Information processing terminal, information processing system, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon information processing program, and information processing method

• US 10,296,319 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Wabe, Kazuhiro, Tokunaga, Eiji, Yamazaki, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Application Number:
  US15/413,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 717174-178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An example information processing apparatus includes a display and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to control the information processing apparatus to perform operations including automatically connecting to a server; automatically receiving, from the server, one or more programs, without user selection of the one or more programs, the received programs including at least one new program, other than an update program, not already installed on the information processing apparatus; and automatically, and without user request, installing the received programs on the information processing apparatus.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication circuitry; and

a processor configured to control the information processing apparatus to at least;

automatically connect, using the communication circuitry, to a server;

automatically receive, from the server, one or more programs without a user selection of the one or more programs;

automatically install, on the information processing apparatus, the received one or more programs not already installed without a user request to install;

create and output a list of the installed one or more programs;

accept a selection of a program on the list of the installed one or more programs based on a predetermined operation performed on the information processing apparatus; and

uninstall the selected program on the list of the installed one or more programs,

wherein

the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to switch between a display state and a non-display state, wherein a display in the display state of the information processing apparatus is stopped in the non-display state of the information processing apparatus,

the automatic connecting to the server is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state,

the automatic receiving the one or more programs is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state, and

the automatic installing the received one or more programs not already installed is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state.

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

less power is consumed in the non-display state of the information processing apparatus than in the display state of the information processing apparatus.

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

the information processing apparatus is configured to be opened and closed, and

a state of the information processing apparatus is switched to the display state when the information processing apparatus is opened, and to the non-display state when the information processing apparatus is closed.

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

power is supplied to the display in the display state of the information processing apparatus, and power is not supplied to the display in the non-display state of the information processing apparatus.

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

the information processing apparatus is a mobile information terminal, and the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

automatically and repeatedly search for an access point, and

based on an access point being found by the searching, connect to the access point, and connect to the server via the access point.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store respective reception states for the receiving of the one or more programs, each reception state indicating whether or not the corresponding receiving of the one or more programs is completed, wherein

when any of the respective reception states indicates that the corresponding receiving of the one or more programs is not completed, the corresponding receiving of the one or more programs is performed again.

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

set one or more tasks for defining the receiving of the one or more programs, respectively, wherein

the storing stores the respective reception states for the receiving of the one or more programs on a task-by-task basis, each reception state indicating whether or not the corresponding receiving of the one or more programs defined by a corresponding task is completed, and

when any of the respective reception states indicates that the corresponding receiving of the one or more programs defined by the corresponding task is not completed, the corresponding receiving of the one or more programs is performed again.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

when the information processing apparatus connects to the server, receive currently-distributed program information about receivable programs from the server, and

when the currently-distributed program information is received, determine based on specified conditions whether or not to receive a receivable program specified by the currently-distributed program information, wherein

when the information processing apparatus determines to receive the receivable program, the information processing apparatus receives the receivable program.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store execution history data indicating an execution history of a predetermined program, wherein

the currently-distributed program information includes;

information specifying the receivable program having reception conditions; and

conditions concerning the execution history of the predetermined program that are necessary for receiving the receivable program, and

when the execution history of the predetermined program indicated by the execution history data satisfies the conditions for reception, the information processing apparatus determines that the receivable program having the reception conditions is to be received; and

when the execution history of the predetermined program indicated by the execution history data does not satisfy the conditions for the reception, the information processing apparatus determines that the receivable program having the reception conditions is not to be received.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store in the information processing apparatus user age as user age information, wherein

the currently-distributed program information includes information indicating target ages of the receivable programs, respectively, and

the information processing apparatus compares the user age information to a target age of each receivable program, and, when the comparison result satisfies specified conditions, the information processing apparatus receives the receivable program.

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

when the information processing apparatus connects to the server, receive currently-distributed program information about receivable programs from the server, and

determine whether or not the receivable programs specified by the currently-distributed program information are already installed on the information processing apparatus, wherein

when the information processing apparatus determines that a program among the received programs is already installed, the information processing apparatus updates the program; and

when the information processing apparatus determines that a program among the received programs is not installed, the information processing apparatus installs the program.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

when the information processing apparatus connects to the server, receive currently-distributed application information indicating a list of receivable application programs from the server, and

when the currently-distributed application information is received, determine based on specified conditions whether or not to receive a receivable application program specified by the currently-distributed application information, wherein

when the information processing apparatus determines that the receivable application program is to be received, receiving the receivable application program.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

when the information processing apparatus connects to the server, receive from the server, currently-distributed program information about receivable programs; and

priority information indicating an order of receiving the receivable programs indicated by the currently-distributed program information, wherein

the information processing apparatus receives the receivable programs indicated by the currently-distributed program information in the order of receiving the receivable programs indicated by the priority information.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store deleted program specification information specifying the uninstalled selected program, wherein

the information processing apparatus does not receive, among programs indicated by the currently-distributed program information, a program specified by the deleted program specification information.

