Communication system and method using pictorial characters

• US 7,052,396 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Comair, Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/118,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 40- 42, 704/260, 704/270, 709/204
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• 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 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 : where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 : for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 : Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

Pictorial characters are used to replace one or more words or even one or more full sentences of a message for communication to one or more people. In the context of an electronic communication device, a person (“sending party”) can use pictorial characters to “encode” words or sentences of a message to be sent to another person (“receiving party”). The receiving party, upon receiving the message, decodes the coded message and, if appropriate or desired, replies to the message. The communication devices used by the sending and receiving parties can be provided with various pictorial character-related features. For example, the communication devices may be provided with processing circuitry that conditions the use of a particular pictorial character for sending messages upon prior entry of a valid authorization (unlocking) code for that character. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuitry of the communication devices may be responsive to received messages for proposing to the receiving party suggested meanings for one or more of the characters.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

communication circuitry;

a memory which stores a library of characters;

processing circuitry which is responsive to messages received via the communication circuitry for generating display data using one or more characters of the character library and which conditions the use of a character in the character library to send messages via the communication circuitry upon prior entry of a valid unlocking code for that character.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the characters are pictorial characters.

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

a liquid crystal display for displaying the received messages.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a modem.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a pager.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising user-actuated input devices for inputting the unlocking code.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data input port,

wherein, in use, a card reader for reading codes is connected to the data input port for inputting the unlocking code.

8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein each character includes a modifier for varying the meaning of the character.

9. The communication device according to claim 8, wherein the modifier is color.

10. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operating system allowing a user to cut, paste, edit andlor concatenate the characters of the character library.

11. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a telephone.

12. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a pager.

13. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry comprises wireless communication circuitry.

14. A hand-held communication device comprising:

a housing grippable by a user'"'"'s hands;

a liquid crystal display viewable by the user gripping the housing;

input devices operable by the user when the user grips the housing;

a connector for operatively connecting to communication circuitry; and

processing circuitry which is responsive to messages received via the communication circuitry for generating display data using one or more characters of a character library and which conditions the use of a character in the character library to send messages via the communication circuitry upon prior entry of a valid unlocking code for that character.

15. The hand-held communication device according to claim 14, wherein the characters are pictorial characters.

16. The hand-held communication device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a liquid crystal display for displaying the received messages.

17. The hand-held communication device according to claim 14, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a modem.

18. The hand-held communication device according to claim 14, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a pager.

19. The hand-held communication device according to claim 14, further comprising user-actuated input devices for inputting the unlocking code.

20. A communication device comprising:

communication circuitry; and

processing circuitry which is responsive to messages received via the communication circuitry for generating display data corresponding to suggested meanings for one or more pictorial characters contained in the received messages.

21. The communication device according to claim 20, further comprising:

a liquid crystal display for displaying the received messages.

22. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a modem.

23. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a pager.

24. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein the communication device is a mobile telephone.

25. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein the communication circuitry comprises wireless communication circuitry.

26. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein the suggested meanings comprise text.