Video game system with data transmitting/receiving controller

• US 7,594,854 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Koshima, Kazuo, Nishiumi, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US10/320,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20030087698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,478 Days
• Field of Search: 463 2- 8, 463/23, 463 30- 32, 463/34, 463 36- 38, 463 43- 44, 463/50, 273/108.1, 273/108.3, 273/108.4, 273/317.1, 273/317.3, 273/317.4, 273/317.5, 273/317.6, 345156-158, 345/167, 345473-474, 345/664, 345/679, 715/856, 709203-207
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6653 for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/0474 characterised by means converting mechanical movement into electric signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04748 Position sensor for rotary movement, e.g. potentiometer
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04759 : Light-sensitive detector, e.g. photoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 : with additional push or pull action on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 : the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 : using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 : Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 : Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 : Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 : Perspective computation

Abstract

A game machine is provided with a controller control circuit including a data transfer control circuit. When the data in a first external RAM attached to a first controller is transferred to a second external RAM attached to a second controller, the data transfer control circuit transmits a predetermined command to the first controller. The data stored in the first external RAM is memorize through a data transfer control circuit. The data transfer control circuit then transmits a predetermined command to the second controller. In response thereto, the data stored in the internal RAM is transmitted to the second controller to be stored in the second external RAM.

Claims

1. A electronic game system, comprising:

a game console device operable to execute video game instructions constituting a game program, wherein the game console includes an assembly for receiving a memory device that stores said game program and said game console is operable to output video signals to a display device; and

a first game device including a housing that contains data processing circuitry, a display and a plurality of controller elements that can be manipulated by a user in order to control game play in a game, said first game device operable to copy data stored on a first RAM of said first game device to at least a second RAM of a second game device, through use of said game device console as a transfer point for said data between said first RAM and said second RAM, and

wherein said game device console includes a processor to convert data to a different format;

wherein said first and second game devices are operable to be connected to said game console and said game devices enable control of game play during execution of the video game instructions constituting the game program, the game console being operable to transmit data between said first and second game devices when said game console initiates a controller data request command.

2. The electronic game system as defined in claim 1, wherein the display on at least the first game device is a liquid crystal display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to convert data from serial data to parallel data and from parallel data to serial data.