Computer-readable storage medium, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method

• US 9,656,173 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Akifusa, Yusuke, Takahashi, Ryutaro, Kawamoto, Kouichi, Kubo, Kenta
• Primary Examiner(s): Civan, Ethan D
• Application Number:
  US14/181,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20140194189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,192 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• 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 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• 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

Abstract

Example systems and methods involve an information processing apparatus configured to transmit transmission data to one or more of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, the transmission data including identification information for content data executed by the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus is also configured to receive reception data from one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses, the reception data from each respective other information processing apparatus including identification information for content data executed by the respective other information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus accesses purchase information associated with purchasing content data corresponding to at least one piece of identification information included in the reception data received from the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having an information processing program stored therein, the information processing program, when executed, causing a computer of an information processing apparatus, which includes a storage section for storing content data, to control the information processing apparatus to at least:

automatically transmit transmission data to one or more of a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, the transmission data including identification information for content data most-recently executed by the information processing apparatus;

automatically receive reception data from one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses, the reception data from each respective other information processing apparatus including identification information for content data most-recently executed by the respective other information processing apparatus; and

access a server connected to the internet to obtain detailed information associated with content data corresponding to at least one piece of identification information included in the reception data received from the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

automatically and repeatedly transmit transmission data, and

automatically and repeatedly receive reception data.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a portable information processing apparatus;

and

the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to;

repeatedly search, by short-distance wireless communication, for other ones of the plurality of information processing apparatuses present within a distance range from the information processing apparatus which allows for short-distance wireless communication;

automatically establish a short-distance wireless communication connection with a first other information processing apparatus within the distance range;

automatically transmit the transmission data, by the short-distance wireless communication connection, to the first other information processing apparatus; and

automatically receive the reception data, by the short-distance wireless communication connection, from the first other information processing apparatus.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

automatically transmit a connection request at a predetermined timing;

receive a connection request from a first other information processing apparatus;

transmit a connection response to the first other information processing apparatus when the connection request from the first other information processing apparatus is received; and

receive a connection response from the first other information processing apparatus, and

wherein the transmission data is transmitted to the first other information processing apparatus when the connection response is transmitted to the first other information processing apparatus or when the connection response is received from the first other information processing apparatus.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 4, wherein the transmission data is transmitted when the reception data from the first other information processing apparatus is received.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the transmission data is transmitted via short-distance wireless communication, and

the reception data is received via short-distance wireless communication.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the storage section is configured to store up to a predetermined amount of transmission data, and

the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

transmit the transmission data stored in the storage section, and

update the transmission data in the storage section when new transmission data is generated, such that the transmission data stored in the storage section, which includes the newly generated transmission data, is arranged in reverse chronological order of generation.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the identification information included in the reception data is cumulatively stored in the storage section.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

output received identification information, and

output information based on the number of pieces of cumulatively stored identification information.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

count, among the cumulatively-stored identification information, the number of pieces of identification information that satisfy a condition, and

output a counting result.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

output identification information included in the received reception data;

receive a selection input for selecting identification information from among the output identification information;

obtain detailed information about content data corresponding to the selected identification information; and

output the obtained detailed information.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to:

output, as the counting result, the number of counted pieces of identification information, and the identification information, and

receive a selection input for selecting identification information from among the output identification information;

obtain detailed information about content data corresponding to the selected identification information; and

output the obtained detailed information.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

output received identification information;

receive a selection input for selecting identification information from among the output identification information;

obtain detailed information including purchasing guidance information for the content data corresponding to the selected identification information; and

output at least the purchasing guidance information.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

perform a transaction process with a server for purchasing content data from the server.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

obtain the detailed information including the purchasing guidance information by receiving, from the server as the detailed information, information that provides guidance for performing a purchase operation for purchasing the content data, and

receive one or more inputs for the purchase operation performed in accordance with the purchasing guidance information;

transmit a purchase request for the content data to the server; and

receive from the server the purchased content data.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

output the received identification information;

receive a selection input for selecting identification information from among the output identification information;

transmit, to the server, data indicative of the selected identification information;

receive, from the server, detailed information about the content data corresponding to the selected identification information; and

output the received detailed information.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the identification information includes icon data, and

