Controller device, information processing system, and information processing method

• US 9,030,410 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimohata, Yasuyuki, Yamashita, Toru, Ito, Kuniaki
• Primary Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, JESUS J
• Application Number:
  US14/089,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20140078053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 13/42 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 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A controller device is used for more information processes. The controller device is capable of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device. The controller device includes a communication unit, a display unit, and a program executing unit. The communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, operation data obtained based on an operation performed on the controller device, and receives, from the information processing device, image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on operation data. A display unit displays an image represented by the image data received from the information processing device. When a predetermined operation on the controller device is performed, the program executing unit executes a predetermined program and displays at least the image resulting from the execution of the program on the display unit. The communication unit transmits, to the information processing device, data indicating that the predetermined program is being executed.

Claims

1. A system including a controller device and an information processing device,

the controller device comprising:

a first transceiver configured to transmit operation data from the controller device to the information processing device; and

a first processing system that includes at least one processor circuit coupled to a memory device and the first transceiver, the at least one processor circuit configured to;

determine that a first input has been detected and/or sensed on the controller device;

in response to determination of the first input, execute a first process using further input that is detected and/or sensed on the controller device, the first process being a process for controlling a media device different from the information processing device by causing the controller device to output a control signal that is receivable by the media device; and

cause the transceiver to transmit, to the information processing device, data indicating execution of the first process,

the information processing device comprising;

a second transceiver configured to receive the operation data and the data indicating execution of the first process;

a second processing system that includes at least one processor circuit coupled to a memory device and the second transceiver, the at least one processor circuit configured to;

execute a second process using the operation data received by the second transceiver; and

set the second process in a different mode in response to receiving the data indicating executing of the first process.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is further configured to transmit the operation data while the first process is being executed by using the input.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the controller device further comprises a display device,

the second processing system is further configured to;

generate, in accordance with execution of the second process, image data; and

transmit, via the second transceiver and to the controller device, the generated image data to the controller device, and

the first processing system is further configured to;

accept, via the first transceiver, the transmitted image data; and

generate image(s) based on the accepted image data and output the generated image(s) to the display device for display thereon.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the image data is generated by the second process and transmitted to the controller device concurrently with execution of the first process using the further input.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the respective execution of the first and second processes does not rely upon output of the other one of the first and second processes.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing system is further configured to:

responsive to the second process being set to the different mode from a first mode, continue executing the second process without using at least some of the received operation data that would otherwise be used when the second process is operating in the first mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein

the first process is part of a first computer program,

the second process is part of a second computer program, the second computer program being different from the first computer program.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to activate the first process in response to the first input.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitted operation includes operation data based on the input used in execution of the first process.

10. A system comprising:

a controller device; and

an information processing device,

the controller device comprising;

a first transceiver configured to transmit operation data from the controller device to the information processing device; and

a first processing system that includes at least one processor circuit coupled to a memory device and the transceiver, the at least one processor circuit configured to;

determine that a first input has been detected and/or sensed on the controller device;

perform a first process of a first program in response to the first input, the performed first process using second input that is detected and/or sensed on the controller device, the first program being a program for controlling a media device different from the information processing device by causing the controller device to output a control signal that is receivable by the media device; and

cause the transceiver to transmit, to the information processing device, data indicating performance of the first process,

the information processing device comprising;

a second transceiver configured to receive the operation data and the data indicating performance of the first process;

a second processing system that includes at least one processor circuit coupled to a memory device and the transceiver, the at least one processor circuit configured to;

perform a second process of a second program, the second program being different from the first program, using the operation data received by the second transceiver; and

set the second process in a different mode in response to receiving the data indicating performance of the first process.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the controller device further comprises a display device,

the second processing system is further configured to;

generate, in accordance with execution of the second process, image data; and

transmit, via the second transceiver and to the controller device, the generated image data, and

the first processing system is further configured to;

accept, via the first transceiver, the transmitted image data; and

generate image(s) based on the accepted image data and output the generated image(s) to the display device for display thereon.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the image data is generated by the second process and transmitted to the controller device concurrently with execution of the first process using the second input.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the respective execution of the first and second processes does not rely upon output of the other one of the first and second processes.

14. A controller device that is configured for wireless communication with a computer system, the controller device comprising

a first transceiver configured to transmit operation data from the controller device to the computer system;

and

a first processing system that includes at least one processor circuit coupled to a memory device and the first transceiver, the at least one processor circuit configured to;

determine that a first input has been detected and/or sensed on the controller device;

in response to determination of the first input, execute a first process using further input that is detected and/or sensed on the controller device, the first process for controlling a media device different from the information processing device by causing the controller device to communicate with the media device; and

cause the transceiver to transmit, to the computer system, data indicating execution of the first process,

wherein the computer system that the controller device wirelessly communicates with receives the operation data and the data indicating execution of the first process, executes a second process using the operation data received by the second transceiver, and sets the second process in a different mode in response to receiving the data indicating executing of the first process.

15. The controller device of claim 14, wherein the execution of the first process does not rely upon output of the second process.

16. The controller device of claim 14, wherein, while the first process is being executed, operation data unrelated to execution of the first process can be detected and transmitted to the computer system.

17. The controller device of claim 14, further comprising:

the controller device further comprises a display device,

the first processing system is further configured to;

accept, via the first transceiver, image data transmitted from the computer system that has been generated in accordance with execution of the second process; and

generate image(s) based on the accepted image data and output the generated image(s) to the display device for display thereon.

18. The controller device of claim 17, wherein the images from the accepted image data are output concurrently with execution of the first process that uses the further input.