Operation controlling device and video processing system used therewith

An operation controlling device which is connected, in use, to a video processing device which generates video data to be displayed on a display unit in accordance with a stored program and a operator's manipulations of said operation controlling device, said operation controlling device comprising:

• a housing which, in use, is grasped by both hands of an operator;
• an operation member protruding from said housing which, in use, is tilted by a finger of an operator within a desired range and is supported such that it stops at a desired position when not being manipulated by the operator to thereby define an operation member point of origin, said operation member being operable to generate operation member position data for controlling movement of a displayed object along any one of a substantially continuous range of angular directions with respect to a coordinate reference frame defined by said point of origin;
• and
• a directional switch protruding from said housing for generating data for controlling movement of a displayed object in at least a plurality of directions.

For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system including a main microprocessor and a coprocessor, coupled to said main microprocessor, for cooperating with said main microprocessor to execute said video game program and at least one player controller operable by a player to generate video game control signals and including command processing circuitry;

• a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising:
• a memory medium for storing video game instructions and graphics data;
• a connector for transferring said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory medium to said video game system console;
• said video game instructions including at least one player controller instruction for causing said game program executing processing system to send a digital command having a plurality of bits to said player controller for decoding and processing.

For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system including a main microprocessor and a coprocessor, coupled to said main microprocessor, for cooperating with said main microprocessor to execute said video game program and at least one player controller operable by a player to generate video game control signals and including command processing circuitry, said at least one player controller having a joystick biased in a first orientation defining a point of origin;

• a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising:
• a memory medium for storing video game instructions and graphics data;
• a connector for transferring said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory medium to said video game system console;
• said video game instructions including at least one player controller instruction for causing said game program executing processing system to send a digital command having a plurality of bits to said player controller to enable said point of origin to be changed.

For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system including a main microprocessor and a coprocessor, coupled to said main microprocessor, for cooperating with said main microprocessor to execute said video game program and at least one player controller operable by a player to generate video game control signals and including a first set of control switches for controlling the motion of a displayed object and a joystick mechanism moveable by a player for generating display position signals;

• a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising:
• a memory medium for storing video game instructions and graphics data;
• a connector for transferring said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory medium to said video game system console;
• said video game instructions including at least one player controller instruction for causing said game program executing processing system to send a digital command having a plurality of bits to said player controller to transfer digital data from said first set of switches and said joystick mechanism to said game program executing processing system.

For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system including a game microprocessor and a coprocessor, coupled to said game microprocessor, for cooperating with said game microprocessor to execute said video game program and at least one player controller operable by a player to generate video game control signals;

• a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising:
• a memory medium for storing video game instructions and graphics data;
• a connector for transferring said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory medium to said video game system console;
• said video game instructions including at least one player controller instruction for causing said main microprocessor to send a request command for controller data and for causing said coprocessor to generate a digital command housing a plurality of bits to initiate the transfer of video data from the controller to a memory accessible by said main microprocessor.

In a video game system having a game program executing processing system including a game microprocessor and a coprocessor, coupled to said game microprocessor, for cooperating with said game microprocessor to execute said video game program and at least one player controller operable by a player to generate video game control signals, a player controller processor subsystem, coupled to said coprocessor and a portable storage device for controlling storing said video game program for controlling the operation of said video game system;

• a method for operating said video game system comprising the steps:
• executing an instruction stored in said portable storage device by said game microprocessor causing said game microprocessor to generate a player controller data request command;
• generating by said coprocessor in response to said player controller data request command, a command to transfer data from said player controller;
• generating by said player controller processor subsystem in response to said command to transfer data, a digital controller command having a plurality of bits to initiate data transfer;
• and
• processing said digital controller command in said player controller and transferring said player controller data.

In a video game system having a game program executing processing system including a game microprocessor and a coprocessor, coupled to said game microprocessor, for cooperating with said game microprocessor to execute said video game program and at least one player controller including command processing circuitry and operable by a player to generate video game control signals, a player controller processor subsystem, coupled to said coprocessor and a portable storage device for controlling storing said video game program for controlling the operation of said video game system, a method for operating said video game system comprising the steps:

• executing an instruction stored in said portable storage device by said game microprocessor causing said game microprocessor to generate a digital player controller command having a plurality of bits for initiating said controller to perform a predetermined operation;
• generating by said coprocessor in response to said player controller command, a command from said coprocessor to perform said predetermined operation identified by said command;
• generating by said player controller processor subsystem in response to said command from said coprocessor, a controller command to initiate said predetermined operation;
• and
• performing, by said controller command processing circuitry, the operation indicated by said digital controller command.

For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system including a main microprocessor and a coprocessor, coupled to said main microprocessor, for cooperating with said main microprocessor to execute said video game program and a player controller operable by a player to generate video game control signals and including a first set of control switches for controlling the motion of a displayed object and an operation controlling mechanism moveable by a player for generating display position signals;

• a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising:
• a memory medium for storing video game instructions and graphics data;
• a connector for transferring said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory medium to said video game system console;
• said video game instructions including at least one instruction for causing said game program executing processing system to respond to signals from said first set of switches to control the motion of a displayed moving object and to respond to signals from said operation controlling mechanism to independently control the motion of another moving object.

Apparatus for executing video game programs stored in an external memory comprising:

• a game program executing processing system for executing a video game program;
• a memory operatively coupled to said game program executing processing system for storing information for processing by said game program executing processing system;
• a housing including a plurality of operator control keys and including an insertion port for receiving at least two different types of expansion devices;
• said game program executing processing system being operable to execute at least one instruction for enabling said processing system to process signals from the type of expansion device to which it is connected, and being operable to execute at least one instruction to initiate receiving digital information from at least one of said different types of expansion devices for processing by said game program executing processing system.