the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

output data for displaying an icon, based on the icon data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the storage section stores at least one piece of character information;

and

the transmission data includes the at least one piece of character information, and

the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to;

transmit the transmission data including the at least one piece of character information and the identification information;

generate a character image from character information included in reception data received from the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses; and

output the received character image together with the received identification information.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

receive one or more character generation inputs for generating character information,

generate character information in accordance with the generation inputs, and

store the character information in the storage section.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to control the information processing apparatus to:

impose, for a first predetermined period after the reception data is received and/or for a second predetermined period after the transmission data is transmitted, a prohibition of further reception of reception data from the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses from which reception data has been received and/or a prohibition of further transmission of transmission data to the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses to which transmission data has been transmitted, and

one or both of;

remove, after the first predetermined period has elapsed, the prohibition of further reception of reception data from the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses from which reception data has been received and/or the prohibition of further transmission of transmission data to the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses to which transmission data has been transmitted; and

remove, after the second predetermined period has elapsed, the prohibition of further reception of reception data from the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses from which reception data has been received and/or the prohibition of further transmission of transmission data to the one or more of the plurality of other information processing apparatuses to which transmission data has been transmitted.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the content data comprises an application program.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to maintain counts of a number of times each of a plurality of different identification information items is received.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 22, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to generate display data based on the counts.

24. An information processing system comprising:

a storage section for storing content data;

a processing system comprising a processor, the processing system being configured to control the information processing system to at least;

execute the content data;

automatically transmit transmission data to one or more other information processing apparatuses, the transmission data including identification information for the most-recently executed content data;

automatically receive reception data from one or more other information processing apparatuses, the reception data from each respective other information processing apparatus including identification information for content data most-recently executed by the respective other information processing apparatus; and

access a server connected to the internet to obtain detailed information for content data corresponding to at least one piece of identification information included in the reception data received from the one or more other information processing apparatuses.

25. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a display screen;

user controls;

a communication module configured for short-distance wireless communication; and

a processing system, including a processor, for executing content data and interfacing with the display screen, the user controls and the communication module, the processing system executing instructions for causing the information processing apparatus to at least;

automatically transmit transmission data to one or more other information processing apparatuses, the transmission data including identification information of the most-recently executed content data;

receive reception data from one or more other information processing apparatuses, the reception data from each respective other information processing apparatus including identification information of content data most-recently executed by the respective other information processing apparatus; and

access a server connected to the internet to obtain detailed information associated with content data corresponding to at least one piece of identification information included in the reception data received from the one or more other information processing apparatuses.

26. The information processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the content data comprises an application program.

27. The information processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed, further causes the processing system to cause the information processing apparatus to maintain counts of a number of times each of a plurality of different identification information items is received.

28. The information processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed, further causes the processing system to cause the information processing apparatus to generate display data based on the counts.

29. An information processing method comprising,

at an information processing apparatus comprising a display screen;

user controls;

a communication module configured for short-distance wireless communication; and

a processing system including a processor,

executing content data;

automatically transmitting transmission data to each of one or more other information processing apparatuses, the transmission data including identification information of the most-recently executed content data;

receiving reception data from one or more other information processing apparatuses, the reception data from each respective other information processing apparatus including identification information corresponding to content data most-recently executed by the respective other information processing apparatus; and

accessing a server connected to the internet to obtain detailed information associated with content data corresponding to at least one piece of identification information included in the reception data received from the one or more other information processing apparatuses.

30. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:

at least one display screen;

user controls;

a communication module configured for at least short-distance wireless communication; and

a processing system interfacing with the display screen, the user controls and the communication module, the processing system executing application programs and being configured to cause the portable information processing apparatus to at least;

automatically transmit transmission data, via short-distance communication using the communication module, to one or more other portable information processing apparatuses, the transmission data including identification information at least for the most-recently executed application program;

automatically receive reception data, via short-distance communication using the communication module, from one or more other portable information processing apparatuses, the reception data from each respective other information processing terminal apparatus including identification information at least for the most-recently executed application program executed by the respective other portable information processing apparatus; and

cumulatively store at least the identification information included in the reception data received from the one or more other portable information processing apparatuses.

31. The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 30, embodied as a mobile telephone.