Information processing system, computer-readable storage medium having information processing program stored therein, information processing apparatus, and information processing method

• US 8,832,278 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited, Pokemon
• Original Assignee: Game Freak, Inc., Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Masuda, Junichi, Ohno, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCLEOD, MARSHALL M
• Application Number:
  US13/022,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/212, 709/213, 709/227, 709/228, 709/230, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/227
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• 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 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5593 involving scheduling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers

Abstract

An information processing apparatus acquires operation information of a user, and executes an application based on the operation information. While the application is being executed, the information processing apparatus repeatedly searches for other unspecified information processing apparatuses by using a wireless communication function, and establishes a connection with the one or more of the other information processing apparatuses having been searched for. The information processing apparatus executes a communication application to communicate with the connected one or more of the other information processing apparatuses, based on the operation information and on operation information relating to the one or more of the other information processing apparatuses.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a plurality of information processing apparatuses each having radio communication circuitry,

each information processing apparatus further comprising a processing system having at least one processor, wherein the processing system is configured to perform operations comprising;

acquiring operation information of a user;

processing an application based on the acquired operation information;

while processing the application, repeatedly searching, using the radio communication circuitry, for unspecified other ones of the plurality of information processing apparatuses;

when the repeated searching detects one or more unspecified other ones of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, establishing, automatically and without pre-configuring the information processing apparatus with identities of the other information processing apparatuses, a connection between the information processing apparatus and at least one of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses, wherein no notifications regarding the connection are output by the at least one detected unspecified other information processing apparatus before the connection is established; and

executing a communication application to communicate with at least one of the connected-to other information processing apparatuses to exchange information between the application being processed on the information processing apparatus and the respective application being processed on the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatus, the exchanged information based on the acquired operation information and on operation information for the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatus.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the operations further comprise determining whether the application being processed satisfies a first condition,

and wherein the repeated searching includes starting the searching when the first condition is determined to be satisfied.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of information processing apparatuses includes at least a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus,

the repeated searching by the first information processing apparatus includes transmitting connection information to at least the second information processing apparatus,

the repeated searching by the second information processing apparatus includes receiving the connection information transmitted from at least the first information processing apparatus, and

the establishing at least one connection by the second information processing apparatus includes establishing, upon reception of the connection information, a connection with the first information processing apparatus without permission of the user of the second information processing apparatus.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the repeated searching includes performing the searching irrespective of the acquired operation information,

the establishing a connection includes automatically establishing the connection with at least one of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the operations further include disconnecting, at a predetermined time after the execution of the communication application, the connection with the one or more of the other information processing apparatuses irrespective of the intention of the user of the information processing apparatus to continue or discontinue the connection.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the operations further comprise:

determining whether the executed communication application satisfies a second condition; and

disconnecting, when the second condition is determined to be satisfied, a connection with one or more of the other information processing apparatuses.

7. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein

the radio communication circuitry of each information processing apparatus is further configured to repeatedly transmit data, while the processing system is processing the application,

the radio communication circuitry being configured to transmit first data when the first condition is not satisfied, and to transmit second data which is different from the first data when the first condition is satisfied,

the repeated searching including searching by transmitting the second data to or receiving the second data from the unspecified other information processing apparatuses.

8. The information processing system according to claim 3, wherein

the radio communication circuitry in each information processing apparatus being further configured to repeatedly transmit data, while the processing system is processing the application,

the radio communication circuitry being configured to transmit first data when a first condition is not satisfied, and to transmit second data which is different from the first data when the first condition is satisfied,

the first data includes information indicating details of the application being processed,

the second data includes the connection information for establishing a connection with the other information processing apparatuses,

the operations of the second information processing apparatus further comprises

outputting information indicating the details of the application when the first data is received.

9. The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein the radio communication circuitry is further configured to discontinue transmission of the data after the connector establishes a connection with one or more of the other information processing apparatuses.

10. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the processing system is further configured to change the position of the first object in a virtual space, based on the acquired operation information, and

the executing the communication application includes changing the position of the first object in the virtual space, based on the acquired operation information, and changing, based on the operation information relating to one or more of the other information processing apparatuses, the position of a second object of the one or more of the other information processing apparatuses.

11. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing apparatus is a hand-held terminal, and

the radio communication circuitry is short-distance wireless communication circuitry.

