High performance/low cost video game system with multi-functional peripheral processing subsystem

A portable storage device that, in use is connectable to and controls the operation of 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 a video game program, at least one player controller operable by a player to generate video game control signals, and a player controller processor subsystem, coupled to said coprocessor;

• said portable storage device comprising:
• a memory media for storing video game instructions and graphics and sound data for said video game program;
• means for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics and sound data retrieved from said memory media 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 command to said player controller processor subsystem to cause the player controller processor subsystem 1) to initiate a data transaction between the player controller processor subsystem and at least one player controller and 2) to forward video game related control signals to said coprocessor.

A peripheral processing subsystem for use in a video game system having an external memory for storing a video game program, a game program executing processing system having 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 for generating video game control signals, said game program executing processing system being operable to generate at least one player controller related command requesting an operation be performed relating to said video game control signals generated by said at least one player controller;

• said peripheral processing subsystem comprising:
• a first interface circuit, coupled to said coprocessor, and operable to receive and process said player controller related command;
• a read/write memory;
• and
• a second interface circuit for receiving video game control data from said at least one player controller and for loading said video game control data in said read/write memory.

A peripheral subsystem for use in a video game system having an external memory for storing a video game program, a game program executing processing system having 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 for generating player controller related data, said game program executing processing system being operable to generate at least one player controller related command requesting an operation be performed relating to said player controller related data generated by said at least one player controller;

• said peripheral subsystem comprising:
• a shift register, coupled to said coprocessor, for receiving a player controller related command;
• processing circuitry for decoding said player controller related command to identify a controller related operation to be performed with said player controller related data and for controlling the performance of said player controller related command;
• and
• means for transmitting a response to said player controller related command to said coprocessor.

A peripheral subsystem for use in a video game system having an external memory for storing a video game program, a game program executing processing system having 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 for generating player controller related data, said game program executing processing system being operable to generate at least one player controller related command requesting an operation be performed relating to said player controller related data generated by said at least one player controller;

• said peripheral subsystem comprising:
• a register, coupled to said coprocessor, for receiving a command from said coprocessor;
• a random access memory for storing player controller related data received from said at least one player controller;
• a boot ROM for storing instructions to be executed prior to instructions being executed which are stored in said external memory;
• processing circuitry for decoding said command to identify an operation to be performed and for controlling the performance of said operation;
• and
• means for accessing information from one of said random access memory and said boot ROM in response to the decoding of said command.

A player controller processor subsystem for use with a video game system console having a game microprocessor for executing a video game program stored in an external memory, and a coprocessor coupled to said game microprocessor to execute said video game program, and at least one player controller operable by a player to generate player controller related data;

• said player controller processor subsystem comprising:
• a first interface circuit for receiving a player controller related command from said coprocessor;
• a random access memory for storing player controller related data;
• and
• processing circuitry responsive to a predetermined player controller related command 1) for retrieving data from a player controller and loading such player controller data into said random access memory, and 2) for reading such retrieved data from said random access memory and forwarding said data to said first interface circuit for transmission to said coprocessor.