Center device

• US 9,165,439 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hino, Mariko, Hashimoto, Satoshi, Kutaragi, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/845,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20130214932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/3.03, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/3.06, 725/31, 725/25, 725/133, 463/29, 463/42, 713/150, 713/153, 348/14.1, 348/211.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

A center device communicates with a plurality of controller devices each having a light emitter, receives an instruction operation from a user of each device, and carries out a process based on the instruction operation, where light emission control is carried out such that each light emitter of the plurality of the controller devices emits light of a different color.

Claims

1. A center device that communicates with a plurality of controller devices each having a corresponding light emitter, receives an instruction operation from a user of each controller device, and carries out a process based on the instruction operation,

wherein at least one of:

(a) light emission control is carried out such that each light emitter emits a different colored light to indicate one or more of the following;

(i) a designation of one or more users of one or more controller devices, where one or more of the light emitters emit light of a color corresponding to one or more players controlled by the one or more controller devices in a game, and

(ii) a designation of an order in which each of the plurality of controller devices became communicable with the center device; and

(b) user authentication information is stored in an external memory device which is removable from each controller device.

2. The center device according to claim 1, wherein light emission control is carried out such that the light emitter of the controller device emits light of a color same to a color of a cursor representative of a character to be controlled by the controller device in the game.

3. The center device according to claim 1, wherein light emission control is carried out such that a manner of light emission of the light emitter of the controller device depends on a state of charge of a power supply section incorporated into the controller device.

4. The center device according to claim 3, wherein light emission control is carried out such that the light emitter of the controller device blinks when an amount of charge of the power supply section incorporated into the controller device is reduced below a level requiring recharging.

5. The center device according to claim 1, wherein assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of controller devices, and light emission control is carried out such that the light emitter of each controller device emits light of a different color corresponding to the identifier assigned to each respective controller device.

6. The center device according to claim 1, wherein said state of the controller device is a power status.

7. The center device according to claim 1, wherein said state of the controller device is a connection status.

8. The center device according to claim 1, wherein a memory section of the center device stores at least one piece of user authentication information.

9. The center device according to claim 8, wherein said authentication information comprises user identification information, user age information, and authentication key information.

10. The center device according to claim 9, wherein said user identification information comprises a local ID and a global ID.

11. The center device according to claim 10, wherein the memory section of the center device stores one or more use and access restrictions associated with each respective local ID.

12. The center device according to claim 11, wherein a control section of said center device obtains user identification information and authentication key information from a selected controller device.

13. The center device according to claim 12, wherein a controller is selected for authentication only when the obtained user identification information is stored in the memory section of said center device.

14. A controller device that communicates with a center device comprising a light emitter which is controlled by the center device such that the light emitter emits a different colored light than a light emitter of another controller device communicating with the center device when the respective light emitters emit light,

wherein at least one of:

(a) light emission control is carried out such that the light emitter emits a different colored light to indicate one or more of the following;

(i) a designation of a user of the controller device, where the light emitter emits light of a color corresponding to one or more players controlled by the controller device in a game, and

(ii) a designation of an order in which each of the controller device became communicable with the center device; and

(b) user authentication information is stored in an external memory device which is removable from the controller device.

15. A system, comprising:

a plurality of controller devices each having a corresponding light emitter; and

a center device that communicates with the plurality of controller devices, receives an instruction operation from a user of each device, and carries out a process based on the instruction operation,

wherein at least one of;

(a) light emission control is carried out such that each light emitter emits a different colored light to indicate one or more of the following;

(i) a designation of one or more users of one or more controller devices, where one or more of the light emitters emit light of a color corresponding to one or more players controlled by the one or more controller devices in a game, and

(ii) a designation of an order in which each of the plurality of controller devices became communicable with the center device; and

(b) user authentication information is stored in an external memory device which is removable from each controller device.

16. A method for controlling a center device, using the center device that communicates with a plurality of devices, receives an instruction operation from a user of each device, and carries out a process based on the instruction operation, the plurality of devices each having a corresponding light emitter, the method comprising:

carrying out light emission control such that each light emitter emits a different colored light to indicate one or more of the following;

(i) a designation of one or more users of one or more controller devices, where one or more of the light emitters emit light of a color corresponding to one or more players controlled by the one or more controller devices in a game, and

(ii) a designation of an order in which each of the plurality of controller devices became communicable with the center device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein user authentication information is stored in an external memory device which is removable from each controller device.