Game device, game machine operation device and game system which employ a half-duplex serial communication system and game device two-way communication method

• US 6,659,860 B1
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Io, Hideaki, Yamamoto, Yasuyuki, Tanaka, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BINH AN DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/303,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 463/41, 463/5, 463/1, 463/2, 463/29, 463/7, 463/35, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/39, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43, 710/105, 710/107, 710/106, 710/112, 710/118, 710/125, 710/313, 273/453, 273/454, 273/455, 273/148.R
• US Class Current: 463/1
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In a game system such as a television game system, a television game machine main unit includes a protocol controller and each game operation device connected to the television game machine unit via a serial port also has a protocol controller. The television game machine main unit when connected to a game operation device which has a unique identifier, combines a communication protocol that transmits and receives data for each character with a communication protocol which transmits or receives data for two or more characters in a row and switches the communication protocol which corresponds to that game operation device based on the identifier thereof to minimize the amount of information required between the television game machine main unit and the game operation device.

Claims

1. A game device that employs a half-duplex serial communication system as a system of communication with game machine operation devices connected via a serial port, the game device comprising:

means for combining, based on identifiers of said game machine operation devices supplied from said game machine operation devices, a communication protocol which transmits and receives data for each single character with a communication protocol which transmits or receives data for two or more characters in a row; and

means for switching the communication protocol to a communication protocol that corresponds to a connected game machine operation device.

2. The game device as described in claim 1, wherein said switching means switches said communication protocols in packet units.

3. The game device as described in claim 1, wherein said switching means switches said communication protocols within a packet.

4. The game device as described in claim 1, and further comprising means for adjusting a waiting time for receiving data transmitted from said game machine operation devices.

5. The game device as described in claim 1, and further comprising means for adjusting a time interval of the data to be transmitted to said game machine operation devices.

6. A game machine operation device that employs a half-duplex serial communication system as its system of communication with a game device to which it is connected via a serial port,

the game machine operation device having

an identifier which is unique to said game machine operation device, and comprising means for providing said identifier to said game device when said game machine operation device is connected to said game device, to cause said game device to combine a communication protocol which transmits and receives data for each single character with a communication protocol which transmits or receives data for two or more characters in a row, and to switch the communication protocol to a communication protocol which corresponds to said game machine operation device.

7. The game machine operation device as described in claim 6, comprising means to cause said game device to switch said communication protocol in packet units.

8. The game machine operation device as described in claim 6, comprising means to cause said game device to switch said communication protocol within a packet.

9. A game system in which a game device and game machine operation devices are connected via a serial port and which employs a half-duplex serial communication system as a system of communication between said game device and game machine operation devices,

the game system comprising means for combining based on identifiers of said game machine operation devices supplied from said game machine operation devices, a communication protocol which transmits and receives data for each single character with a communication protocol which transmits or receives data for two or more characters in a row, and means for switching the communication protocol to a communication protocol that corresponds to said game machine operation device, and wherein

each of said game machine operation devices has an identifier which is unique to said game machine operation device, and comprises means for providing said identifier to said game device when said game machine operation device is connected to said game device.

10. The game system as described in claim 9, said switching means of said game device switches said communication protocol in packet units.

11. The game system as described in claim 9, wherein said switching means of said game device switches said communication protocol within a packet.

12. The game system as described in claim 9, wherein said game device further comprises means for adjusting a waiting time for receiving data transmitted from said game machine operation devices.

13. The game device as described in claim 9, said game device comprises means for adjusting a time interval of the data to be transmitted to said game machine operation devices.

14. The game system as described in claim 9, which is a television game system wherein said game device is a television machine main unit and said game machine operation devices are game controllers which input commands to said television game machine main unit.

15. A game device two-way communication method that employs a half-duplex serial communication system as its system of communication with game machine operation devices connected via a serial port,

the two-way communication method comprising a step of combining, based on identifiers of said game machine operation devices supplied from said game machine operation devices, a communication protocol which transmits and receives data for each single character with a communication protocol which transmits or receives data for two or more characters in a row, and a step of switching the communication protocol to a communication protocol that corresponds to said game machine operation device.

16. The game device two-way communication method as described in claim 15, wherein said switching step switches said communication protocol in packet units.

17. The game device two-way communication method as described in claim 15, wherein said switching step switches said communication protocol within a packet.

18. The game device two-way communication method as described in claim 15, and further comprising a step of adjusting a waiting time for receiving data transmitted from said game machine operation devices.

19. The game device two-way communication method as described in claim 15, and further comprising a step of adjusting a time interval of the data to be transmitted to said game machine operation devices.