality of game units stores more than one of the plurality of various video game programs and playing instructions thereof.