JPH0824440A - Portable game terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform a game between optional terminals only by carrying a game soft by either one terminal, in order to easily and smoothly execute a competition type game between movable portable terminals opposed by a wireless circuit, and prevent the game result from being differed between the terminals when the communication delay time is increased by a reduction in efficiency of the wireless circuit. CONSTITUTION:A game unit 2 to be connected to a wireless telephone unit 1 has a competition game processing means 20 having two different modes. In master mode, a game program is executed, the situation data during the game progress for its own and the opposite stations is outputted, and the situation data for the opposite station is transmitted. In slave mode, control data is transmitted to the opposite station, and an image data is obtained by use of an output information generating means 24 on the basis of the received situation data. Since the execution of the game is unified on the master side, the slave side soft is dispensed with, and the result is never differed between the terminals.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable game terminal suitable for playing a battle-type game between mutual terminals directly or indirectly connected by wireless communication means via another relay means. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a portable electronic game device incorporating a small liquid crystal display and having a graphic display function has been commercialized. It is battery-operated and can be used anywhere at any time, and there are many enthusiasts.

Further, with the progress of mobile communication technology represented by a mobile phone, the operation of data communication such as facsimile and "personal computer communication" in a mobile environment is becoming widespread. Using such a mobile communication network, it is possible for an opponent far away to play a game by "PC communication".

From the above, a form of "competition type portable game terminal" in which the electronic game device has a mobile communication function can be considered. In this case, both opponents need to have common game software. Even in the conventional game system proposal using a fixed communication network, there is a means for realizing the simultaneous holding status of game software.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-200583,
A plurality of game terminals and a computer are connected to each other, and competition application data is input from the game terminal to the computer so that the computer can easily select an opponent who matches the competition condition. This is suitable for connecting a game terminal device that already owns game software. However, pre-condition registration work for the computer is required.

Alternatively, even if the game software is not held in advance, the game software can be loaded into the terminal as required by the communication function. "Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-156876
In the "No." publication, a host computer storing a plurality of game software is attached to a main location with a telephone number, and the host computer and the game system installed in each home are connected using a telephone line. A configuration is disclosed in which a computer is accessed and favorite software data is read from a plurality of game software. It is suitable for easily playing a plurality of different games.

On the other hand, in the conventional example for realizing the mobile communication function, for example, "digital car telephone system standard"
(RCR STD-27B: Published by Radio Wave System Development Center, revised by December 1992 B).

The mobile station carries out time division multiplex communication by using a burst format signal format including a frame synchronization word, a preamble bit and the like in addition to information data for holding a radio channel. FIG. 5 shows one format of the format transmitted from the mobile station. Information data is captured in the area indicated by the symbol of TCH in FIG.

[0009] Now, in the wireless line of the mobile unit, the transmission line environment is more severe than that of the wired line due to the occurrence of fading due to multipath, and data error frequently occurs. Therefore, in the previous standard, error control is performed as described in Appendix 2, “Standard for Data Transmission System of Digital Car Telephone System”, page 72. The data transmitted to the TCH shown in FIG.
An ARQ control frame using a CRC code is prepared. The structure is shown in FIG. In ARQ control, an error detection code such as CRC is used to request retransmission of the same data when an error occurs. By defining this ARQ control in the standard, high-quality data transmission is guaranteed even in a wireless line.

For this reason, if the error rate is high, retransmission requests frequently occur, and the transmission efficiency (throughput) deteriorates sharply. Even if the error rate is low, the overhead of ARQ control information, error detection code, etc. is large, and the transmission efficiency cannot be improved from a certain value. Therefore, when receiving an operation input from an opponent who is distant from a remote place, it is inevitable that a delay time occurs between the first input time of the game and the completion of reception of correct data.

[0011]

When opponents who are remote from each other play a game through communication means, it has conventionally been necessary to share common game software with each other. For example, a person who wants to compete has a lot of packaged game software, and after selecting a desired software, it is necessary to confirm the presence or absence of the game software with the opponent connected to the communication line.
Especially in a mobile environment, it is not preferable to carry many packaged software. In addition, it is complicated to confirm the opponents who can compete. Regarding the latter problem, the above-mentioned “JP-A-4-2”
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 00583, a method for easily selecting and acquiring an opponent having common software has been devised. However, in this case, there is a problem that the opponent is limited to the registered person.

