Wireless communication game system

• US 9,174,126 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shoya, Kuwahara, Masato, Oe, Toru, Yoshioka, Teruyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US11/202,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,735 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/507, 455/508, 455/88, 455/100, 370403-411, 463 39- 44, 709/203, 709/208, 709/216, 709/219, 709223-225, 709/227
• 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 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM

Abstract

A wireless communication game system includes a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, which function as a parent device or a child device and are capable of making a communication with each other, and broadcasts from the parent device a parent device packet including a parent device PID, a user name UserName, a game name GameName, an OC flag, an E slot, a U slot, and a payload. All the parent device packets are received from the parent device existing within a communicationable range of a user'"'"'s own apparatus, and the user'"'"'s own apparatus creates a parent device list, and displays the parent device list on an LCD. Therefore, a user or a player of his own apparatus looks at the game name of the parent device list, for example, and operates a cross key included in an operation key so as to select one desired parent device. Then, transmitting a child device number CID of the user'"'"'s own apparatus at the E slot designated by the parent device packet, the user'"'"'s own apparatus transmits a connection request to the parent device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the apparatuses including a display and being configured to perform wireless communication with other apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses, the plurality of portable apparatuses including at least one program-sending apparatus and at least one program-receiving apparatus, wherein;

each of the program-sending apparatuses includes;

program storage which stores a program to be sent; and

first processing resources including a first processor, the first processing resources being configured to control the respective program-sending apparatus to send apparatus self-identifying information that identifies the respective program-sending apparatus and program identifying information that identifies a program being executed on the respective program-sending apparatus, and

each of the program-receiving apparatuses includes second processing resources including a second processor, the second processing resources being configured to control the respective program-receiving apparatus to;

receive information sent from program-sending apparatuses;

identify, using received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information, at least one program-sending apparatus that exists within wireless communication range of the respective program-receiving apparatus and at least one program being executed on the at least one identified program-sending apparatus;

enable at least one identified program-sending apparatus to be selected; and

send a request to a selected program-sending apparatus based on the selection,

each program-sending apparatus is further configured to receive the request and, if selected, send the program to be sent to the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request, while the program is being executed by the respective program-sending apparatus, and

each program-receiving apparatus is further configured, after sending the request, to receive and execute the program to be sent.

9. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one program-sending apparatus is further configured to, during execution of the program, send program identifying information that identifies the program being executed.

10. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein a shared application is performed using the selected program-sending apparatus and the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request, using the program being executed on the selected program-sending apparatus and the program being executed on the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request.

13. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request is further configured to automatically execute the program to be sent, after its reception.

14. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one program-sending apparatus is an apparatus which issues a call for participation in a shared application, and the at least one program-receiving apparatus is an apparatus which applies to the call, and

the program-sending apparatus which receives the request and the program-receiving apparatus that sends the request participate in the shared application via execution of the program to be sent.

35. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is direct apparatus-to-apparatus wireless communication.

39. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein each of the program-receiving apparatuses is further configured to identify, via its display and using received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information, at least one program-sending apparatus that exists within wireless communication range of the respective program-receiving apparatus and at least one program being executed on the at least one identified program-sending apparatus.

44. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein each of the program-receiving apparatuses further comprises a user interface configured to receive the selection from a user.

2. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the apparatuses having a display and being configured to perform wireless communication with other apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses, wherein;

each of the apparatuses further includes processing resources including a processor, the processing resources being configured to control the respective apparatus to;

send apparatus self-identifying information that identifies the respective apparatus and program identifying information that identifies a program being executed on the respective apparatus;

receive information sent from other apparatuses;

identify, based on received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information, at least one other apparatus existing within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus, and at least one program being executed thereon;

enable at least one identified apparatus to be selected; and

send a request to a selected apparatus based on the selection, and

the plurality of portable apparatuses includes at least one program-sending apparatus and at least one program-receiving apparatus, each of the program-receiving apparatuses being re-configurable to become another one of the at least one program-sending apparatuses,

the at least one program-sending apparatus stores a program including a program to be sent and is configured to send its apparatus self-identifying information and program identifying information,

the at least one program-receiving apparatus is configured to receive information from the at least one program-sending apparatus, and perform the identifying, the enabling of the selection to be made, and the sending of the request,

program-sending apparatuses that receive requests are respectively configured to send to the program-receiving apparatuses that sent the respective requests the programs to be sent, while the programs are being executed thereon, and

the program-receiving apparatuses are respectively configured to receive and execute the programs.

11. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein non-transitory computer readable storage media storing the program including the program to be sent are detachably attachable to the respective apparatuses.

12. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein the wireless communication is direct apparatus-to-apparatus communication.

23. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one program-sending apparatus is further configured to, during execution of the program, send program identifying information that identifies the program being executed.

24. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein a shared application is performed using the selected apparatus and the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request, using the program being executed on the selected apparatus and the program being executed on the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request.

26. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request is further configured to automatically execute the program to be sent after its reception.

29. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein:

the at least one program-sending apparatus is an apparatus which issues a call for participation in a shared application, and the at least one program-receiving apparatus is an apparatus which applies to the call, and

the program-sending apparatus which receives the request and the program-receiving apparatus that sends the request participate in the shared application via execution of the program to be sent.

40. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein each of the apparatuses is further configured to identify, via its display and based on received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information, at least one other apparatus existing within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus, and at least one program thereon.

45. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein each of the apparatuses further comprises a user interface configured to receive the selection from a user.

3. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the apparatuses having a display and being configured to perform wireless communication with other apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses, wherein;

the plurality of portable apparatuses includes at least one program-sending apparatus and at least one program-receiving apparatus,

each of the program-sending apparatuses includes;

program storage which stores a program including a program to be sent; and

first processing resources including a first processor, the first processing resources being configured to control the respective program-sending apparatus to send apparatus self-identifying information that identifies the respective program-sending apparatus,

each of the program-receiving apparatuses includes second processing resources including a second processor, the second processing resources being configured to control the respective program-receiving apparatus to;

receive information sent from program-sending apparatuses;

identify at least one program-sending apparatus that exists within wireless communication range of the respective program-receiving apparatus, based on the received information;

enable at least one identified program-sending apparatus to be selected; and

send a request to a selected program-sending apparatus based on the selection,

the first processing resources of each of the program-sending apparatuses are further configured to control the respective program-sending apparatus to further send data indicating whether the respective program-sending apparatus can send the program to be sent,

the second processing resources are further configured to control the respective program-receiving apparatuses to identify only those program-sending apparatuses that can send the program to be sent, based on received data,

program-sending apparatuses that receive the request are further respectively configured to send the program to be sent, while the program to be sent is being executed thereon, to the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request, and

program-receiving apparatuses that sent the request are further configured to respectively receive and execute the program.

5. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein:

each of the program-sending apparatuses stores a first program including the program to be sent and a second program that does not include the program to be sent,

each of the program-sending apparatuses is further configured to selectively execute the first program and the second program, and

the data indicating whether respective program-sending apparatus can send the program to be sent further indicates whether the first program has been selectively executed on the respective program-sending apparatus.

7. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein:

each of the program-sending apparatuses permits non-transitory computer readable storage media storing programs to be detachably attached thereto, and

the data indicating whether respective program-sending apparatuses can send the program to be sent further indicates whether the program to be sent is stored in non-transitory computer readable storage media currently attached to respective program-sending apparatus.

8. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein:

the first processing resources are further configured to control the respective program-sending apparatus to send information indicating programs executable thereon, and

the second processing resources are further configured to control the respective program-receiving apparatus to indicate the programs executable on the respective program-sending apparatus based on the received information.

27. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request is further configured to automatically execute the program to be sent after its reception.

30. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein:

the at least one program-sending apparatus is an apparatus which issues a call for participation in a shared application, and the at least one program-receiving apparatus is an apparatus which applies to the call, and

the program-sending apparatus which receives the request and the program-receiving apparatus that sends the request participate in the shared application via execution of the program to be sent.

36. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless communication is direct apparatus-to-apparatus wireless communication.

41. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein each of the program-receiving apparatuses is further configured to identify, via its display, at least one program-sending apparatus that exists within wireless communication range of the respective program-receiving apparatus, based on the received information.

46. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein each of the program-receiving apparatuses further comprises a user interface configured to receive the selection from a user.

4. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the apparatuses including a display and being configured to perform wireless communication with other apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses, wherein;

each of the plurality of apparatuses includes processing resources including a processor, the processing resources being configured to control the respective apparatus to;

send apparatus self-identifying information identifying the respective apparatus;

receive information sent from other apparatuses;

identify at least one other apparatus that exists within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus based on the received information;

enable at least one identified apparatus to be selected; and

send a request to a selected apparatus based on the selection,

the plurality of portable apparatuses include at least one program-sending apparatus and at least one program-receiving apparatus,

the at least one program-sending apparatus stores a program to be sent and is further configured to send apparatus self-identifying information,

the at least one program-receiving apparatus is further configured to perform the receiving, displaying, enabling, and sending of the request,

the processing resources of each of the program-sending apparatuses are further configured to control the respective program-sending apparatus to send data which indicates whether the respective program-sending apparatus can send the program to be sent,

only those apparatuses which can send the program to be sent, as indicated by received data, are identifiable as apparatuses from which the selection can be made,

program-sending apparatuses which receive requests from program-receiving apparatuses are further respectively configured to send the program to be sent, while the program to be sent is being executed thereon, to the program-receiving apparatuses, and

program-receiving apparatuses that send the request are further configured to respectively receive and execute the program.

6. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein:

each of the program-sending apparatuses stores a first program including the program to be sent and a second program that does not include the program to be sent,

each of the program-sending apparatuses is further configured to selectively execute the first program and the second program, and

apparatuses with the second program executed thereon are respectively configured to send information identifying the program executing thereon, receive information sent from program-sending apparatuses and, based on this received information, display indications of only the apparatuses on which a program capable of communicating with the program executing on it is executing.

20. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein:

each of the program-sending apparatuses stores a first program including the program to be sent and a second program that does not include the program to be sent,

each of the program-sending apparatuses is further respectively configured to selectively execute the first program and the second program, and

the data indicating whether respective program-sending apparatuses can send the program to be sent further indicates whether the first program has been selectively executed on the respective program sending-apparatus.

21. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein:

each of the program-sending apparatuses permits non-transitory computer readable storage media storing programs to be detachably attached thereto, and

the data indicating whether respective program-sending apparatuses can send the program to be sent further indicates whether the program to be sent is stored in computer readable storage media currently attached to the respective program-sending apparatus.

22. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein:

the processing resources of each of the program-sending apparatuses are further configured to control the respective program-sending apparatus to send information indicating programs executable thereon, and

the processing resources of each of the program-receiving apparatuses are further configured to control the respective program-receiving apparatus to indicate the programs executable on the respective program-sending apparatus based on the received information.

25. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein non-transitory computer readable storage media storing the program including the program to be sent are detachably attachable to respective apparatuses.

28. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein the program-receiving apparatus that sent the request is further configured to automatically execute the program to be sent after its reception.

31. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein:

the at least one program-sending apparatus is an apparatus which issues a call for participation in a shared application, and the at least one program-receiving apparatus is an apparatus which applies to the call, and

the program-sending apparatus which receives the request and the program-receiving apparatus that sends the request participate in the shared application via execution of the program to be sent.

37. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein the wireless communication is direct apparatus-to-apparatus wireless communication.

42. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein each of the apparatuses is further configured to identify, via its display, at least one apparatus that exists within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus based on the received information.

47. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein each of the apparatuses further comprises a user interface configured to receive the selection from a user.

15. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the apparatuses including a display and being configured to perform wireless communication with other apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses, wherein;

at least one of the apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses is a call-issuing apparatus, and at least one other of the apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses is an applying apparatus,

the at least one call-issuing apparatus includes first processing resources including a first processor, the first processing resources of the at least one call-issuing apparatus being configured to control the at least one call-issuing apparatus to issue a call for participation in a shared application to another apparatus,

the at least one applying apparatus includes second processing resources including a second processor, the second processing resources of the at least one applying apparatus being configured to control the at least one applying apparatus to apply to calls,

the at least one call-issuing apparatus has attached thereto a detachable non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program, and is further configured to send apparatus self-identifying information that identifies the at least one call-issuing apparatus and program identifying information that identifies the program stored in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium currently attached thereto,

the at least one applying apparatus is further configured to;

receive information sent from call-issuing apparatuses;

identify at least one call-issuing apparatus, and at least one program stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium currently attached thereto, existing within wireless communication range of the at least one applying apparatus, based on received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information;

enable at least one identified call-issuing apparatus to be selected; and

send a request to a selected call-issuing apparatus based on the selection, and

the selected call-issuing apparatus which receives the request from the at least one applying apparatus that sent the request is further configured to send a program being executed thereon, while that program is being executed, to the applying apparatus that sent the request, and the applying apparatus that sent the request is further configured to receive and execute the program to perform the shared application with the selected call-issuing apparatus.

