Information processing apparatus, storage medium, information processing method, and information processing system

• US 9,704,131 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Imai, Daiji
• Primary Examiner(s): ZAND, DAVOUD AMAN
• Application Number:
  US13/006,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,371 Days
• Field of Search: 709206, 709204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes: application execution means for executing an application program; metadata storage means for storing metadata corresponding to the application program; input means for receiving a message input by a user based on an operation of the user; selection means for selecting the metadata stored by the metadata storage means, in accordance with an operation of the user; transmission means for transmitting the message received by the input means and the metadata selected by the selection means to another information processing apparatus; reception means for receiving a message and metadata corresponding to an application program from said another information processing apparatus; and information output means for outputting the message and the metadata received by the reception means.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with another information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a computer configured to perform at least executing a plurality of application programs; and

a metadata storage for storing a plurality of metadata corresponding to the plurality of application programs;

wherein the computer further performs;

receiving a message input by a user based on an operation of the user;

subsequently selecting the metadata, from a list of the plurality of metadata, stored by the metadata storage, in accordance with an operation of the user;

and then adding the selected metadata to a predetermined position within the message;

transmitting the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing apparatus;

receiving a message and metadata corresponding to an application program from said another information processing apparatus;

outputting the received message and the metadata, the information processing apparatus further comprising

an execution history storage for storing an execution history of the application program which has already been executed by the computer, wherein based on the execution history stored by the execution history storage, the computer allows the user to select the metadata according to the execution history of the application program, wherein

the execution history comprises information related to portions of the application program which have already been executed, wherein,

the computer is further configured to perform detailed information acquisition for, based on the received metadata, acquiring detailed information different than the received metadata about the application program corresponding to the metadata, wherein the computer outputs the acquired detailed information, wherein

the detailed information is information describing the content of the application program, wherein

the metadata stored by the metadata storage includes an icon representing the application program, and the received metadata includes an icon representing the application program, and wherein

after the user selects the icon by entering an input to the information processing apparatus, the computer outputs the acquired detailed information and subsequently downloads the application program corresponding to the metadata in accordance with an instruction from the user, wherein

there is a non-zero time lag between the end of the execution of an application program by the information processing apparatus and the transmitting of the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing apparatus.

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

the computer further performs metadata acquisition for acquiring the metadata from a first storage section or a second storage section having stored therein the plurality of application programs and the plurality of metadata corresponding to the plurality of application programs and causing the metadata storage to store the acquired metadata, the first storage section detachably attached to the information processing apparatus, the second storage section included in the information processing apparatus.

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

the computer provides to the user an input interface for receiving the message input by the user, and provides an operation portion for the user to select the metadata, in the provided input interface.

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

the metadata storage stores the metadata corresponding to the application program which has already been executed by the computer, and the computer allows the user to select, in accordance with the operation of the user, the stored metadata, the metadata corresponding to the application program which has already been executed by the computer.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

when the first storage section is mounted to the information processing apparatus, the computer acquires the metadata stored in the first storage section, and causes the metadata storage to store the metadata.

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

the detailed information includes guide information for the user to purchase the application program corresponding to the received metadata.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, the computer further configured to perform:

receiving an input provided by the user to the outputted metadata; and

when the computer has received the input provided by the user, connecting to a server through which the application program corresponding to the metadata is to be purchased.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

based on the outputted metadata, the computer connects to a site established in the server, on which the application program corresponding to the metadata is to be purchased.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the detailed information includes introduction information for introducing to the user the application program corresponding to the received metadata.

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

the computer acquires the detailed information from a server.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the guide information guides the user to a purchase operation of the application program corresponding to the received metadata, and the computer receives and acquires the detailed information from a server, the computer of the information processing apparatus further configured to perform:

receiving the purchase operation performed by the user in accordance with the guide information;

transmitting to the server a purchase request for the application program of which the purchase operation has been received; and

receiving from the server the application program for which the purchase request has been made.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the guide information guides the user to a purchase operation of the application program corresponding to the received metadata, and the computer receives and acquires the detailed information from a server, the computer of the information processing apparatus further configured to perform:

receiving the purchase operation performed by the user in accordance with the guide information;

transmitting to the server a purchase request for the application program of which the purchase operation has been received;

receiving, from the server, settlement-related information for guiding the user to an input operation of settlement information;

outputting the settlement-related information;

receiving the input of the settlement information provided by the user in accordance with the guide of the settlement-related information;

transmitting to the server the received settlement information; and

receiving from the server the application program for which the purchase request has been made.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the metadata stored by the metadata storage includes a title of the application program corresponding to the stored metadata, and the received metadata includes a title of the application program corresponding to the received metadata.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the computer further performs transferring the received message and the metadata to a third information processing apparatus.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, the computer further configured to perform:

an execution state determination for determining whether or not a state of the executed application program has entered a predetermined state; and

message acquisition for, when it is determined that the execution state has entered the predetermined state, acquiring a message and the metadata that are related to the application program that is being executed, wherein the computer transmits the acquired message and the metadata to said another information processing apparatus.

