Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-30
2002-11-19
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S042000, C463S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06482092
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image-display game systems and information storage media used therewith and, more specifically, to an image-display game system in which data exchange and data communications are possible by connecting at least two image-display game devices, and an information storage medium used therefor. In the exemplary embodiments herein, the image-display game system includes a video game machine and a portable game machine in which a game is played with game software including a game program for capturing, training, and trading (sometimes referred to herein as monsters or characters) stored therein.
2. Description of the Background Art
A game which is played for capturing, training, and/or trading monsters or characters is referred to as “Pocket Monster (versions in red, green, blue, and yellow)” (trade name; hereinafter, “prior art 1”) and has been designed and distributed by the same assignee of this application. In this game, characters include pocket monsters (hereinafter, shortened as “pokemons”).
In the prior art 1, the game is played for capturing, training, and trading pokemons (characters), and each version differs in probability of the pokemon' appearing. Each player captures and collects pokemons up to a predetermined number through trading pokemons or letting pokemons have battles. Pokemon data exchange is carried out through a cable, which connects connectors to a portable game machine.
A game machine utilizing a temporal factor is disclosed in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 7-98104 (95-98104) (hereinafter, prior art 2), Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 7-98105 (95-98105) (prior art 3), and Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 7-98106 (95-98106) (prior art 4). In these prior arts 2, 3, and 4, a calendar timer is provided in a game machine cartridge, and events take place when a predetermined date or a day of the week occurs.
The player can enjoy the game in the prior art 1 for a relatively long period without losing his/her interest. Further, prior art 1 aids in encouraging conversations and cultivating friendships through exchanging pokemons with friends. However, the players may lose their interest sooner or later if they play the same game for a long time. Furthermore, although the players can exchange pokemon or character data in the prior art 1, the exchangeable data type is limited to the pokemons, and there is no function of generating new items, which are beneficial in the course of the game, for example, by the data exchange.
With the prior arts 2, 3, and 4, the players enjoy the events, which take place only on the predetermined date or the day of the week, but enjoyment of capturing or trading characters is not available. Therefore, the players remember what event has taken place when playing the game repeatedly and thus may lose their interest in going through the same events and easily get bored.
By taking those factors into consideration, a main object of the present invention is to provide an image-display game system, which can stimulate the players to play the game for a long time, and an information storage medium used therefor. This is effectuated by encouraging and activating data exchange with friends and conversations thereabout, and the player may present helping or “help” data, such as items beneficial in the course of the game, to friends. Thereby, effectively utilizing the game machine as a communications tool.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image-display game system of a type capable of generating various helping data with a high unexpectancy, and an information storage medium used therefor. This is effectuated by correlating a condition for generating the helping data, such as items beneficial in the course of the game with information inherent to the player's game machine, game machine cartridge (information storage medium), or both.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first embodiment (claim
1
) of the present invention is an image-display game system in which at least two image-display game devices are structured such that data communications is possible therebetween. The image-display game devices each comprises a program storage, a temporal storage, an actuator actuated by a player, a communications device, a processor, and a display.
The temporal storage includes a property data storage region, a helping data storage region, and an ID data storage region. Each of the storage regions is writable with data and readable data therefrom.
The game program storage previously stores a game program, and further generates the helping data processed by the processor of the other image-display game device based on the transferred ID data when one of the image-display game devices and the other image-display game device are made data communicable by the communications device and data communications is selected by the actuator and in response to the ID data transferred from one image-display game device to the other image-display game device. The game program storage stores a program for writing the helping data to the helping data storage region.
In the image-display game device which is a second embodiment (claim
2
) of the present invention, the image-display game device includes a clock for counting time. The game program storage stores, in relation to the helping data processed based on the ID data, a program of writing time data indicated by the clock to the storage region of the temporal storage, a program of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed based on the time data and a time currently indicated by the clock, and a program of prohibiting execution of generating the helping data based on another ID data different from the one which has been transmitted, when the determination program determines that the predetermined length of time has not yet passed.
In a third embodiment (claim
3
) of the present invention, the image-display game device includes a clock. The game program storage stores a program of writing time data indicated by the clock to the storage region of the temporal storage in relation to the helping data processed based on the ID data, a first determination program of determining whether the ID data stored in the ID data storage region is identical to ID data transmitted through the communications device, a second determination program of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed based on the time data and a time currently indicated by the clock, and a program of prohibiting execution of the helping data generation program based on the transmitted ID data, when the first determination program determines that the ID data is identical and the second determination program determines that the predetermined length of time has not yet passed.
In a fourth embodiment (claim
4
) of the present invention, the image-display game device includes a clock. The game program storage stores a writing program of writing time data indicated by the clock to the storage region of the temporal storage in relation to the helping data processed based on the ID data, a first determination program of determining whether the ID data stored in the ID data storage region is identical to ID data transmitted through the communications device, a second determination program of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed based on the time data and a time currently indicated by the clock, and a program of limiting a processing by the helping data generation program based on the transmitted ID data to be operated for a predetermined number of times or less, when the first determination program determines that the ID data is identical and the second determination program determines that the predetermined length of time has not yet passed.
In a fifth embodiment (claim
5
) of the present invention, the communication device is an infrared transmitter/receiver which performs communications by infrared radiation.
In a sixth embodiment (claim
6
) of the present invention,
Ishihara Tsunekazu
Tajiri Satoshi
Cherubin Yveste G.
Harrison Jessica J.
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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