Information processing system, information processing apparatus and information processing system control method, capable of providing, regardless of execution/non-execution of an application, data usable by the application to other information processing apparatus

• US 9,089,773 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Konno, Hideki, Ooe, Tooru, Shoji, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Van Kim T
• Application Number:
  US12/816,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 709/212, 709/213, 709/216, 709/217, 709/218, 463/42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• 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 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A CPU executes a communication partner search process for searching for a communication partner (another game machine). The CPU confirms received data content. If identification information included in the received data matches, application identification information saved in a wireless communication module is compared with application identification information included in the received data. When the pieces of application identification information match, a notice that another game machine having exchange data corresponding to the matched application identification information is found is given to a main body. Then, giving/receiving of exchange data is executed to/from another game machine.

Claims

1. An information processing system including a plurality of portable information processing apparatuses each configured to selectively execute a respective application program, wherein

each information processing apparatus includes

a memory for storing, as transmission supply data, application program data for an application program, wherein identification data identifying the application program is associated with the transmission supply data,

a communication circuit for wireless communication, and

a processing system comprising a processor, the processing system being configured to control the communication circuit to transmit the transmission supply data stored in the memory and/or to receive reception supply data, wherein

the transmitting of the transmission supply data and/or the receiving of the reception supply data occurs whether or not the application program is currently loaded for execution, and

based on comparison between the identification data associated with the transmission supply data stored in the memory and the identification data associated with the transmission supply data of another information processing apparatus, if the identification data match, the processing system controls the communication circuit to transmit the transmission supply data stored in the memory to the other information processing apparatus, and/or to receive, as the reception supply data, the transmission supply data of the other information processing apparatus.

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

the reception supply data is usable by the application program, and

the information processing apparatus stores the reception supply data in the memory.

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

the application program, when executed, stores in the memory, as the transmission supply data, data usable by the application program.

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

the application program, when executed, stores in the memory, as the transmission supply data, data usable by the application program along with the associated identification data.

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

the application program, when executed, stores in the memory, as first transmission supply data, data usable by the application program;

and

a second application program, when executed, stores in the memory, as second transmission supply data, data usable by the second application program.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the memory stores the application program, and includes areas used respectively by one or more application programs.

7. The information processing system according to claim 6, wherein

the application program, when executed, stores in the memory, the transmission supply data.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

each information processing apparatus is further configured to

determine, at the time of execution of the application program by the information processing apparatus, whether or not reception supply data for the application program has been received, and

if it is determined that reception supply data for the application program has been received, read the reception supply data.

9. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the application program, when executed, determines, at the time of execution of the application program, whether or not reception supply data for the application program has been received, and

if it is determined that reception supply data for the application program has been received, reads the reception supply data.

10. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

when communication becomes possible with the other information processing apparatus, the processing system controls the information processing apparatus to establish a connection by wireless communication with the other information processing apparatus.

11. The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein

the memory stores transmission supply data for multiple application programs;

and

the processing system controls the communication circuit to transmit the transmission supply data for each application program when connection with the other information processing apparatus is established.

12. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing apparatus compares, in accordance with a comparing method designated for the identification data associated with the transmission supply data, among a preset plurality of comparing methods, the identification data associated with the transmission supply data stored in the memory and the identification data associated with the transmission supply data of the other information processing apparatus.

13. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing apparatus repeatedly searches for other information processing apparatuses, and when the searching finds an information processing apparatus with which communication is possible, based on comparison between the identification data associated with the transmission supply data stored in the memory and the identification data associated with the transmission supply data of the found information processing apparatus, if the identification data match, executes data communication to/from the found information processing apparatus.

14. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

each information processing apparatus has apparatus identification information;

the apparatus identification information of other information processing apparatuses with which communication has been performed is stored in the memory; and

based on comparison between the apparatus identification information stored in the memory and the apparatus identification information of the other information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus does not transmit the transmission supply data stored in the memory to the other information processing apparatus if apparatus identification information for the other information processing apparatus is stored in the memory.

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

the apparatus identification information stored in the memory is erased under prescribed conditions.

16. The information processing system according to claim 15, wherein

the apparatus identification information stored in the memory is erased after a prescribed time period.

17. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

each information processing apparatus has apparatus identification information;

the apparatus identification information of other information processing apparatuses with which communication has been performed is stored in the memory;

each information processing apparatus further includes a wireless module; and

the wireless module repeatedly searches for other information processing apparatuses, using the communication circuit, and when the searching finds an information processing apparatus with which communication is possible, based on comparison between the apparatus identification information stored in the memory and the apparatus identification information of the found information processing apparatus, if the identification information matches, the wireless module does not instruct the processing system to execute data communication to/from the found information processing apparatus.

18. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising

a distribution terminal capable of transmitting distribution data;

wherein

the communication circuit is configured to switch between the other information processing apparatus and the distribution terminal; and

the information processing apparatus receives, regardless of whether or not the application program is loaded in memory for execution, the distribution data transmitted from the distribution terminal using the communication circuit, when the communication circuit is switched to wireless communication with the distribution terminal.

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

the information processing apparatus is configured to

output a first search signal for searching for other information processing apparatuses when wireless communication with information processing apparatuses is to be executed, and

wait until a second search signal for searching for information processing apparatuses is input from the distribution terminal when wireless communication with the distribution terminal is to be executed.

20. The information processing system according to claim 19, wherein

the information processing apparatus repeatedly transmits the first search signal to unspecified partners in a first period of executing wireless communication with information processing apparatuses, and waits until the first search signal repeatedly transmitted from some other information processing apparatus is input in a second period, and

in a third period of executing wireless communication with the distribution terminal, waits until the second search signal is input.

21. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the application program is stored in a detachable external storage device;

data usable by the application program is stored as the transmission supply data in the memory; and

the information processing apparatus transmits, whether or not the external storage device is attached, the transmission supply data stored in the memory to the other information processing apparatus, and/or receives, as reception supply data, the transmission supply data of the other information processing apparatus, using the communication circuit.

22. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

when reception supply data is received, the processing system erases the transmission supply data stored in the memory.

23. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the application program, when executed, erases the transmission supply data stored in the memory.

24. A portable information processing apparatus configured to selectively execute an application program, comprising:

a memory for storing, as transmission supply data, application program data for an application program, wherein identification data identifying the application program is associated with the transmission supply data;

a communication circuit for wireless communication; and

a processing system comprising a processor, the processing system being configured to control the communication circuit to transmit the transmission supply data stored in the memory and/or to receive reception supply data, wherein

the transmitting of the transmission supply data and/or the receiving of the reception data occurs whether or not the application program is currently loaded for execution, and

based on comparison between the identification data associated with the transmission supply data stored in the memory and the identification data of the transmission supply data of another information processing apparatus, if the identification data match, the processing system controls the communication circuit to transmit the transmission supply data stored in the memory to the other information processing apparatus, and/or to receive, as the reception supply data, the transmission supply data of the other information processing apparatus.

25. A portable information processing apparatus configured to selectively execute an application program stored in a detachable storage medium, comprising:

a memory for storing, as transmission supply data, application program data usable by the application program, wherein identification data identifying the application program is associated with the transmission supply data;

a communication circuit for wireless communication; and

a processing system comprising a processor, the processing system being configured to control the communication circuit to transmit the transmission supply data stored in the memory and/or to receive reception supply data, wherein

the transmitting of the transmission supply data and/or the receiving of the reception supply data occurs whether or not the storage medium is attached, and

based on comparison between the identification data associated with the transmission supply data stored in the memory and the identification data associated with the transmission supply data of another information processing apparatus, if the identification data match, the processing system controls the communication circuit to transmit the transmission supply data stored in the memory to the other information processing apparatus, and/or to receive, as the reception supply data, the transmission supply data of the other information processing apparatus.

26. A method of controlling an information processing system including a plurality of portable information processing apparatuses each capable of selectively executing an application program;

wherein

each information processing apparatus includes a memory for storing, as transmission supply data, application program data for an application program, and a communication circuit wherein identification data identifying the application program is associated with the transmission supply data;

the method comprising;

wirelessly communicating, via the communication circuit, with another information processing apparatus;

transmitting the transmission supply data stored in the memory to the other information processing apparatus using the communication unit circuit; and

receiving, as reception supply data, transmission supply data transmitted from another information processing apparatus, using the communication circuit, wherein

the transmitting of the transmission supply data and/or the receiving of the reception supply data occurs whether or not the application program is currently loaded for execution, and

based on comparison between the identification data associated with the transmission supply data stored in the memory and the identification data associated with the transmission supply data of the other information processing apparatus, if the identification data match, the transmission supply data stored in the memory is transmitted to the other information processing apparatus, and/or the transmission supply data of the other information processing apparatus is received as the reception supply data.