Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Inphase Technologies, Inc.

Nintendo of America Inc.

Hiroshi Kamada

Charles P Eck

Claude Comair

Scott D Elliott

David J McCarten

Patrick Link

Rodney Carl Harris

Kazuo Yoneyama

Masaki Amano

Motofumi Yoshino

Kelly Lindseth

Jim A Sloate

Peter Eck

An example portable electronic device includes user controls; a display; a camera configured to capture images; wireless communication circuitry for mobile wireless communications; and a processing system configured to control the display to display images captured by the camera. An image displayed on the display is stored in memory in response to an input to the user controls, and the wireless communication circuitry, under control of the processing system, transmits the image stored in the memory while the processing system executes a program.

Portable electronic device having mobile communication capability

An example portable electronic device includes a display; user controls; a camera for capturing images; wireless communication circuitry for mobile communication; memory; and a processing system for controlling the portable electronic device. The processing system controls the portable electronic device to permit composing of an outgoing message and to permit viewing of an incoming message. An image captured by the camera and displayed on the display is stored in memory in response to an input to the user controls. The wireless communication circuitry, under control of the processing system, transmits the outgoing message and receives the incoming message. The processing system controls the display to concurrently display content of the received message and a linear arrangement of icons.

A cartridge, which is an attachment device, is mountable into an insertion slot in a game apparatus. At a side surface inside the insertion slot, a slide member is movable from a near side to a far side. The attachment device includes a housing and a hook. When the attachment device is inserted into the insertion slot, a predetermined portion of the housing abuts against the slide member, and the slide member is caused to move toward the far side of the insertion slot when the predetermined portion is inserted further inside while abutting against the slide member. The hook is inserted into a recessed portion generated at the side surface inside the insertion slot when the slide member moves toward the far side of the insertion slot, and then latches onto the inside wall.

Attachment device for an electronic apparatus

A portable, handholdable device includes global positioning system (GPS) circuitry, a camera, a user interface configured to receive user inputs, the user interface including a display; wireless communication circuitry for mobile wireless communications, and a processing system configured to execute a program using a position determined by the GPS circuitry.

Portable device having mobile communication capability

A car area network is disposed in a car to enable communications between various devices in the car. An existing consumer electronics device (CED) coupled to the car area network (CAN) performs an existing consumer electronics device function. That existing (CED) is adapted to control various devices coupled to the CAN including video gaming devices. In one example, the adapted CED cooperates with a game server to effect game play. In another example, the adapted CED functions as a virtual video game platform to support play of video games. A multifunction controller transmits control information to the adapted CED via the car area network to permit a car occupant to control the adapted CED to permit the occupant to play a video game using the video game display. One or more audio and/or visual devices coupled to the CAN may also be controlled by commands transmitted from the adapted CED or from the multimedia controller over the CAN.

Car-based entertainment system with video gaming

A hookcauses an attachment device (cartridge), which is mounted into an insertion slot arranged in an electronic apparatus such as a game apparatus, to be engaged with the insertion slot. The hook includes an arm, a ring portionand a latch portion. The ring portionis connected to one end of the arm. The latch portionis connected to the other end of the arm, and is latchable onto a predetermined portion of the insertion slot. Further, the ring portionis pivoted by a spindleof the attachment device, and is shaped so as to be deformable when a force from the armis applied thereto, the force being caused by the attachment device moving so as to be ejected from the insertion slot.

Device latch hook and attachment device including the same

A video game machine is provided with wireless functionality. The wireless functionality may be built-into the video game machine or may be provided by a device that is removably attachable to the video game machine. The wireless functionality enables, among other things, enhanced multi-player capabilities, the ability to receive video game updates, new game levels and new games.

Game machine having wireless communication capability

A holographic read only memory card which can be coupled to and read by a card reader to which electronic read only memory cards can also be coupled to and read by the card reader is disclosed. The holographic read only memory card comprises: a housing having a compartment for receiving a holographic storage medium; a holographic storage medium having stored thereon holographic data; and optionally a an electronics panel member having an electronic memory component which can be read by the card reader when the holographic read only memory card is coupled to the electronic card reader. The housing comprises one or more card locating members to thereby repeatedly position the holographic read only memory card each time the holographic read only memory card is coupled to the electronic card reader so that the holographic data can be read.

Enabling holographic media backwards compatibility with dual-use media card connector

A card connector which can interchangeably couple a holographic memory card or an electronic memory card to a card reader and/or writer which can then read and/or write to the coupled holographic memory card or electronic memory card. The card connector comprises: a memory card receiving section which can interchangeably receive the holographic memory card or the electronic memory card; and one or more card positioning members which cooperate with one or more card locating members on the coupled holographic memory card or the coupled electronic memory card to thereby repeatedly position the coupled holographic memory card or the coupled electronic memory card each time the holographic memory card or the electronic memory card is coupled to the card reader and/or writer, and is in a fully inserted card position, so that data can be read from and/or written to the coupled holographic memory card or the coupled electronic memory card.

Dual-use media card connector for backwards compatible holographic media card

Multiple video game players access an encrypted video game library stored on a shared mass storage device. A multiplexer multiplexes data read from the mass storage device to provide output streams to multiple video game playing units consuming video game instructions. A secure bus communicates video game instructions from the shared mass storage device to each of the video game playing units. Video game software or other entertainment content is distributed to the shared mass storage device via electronic download in multi-level encrypted form. Before being transported, the content is encrypted and then further encrypted. Once the content has been successfully transported, it is decrypted to remove the further encryption layer&#x2014;leaving the first encryption layer intact for protecting the video game during storage on mass storage at the remote distribution location.

Multiplexed secure video game play distribution

A video game distribution network for use in airlines, trains, hotels, cruise ships, set top boxes, cable television systems, satellite and other wireless systems or other communications systems, distributes special purpose game binary image files to general purpose computing/display devices. Software emulators running on the general purpose computing/display devices model the game source platform and interpret and/or compile the game files to provide interactive video game play. Software emulators for emulating a handheld video game platform such as GAME BOY&#xae;, GAME BOY COLOR&#xae; and/or GAME BOY ADVANCE&#xae; on a low-capability target platform (e.g., a seat-back display for airline or train use, a personal digital assistant, a cell phone) may provide any number of features and optimizations to provide high quality graphics and sound that nearly duplicates the game playing experience on the native platform.

Video game distribution network

A pager cartridge for use with a game machine having a game program executing processing system including a microprocessor to execute a video game program and player controls operable by a player to generate video game control signals. The pager cartridge includes radio circuitry configured to receive messages containing video game program instructions transmitted via a paging a paging system and a connector that, in use, electrically connects the pager cartridge to the game machine.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Hiroshi Kamada