16. An information processing system capable of communicating with another information processing system, the information processing system comprising:

a computer configured to perform at least executing a plurality of application programs; and

a metadata storage for storing a plurality of metadata corresponding to the plurality of application programs;

wherein the computer further performs;

receiving a message input by a user based on an operation of the user;

subsequently selecting the metadata, from a list of the plurality of metadata, stored by the metadata storage, in accordance with an operation of the user;

and then adding the selected metadata to a predetermined position within the message;

transmitting the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing system;

receiving a message and metadata corresponding to an application program from said another information processing system;

outputting the received message and the metadata, the information processing system further comprising

an execution history storage for storing an execution history of the application program which has already been executed by the computer, wherein based on the execution history stored by the execution history storage, the computer allows the user to select the metadata according to the execution history of the application program, wherein

the execution history comprises information related to portions of the application program which have already been executed, wherein,

the computer is further configured to perform detailed information acquisition for, based on the received metadata, acquiring detailed information different than the received metadata about the application program corresponding to the metadata, wherein the computer outputs the acquired detailed information, wherein

the detailed information is information describing the content of the application program, wherein

the metadata stored by the metadata storage includes an icon representing the application program, and the received metadata includes an icon representing the application program, and wherein

after the user selects the icon by entering an input to the information processing system, the computer outputs the acquired detailed information and subsequently downloads the application program corresponding to the metadata in accordance with an instruction from the user, wherein

there is a non-zero time lag between the end of the execution of an application program by the information processing system and the transmitting of the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing system.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with another information processing apparatus, the information processing program causing the computer to perform at least:

executing a plurality of application programs;

storing a plurality of metadata corresponding to the plurality of application programs;

receiving a message input by a user based on an operation of the user;

subsequently selecting the stored metadata, from a list of the plurality of metadata, in accordance with an operation of the user;

and then adding the selected metadata to a predetermined position within the message;

transmitting the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing apparatus;

receiving a message and metadata corresponding to an application program from said another information processing apparatus;

outputting the message and the received metadata and

storing an execution history of the application program which has already been executed, wherein based on the stored execution history, the selecting allows the user to select the metadata according to the execution history of the application program, wherein

the execution history comprises information related to portions of the application program which have already been executed, wherein,

the computer is further configured to perform detailed information acquisition for, based on the received metadata, acquiring detailed information different than the received metadata about the application program corresponding to the metadata, wherein the computer outputs the acquired detailed information, wherein

the detailed information is information describing the content of the application program, wherein

the stored metadata includes an icon representing the application program, and the received metadata includes an icon representing the application program, and wherein

after the user selects the icon by entering an input to the information processing apparatus, the computer outputs the acquired detailed information and subsequently downloads the application program corresponding to the metadata in accordance with an instruction from the user, wherein

there is a non-zero time lag between the end of the execution of an application program by the information processing apparatus and the transmitting of the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing apparatus.

18. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with another information processing apparatus, the information processing method comprising:

executing a plurality of application programs;

storing a plurality of metadata corresponding to the plurality of application programs;

receiving a message input by a user based on an operation of the user;

subsequently selecting the stored metadata, from a list of the plurality of metadata, in accordance with an operation of the user;

and then adding the selected metadata to a predetermined position within the message;

transmitting the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing apparatus;

receiving a message and metadata corresponding to an application program from said another information processing apparatus;

outputting the message and the received metadata and

storing an execution history of the application program which has already been executed, wherein based on the stored execution history, the selecting allows the user to select the metadata according to the execution history of the application program, wherein

the execution history comprises information related to portions of the application program which have already been executed, wherein,

the information processing method further comprising detailed information acquisition for, based on the received metadata, acquiring detailed information different than the received metadata about the application program corresponding to the metadata, and outputting the acquired detailed information, wherein

the detailed information is information describing the content of the application program, wherein

the stored metadata includes an icon representing the application program, and the received metadata includes an icon representing the application program, and wherein

after the user selects the icon by entering an input to the information processing apparatus, the information processing method further comprising outputting the acquired detailed information and subsequently downloading the application program corresponding to the metadata in accordance with an instruction from the user, wherein

there is a non-zero time lag between the end of the execution of an application program by the information processing apparatus and the transmitting of the received message and the selected metadata to said another information processing apparatus.