17. The wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein the selected call-issuing apparatus, during execution of the program, is further configured to send information identifying the program.

18. The wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein the at least one applying apparatus is further configured to identify at least one call-issuing apparatus, and at least one program stored on non-transitory computer readable storage media currently attached thereto, existing within wireless communication range of the at least one applying apparatus, based on received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information, via its display.

19. The wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein the applying apparatus that sent the request is further configured to automatically execute the program, after its reception.

38. The wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein the wireless communication is direct apparatus-to-apparatus wireless communication.

48. The wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein the at least one applying apparatus further comprises a user interface configured to receive the selection from a user.

16. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the apparatuses including a display and being configured to perform wireless communication with other apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses, wherein;

at least one of the apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses is a call-issuing apparatus which issues a call for participation in a shared application, and at least one of the apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses is an applying apparatus which applies to calls,

each of the apparatuses permits a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program to be detachably attached thereto, and includes processing resources including a processor, the processing resources being configured to control the respective apparatus to;

send apparatus self-identifying information identifying the respective apparatus;

receive information sent from call-issuing apparatuses;

identify, based on the received information, at least one call-issuing apparatus existing within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus, and at least one program stored in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium currently attached thereto;

enable at least one identified call-issuing apparatus to be selected; and

send a request to the selected call-issuing apparatus based on the selection,

the selected call-issuing apparatus is configured to send its apparatus self-identifying information, and the applying apparatus is configured to receive information from the at least one program-sending apparatus, and perform the identifying, the enabling of the selection, and the sending of the request, and

the selected call-issuing apparatus which receives the request from the applying apparatus is further configured to send its program, while it is being executed thereon, to the applying apparatus that sent the request, and the applying apparatus that sent the request is further configured to receive and execute the program to participate in the shared application with the selected call-issuing apparatus.

32. The wireless communication system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one call-issuing apparatus is further configured to send, during execution of the program, identifying information identifying the program.

33. The wireless communication system according to claim 16, wherein the wireless communication is direct apparatus-to-apparatus wireless communication.

34. The wireless communication system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one applying apparatus is further configured to automatically execute a program, after its reception.

43. The wireless communication system according to claim 16, wherein each of the apparatuses is further configured to identify, via its display and based on the received information, at least one call-issuing apparatus existing within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus, and at least one program stored in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium currently attached thereto.

49. The wireless communication system according to claim 16, wherein each of the apparatuses further comprises a user interface configured to receive the selection from a user.

50. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the apparatuses being configured to perform wireless communication with other apparatuses in the plurality of portable apparatuses, each of the plurality of portable apparatuses including processing resources being configured to control the respective apparatus to at least;

send apparatus self-identifying information that identifies the respective apparatus and program identifying information that identifies a program being executed on the respective apparatus;

receive such apparatus self-identifying information and such program identifying information sent from other apparatuses;

identify, based on received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information, at least one apparatus existing within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus, and at least program being executed on the at least one identified apparatus;

enable at least one identified apparatus to be selected;

send a request to a selected apparatus based on the selection;

receive such a request from another apparatuses;

send to another apparatus that sent such a request a program while it is being executed; and

receive such a program;

wherein at least one of the plurality of portable apparatuses performs the sending of the self-identifying information and the program identifying information, the receiving of the request, and the sending of the program; and

wherein at least another of the plurality of portable apparatuses performs the receiving of the self-identifying information and the program identifying information, the identifying, the enabling of the selection to be made, the sending of the request, and the receiving of the program.

51. The wireless communication system according to claim 50, wherein each of the apparatuses is further configured to identify, via a display thereof and based on received apparatus self-identifying information and received program identifying information, at least one apparatus existing within wireless communication range of the respective apparatus, and at least one program being executed on the at least one identified apparatus.

52. The wireless communication system according to claim 50, wherein each of the apparatuses further comprises a user interface configured to receive the selection from a user.