Game system, game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game data exchange method

• US 9,873,041 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2003
• 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): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US15/399,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20170113130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

A game system including a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, and a mobile game apparatus that can communicate with another game apparatus that exists within a communicable range by use of a radio communications unit. When a communicated state is established, exchanging conditions for exchanging game data are received and transmitted, and in a case the exchange conditions are coincident with each other, the game data are exchanged.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor configured to cooperate with the wireless transceiver and cause the device to at least;

wirelessly transmit to unknown and/or unspecified devices information of a first type, the information of the first type including (a) self-identifying information, and (b) representing data that is representative of application-related data providable from and/or required by the device;

wirelessly receive transmitted information of the first type from other devices; and

request that a connection be established with an other device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received, based at least in part on the application-related data providable from and/or required by the device,

wherein the request that a connection be established is a part of a connection process that is responsive to reception of information of the first type wirelessly transmitted and based at least in part on the application-related data represented therein.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the representing data represents data to be derived from execution of an application.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured cause the device to wirelessly transmit and wirelessly receive information of the first type without establishing a connection.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the connection process is performed in response to user input that confirms that a connection should be established.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission and the wireless reception are performed cyclically.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission and the wireless reception alternately repeat.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission includes consecutive transmissions of information of the first type.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein repeated wireless reception of information of the first type is enabled.

40. The device of claim 1, wherein broadcasted information of the first type is wirelessly receivable from other devices during a wait time.

41. The device of claim 1, wherein the request that a connection be established is automatic, responsive to reception of information of the first type from an other device.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to automatically respond to an other device from which the request has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the request.

49. The device of claim 1, wherein the representing data is representative of data derived from and/or created by an application executable on the device.

51. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission includes broadcasting for unknown and/or unspecified other devices.

52. The device of claim 1, wherein information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while the device is operating in a power-saving mode.

53. The device of claim 1, wherein the request that a connection be established is a part of a connection process that, once completed, causes the device to cease power-saving operation.

54. The device of claim 49, wherein information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while application software is being executed by the device.

55. The device of claim 41, wherein information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while the device is operating in a power-saving mode.

56. The device of claim 49, wherein the request that a connection be established is automatic, responsive to reception of information of the first type from an other device.

57. The device of claim 49, wherein information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while the device is operating in a power-saving mode.

58. The device of claim 49, wherein:

the request that a connection be established is automatic, responsive to reception of information of the first type from an other device;

information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while the device is operating in a power-saving mode; and

information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while application software is being executed by the device.

59. The device of claim 1, wherein information of the first type further includes capability information.

61. The device of claim 59, wherein capability information indicates whether the device sending it can be connected to.

3. A device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor configured to cooperate with the wireless transceiver and cause the device to at least;

wirelessly transmit information of a first type, the information of the first type including (a) self-identifying information, and (b) representing data representative of data providable from and/or required by the device;

wirelessly receive transmitted information of the first type from other devices; and

request that a connection be established with an other device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received, based at least in part on the data providable from and/or required by the device,

wherein broadcasted information of the first type is wirelessly receivable from other devices during a wait time.

6. A device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor configured to cooperate with the wireless transceiver and cause the device to at least;

wirelessly transmit information of a first type, the information of the first type including (a) self-identifying information, and (b) representing data representative of data providable from and/or required by the device;

wirelessly receive transmitted information of the first type from other devices; and

request that a connection be established with an other device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received, based at least in part on the data providable from and/or required by the device,

wherein information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while the device is operating in a power-saving mode.

15. The device of claim 6, wherein the wireless transmission is wireless sending to unknown devices, and the request that a connection be established is a part of a connection process that is responsive to reception information of the first type wirelessly sent to unknown devices from an other device and based at least in part on application-related data represented therein.

16. The device of claim 6, wherein the representing data is representative of data derived from and/or created by an application executable on the device.

17. The device of claim 6, wherein the request that a connection be established is automatic, responsive to reception of information of the first type from an other device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to automatically respond to an other device from which the request has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the request.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to automatically connect with the other device from which the response has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the response.

7. A device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor configured to cooperate with the wireless transceiver and cause the device to at least;

wirelessly transmit information of a first type, the information of the first type including (a) self-identifying information, and (b) representing data representative of data providable from and/or required by the device;

wirelessly receive transmitted information of the first type from other devices; and

request that a connection be established with an other device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received, based at least in part on the data providable from and/or required by the device,

wherein information of the first type is wirelessly transmittable while application software is being executed by the device.

