Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-04
2002-05-14
Paradiso, John (Department: 3721)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
active
06386979
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to methods and systems for transferring game saves between a game system memory card and a computer. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for transferring game saves from a game system memory card to a personal computer, storing game saves in memory associated with a personal computer, and transferring game saves from a personal computer to a game system memory card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In electronic game systems, such as the “Nintendo 64” game system available from Nintendo Company or the “PlayStation” game system available from Sony Corporation, some games allow a user to save information relating to a particular state of a game on a game system memory card. This information is commonly referred to as a game save. Game saves allow users to recreate the state of a game program at the point where a previous instance or execution terminated. For example, an electronic football game program, such as “John Madden Football” for the Sony “PlayStation” may allow a user to play a simulated football season and save statistical information regarding the user's team at a given point in the season. During one execution of the game program, the user may play the first three football games of a simulated season and save statistical information for the user's team at that point in the simulated season. If the user's team wins the first three games, the team win/loss record of three wins and zero losses may be stored on the game system memory card along with additional operating information, so that the game program, stored on a separate cartridge or disk, can restart at the point where the previous execution of the game program terminated. Thus, when the user restarts the game program, the user inserts the game system memory card with the game save into the game system console. The game cartridge or disk must also be inserted in the game system console, since game saves generally do not contain all of the information needed to execute a game program. The game system console reads the game save on the game system memory card and the game cartridge or disk and starts the game program at the point where the user finished in the previous instance. Thus, in sports games, storing game saves on game system memory cards prevents the user from having to restart the entire season each time the user plays the game. Game saves may be used in a similar manner in adventure games and other games to allow restarting at a previous state of a game program.
Although storing game saves on game system memory cards has a number of advantages, the storage capability of a single game system memory card is limited. For example, in one game system memory card configured to store game saves for the “PlayStation” game system, the memory card is limited to fifteen blocks of game storage space. A game save requires at least one block of memory. Some game saves require multiple blocks of memory. Thus, a fifteen-block game system memory card may store, at most, fifteen game saves.
Similarly, in game system memory cards configured to store game save s for the “Nintendo 64” game system, memory space is divided into pages. A memory card has a finite number of pages. Game saves may require one or more pages. Thus, the number of game saves that can be stored on a game system memory card configured to store game saves for the “Nintendo 64” game system is also limited. Because the user may desire to store multiple game saves for a single game or for multiple games, the user may be required to purchase multiple game system memory cards or game system memory cards with increased storage capacity.
Storing game saves exclusively on game system memory cards may limit a user in sharing game saves with another user to physically transferring the game system memory card including the game saves to another user. For example, a first user who achieves a high level in an adventure game may save the information required to replay the game at the same level as a game save on a game system memory card. In order for the first user to transfer the game save to a second user so the second user can start at the high level, the first user physically transfers the game system memory card to the second user. The second user inserts the game system memory card in his or her game system console in order to start the game at the high level.
While the second user is using the first user's game system memory card, the first user is prevented from accessing the game save or from storing further game saves on the game system memory card. In addition, the first user may lose his or her game save because the second user may erase or write over game saves on the game system memory card.
Some game system consoles, such as the Sony “PlayStation” game console, have two memory card slots to allow copying of game saves from one game system memory card to another game system memory card. However, even with this mechanism, game saves cannot be shared without physical transfer of a game system memory card. For example, a first user may have two game system memory cards. In order to transfer game saves to a second user, the first user may copy game saves from one game system memory card to the other using the game system console and lend the game system memory card with the copy to the second user. In another scenario, two users may each have a single game system memory card. In order to transfer game saves, the second user may lend his or her game system memory card to the first user, the first user may copy game saves from his or her game system memory card to the second user's game system memory card. The first user may then return the second user's game system memory card. In either scenario, physical transfer of a game system memory card is required to share game saves. Because of the limited storage capacity of game system memory cards and the inability to communicate game saves to other users without physically transferring game system memory cards, there exists a need for an alternate mechanism for transferring and storing game saves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a system for transferring game saves from a game system memory card to a personal computer and from a personal computer to a game system memory card.
As used herein, the term “game system memory card” refers to a single-connector device that connects to a memory card socket in a game system console. Exemplary memory cards of this type include the “CONTROLLER PAK” available from Nintendo Company and the “Memory Card” available from InterAct Accessories, Inc.
According to one aspect of the invention, a game save transfer device includes a first interface for communicating with a game system memory card. A second interface communicates with a computer. A processing circuit is coupled to the first and second interfaces and transferring game saves from the game system memory card to the computer.
According to another aspect of the invention, a computer-readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for performing steps. The steps include reading game saves stored on a game system memory card and displaying game save information to a user. In response to a first input from the user, the game saves are transferred from the game system memory card to a computer.
According to another aspect, the present invention includes a system for transferring game saves between a game system memory card and computer. In the system, a game save transfer device transfers game save information from a game system memory card to a computer. A control unit controls the game save transfer device, in response to user input, to transfer game saves from the game system memory card to the computer.
According to another aspect, the present invention includes a system for transferring game saves from a game system memory card to a computer. In the system, a connection device connects a game system memory card to a computer. A computer readable medium includes compute
Ho Patrick
Tam Jack
Tsui Steven
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
Paradiso John
STD Manufacturing Ltd.
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