STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING STORED THEREIN INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM

• US 20130303201A1
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Masato Kuwahara
• Inventors: KUWAHARA, Masato
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• 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 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Provided is an information processing system which facilitates data communication between an information processing apparatus and another apparatus. Position data indicative of a position, at which the information processing apparatus which makes up the information processing system automatically performs short-distance wireless communication, is transmitted to a server. The server accumulates and stores the position indicated by the position data transmitted from each information processing apparatus. The position data accumulated and stored at the server is transmitted to an information processing apparatus when the server receives the request therefrom.

Claims

1-34. -34. (canceled)

35. An information processing system comprising:

a plurality of first information processing apparatuses; and

a second information processing apparatus,

the plurality of first information processing apparatuses each comprising;

a first acquisition unit configured to acquire position information indicating a position of the first information processing apparatus;

a first storage unit configured to store program identifier information indicating an identifier of a program executable on the first information processing apparatus; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the position information and the program identifier information to the second information processing apparatus, and

the second information processing apparatus comprising;

a second acquisition unit configured to acquire a map image; and

a generation unit configured to generate a map in which an image of the program indicated by the program identifier information is superposed on the map image at the position indicated by the position information transmitted by each transmission unit.

36. The information processing system according to claim 35, wherein:

the second information processing apparatus further includes a reception unit configured to receive program identifier information for a program designated by a user, and

the generation unit generates a map in which an image of the program indicated by the program identifier information received by the reception unit, from among pieces of program identifier information transmitted by the plurality of transmission units is superposed on the map image.

37. The information processing system according to claim 35, wherein the generation unit generates a map in which a program name as the image of the program is superposed on the map image.

38. The information processing system according to claim 35, wherein the generation unit generates a map in which an icon as the image of the program is superposed on the map image.

39. The information processing system according to claim 35, wherein the second information processing apparatus further includes a second storage unit configured to store in such a manner as to accumulate the position information and the program identifier information transmitted by each transmission unit, associated with each other.

40. The information processing system according to claim 35, wherein the second information processing apparatus further includes a third storage unit configured to store the map image.

41. The information processing system according to claim 35, wherein the program is a game program.

42. The information processing system according to claim 35, wherein each of the plurality of first information processing apparatuses includes a global positioning system unit configured to acquire the position information.

43. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a map image;

a reception unit configured to receive, from each of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, program identifier information indicating an identifier of a program executable on the other information processing apparatuses, and position information indicating a position of the other information processing apparatus; and

a processing system including at least one processor, the processing system configured to generate a map in which an image of the program indicated by the program identifier information is superposed on the map image at the position indicated by the position information received by the reception unit.

44. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus that includes a storage unit configured to store a map image, the information processing program comprising instructions that are, when executed by the computer, configured to:

receive, from each of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, program identifier information that indicates an identifier of a program executable on the other information processing apparatus;

receive, from each of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, position information indicating a position of the other information processing apparatus; and

generate a map in which an image of the program indicated by the program identifier information is superposed on the map image at the position indicated by the received position information.

45. An information processing method of using a processing system that includes at least one processor of a computing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, from each of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, program identifier information indicating an identifier of a program executable on the other information processing apparatus;

receiving, from each of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, position information indicating a position of the other information processing apparatus; and

generating, using the processing system, a map in which an image of the program indicated by the program identifier information is superposed on a map image at the position indicated by the received position information.