Object image print service system

• US 7,924,293 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2008
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanimura, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): GOOD JOHNSON, MOTILEWA
• Application Number:
  US12/010,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20080212135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00291 with receiver circuitry television receiver circuitry per se H04N5/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00294 for printing images at a television receiver

Abstract

In a three-dimensional object image print service system capable of printing out a desired three-dimensional object image, a three-dimensional image display apparatus includes a three-dimensional object image generator for generating a three-dimensional object image, based on instructions from an input device operated by a user and a three-dimensional object image generation program previously provided. The three-dimensional image display device further includes a selector for selecting arbitrary part of the three-dimensional object image generated based on instructions from the user, and a transition information generator for generating transition information of a three-dimensional object image representing the selected arbitrary part of the three-dimensional object image. The three-dimensional object image arbitrarily selected by the user can be reproduced based on the transition information and the three-dimensional object image generation program.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying an object image, comprising:

object image generating programmed logic circuitry for generating the object image by operating an object image generation program previously provided, according to instructions from a user;

selecting programmed logic circuitry for selecting an arbitrary part of said generated object image, according to instructions from said user;

transition information generating programmed logic circuitry for generating transition information when said object image is selected; and

a transition information storage location for storing said transition information, wherein

the object image arbitrarily selected by said user is recoverable at a future time according to the transition information stored in said transition information storage location and said object image generation program.

2. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said object image generation program is stored in ROM, and

said transition information storage location includes rewritable non-volatile memory.

3. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said ROM and said rewritable non-volatile memory are accommodated in a body removable from a body of the object image display apparatus.

4. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said ROM and said rewritable non-volatile memory are separately removable from a body of the object image display apparatus.

5. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

recovery programmed logic circuitry with a recovery program for recovering the object image arbitrarily selected by said user by operating said object image generation program using the transition information stored in said transition information storage location as an operational parameter.

6. The object image display reference as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said object image generating programmed logic circuitry generates the object image according to progress of a process which varies in response to instructions from the user.

7. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said object image is a two-dimensional image.

8. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein

said transition information includes coordinates and direction of an object and coordinates and direction of a viewpoint.

9. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein

said transition information is progress information in a process.

10. The object image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said object image is a three-dimensional image.

11. A system for printing an object image, comprising:

an object image processing apparatus for processing said object image; and

a printer for printing the object image processed by said object image processing apparatus,

said object image processing apparatus being configured to;

generate said object image by operating an object image generation program previously provided, according to instructions from a user;

select an arbitrary part of said generated object image, according to instructions from said user;

generate transition information of an object image representing said selected arbitrary part of the object image; and

recover the object image arbitrarily selected by said user by operating said object image processing program using said transition information as an operational parameter, and

said printer printing said recovered object image.

12. The object image print system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

display programmed logic circuitry for displaying a plurality of object images recovered by operating said object image processing program using said transition information as an operational parameter, as recovered object images; and

recovered image selection programmed logic circuitry for selecting an arbitrary recovered object image from the recovered object images displayed on said display programmed logic circuitry according to instructions by the user, wherein

said printer prints the selected recovered object image.

13. A system for printing an object image, comprising:

an object image generator for generating an object image to be displayed and recovery data for the object image to be printed;

a recovery device for recovering the object image to be printed based on the recovery data supplied from said object image generator; and

printing programmed logic circuitry for printing the object image recovered by said recovery device,

said object image generator being configured to;

generate the object image to be displayed by operating an object image generation program previously provided, according to instructions from a user;

select an arbitrary part of said generated object image, according to instructions from said user; and

generate transition information of an object image representing said selected arbitrary part of the object image as said recovery data,

said recovery device, with a program identical to said object image generation program stored therein, recovering the arbitrary object image selected by said user by operating the program identical to the object image generation program using said transition information as an operational parameter, and

said printer printing said recovered object image.

14. A method for printing an object image, the method comprising:

generating an object image by operating an object image generation program previously provided according to instructions from a user;

selecting an arbitrary part of said generated object image according to instructions from said user;

generating transition information of an object image representing said selected arbitrary part of the object image;

recovering the object image arbitrarily selected by said user by operating said object image processing program using said transition information as an operational parameter; and

printing said recovered object image.

15. The object image print method as claimed in claim 14, wherein

a plurality of object images recovered by operating said object image processing program are displayed using said transition information as the operational parameter, as recovered object images;

an arbitrary recovered object image is selected from the recovered object images displayed on said display programmed logic circuitry, according to instructions by the user; and

said selected recovered object image is printed.

16. A recording medium with a computer program recorded thereon to control an object image generator for generating an object image,

said computer program causing said object image generator to execute the steps of:

generating an object image by operating an object image generation program previously provided, according to instructions from a user;

selecting an arbitrary part of said generated object image, according to instructions from said user; and

generating transition information of an object image representing the arbitrary part of said selected object image, wherein

the object image arbitrarily selected by said user can be recovered at a future time according to the transition information stored in a transition information storage location and said object image generation program.

17. The recording medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein said computer program further causes said object image generator to execute the steps of:

recovering the object image arbitrarily selected by said user by operating said object image processing program using the transition information as an operational parameter; and

printing out said recovered object image.

18. The recording medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein

said object image generator generates the object image according to progress of a process which varies in response to instructions from the user, based on said computer program.

19. The recording medium as claim in claim 16, wherein said computer program further causes said object image generator to execute the steps of:

displaying a plurality of object images recovered by operating said object image processing program using said transition information as an operational parameter, as recovered object images;

selecting an arbitrary recovered object image from the recovered object images displayed on said display programmed logic circuitry, according to instructions by the user; and

printing out said selected recovered object image.

20. An apparatus for displaying an object image, comprising:

object image generating programmed logic circuitry for generating the object image by operating an object image generation program previously provided, according to instructions from a user;

selecting programmed logic circuitry for selecting an arbitrary part of said generated object image according to instructions from the user;

transition information generating programmed logic circuitry for generating transition information when said object image is selected; and

a transition information storage location for storing said transition information, wherein

the object image arbitrarily selected by said user is recoverable after said image generation program ends, according to the transition information stored in said transition information storage location and said object image generation program.