The problem of carrying around game software can be solved by reading game software data as needed using a communication line connected to a host computer, as described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-156876. There are problems that the required communication time cannot be ignored and the communication cost increases.

Next, even if the same game software can be possessed, the decrease in the transmission efficiency of the wireless line causes a delay time for receiving the operation input from the other party as described above.

In some fighting simulation games, it is required that the graphic display instantly respond to an operation input. Therefore, in a game device designed to respond instantly to its own direct input, the delay time due to the wireless line appears as a time difference between the response speed to its own input and the response speed to the other party's input.

Therefore, it is possible to consider a case where the results of the games that are simultaneously proceeding in remote areas are different from each other between the opponents and the results are different.

An object of the present invention is that, if one of the opponents prepares game software, it can play a game with any opponent as long as they have the same hardware, and further the transmission efficiency of the wireless line is lowered. Accordingly, it is to provide a game terminal which can be used in a portable manner and which is configured so that the results of the game do not differ between the remote terminals.

[0017]

In order to achieve the above object, a portable game terminal of the present invention inputs and outputs information data to be transmitted to and from a wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving a wireless signal and uses it for a wireless line. Communication management means for assembling and disassembling into a signal format, or setting and maintaining a wireless line by using line control data, and game software data supplied as package media (hereinafter referred to as program data,
Further, the data generated during the execution of the program is called game data to distinguish them. ) For inputting into the portable game terminal, operation input means for converting and outputting an input relating to the user's game operation into an electric operation signal, and a signal format that the communication management means can handle by inputting the operation signal. In addition to the first operation mode of outputting the operation data converted into, the program data is executed separately, and the operation signal and the operation data transmitted from the terminal to be played via the wireless line are input to input the game in progress. Competing game processing means having a second operation mode for respectively outputting situation data relating to its own and competing games, and operation data outputted in the first operation mode of the competing game processing means, and the same second The first selection switch for selecting one of the game situation data output in the operation mode and outputting it as the transmission game data to the communication management means. Second means for selectively outputting one of the situation data for own station outputted in the second operation mode of the competing game processing means and the situation data transmitted from the opposite terminal via a wireless line. And the output information generating means for generating at least image data for displaying a game image from the situation data output by the second selection switching means.

[0018]

In the first and second portable game terminals of the present invention, which are provided with the above-mentioned means and are remote from each other, the mutual game management means and the information channel of the wireless line set by the wireless communication means are used to play each other's games. Data is sent and received. The handled game data is either the operation data generated by the competitive game processing means by the second selection switching means or the situation data during the game execution.

Assuming that the owner of the first portable game terminal possesses the game software, the program data is fetched into the competitive game processing means through the media input / output means of the first portable game terminal and the match is played. The game processing means operates in the second operation mode.

On the other hand, the competitive game processing means of the second portable game terminal operates in the first operation mode.

The battle game processing means operating in the second operation mode is based on the operation signal from the operation input means of its own station and the game data received via the wireless line (in this case, the operation data of the game). Operates to output the situation data that is updated along with the progress of the game to the situation data mainly for the player's own game character and the situation data for another aspect mainly for the player's game character. To do.

In response to this, the second selection switching means of the first game terminal operates so as to connect the situation data for its own station to the output information generating means, while the second portable game terminal receives the received game data. Is connected to the output information generating means.

At this time, the first selection switching means of the first portable game terminal connects the game situation data output from the competitive game processing means to the communication management means, so that the received game data of the second portable game terminal is received. Is the situation data for the second portable game terminal.

As a result, also in the second portable game terminal, the output information generating means can generate the game image data of its own station.

The first selection switching means of the second portable game terminal selects the operation data output from the competitive game processing means, and transmits the operation data of its own station to the first portable game terminal. There is. I shall.

As described above, the conversion processing from the operation signal to the operation data in the competitive game processing means and the generation processing of the output information generating means are shared between the terminals separately from the game program.