12. The information processing system according to claim 3, wherein

a connection request transmitted by the first information processing apparatus includes purpose-specified information which specifies the purpose of communication to be established based the connection request,

the second information processing apparatus establishes the connection with the first information processing apparatus without permission by the user of the second information processing apparatus if the purpose-specified information included in the received connection request represents a specified value, and if a status of the second information processing apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition.

13. The information processing system according to claim 3, wherein

the first information processing apparatus continuously transmits the connection request to the other unspecified information processing apparatuses even when the connection with the second information processing apparatus is being established,

while the first information processing apparatus is being connected with at least one of the other information processing apparatuses, if another one of the other information processing apparatuses receives a connection request transmitted from the first information processing apparatus, the another one of the other information processing apparatuses establishes a connection with the first information processing apparatus without permission by the user of the another one of the other information processing apparatuses.

18. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the application is a game, and wherein the executing a communication application includes changing an environment of the game being processed on one or more of the connected-to other information processing apparatuses without notifying users playing the game on the one or more of the connected other information processing apparatuses has joined the game.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an information processing program which, when executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus having radio communication circuitry, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

acquiring operation information of a user;

processing an application based on the acquired operation information;

while processing the application, repeatedly searching, using the radio communication circuitry, for unspecified other information processing apparatuses;

when the repeated searching detects one or more unspecified other information processing apparatuses, establishing, automatically and without pre-configuring the information processing apparatus with identities of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses, a connection between the information processing apparatus and at least one of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses, wherein no notifications regarding the connection are output by the at least one detected unspecified other information processing apparatus before the connection is established; and

executing a communication application to communicate with at least one of the connected-to other information processing apparatuses over the at least one established connection to exchange information between the application being processed on the information processing apparatus and the respective application being processed on the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatuses, the exchanged information being based on the acquired operation information and on operation information for the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatus.

15. An information processing apparatus comprising:

radio communication circuitry; and

processing system having at least one processor, the processing system configured to perform operations comprising;

acquiring operation information of a user;

processing an application based on the acquired operation information;

while processing the application, repeatedly searching, using the radio communication circuitry, for unspecified other information processing apparatuses;

when the repeated searching detects one or more unspecified other information processing apparatuses, establishing, automatically and without pre-configuring the information processing apparatus with identities of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses, a connection between the information processing apparatus and at least one of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses, wherein no notifications regarding the connection are output by the at least one detected unspecified other information processing apparatus before the connection is established; and

executing a communication application to communicate with at least one of the connected-to other information processing apparatuses to exchange information between the application being processed on the information processing apparatus and the respective application being processed on the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatuses, the exchanged information being based on the acquired operation information and on operation information for the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatus.

16. An information processing method for controlling an information processing apparatus having radio communication circuitry, the method comprising:

acquiring operation information of a user;

processing an application based on the acquired operation information;

while processing the application, repeatedly searching, using the radio communication circuitry, for unspecified other information processing apparatuses;

when the repeated searching detects one or more unspecified other information processing apparatuses, establishing, automatically and without pre-configuring the information processing apparatus with identities of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses, a connection between the information processing apparatus and at least one of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatuses, wherein no notifications regarding the connection are output by the at least one detected unspecified other information processing apparatus before the connection is established; and

executing a communication application to communicate with at least one of the connected-to other information processing apparatuses over the at least one established connection to exchange information between the application being processed on the information processing apparatus and the respective application being processed on the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatuses, the exchanged information being based on the acquired operation information and on operation information for the at least one connected-to other information processing apparatus.

17. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

radio communication circuitry; and

a processor configured to perform operations, comprising;

acquiring operation information of a user;

processing an application based on the acquired operation information;

while processing the application, repeatedly searching, using the radio communication circuitry, for unspecified other information processing apparatuses;

when the repeated searching detects an unspecified other information processing apparatus, establishing, automatically and without pre-configuring the information processing apparatus with an identity of the detected unspecified other information processing apparatus, a connection between the information processing apparatus and the detected unspecified other information processing apparatus, wherein no notifications regarding the connection are output by the detected unspecified other information processing apparatus before the connection is established; and

executing a communication application to communicate with the connected-to other information processing apparatus to exchange information between the application being processed on the information processing apparatus and the application being processed on the connected-to other information processing apparatus, based on the acquired operation information and on operation information for the connected-to other information processing apparatus.