Portable electronic device, entertainment system and method of operating the same

• US 6,254,477 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Nobuo, Ohba, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/322,774
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/34, 463/36, 463/37, 463/42-47, 463/7, 463/8
• US Class Current: 463/1
• 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 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A portable electronic device and an entertainment system that can give a user a sense of familiarity by generating a proper character using an identification number and by displaying it, for example, on a display means include an identification-number holding section which holds a proper identification number through a bus, which is connected to an interface to connect to a game-machine main body having a program-execution function. Input operation is performed by a player at an input-operation section. At an operation-information generation section, an operation information is generated in response to the input operation at the input-operation section. The RAM provides for use for operation information stores the operation information received from the operation-information generation section. A character-information generation section generates proper character information in accordance with the operation information and gene information when the latter is received through the game-machine main body. The gene information determines the character-transmission factor of the character corresponding to the proper identification number.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device having an interface for connecting the portable electronic device to a host machine having a program-execution function, comprising:

an identification-number holding means for holding a proper identification number,

an input-operation means for executing an input operation;

an operation-information generation means for generating operation information in response to said input operation from said input-operation means;

an operation-information storage means for storing said operation information from said operation-information generation means,

a character-information generation means for generating proper character information in accordance with said operation information and gene information, upon receiving via said host machine said gene information which determines a character-transmission factor of a character corresponding to said proper identification number.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, and further comprising a time-information generation means for continuously generating time information, which said character-information generation means generates proper character information in accordance with said time information, said gene information, and said operation information.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, and further comprising a character-information storage means for storing said character information.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, and further comprising a display means for displaying a character image based on said character information.

5. An entertainment system comprising a host machine having a program-execution function and subordinate machine having an interface for connecting to said host machine, said host machine transferring a program-execution information to said subordinate machine, said subordinate machine comprising:

an identification-number holding means for holding a proper identification number;

an input-operation means for executing an input operation;

an operation-information generation means for generating operation information in response to the input operation from said input-operation means;

an operation-information storage means to storing operation information from said operation-information generation means;

a character-information generation means for generating proper character information in accordance with said operation information and gene information, upon receiving via said host machine said gene information which determines a character-transmission factor corresponding to said proper identification number.

6. The entertainment system of claim 5, wherein said host machine reads out from a recording medium gene information which corresponds to said proper identification number as said program is being executed, and transfers said gene information to said subordinate machine.

7. The entertainment system of claim 5, wherein said subordinate machine further comprises a time-infornation generation means which continuously generates time information, and said character-information generation means generates proper character information in accordance with said time information, said gene information, and said operation information.

8. The entertainment system of claim 5, wherein said subordinate machine further comprises a character-information storage means for storing said character information.

9. The entertainment system of claim 5, wherein said subordinate machine further comprising a display means for displaying an image based on said character information.

10. The entertainment system of claim 5, wherein said display means is connected to said host machine.

11. The entertainment system of claim 5, comprising a plurality of said subordinate machines.

12. The entertainment system of claim 11 wherein said plurality of said subordinate machines generate respective proper character information and including a display means connected to said host machine for displaying a plurality of character images based on the respective proper-character information.

13. The entertainment system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of said subordinate machines include two specified subordinate machines connected to said host machine for generating character information related to an imaginary subordinate machine in accordance with respective gene information and operation information, upon receiving gene information which corresponds to said proper identification number, through said host machine.

14. The entertainment system of claim 13, wherein said two specified subordinate machines include each character-information storage means for storing said character information, at least one of said character-information storage means storing said character information related to an imaginary subordinate machine.

15. A method for operating an entertainment system comprised of a host machine having a program-execution function and subordinate machines made of portable electronic devices having an interface for connecting to said host machine, the method for operating an entertainment system comprising the steps of:

(a) providing said subordinate machines with proper identification numbers, and providing said host machine with gene information that corresponds to said identification numbers;

(b) connecting said subordinate machines to said host machine, and sending said proper identification numbers from said subordinate machines to said host machine;

(c) loading the subordinate machines with gene information by said host machine, on confirming the identification numbers sent from said subordinate machines;

(d) generating by said subordinate machines character information based on said gene information and displaying proper characters in their display means.

16. The method for operating an entertainment system of claim 15, further comprising the steps of;

after the step (d);

(e) sending by said subordinate machines, in addition, said character information to said host machine; and

(f) displaying on a monitor of said host machine, after processing, said character information through a graphics-generation process.

17. The method for operating an entertainment system of claim 15, the step (d) comprising the steps of:

generating character information based on the operation information in accordance with an input by a player, in addition to said gene information; and

displaying resulting on proper character on the display means of said subordinate machine.

18. The method of operating an entertainment system of claim 17, wherein said operation information expresses an experience value that has been arrived by giving a numerical value to a character'"'"'s experience.

19. The method for operating an entertainment system of claim 15, the step (d) comprising the steps of

generating character information based on time information corresponding to a timer, in addition to said gene information;

and

displaying the proper character on the display means of said subordinate machine.

20. The method for operating an entertainment system of claim 15, wherein the entertainment system has a plurality of said subordinate machines and wherein each subordinate machine displays a proper character in a respective display means thereof.

21. The method for operating an entertainment system of claim 15, wherein the entertainment-system has a plurality of said subordinate machines, and wherein each subordinate machine generates its own proper character in a respective display means thereof, and each machine generates a new, separate character based on a respective gene information thereof.