Game system

• US 8,529,352 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kawai, Eizi, Watanabe, Atsushi, Mae, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/017,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20110190050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization

Abstract

A game system includes at least one image output device and a game apparatus. The image output device is connected to a display device via wiring. The game apparatus is capable of wirelessly communicating with the image output device and is connected via wiring to another display device different from the display device connected to the image output device. The game apparatus performs a game process and generates an image based on the game process. The generated image is displayed on the display device connected to the game apparatus. The generated image is also transmitted to the image output device. The image output device receives the image transmitted by the game apparatus. The image output device outputs the received image to the display device on which the image is displayed.

Claims

1. A game system comprising at least one image output device connected to a first display device via wiring and a game apparatus configured to wirelessly communicate with the image output device, the game apparatus being connected via wiring to a second display device different from the first display device, wherein

the game apparatus includes:

a game process section for performing a game process;

an image generation section for generating images;

a first image output section for outputting images for display on the second display device; and

a first communication section for transmitting images to the image output device, the image output device includes;

a second communication section for receiving the images from the game apparatus, and

a second image output section for outputting the received images for display on the first display device,

the received images output for display on the first display device comprise a menu,

when the menu is displayed on the first display device, an image different than the menu is displayed on the second display device, and

in response to an instruction for starting a game process, in accordance with a selection from the menu, the first image output section outputs for display on the second display device a game image generated by the image generation section based on the started game process.

2. The game system according to claim 1, further comprising two operating devices each for generating operation information in response to inputs supplied thereto and for wirelessly outputting the operation information, wherein

the image output device further includes a first operation information reception section for receiving the operation information outputted by one of the two operating devices,

the second communication section transmits to the game apparatus the operation information received by the first operation information reception section or information generated from the operation information,

the first communication section receives the information transmitted by the second communication section,

the game apparatus further includes a second operation information reception section for receiving the operation information outputted by the other of the two operating devices, and

the game process section performs the game process based on the information received by the first communication section and the operation information received by the second operation information reception section.

3. The game system according to claim 2, wherein each of the operating devices includes at least one detector selected from among an acceleration sensor, an image pickup device and a gyroscope, and outputs a detection result of the detector as the operation information.

4. The game system according to claim 1, further comprising two operating devices each for generating operation information based on inputs supplied thereto and for wirelessly outputting the operation information, wherein

the game apparatus further includes an operation information reception section for receiving the operation information outputted by the two operating devices, and

the game process section performs the game process based on the operation information received by the operation information reception section.

5. The game system according to claim 4, wherein each of the operating devices includes at least one detector selected from among an acceleration sensor, an image pickup device and a gyroscope, and outputs a detection result of the detector as the operation information.

6. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the image generation section generates first and second game images different from each other,

the first image output section outputs the first game image for display by the second display device,

the first communication section transmits the second game image to the image output device, and

the second image output section outputs the second game image for display by the first display device.

7. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the game apparatus further includes an image compression section for compressing images generated by the image generation section,

the first communication section transmits the compressed images,

the image output device further includes an image expansion section for expanding the images received by the second communication section, and

the second image output section outputs the expanded images for display by the first display device.

8. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the image output device is further connected to an audio output device,

the game apparatus further includes an audio generation section for generating audio based on the game process,

the first communication section further transmits the audio to the image output device,

the second communication section further receives the audio from the game apparatus, and

the image output device further includes an audio output section for outputting the audio to the audio output device.

9. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the image output device further includes a marker,

the game system further includes an operating device equipped with an image pickup section for detecting the marker, the operating device outputting an imaging result of the image pickup section, and

the game process section performs the game process based on the imaging result of the image pickup section.

10. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

the game apparatus further includes a readout section for reading information from an external storage medium having a game program stored therein, and

the game process section performs the game process based on the game program read by the readout section.

11. The game system according to claim 10, wherein the readout section comprises a disk drive device for reading information from a disk storage medium loadable into the game apparatus.

12. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the image output device is configured to be handheld, and the first display device is provided therein.

13. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the menu is displayed selectively on the first display device or on the second display device in accordance with an instruction from a user.

14. An image display method for execution by a game system including at least one image output device connected to a first display device via wiring and a game apparatus capable of wirelessly communicating with the image output device, the game apparatus being connected via wiring to a second display device different from the first display device, wherein

the game apparatus is configured to:

perform a game process;

generate images;

output images for display on the second display device; and

transmit images to the image output device, and

the image output device is configured to;

receive the images from the game apparatus, and

output the received images for display on the first display device,

the received images output for display on the first display device comprise a menu,

when the menu is displayed on the first display device, an image different than the menu is displayed on the second display device, and

in response to an instruction for starting a game process, in response to a selection from the menu, outputting for display on the second display device, a game image based on the started game process.

15. A system comprising:

a controller;

a game apparatus including;

a processing system configured to generate images;

an output configured to output, to a first display, images generated by the processing system; and

a communication circuit configured to wirelessly transmit images generated by the processing system, and

an image output device configured to be hand-held and including;

a communication circuit configured to receive the images from the apparatus; and

a second display configured to display the received images, wherein

at least one of the received images comprises a menu identifying one or more game applications,

when the menu is displayed on the first display device, an image different than the menu is displayed on the second display device, and

in response to selection of a game application from the menu, the processing system of the apparatus is configured to generate an image for the selected game application based, at least in part, on an input from the controller.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processing system generates first game images and second game images different from the first game images, the first game images being output to the first display and the second images being transmitted to the image output device for display on the second display.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processing system generates game images, the game images being output to the first display and the same game images being transmitted to the image output device for display on the second display.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processing system selectively generates the same game images or different game images for display on the first and second displays.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein, based on a number of game players, the processing system generates the same game images or different game images for display on the first and second displays.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the first and second displays each further include speakers.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processing system selectively generates the same game images and same audio or different game images and different audio for output via the first and second displays.

22. The system according to claim 15, wherein the number of different images generated by the processing system is based on whether the game apparatus can communicate with the image output device.

23. A system comprising:

an apparatus including;

a processing system configured to generate images;

an output configured to output, to a first display, images generated by the processing system; and

a communication circuit configured to wirelessly transmit images generated by the processing system, and

an image output device configured to be hand-held and including;

a communication circuit configured to receive the images from the apparatus, and

a second display configured to display the received images, wherein

at least one of the received images comprises a menu identifying one or more applications,

when the menu is displayed on the first display device, an image different than the menu is displayed on the second display device, and

in response to selection of an application from the menu, the processing system of the apparatus is configured to generate an image for the selected application.