Memory card, personal digital assistant, information processing method, recording medium, and program

• US 20030003976A1
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mura, Mitsuru
• Application Number:
  US10/170,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003976A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• 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 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/404 characterized by a local network connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

A memory card with a tilt sensor is inserted into a personal digital assistant (PDA). When the PDA is tilted back and forth, the tilt sensor detects a tilt angle and outputs the tilt angle to an A/D converter. The A/D converter converts the tilt angle into digital data and supplies the digital data to a signal controller. The signal controller converts the format of the tilt data (digital data) into a communication format processable by the PDA in which the memory card is installed. The signal controller outputs the converted data to the PDA through an input/output interface. Accordingly, the PDA can control display of a game screen in accordance with the tilt data supplied from the memory card. A user who used to play the game using key input can now cause the PDA to function as a more interesting game machine.

Claims

1. A memory card removably connected to a personal digital assistant, comprising:

recording means for recording first data to be supplied to the personal digital assistant;

detection means for detecting second data indicating the status of the memory card connected to the personal digital assistant; and

input/output control means for controlling, in accordance with an instruction from the personal digital assistant, the outputting of the first data, which is recorded in the recording means, or the second data, which is detected by the detection means, and for controlling the inputting of third data from the personal digital assistant.

2. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein the recording means further records the third data, the inputting thereof being controlled by the input/output control means.

3. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein the first data includes at least program data.

4. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein the second data comprises data relating to a tilt angle of the memory card, acceleration applied to the memory card, or temperature applied to the memory card.

5. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein the third data comprises data indicating a program execution status, the data being generated in association with the first data.

6. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein the memory card comprises a rewritable memory.

7. A personal digital assistant in which a memory card is installed, comprising:

reading control means for controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

display control means for executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled by the reading control means, and for controlling a display screen; and

obtaining means for obtaining data indicating the status of the memory card, the data being supplied from the memory card,

wherein the display control means controls display of a predetermined image displayed on the display screen in accordance with the data indicating the status of the memory card, the data being obtained by the obtaining means.

8. A personal digital assistant according to claim 7, wherein the program data comprises program data relating to a game.

9. A personal digital assistant according to claim 7, wherein the data indicating the status of the memory card comprises data relating to a tilt angle of the memory card, acceleration applied to the memory card, or temperature applied to the memory card.

10. An information processing method for a personal digital assistant in which a memory card is installed, comprising:

a reading control step of controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

a display control step of executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled in the reading control step, and of controlling a display screen; and

an obtaining control step of controlling the obtaining of data indicating the status of the memory card, the data being supplied from the memory card,

wherein, in the display control step, display of a predetermined image displayed on the display screen is controlled in accordance with the data indicating the status of the memory card, the obtaining of the data being controlled in the obtaining control step.

11. A recording medium having recorded therein a computer-readable program for controlling a personal digital assistant in which a memory card is inserted, the program comprising:

a reading control step of controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

a display control step of executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled in the reading control step, and of controlling a display screen; and

an obtaining control step of controlling the obtaining of data indicating the status of the memory card, the data being supplied from the memory card,

wherein, in the display control step, display of a predetermined image displayed on the display screen is controlled in accordance with the data indicating the status of the memory card, the obtaining of the data being controlled in the obtaining control step.

14. A memory card according to claim 13, wherein the recording means further records data indicating a program execution status, the data being generated in association with the first data by the personal digital assistant.

15. A memory card according to claim 13, wherein the first data includes at least program data.

16. A memory card according to claim 13, wherein the second data comprises vibration data or audio data, and the control means controls vibration generation or audio output.

17. A memory card according to claim 13, wherein the memory card comprises a rewritable memory.

19. A personal digital assistant according to claim 18, wherein the program data comprises program data relating to a game.

20. A personal digital assistant according to claim 18, wherein the additional data comprises vibration data or audio data.

12. A program to be executed by a computer for controlling a personal digital assistant in which a memory card is inserted, comprising:

a reading control step of controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

a display control step of executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled in the reading control step, and of controlling a display screen; and

an obtaining control step of controlling the obtaining of data indicating the status of the memory card, the data being supplied from the memory card,

wherein, in the display control step, display of a predetermined image displayed on the display screen is controlled in accordance with the data indicating the status of the memory card, the obtaining of the data being controlled in the obtaining control step.

13. A memory card removably connected to a personal digital assistant, comprising:

recording means for recording first data to be supplied to the personal digital assistant;

control means for performing predetermined control in accordance with second data supplied from the personal digital assistant; and

input/output control means for controlling the outputting of the first data, which is recorded in the recording means, and for controlling the inputting of the second data, which is supplied from the personal digital assistant, in accordance with an instruction from the personal digital assistant.

18. A personal digital assistant in which a memory card is installed, comprising:

reading control means for controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

display control means for executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled by the reading control means, and for controlling a display screen;

generation means for generating additional data based on the display status of the display screen; and

supplying means for supplying the additional data, which is generated by the generation means, to the memory card.

21. An information processing method for a personal digital assistant in which a memory card is installed, comprising:

a reading control step of controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

a display control step of executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled in the reading control step, and of controlling a display screen;

a generation step of generating additional data based on the display status of the display screen; and

a supplying step of supplying the additional data, which is generated in the generation step, to the memory card.

22. A recording medium having recorded therein a computer-readable program for controlling a personal digital assistant in which a memory card is installed, the program comprising:

a reading control step of controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

a display control step of executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled in the reading control step, and of controlling a display screen;

a generation step of generating additional data based on the display status of the display screen; and

a supplying step of supplying the additional data, which is generated in the generation step, to the memory card.

23. A program to be executed by a computer for controlling a personal digital assistant in which a memory card is inserted, comprising:

a reading control step of controlling the reading of program data recorded in the memory card;

a display control step of executing the program data, the reading thereof being controlled in the reading control step, and of controlling a display screen;

a generation step of generating additional data based on the display status of the display screen; and

a supplying step of supplying the additional data, which is generated in the generation step, to the memory card.