Memory device, controller, and electronic device

• US 6,786,826 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Inventors: Nakayama, Madoka, Yasuoka, Miyuki, Tsuchiya, Koji, Himoto, Atsunori, Tosaki, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, KATHLEEN MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US10/121,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-8, 463/29, 463/43, 463/200, 463/216, 463/46
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/88 Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
• 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 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• 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 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• 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 2300/408 : Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 : using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6036 : for offering a minigame in combination with a main game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 : involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 : for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 : Fighting without shooting

Abstract

A gaming system includes a parent game apparatus and at least one child game apparatus which is connectable to the parent game apparatus. A main game program executes on the parent game apparatus and is ordinarily controlled by player actions on the parent game apparatus. When the main game reaches a predetermined state, the parent gain apparatus downloads a subgame to a child game apparatus connected to the parent game apparatus. The subgame executes on the child game apparatus and transfers a result of the subgame to the parent game apparatus. The result of the subgame affects the state of the main game.

Claims

1. A game playing method for a game system having a main game apparatus and a sub game apparatus connectable to the main game apparatus, the game playing method comprising the steps of

storing in a main memory a main game program executed by the main game apparatus and a plurality of subgame programs executed by the sub game apparatus;

controlling advance of the main game while storing a main game advance state;

if the main game advance state is equal to a predetermined state,

reading a subgame selected from the main memory;

if said sub game apparatus is connected to a connector of the main game apparatus,

outputting the subgame selected from the main memory to the sub game apparatus;

storing, in a subgame storage region of the sub game apparatus, the subgame inputted from the main game apparatus; and

controlling advance of the subgame on said sub game apparatus.

2. A game playing method according to claim 1, wherein the sub game apparatus transfers a result of the subgame to the main game apparatus to change parameters of the main game, after a game player has executed a subgame on the sub game apparatus.

3. A game system comprising

a main game apparatus;

and

a sub game apparatus which is connectable on the main game apparatus;

wherein the main game apparatus comprises,

a main memory for storing a main game program executed by the main game apparatus, and a plurality of subgame programs;

a main game advance control means for controlling advance of the main game;

a game advance state storage means for storing a game advance state of the main game advanced by the main game advance control means;

a game providing means for reading one of the plurality of sub games selected from the memory when a game advance state stored in the game advance state storage means becomes a predetermined state; and

an insert judging means for judging whether or not the sub game apparatus is connected to a connector of the parent game apparatus and for outputting the one of the plurality of subgames to the sub game apparatus according to the judgment;

the sub game apparatus comprises,

a subgame storage region for storing the one of a plurality of subgames inputted from the main game apparatus;

a sub game advance processing means for controlling advance of the one of a plurality of subgames;

a display means for displaying the one of a plurality of subgames; and

an input means operated by a game player.

4. A game system according to claim 3, wherein

the sub game apparatus transfers a result of the one of a plurality of sub games to the main game apparatus to change parameters of the main game, after a game player has executed the one of a plurality of subgames on the sub game apparatus.