Handheld information processing apparatus, storage medium and information processing method

• US 10,646,774 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• 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 C
• Application Number:
  US15/966,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20180243645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 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:

an electronic device configured to generate data associated with physical activity of a user carrying the electronic device; and

a processing system incorporated within the housing of the handheld information processing apparatus, 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 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 correlation value in correlation with the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the electronic device,

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

utilize the correlation value in each application program, of the one or more of the plurality of application programs, 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 the data associated with the physical activity of the user in said shared data area, and

read the data associated with the physical activity of the user 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 electronic device is configured to generate the data associated with the physical activity of the user when the handheld information processing apparatus is in 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 data associated with the physical activity of the user is above a first number, and

set the data associated with the physical activity of the user to said first number when the data associated with the physical activity of the user 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 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 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 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 a motion data value when said condition is satisfied.

12. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the 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 according to 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 memory further includes a shared data area and the correlation value is stored in the shared data area of the memory.

15. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the shared data area is configured to be accessible to each application program, of the one or more of the plurality of application programs, for utilizing the correlation value.

16. The handheld information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each application program, of the one or more of the plurality of application programs, utilizes the correlation value stored in the shared data area of the memory to advance each application program.

17. 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 and an electronic device configured to generate data associated with physical activity of a user carrying the electronic device, wherein said information processing program causes a computer of said handheld information processing apparatus to:

receive the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the 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 correlation value in correlation with the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the electronic device;

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

utilize the correlation value in each application program, of the one or more of the plurality of application programs, being executed by the information processing apparatus.

18. An information processing method of a handheld information processing apparatus having, at least, a processor, a memory storing a plurality of application programs, and an electronic device, the method comprising:

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

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

converting the stored data into a correlation value in correlation with the data associated with the physical activity of the user carrying the electronic device;

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

utilizing the correlation value in each application program, of the one or more of the plurality of application programs, being executed by the information processing apparatus.

19. An information processing system, comprising:

a processing system having at least one processor and at least one memory configured to store a plurality of application programs, the processing system configured to;

receive data associated with physical activity of a user carrying an electronic device;

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

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

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

utilize the correlation value in each application program, of the one or more of the plurality of application programs, being executed by the processing system.