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

• US 6,814,662 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• 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): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/854,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/7, 463/8, 463/34-37, 463/42-47, 463/40, 463/9
• 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 said portable electronic device to a host machine having a program-execution function, comprising:

an identification-number holder section for holding proper identification numbers;

a memory for loading a conversion table containing gene information corresponding to said proper identification numbers; and

a character-information generation section for generating proper character information in accordance with at least said gene information.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input-operation section for executing an input operation;

an operation-information generation section for generating operating information in response to said input operation at said input-operation section; and

a memory for storing said operation information from said operation-information generation section, wherein

said character-information generation section generates said proper character information in accordance with at least said gene information and said operation-information.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timer for continuously generating time information,

wherein said character information generation section generates said proper character information in accordance with at least said gene information and said time information.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display section for displaying a character image based on said character information generated by said character information generation section.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said character information generation section is adapted to transfer said character information to said host machine.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said gene information comprises information regarding multiple portions of at least a face of an individual designated by a character image generated based on said character information, and wherein said information regarding multiple portions is given in the form of a one-dimensional array.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said gene information comprises a one-dimensional array filled with maximum values of latent abilities of an individual designated by a character image based on said character information.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, given said gene information as a first gene information and another gene information supplied from another portable electronic device connected to said host machine as a second gene information, said character information generation section generates another character information based on at least said first and second gene information.

9. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein, given gene information from which said another character information are generated as third gene information, said character information generation section is adapted to determine k-th column of said third gene information from corresponding k-th columns of said first and second gene information through a predetermined rule, for k=1,2, . . . , n.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said character information generation section performs a mutation process in generating said third gene information.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, wherein variation amount for certain columns in said third gene information are determined by random numbers in said mutation process.

12. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined rule is a selection rule for selecting either one of the k-th columns of said first and second gene information as the k-th column of said third gene information.

13. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined rule is a rule for calculating the average value of the k-th columns of said first and second gene information as the k-th column of said third gene information.

14. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined rule is a rule for using linear interpolation of k-th columns of said first and second gene information in determining the k-th column of said third gene information.

15. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said character information generation section is adapted to search said conversion table for a proper identification number corresponding to said third gene information.

16. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a memory for storing said proper identification number corresponding to said third gene information.

17. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, given said gene information as a first gene information and another gene information provided by another portable electronic device connected to said host machine as a second gene information, said character information generation section exchanges said first and second gene information in accordance with an exchange instruction.

18. An entertainment system including a host machine having a program-execution function and subordinate machines equipped with an interface for connecting said subordinate machines to said host machine, wherein

said host machine transfers to said subordinate machines information obtained by execution of a program;

and

said subordinate machines have

an identification-number holding section for holding proper identification numbers;

a memory for loading a conversion table containing gene information corresponding to said proper identification numbers, said conversion table received via said host machine; and

a character-information generation section for generating proper character information in accordance with said gene information and for transferring said proper character information to said host machine.

19. The entertainment system according to claim 18, wherein said host machine transfers to said subordinate machines a conversion table designated by the identification number transferred from said subordinated machines.

20. An image generation method comprising the steps of:

receiving a conversion table which includes gene information corresponding to proper identification numbers;

generating proper character information in response to at least said gene information; and

generating a character image based on said character information.

21. The image generation method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

generating operation information in response to an input operation performed at an input operation section,

wherein said proper character information is generated in accordance with at least said gene information and said operation information.

22. The image generating method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

continuously generating time information,

wherein said proper character information is generated in accordance with at least said gene information and said time information.

23. The image generating method according to claim 20, wherein said gene information comprises a one-dimensional array that includes information regarding multiple portions of at least a face of an individual designated by said character image based on said character information.

24. The image generating method according to claim 20, wherein said gene information comprises a one-dimensional array filled with maximum values of latent abilities of an individual designated by said character image based on said character information.

25. The image generating method according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

given said gene information as a first gene information and another gene information different from said first gene information as a second gene information, generating third gene information based on at least said first and second gene information;

generating another character information based on said third gene information; and

generating a character image based on said another character information.

26. The image generating method according to claim 25, wherein k-th column of said third gene information is generated from k-th columns of said first and second gene information through a predetermined rule, for k=1,2, . . . , n.

27. The image generating method according to claim 26, wherein said step of generating said third gene information comprises a mutation process.

28. The image generating method according to claim 27, wherein said mutation process comprises determining variation amount for certain columns in said third gene information by random numbers.

29. The image generating method according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined rule is a selection rule for selecting either one of the k-th columns of said first and second gene information as the k-th column of said third gene information.

30. The image generating method according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined rule is a rule for calculating the average of the k-th columns of said first and second gene information as the k-th column of said third gene information.

31. The image generating method according to claim 26, wherein said rule is a rule for using linear interpolation of the k-th columns of said first and second gene information in determining the k-th column of said third gene information.

32. A recording medium storing at least a conversion table which includes gene information corresponding to proper identification numbers and a character image generation program, wherein said character image generation program comprises procedures for:

reading said conversion table;

generating proper character information in accordance with at least said gene information; and

generating a character image based on said character information.