Handheld information processing apparatus, storage medium and information processing method

• US 10,022,620 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Koichi, Tsugihashi, Kanako, Takahashi, Ryutaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuan, John
• Application Number:
  US12/955,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20110294582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,787 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items

Abstract

A game apparatus as a handheld information processing apparatus includes a CPU, and when the game apparatus is closed, the CPU shifts to a sleep mode. When a user carries the game apparatus in the sleep mode, a micon measures step counts according to a magnitude of accelerations indicated by acceleration data from an acceleration sensor. When a main power of the game apparatus is turned on to display a main menu screen, the step counts are converted into earned coins, for example. In each of a plurality of applications to be executed by the game apparatus, a special item is purchased, or game playing on a special course is permitted by utilizing the earned coins.

Claims

1. A handheld information processing apparatus, comprising:

a portable electronic device, incorporated within a housing of the handheld information processing apparatus, and configured to generate data associated with physical activity of a user carrying the portable electronic device; and

a processing system incorporated within the housing of the handheld information processing apparatus and operatively coupled to the portable electronic device, the processing system having at least one processor and a memory configured to store a plurality of application programs, the processing system configured to;

receive the data is associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the portable electronic device,

store the received data in the memory of the handheld information processing apparatus, the stored data being accessible by the plurality of application programs,

convert the stored data into a motion data value in correlation with said physical activity of the user,

accumulate the motion data value,

execute one or more of the plurality of application programs stored in said memory, and

utilize the accumulated motion data value in each application program being executed by the processing system.

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

said memory has a shared data area accessible to all said plurality of application programs and a plurality of application-dedicated data areas which are respectively set for each application program of said plurality of application programs, and each of said plurality of application-dedicated areas is accessible to only a relevant application program, and

said processing system is further configured to:

store said motion data value in said shared data area, and

read the motion data value stored in said shared data area, and write update information acquired therefrom to a corresponding application-dedicated data area.

3. The handheld information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to generate the data associated with the physical activity of the user when the handheld information processing apparatus is m a low-power operation mode.

4. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine whether the accumulated motion data value is above a first number, and

set said accumulated motion data value to said first number when the accumulated motion data value is above the first number.

5. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

add date and time information to the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the portable electronic device and store the same in said memory;

determine whether a motion data value acquired by converting the stored data on a same day is above a second number being smaller than said first number; and

accumulate the motion data value by adding said second number when the motion data value acquired on the same day is above the second number.

6. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing system further configured to:

switch said information processing apparatus between an unused state and a used state,

determine whether said used state switches to said unused state, and

generate the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the portable electronic device when a switch to said unused state is made.

7. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

switch between a power-saving mode and a normal mode, and

determine whether said used state switches to said unused state by determining whether said normal mode changes to said power-saving mode.

8. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

deactivate execution of any one of said plurality of application programs stored in said memory, and

switch from said used state to said unused state in response to said deactivation.

9. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

an apparatus main body is configured to be opened and closed,

said apparatus main body is switched between a closed state and an opened state, and

whether said used state switches to said unused state is determined by determining whether said apparatus main body is switched from the opened state to the closed state.

10. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a communication device, wherein

said communication device intermittently executes communication processing while the data associated with the physical activity of the user is generated by said portable electronic device.

11. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine whether a condition is satisfied, and

convert the stored data into the motion data value when said condition is satisfied.

12. The handheld information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to generate the data associated with the physical activity of the user when a display of the handheld information processing apparatus is inactive.

13. The handheld information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system further configured to transmit data to another information processing apparatus when the handheld information processing apparatus is in an unused state.

14. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to generate a display corresponding to the executing application program for displaying on the display of the handheld information processing apparatus.

15. A non-transitory storage medium comprising an information processing program for a handheld information processing apparatus having a memory storing a plurality of application programs, wherein said information processing program causes a computer of said handheld information processing apparatus to:

generate data associated with physical activity of a user carrying a portable electronic device incorporated within a housing of the handheld information processing apparatus;

store the generated data in the memory of the handheld information processing apparatus, the stored data being accessibly by the plurality of application programs;

convert the stored data into a motion data value in correlation with said physical activity of the user;

accumulate the motion data value;

execute one or more of the plurality of application programs stored in said memory; and

utilize the accumulated motion data value in each of the application programs being executed by the computer of the information processing apparatus.

16. An information processing method of a handheld information processing apparatus having a memory storing a plurality of application programs and a portable electronic device incorporated within a housing of the handheld information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

generating data associated with physical activity of a user carrying the portable electronic device;

storing the generated data in the memory of the handheld information processing apparatus, the stored data being accessibly by the plurality of application programs;

converting the stored data into a motion data value in correlation with said physical activity of the user;

accumulating the motion data value;

executing one or more of the plurality of application programs stored in the memory; and

utilizing the accumulated motion data value in each application program being executed by the handheld information processing apparatus.

17. A handheld information processing apparatus for executing multiple application programs, comprising:

a portable electronic device, incorporated within a housing of the handheld information processing apparatus, and configured to generate data associated with physical activity of a user carrying the portable electronic device; and

a processing system incorporated within the housing of the handheld information processing apparatus and operatively coupled to the portable electronic device, the processing system having at least one processor and a memory configured to store the multiple application programs, the processing system configured to;

receive the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the portable electronic device;

store the received data in the memory of the handheld information processing apparatus, the stored data being usable by two or more of the application programs;

convert the stored data into a motion data value in correlation with said physical activity of the user,

accumulate the motion data value;

execute a first application program utilizing the motion data value; and

execute a second application program utilizing the motion data value.

18. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the portable electronic device generates the data associated with the physical activity of the user at least in a low-power operation mode of the handheld information processing apparatus.

19. A handheld information processing apparatus, comprising:

a portable electronic device, incorporated within a housing of the handheld information processing apparatus, and configured to generate data associated with physical activity of a user carrying the portable electronic device; and

a processing system incorporated within the housing of the handheld information processing apparatus and operatively coupled to the portable electronic device, the processing system having at least one processor and a memory configured to store a plurality of application programs, the processing system configured to;

receive the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the portable electronic device,

store the received data in the memory of the handheld information processing apparatus, the stored data being accessible by the plurality of application programs,

execute one or more of the plurality of application programs stored in said memory, and

utilize the data stored in the memory in each application program being executed by the processing system.

20. A handheld information processing apparatus, comprising:

a portable electronic device, incorporated within a housing of the handheld information processing apparatus, and configured to generate data associated with a user carrying the portable electronic device; and

a processing system incorporated within the housing of the handheld information processing apparatus and operatively coupled to the portable electronic device, the processing system having at least one processor and a memory configured to store a plurality of application programs, the processing system configured to;

receive the data generated by the portable electronic device and associated with the user carrying the portable electronic device,

store the received data m the memory of the handheld information processing apparatus, the stored data being accessible by the plurality of application programs,

convert the stored data into a physical activity value in correlation with physical activity of the user carrying the portable electronic device,

execute one or more of the plurality of application programs stored in said memory, and

utilize the physical activity value in each application program being executed by the processing system.