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

in accordance with a user operation, the information processing apparatus connects to a server in which programs for the information processing apparatus are registered, and

receives a user-designated program, regardless of whether or not the user-designated program is included in the deleted program specification information.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store the received one or more programs, and complete the automatic installing by making the received one or more programs executable.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store the installed one or more programs;

when the information processing apparatus is started, create and output a list of the stored one or more programs;

accept a selection of any of the one or more programs from the list of the stored one or more programs in accordance with an operation performed on the information processing apparatus; and

execute the selected program from the list of the stored one or more programs.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store the installed one or more programs;

create and output a list of the stored one or more programs in accordance with an operation performed on the information processing apparatus;

accept a selection of any of the one or more programs from the list of the stored one or more programs in accordance with the operation performed on the information processing apparatus; and

execute the selected program from the list of the stored one or more programs.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the automatic installing is completed by automatically making a setting such that the received one or more programs are to appear on the list of the stored one or more programs.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store a rights information database and a plurality of programs, wherein the information processing apparatus;

receive the plurality of programs together with rights information for executing the plurality of programs;

automatically store the received plurality of programs, and automatically register the received rights information in the rights information database;

receive an instruction to execute at least one of the automatically stored plurality of programs;

when the execution instruction has been received, authenticate the received rights information using the received rights information registered in the rights information database; and

when the authentication is successful, execute the at least one of the automatically stored plurality of programs when the instruction has been given to execute.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

store a rights information database and a plurality of programs, wherein the plurality of programs are received together with rights information for executing the plurality of programs;

when the plurality of programs and the rights information are received, automatically determine whether or not the received rights information is legitimate;

when it is determined that the received rights information is legitimate, automatically store the plurality of programs and the received rights information;

when it is determined that the received rights information is illegitimate, discard contents of the received rights information;

accept an instruction to execute at least one of the stored plurality of programs;

when the execution instruction is received, read the automatically stored rights information, and authenticate the automatically stored rights information; and

when the authentication is successful, execute the at least one of the stored plurality of programs when the instruction has been given to execute.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

when the one or more programs are received, automatically determine whether or not the received one or more programs are legitimate;

when it is determined that the received one or more programs are legitimate, automatically store the received one or more programs;

when it is determined that the received one or more programs are illegitimate, discard the received one or more programs;

accept an instruction to execute at least one of the stored one or more programs; and

when the execution instruction is received, execute the at least one of the stored one or more programs when the instruction has been given to execute.

23. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus automatically connects to the server without requesting a user to perform any operation concerning the automatically connecting;

automatically receives the one or more programs without requesting the user to perform any operation concerning the automatically receiving; and

automatically installs the received one or more programs on the information processing apparatus without requesting the user to perform any operation concerning the automatically installing.

24. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to:

when the information processing apparatus connects to the server, receive, from the server, currently-distributed application information indicating a list of receivable application programs;

determine whether or not the list of receivable application programs indicated by the currently-distributed application information are already installed on the information processing apparatus;

receive the list of receivable application programs indicated by the currently-distributed application information;

when an application program among the list of received application programs is already installed, update the application program; and

when an application program among the list of received application programs is not installed, install the application program.

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

the one or more programs received from the server include system programs and application programs.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program which, when executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus comprising communication circuitry and a processor, causes the information processing apparatus to at least:

automatically connect, using the communication circuitry, to a server;

automatically receive, from the server, one or more programs without a user selection of the one or more programs;

automatically install, on the information processing apparatus, the received one or more programs not already installed without a user request to install;

create and output a list of the installed one or more programs;

accept a selection of a program on the list of the installed one or more programs based on a predetermined operation performed on the information processing apparatus; and

uninstall the selected program on the list of the installed one or more programs,

wherein

the processor is configured to control the information processing apparatus to switch between a display state and a non-display state, wherein a display in the display state of the information processing apparatus is stopped in the non-display state of the information processing apparatus,

the automatic connecting to the server is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state,

the automatic receiving the one or more programs is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state, and

the automatic installing the received one or more programs not already installed is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state.

27. An information processing method for controlling a computer of an information processing apparatus comprising communication circuitry and a processor, the information processing method comprising:

automatically connecting, using the communication circuitry, to a server;

automatically receiving, from the server, one or more programs without a user selection of the one or more programs;

automatically installing, on the information processing apparatus, the received one or more programs not already installed without a user request to install;

creating and outputting a list of the installed one or more programs;

accepting a selection of a program on the list of the installed one or more programs based on a predetermined operation performed on the information processing apparatus; and

uninstalling the selected program on the list of the installed one or more programs,

wherein

the processor is configured to control the information processing apparatus to switch between a display state and a non-display state, wherein a display in the display state of the information processing apparatus is stopped in the non-display state of the information processing apparatus,

the automatic connecting to the server is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state,

the automatic receiving the one or more programs is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state, and

the automatic installing the received one or more programs not already installed is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state.

28. A system including an information processing apparatus and a server, the information processing apparatus comprising communication circuitry and a processor configured to control the information processing apparatus to at least:

automatically connect, using the communication circuitry, to the server;

automatically receive, from the server, one or more programs without a user selection of the one or more programs;

automatically install, on the information processing apparatus, the received one or more programs not already installed without a user request to install;

create and output a list of the installed one or more programs;

accept a selection of a program on the list of the installed one or more programs based on a predetermined operation performed on the information processing apparatus; and

uninstall the selected program on the list of the installed one or more programs,

wherein

the processor is further configured to control the information processing apparatus to switch between a display state and a non-display state, wherein a display in the display state of the information processing apparatus is stopped in the non-display state of the information processing apparatus,

the automatic connecting to the server is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state,

the automatic receiving the one or more programs is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state, and

the automatic installing the received one or more programs not already installed is performed at least when the information processing apparatus is in the non-display state.