Therefore, the second portable game terminal does not need game software to obtain its own image data.
The first portable game terminal that owns the game software plays a central role in generating situation data of both terminals. The second mobile game terminal displays an image according to the game process of the first mobile game terminal. The first operation mode of the competitive game processing means may be called a slave mode, and the second operation mode may be called a master mode.

As described above, the battle game processing can be centralized on the terminal side possessing the game software, so that the difference in the game result does not occur between the terminals due to the delay time due to the wireless communication. A terminal possessing game software can play a battle game with any terminal.

[0029]

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a portable game terminal of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 surrounded by a broken line is a wireless telephone unit, 2 surrounded by a dashed line is a game unit, 3 is a memory card, 10 is communication management means, 11 is key input means, 12 and 26 are display means, and 13 is voice. Processing means, 14 is a wireless communication means, 20 is a competition game processing means,
21 is operation input means, 22 is media input / output means, 2
3, 27 are selection changeover switches, 24 is output information generation means, 25 is sound effect output means, SP1 is an ear receiver, SP2 is a ringer, SP3 is a speaker, MI.
C indicates a microphone.

The configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

The wireless communication means 14 is connected to the communication management means 10, digitally modulates a high frequency signal having a transmission frequency with digital data output from the communication management means 10, and then amplifies and transmits the power, and the communication management means 10 also has The high frequency signal of the designated reception frequency is converted to low frequency, demodulated into digital data and output to the communication management means 10.

The communication management means 10 includes voice processing means 1
3, display means 12, key input means 11 and ringer SP2
Are connected to form the wireless telephone unit 1 together with the wireless communication means 14.

The radio telephone unit 1 is controlled by the communication managing means 10 according to the operation of the key input means 11 by the user to control the call originating and receiving. The communication management means 10 assembles a signal format used for the wireless line based on the input information data, decomposes the received frame to extract the information data, and uses the line control data to set the wireless line. It shall be set and maintained.

As a normal radio telephone, the voice processing means 1 uses an encoded voice signal converted into digital data.
A telephone call operation is performed via 3. A microphone (MIC) and an ear receiver (SP1) are connected to the voice processing means 13. The voice signal input from the microphone (MIC) is converted into digital information by the voice processing means 13, and further compressed as information to be output to the communication management means 10 as a coded voice signal having a reduced bit rate. On the contrary, the encoded voice signal decomposed and extracted from the transmission frame (for example, the one shown in FIG. 5) used for the wireless line by the communication management means 10 is subjected to the voice synthesis processing in the voice processing means 13, and the ear receiver (SP1 ) Output.

In the case of a call when an incoming call arrives, the communication management means 10 determines the incoming call, and the ringer (SP2) outputs a ringing tone to the user.

Display of dial information, operation information, or line information is output to the display means 12 via the communication management means 10.

When the terminal of the present invention is used for a game, it is necessary to switch the input / output of the information channel handled by the communication management means 10 from the voice processing means 13 to the game unit 2. This operation is performed by the user through the key input means 11. Therefore, the key data output by the key input means is input not only to the communication management means but also to the game unit 2. The game unit 2 can identify that the information channel has been switched to the game unit 2 side by the user's key input.

Next, the game unit 2 will be described.
The game unit 2 comprises a battle game processing means 20, an operation input means 21, a media input / output means 22, an output information generating means 24, a sound effect output means 25, a display means 26, and two selection switching means 23, 27.

The received game data output from the communication management means 10 is branched from the competition game processing means 20 and connected to one input of the selection changeover switch 23. The other input of the selection changeover switch 23 connects the situation data for own station output from the competitive game processing means 20.

The output of the selection changeover switch 27 is connected to the transmission game data input to the communication management means 10. The inputs of the switch 27 are the operation data and the game situation data output from the competition game processing means 20, and either one of them is selected as the transmission game data. In the battle game processing means 20 connected to the information channel as described above, the operation input means 2 for converting and outputting the input related to the game operation of the user into an electric operation signal.
1. Media input / output means for loading game software data (hereinafter referred to as program data, and data generated during program execution is referred to as game data to distinguish the two) supplied in package media into a portable game terminal 22 and the key input means 11 are connected.

