Storage medium, input terminal device, control system, and control method

• US 9,126,114 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuroume, Tomoaki, Sasaki, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEYI, HENOK G
• Application Number:
  US13/419,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• 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 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• 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 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0308 comprising a plurality of distinctive and separately oriented light emitters or reflectors associated to the pointing device, e.g. remote cursor controller with distinct and separately oriented LEDs at the tip whose radiations are captured by a photo-detector associated to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415

Abstract

An input terminal device of one example includes a CPU, and the CPU transmits operation data to a game apparatus executing game processing in response to an operation by a user. Furthermore, when a TV remote control button provided to the input terminal device is operated, the CPU sets a TV control mode capable of operating a television, to thereby display a TV remote controller image on an LCD of the input terminal device. By using this image, the user inputs operation data of the television.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing at least one program for execution by a computer of an input device that is configured to display images on a display screen intergrated with the input device, the program comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

detect input(s) provided to the input device;

in at least an application mode output to the display screen, image(s) generated in accordance with an execution of an application that uses at least some of the input(s) detected by the input device;

while in the application mode determine whether or not a predetermined input is present from the detected input(s);

in response to determination that the predetermined input is present, switch from (1) the application mode in which the image(s) generated from the executing application are being output to (2) an appliance control mode where the computer overlays an appliance control image on the images(s) being output to the display screen; and

in the appliance control mode, receive input and control an appliance, which is separate from the input device, in accordance with the received input while the image(s) are being output to the display screen and overlaid with the appliance control image.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

while in the appliance control mode determines whether of not the predetermined input is present from the detected input(s); and

in response to determination that the predetermined input is present while in the appliance control mode, switch from the appliance control mode to the appliance mode.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

in the application mode, cause a speaker to output sounds that are based on an audio data provided in accordance with execution of the application; and

cause the sounds based on the audio data and output by the speaker to be output at lower in response to switching to the appliance control mode.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said application includes a game application.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a housing with which the display screen is integrated into, the housing including an infrared emitter configured to emit infrared signals to an infrared receiver associated with the appliance, the instructions further configured to:

control the infrared emitter to emit infrared signal(s) that are determined based on the received input, the emitted infrared signal(s) configured to control the appliance in accordance with reception by the infrared receiver thereof.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the appliance is an electronic device, which is separate from the input device, that outputs a video signal to a remote display screen for display thereon,

the appliance control mode is a remote display control mode for controlling the electronic device, and

the appliance is controlled via wirelessly transmitted control commands that are transmitted from the input device to the electronic device to cause a change in functionality of the electronic device.

7. An control system that is configured to switch between an application mode and an appliance control mode, the control system comprising:

a display device that includes a display screen that is intergrated into a housing;

and input device disposed on/in the housing and configured to detect input provided or caused by a used her the input device;

and infrared emitter configured to emit infrared signals to an infrared receiver of an appliance that is separate from the input device; and

A processing system that includes at least one processor coupled to a memory device, the processing system configured to;

in at least the application mode, output, to the display screen, image(s) that are generated based on execution of an application program that uses input(s) received via the input device;

while in the application mode, determine whether or not a predetermined input is present;

in response to determination that the predetermined input is present, switch from (1) the application mode in which the image(s) based on execution of the application are being output to (2) the appliance control mode capable of controlling the appliance; and

in the appliance control mode, receive input and cause the infrared emitter to emit an infrared signal in accordance with the received input, the emitted infrared signal configured to control the appliance in accordance with reception by the infrared receiver.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the processing system is further configured to, in the appliance control mode, overlay an appliance control image on top of the images that are output based on execution of the application program, where the input is received while the appliance control image is overlaid.

9. The control system of claim 7, wherein the application program continues to execute while the appliance control image is output to the display screen and images are continually output to the display screen based on the continued execution of the application program while the appliance control image is overlaid.

10. A computer system comprising:

a display screen that is intergrated into a housing that can be moved through the air by a user holding the housing;

a user input control disposed on/in the housing and configured to detect provided input(s); and

at least one processor disposed in the housing and coupled to the display screen and the user input control, the at least one processor configured to;

in at least an application mode, output, to the display screen, image(s) generated in accordance with the execution of an application that uses at least some of the input(s) detected by the user input control;

while in the application mode, determine whether or not a predetermined input has been detected by the user input control;

in response to determination that the predetermined input is present, switch from (1) the application mode, in which the image(s) generated from the executing application are being output to the display screen, to (2) an appliance control mode; and

in the appliance control mode;

overlay an appliance control image on the image(s) being output to the display screen generated due to execution of the application program, and

receive input and control an appliance which is separate from the input device, in accordance with the received input while the image(s) are being output to the display screen and overlaid with the appliance control image.

11. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver disposed in/with the housing and coupled to the at least one processor; and

an information processing apparatus that includes another wireless transceiver configured to communicate with the wireless transceiver of the housing,

the at least on processor further configured to;

cause the wireless transceiver disposed in/with the housing to transmit application operation data that is based on the at least some of the input(s) detected by the input device;

generate appliance operation data corresponding to the received input,

wherein the appliance is controlled in accordance with the wireless transmission of the generated appliance operation data to the appliance.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate predetermined dummy operation data in response to switch to the appliance control mode; and

transmit the dummy operation data to said information processing apparatus.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the application operation data and the appliance operation data are in different formats.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the wireless transmission of the generated appliance operation data is transmitted by using a second transmitter that is different from the wireless transceiver used to transmit the application operation data.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the at least on processor is further configured to:

select a kind of appliance that is to be controlled,

wherein the appliance operation data is generated depending on the selected kind of appliance.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, via the wireless transceiver, image data transmitted from the information processing apparatus that was generated based on execution of the application by the information processing apparatus,

wherein the output image(s) are based on the received image data.

17. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

accept power-supply control information provided via a or the used input control;

generate power control data based on power-supply control information irrespective of whether the application control or the appliance control mode is activated; and

cause the generated power control data to be transmitted, via the wireless transceiver, to the information processing apparatus.

18. A method of controlling an input device that includes at least one processor coupled to a display screen that is integrated into the input device, the method comprising:

detecting input(s) provided to the input device;

in at least an application mode outputting, to the display screen, image(s) generated in accordance with execution of an application program that used at least some of the input(s) detected by the input device;

while in the application mode, determining whether or not a predetermined input is among the detected input(s); and

in response to determination that the predetermined input is among the detected input(s), switch from (1) the application mode, in which the image(s) generated from the executing application program are being output to the display screen to (2) an appliance control mode,

when in the appliance control mode;

overlaying an appliance control image on the image(s) being output to the display screen that was generated due to execution of the application program, and

receiving input and controlling an appliance, which is separate from the input device, in accordance with the received input while the image(s) are being output to the display screen and the overlaid with the appliance control image.

19. A control system configured to switch between an application mode and a remote display control mode, the control system comprising:

an input device that is included in a housing, which is freely movable through the air by a user, the input device configured to detect input provided or caused by a user of the input device;

a display device that includes a display screen that is integrated into the housing; and

a processing system that is disposed in the housing and includes at least one processor coupled to a memory device, the processing system configured to;

in at least the application mode, output, to the display screen, image(s) that are generated based on execution of a computer application program that uses input(s) received via the input device;

while in the application mode, determine whether or not a certain input is received via the input device;

in response to determination that the certain input has been received, switch from (1) the application mode in which the image(s) based on execution of the application are being output to (2) the remote display control mode that is configured to control an electronic device, which is separate from the input device, that outputs a video signal to a remote display screen for display thereon; and

in the remote display control mode;

output a remote display control image to the display screen for display thereon, and

receive, via the input device, input and cause a wireless command to be communicated to the electronic device to cause a change in functionality of the electronic device.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein the remote display control image is output to the display screen and overlaid on top of the images that are output to the display screen that are generated based on execution the computer application program.

21. The control system of claim 19, wherein the computer application program continues to execute while the remote display control image is output to the display screen.

22. An input device, comprising:

a display screen;

an input control disposed on/in a housing that the display screen is integrated into and configured to detect input(s) provided to the input device; and

at least one processor disposed in the housing and coupled to the display screen and the user input control, the at least one processor configured to;

in at least an application mode, output, to the display screen, image(s) generated in accordance with execution of an application that uses at least some of the input(s) detected by the user input control;

while in the application mode, determine whether or not a particular input has been detected by the user input control;

in response to determination that the particular input has been detected, switch from (1) the application mode in which the image(s) generated from the executing application are being output to (2) an appliance control mode; and

in the appliance control mode;

overlay an appliance control image on the images(s) being output to the display screen generated due to execution of the application program, and

receive input and issue control commands to control an appliance, which is separate from the input device, in accordance with the received input while the images(s) are being output to the display screen and overlaid with the appliance control image.

23. The input device of claim 22, further comprising:

an infrared emitter configured to emit infrared signals to an infrared receiver associated with the appliance,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the infrared emitter to emit infrared signal(s) that are based on the issued control commands, the emitted infrared signal(s) configured to control the appliance in accordance with reception by the infrared receiver.

24. The input device of claim 22, wherein the appliance control mode is a remote display control mode for controlling an electronic device, which is separate from the input device, that outputs a video signal to a remote display screen for display thereon,

wherein the issued control commands are wireless commands communicated to the electronic device to cause a change in functionality of the electronic device.