Portable information terminal and recording medium

• US 6,595,860 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1999
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shinkai, Yuji, Yamamoto, Tetsuji, Sawaguchi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERUBIN, YVESTE GILBERTE
• Application Number:
  US09/414,662
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 273/237, 128/897, 235/380, 235/382, 235/462.45, 463/43, 463/44, 463/45
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• 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 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• 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 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• 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: A63F 2300/554 : by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 : by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 : using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 : Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 : according to the timing of operation or a time limit

Abstract

A portable information terminal can effectively utilize game results and is arranged to be multifunctional. When result information is transmitted from a terminal to another terminal, the destination terminal adds the transmitted result information to result information which has already been held thereby. The items of result information are sorted in the order of scores, and score data are updated. Of the updated result information, the result information having the same identification number as the identification number of the terminal is displayed on a display unit of the terminal.

Claims

1. A portable information terminal comprising:

a memory for storing a program and data;

a manual controller for entering manual control inputs;

a processing unit for executing said program and generating at least images based on manual control inputs entered by said manual controller to control progression of said program;

a display for displaying the images generated by said processing unit; and

a data communication unit for transmitting information relative to said program between said portable information terminal and another portable information terminal,

wherein said processing unit adds information supplied from the other portable information terminal via said data communication unit to information already stored in said memory for producing accumulated information, and sorts the accumulated information according to values thereof,

and wherein said display displays score information of information terminals including score information of said portable information terminal based on the sorted information.

2. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said terminal unit has inherent identification information, said information comprising result information processed and generated by an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit and transmitted to said terminal unit, said information being assigned an identification number of the terminal unit after being transmitted thereto.

3. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said terminal unit has inherent identification information, said control means comprising means for keeping at least one representative item of information of all the information having the same identification number when all the information is sorted.

4. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said program is downloaded from an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit.

5. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said information represents a score, a time, or number generated as a result of the execution of said program.

6. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said information processing means comprises:

information reading means for, if there is information which is not held by said terminal unit in the received information, reading said information;

information determining means for, if there is information which is held by said terminal unit in the received information, selecting information related to said information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting means for sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.

7. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said information processing means comprises:

identification information reading means for reading identification information of the received information;

identification information searching means for determining whether the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit;

information reading means for, if the read identification information is not present in information which is held by said terminal unit, reading information corresponding to the identification information from the received information;

information determining means for, if the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit, selecting information related to all information corresponding to said identification information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting means for sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.

8. A portable information terminal comprising:

a memory for storing a program and data;

a manual controller for entering manual control inputs;

a processing unit for executing said program and generating at least images based on manual control inputs entered by said manual controller to control progression of said program;

a display for displaying the images generated by said processing unit; and

a data communication unit for transmitting information relative to said program between said portable information terminal and another portable information terminal,

wherein said processing unit adds information supplied from the other portable information terminal via said data communication unit to information already stored in said memory for producing accumulated information, and sorts the accumulated information according to values thereof,

and wherein said processing unit confirms identification data of said portable information terminal supplied from the other portable information terminal, and said display displays the identification data.

9. A portable information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said terminal unit has inherent identification information, said information comprising result information processed and generated by an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit and transmitted to said terminal unit, said information being assigned an identification number of the terminal unit after being transmitted thereto.

10. A portable information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said terminal unit has inherent identification information, said control means comprising means for keeping at least one representative item of information of all the information having the same identification number when all the information is sorted.

11. A portable information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said program is downloaded from an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit.

12. A portable information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said information represents a score, a time, or number generated as a result of the execution of said program.

13. A portable information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said information processing means comprises:

information reading means for, if there is information which is not held by said terminal unit in the received information, reading said information;

information determining means for, if there is information which is held by said terminal unit in the received information, selecting information related to said information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting means for sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.

14. A portable information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said information processing means comprises:

identification information reading means for reading identification information of the received information;

identification information searching means for determining whether the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit;

information reading means for, if the read identification information is not present in information which is held by said terminal unit, reading information corresponding to the identification information from the received information;

information determining means for, if the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit, selecting information related to all information corresponding to said identification information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting means for sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.

15. A method of storing data in a portable information terminal, comprising:

storing a program and data in a memory;

receiving manual control inputs through a manual controller;

executing said program using a processing unit and generating at least images based on manual control inputs entered by said manual controller to control progression of said program;

displaying the images generated by said processing unit using a display;

transmitting information relative to said program between said portable information terminal and another portable information terminal using a data communication unit;

adding information supplied from the other portable information terminal via said data communication unit to information already stored in said memory for producing accumulated information using said processing unit;

sorting the accumulated information according to values thereof using said processing unit;

displaying score information of information terminals including score information of said portable information terminal based on the sorted information using said display.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said portable information terminal has inherent identification information, said information comprising result information processed and generated by an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit and transmitted to said terminal unit, said information being assigned an identification number of the terminal unit after being transmitted thereto.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said portable information terminal unit has inherent identification information, and said control means keeps at least one representative item of information of all the information having the same identification number when all the information is sorted.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein said program is downloaded from an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein said information represents a score, a time, or number generated as a result of the execution of said program.

20. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

if there is information which is not held by said terminal unit in the received information reading said information;

if there is information which is held by said terminal unit in the received information, selecting information related to said information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.

21. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

reading identification information of the received information;

determining whether the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit;

if the read identification information is not present in information which is held by said terminal unit, reading information corresponding to the identification information from the received information;

if the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit, selecting information related to all information corresponding to said identification information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.

22. A method of storing data in a portable information terminal, comprising:

storing a program and data in a memory;

receiving manual control inputs through a manual controller;

executing said program using a processing unit and generating at least images based on manual control inputs entered by said manual controller to control progression of said program;

displaying the images generated by said processing unit using a display;

transmitting information relative to said program between said portable information terminal and another portable information terminal using a data communication unit;

adding information supplied from the other portable information terminal via said data communication unit to information already stored in said memory for producing accumulated information using said processing unit;

sorting the accumulated information according to values thereof using said processing unit;

confirming identification data of said portable information terminal supplied from the other portable information terminal using said processing unit; and

displaying the identification data using said display.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said portable information terminal has inherent identification information, said information comprising result information processed and generated by an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit and transmitted to said terminal unit, said information being assigned an identification number of the terminal unit after being transmitted thereto.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein said portable information terminal unit has inherent identification information, and said control means keeps at least one representative item of information of all the information having the same identification number when all the information is sorted.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein said program is downloaded from an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein said information represents a score, a time, or number generated as a result of the execution of said program.

27. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

if there is information which is not held by said terminal unit in the received information reading said information;

if there is information which is held by said terminal unit in the received information, selecting information related to said information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.

28. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

reading identification information of the received information;

determining whether the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit;

if the read identification information is not present in information which is held by said terminal unit, reading information corresponding to the identification information from the received information;

if the read identification information is present in information which is held by said terminal unit, selecting information related to all information corresponding to said identification information and satisfying a predetermined condition; and

sorting the read information and the selected information according to a predetermined rule.