Further, the selection changeover switches 23 and 2
A switching control signal of 7 (referred to as an MS switching signal in FIG. 1) is output from the competitive game processing means 20. Further, media recording data such as a game result is output to the media input / output means 22. Although the program is supplied by the memory card 3 in this embodiment, for example, high score information is also recorded in the memory card 3 by media recording data.

The operation of the competitive game processing means 20 will be described below.

The fighting game processing means 20 has a first operation mode called a slave mode and a second operation mode called a master mode.

In the slave mode, the operation signal output from the operation input means 21 is converted into operation data and output by the conversion processing shared by the terminals held inside the competitive game processing means 20.

In the master mode, the program loaded via the media input / output means is executed, and the operation signal of the own station and the received game data (operation data in this case) from the facing game is input via the wireless line, It is updated sequentially as the game progresses, and the situation data for own station and game is output. The former is situation data in which the game character of its own station is the main subject, and the latter is situation data in which the game character of the opposite game is the main subject, and basically two different types of situation data are output.

Further, the MS switching signal is linked to the above operation mode. First, the selection changeover switch 27 selects the operation data side in the slave mode and the situation data side for the game in the master mode, and the selection changeover switch 23 selects the reception game data side in the slave mode (the situation data in this case), the battle game process in the master mode. The local station status data side output by the means shall be selected.

Here, the competitive game processing means 20 identifies its operation mode by detecting that the package media of the game is inserted into the media input / output means 22. In the case of the present embodiment, the fact that the memory card 3 has been inserted is detected via the media input / output means 22, and the M
The output state of the S switching signal is determined. That is, the terminal on the possession side of the game software is set to the master mode and the terminal on the side playing the game software is set to the slave mode.

From the above description, the selection changeover switch 23 is the status data for own station output from the match game processing means 20 of the terminal of the own station, or is transmitted from the match game processing means 20 on the match side via the wireless line. One of the status data for own station is output.

It is assumed that the format of this status data is common among the terminals, which is connected to the output information generating means 24.

The output information generation means 24 also holds a generation processing program shared by the respective terminals, generates necessary image data for graphics display according to the progress of the game, and further displays it on the display means 26. The sound data is generated and output to the sound effect output means 25.

A dedicated speaker (SP3) is further connected to the sound effect output means 25.

In the two game units 2 facing each other via the wireless line with the above-described structure, one of the game units 2 operates as a master and the other acts as a slave, and the game unit 2 serving as a slave converts the operation signal output of the operation input means 21. The operation data is transmitted, and the situation data processed on the master side is used to obtain the graphics information and the sound effect information for the user through the output information generating means 24.

Since two operation modes of the master and the slave are provided and the generation processing of the status data is unified on the master side, it is necessary to generate two kinds of status data, that is, the data for the own station and the data for the game. This is because the viewpoint of the game character is to enhance the preference of the game mainly on the user side of each terminal, and its image is shown in FIG. FIG. 2A shows a case of a fighting simulation game.
(A) is a figure explaining the display image of the image data (generated from situation data) in a car simulation game.

Especially in the case where the situation in which the opponent character is out of his / her view is conceivable, as in the case of (a), it is indispensable to distinguish the situation data for own station and for situation.

Next, interruption during execution of the game will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of a control sequence for suspending and resuming. FIG. 3 shows a case where the terminal on the slave side is interrupted.

The interruption is instructed to the communication management means 10 by pressing the interruption key via the key input means 11 (301). As a result, the communication management means 10 temporarily borrows an information channel for transmission game data such as game situation data on the master side and operation data on the slave side, and inserts and transmits the "interruption request code". (302).

On the master side, when the communication managing means 10 receives and detects the "interruption request code" (303), it instructs the competitive game processing means 20 to stop. As a result, the game process is stopped (304). The stop command is transmitted to the competitive game processing means 20 by inputting the received game data. The master side communication management means 10 further transmits the "interruption request response code" to the game (305). When the slave side communication management means 10 receives and detects the "interruption request response code" (306), it switches the information channel from the game unit 2 to the voice processing means 13 (307).
Further, the master side communication management means 10 also switches the information channel after transmitting the "interruption request response code" (30
7) The call line is connected between the terminals. As a result, the person who wishes to interrupt can explain the situation to the game by voice call.