20. The device of claim 7, wherein the wireless transmission is wireless sending to unknown devices, and the request that a connection be established is a part of a connection process that is responsive to reception information of the first type wirelessly sent to unknown devices from an other device and based at least in part on application-related data represented therein.

21. The device of claim 7, wherein the representing data is representative of data derived from and/or created by an application executable on the device e.

22. The device of claim 7, wherein the request that a connection be established is automatic, responsive to reception of information of the first type from an other device.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to automatically respond to an other device from which the request has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the request.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to automatically connect with the other device from which the response has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the response.

9. A device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor configured to cooperate with the wireless transceiver and cause the device to at least;

wirelessly transmit information of a first type, the information of the first type including (a) self-identifying information, and (b) representing data representative of data providable from and/or required by the device;

wirelessly receive transmitted information of the first type from other devices; and

automatically request that a connection be established with an other device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received, responsive to reception of information of the first type from that other device, and conditioned on the representing data.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to automatically respond to an other device from which the request has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the request.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to automatically connect with the other device from which the response has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the response.

25. The device of claim 9, wherein information of the first type further includes capability information.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to further condition an automatic request that a connection be established with an other device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received on connection capability information of the other device.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein capability information indicates whether the device sending it can be connected to.

28. The device of claim 9, wherein the request that a connection be established is a part of a connection process that, once completed, causes the device to cease power-saving operation.

29. The device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transmission includes consecutive transmissions of information of the first type.

30. The device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transmission includes broadcasting for unknown and/or unspecified other devices.

60. The device of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the device to further condition an automatic request that a connection be established with an other device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received on connection capability information of the other device.

31. A system, comprising:

a first device, comprising;

a first wireless transceiver, and

a first processor configured to cooperate with the first wireless transceiver and cause the first device to at least wirelessly transmit information of a first type, the information of the first type including (a) self-identifying information, and (b) representing data representative of data providable from and/or required by the first device; and

a second device, comprising;

a second wireless transceiver, and

a second processor configured to cooperate with the second wireless transceiver and cause the second device to at least;

wirelessly receive transmitted information of the first type from other devices; and

automatically request that a connection be established with the first device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received, responsive to reception of information of the first type from the first device, and conditioned on the representing data.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first processor is further configured to cause the first device to automatically respond to the second device from which the request has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the request.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the second processor is further configured to cause the second device to automatically connect with the first device from which the response has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the response.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein information of the first type further includes capability information.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the second processor is further configured to cause the second device to further condition an automatic request that a connection be established with the first device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received on connection capability information of the first device.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein capability information indicates whether the device sending it can be connected to.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the request that a connection be established is a part of a connection process that, once completed, causes the first device to cease power-saving operation.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the wireless transmission includes consecutive transmissions of information of the first type.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the wireless transmission includes broadcasting for unknown and/or unspecified other devices.

43. A system, comprising:

a first device, comprising;

a first wireless transceiver, and

a first processor configured to cooperate with the first wireless transceiver and cause the first device to at least wirelessly transmit to unknown and/or unspecified devices information of a first type, the information of the first type including (a) self-identifying information, and (b) representing data that is representative of application-related data providable from and/or required by the first device; and

a second device, comprising;

a second wireless transceiver, and

a second processor configured to cooperate with the second wireless transceiver and cause the second device to at least;

wirelessly receive transmitted information of the first type from other devices; and

request that a connection be established with the first device from which transmitted information of the first type has been wirelessly received, based at least in part on the application-related data providable from and/or required by the first device,

wherein the request that a connection be established is a part of a connection process that is responsive to reception of information of the first type wirelessly transmitted from the first device and based at least in part on application-related data represented therein.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the first processor is further configured to cause the first device to wirelessly transmit, and the second processor is further configured to cause the second device to wirelessly receive, information of the first type without establishing a connection between the first and second devices.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the connection process is performed in response to user input that confirms that a connection should be established.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the wireless transmission includes consecutive transmissions of information of the first type.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the request that a connection be established is automatic, responsive to reception of information of the first type from the first device.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the first processor is further configured to cause the first device to automatically respond to the second device from which the request has been wirelessly transmitted, responsive to reception of the request.

50. The system of claim 43, wherein the representing data is representative of data derived from and/or created by an application executable on the first device.