On the contrary, the restart of the game is executed by inputting the game key (308) to the key input means 11 from the master side terminal. Transmission and reception of "restart request code" and "restart request response code" as in the case of interruption (309, 310, 311,
After the resuming operation is recognized by the mutual communication management means 10 by 312), the connection of the information channel is switched to the game unit 2 side (313).

The master side communication management means 10 commands the competition game processing means 20 to restart the game, and the game is restarted (314).

The game interruption request can be issued from either the master side or the slave side, but the resumption request can be issued only from the master side. This is to smoothly restart the competitive game process by receiving the "restart request response code". That is, the master side is prevented from unilaterally restarting the game. In the present embodiment, it is possible to easily interrupt the game and make a call by the above-mentioned interruption / resumption control.

As described above, in this embodiment, if one of the terminals to play has the game software, the battle game can be executed, so that a plurality of games can be enjoyed relatively easily. Especially in a mobile environment, it is difficult for both parties to own the same game software, which is very effective. FIG.
Shows an example of the system configuration when a cellular telephone system is used as the wireless telephone unit.

In FIG. 4, the two portable game terminals are connected to the wireless base stations 4 and 4'and the exchanges 5 and 5'through the fixed public network 6, respectively. The game software is supplied from the memory card 3 on the master side.

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention, if one of the opponents prepares game software, it is possible to play a game with any opponent as long as they have the same hardware. Communication delay time increases due to the decrease in transmission efficiency of the wireless line, and as a result, game results do not differ between terminals, so it is easy for opponents who are far away from each other to be in a moving environment while still in a moving environment. You can enjoy a competitive game smoothly and smoothly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a mobile game terminal of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display image example of image data for own station and for game.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a control sequence for interrupting and resuming the game.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram when a cellular telephone system is used as a wireless telephone unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a signal format of a wireless line transmitted by a mobile station of a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of an ARQ frame used for a conventional information channel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1 '... Wireless telephone unit, 2, 2' ... Game unit, 3 ... Memory card, 4, 4 '... Wireless base station, 5, 5' ... Exchange station, 6 ... Fixed communication network, 10 ... Communication management means , 11 ... Key input means, 12 ... Display means, 13 ... Voice processing means, 14 ... Wireless communication means, 20 ... Competitive game processing means, 21 ... Operation input means, 22 ... Media input / output means, 23, 27 ... Selection switching Switch, 24 ... Output information generating means, 25 ... Sound effect outputting means, 26 ... Displaying means.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Between mobile terminals facing each other via a wireless line,
One (terminal A) owns the game software program, executes the program, and sends status data regarding the status of the game in progress, while the other (terminal B) operates the user of terminal B to the terminal K to play. A portable game terminal configured to transmit an input, receive the situation data at the same time, and generate image data for displaying a game image based on the situation data. 2. Wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving wireless signals,
Supplied with package media and communication management means for inputting and outputting information data to be transmitted, assembling and disassembling into the signal format used for the wireless line, or setting and maintaining the wireless line using line control data. Media input / output means for loading game software data (hereinafter referred to as program data) into a portable game terminal, operation input means for converting and outputting an input relating to a user's game operation into an electric operation signal, and the operation signal A first input that outputs operation data converted into a signal format that can be handled by the communication management means
Execute the program data separately from the operation mode of
A competition game having a second operation mode in which the operation signal and the operation data transmitted from a terminal to be played via a wireless line are input, and situation data regarding a game in progress is output to the own station and the game. One of the processing means, the operation data output in the first operation mode of the competitive game processing means, and the game situation data output in the second operation mode is selected, and the selected data is sent to the communication management means. The first selection switching means that outputs as transmission data, the own station situation data that is output in the second operation mode of the competition game processing means, and the situation data that is transmitted from the opponent terminal via a wireless line. An image for displaying at least a game image based on the second selection switching unit that selectively outputs either one, and the situation data output by the second selection switching unit Portable game terminal, characterized in that it includes an output information generation means for generating over data.