# US 9,433,861 B2 · Computer-readable storage medium having information processing program stored therein, handheld terminal apparatus, system, information processing method, and communication system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,433,861 B2 - Document ID: US9433861B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/969,855 - Filed: 2010-12-16 - Published: 2012-03-22 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-17 - Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Shinya Fujiwara; Kouichi Kawamoto; Yuichiro Ito - Inventors: Shinya Fujiwara; Kouichi Kawamoto; Yuichiro Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433861B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/327: using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet - A63F 13/31: Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range - A63F 13/92: Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing - A63F 13/211: using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes - A63F 13/77: involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory - A63F 13/822: Strategy games; Role-playing games (A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence) - A63F 2300/402: Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol - A63F 2300/403: Connection between platform and handheld device - A63F 2300/405: being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, piconet - A63F 2300/575: for trading virtual items - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A game apparatus automatically receives piece information from another game apparatus by short-range wireless communication. The game apparatus obtains step count data based on an amount of movement of the game apparatus (i.e., a step count of a user of the game apparatus). The game apparatus uses piece information obtained by the short-range wireless communication, thereby performing a predetermined process of an application (i.e., a process of incorporating a piece image into a collection image), or uses step count data (i.e., an owned coin count resulting from conversion of the step count data) instead of piece information obtained by the short-range wireless communication, thereby performing the predetermined process of the application (i.e., the process of incorporating a piece image into a collection image). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication system including a plurality of handheld terminal apparatuses, each handheld terminal apparatus comprising: a transmitter configured to automatically transmit first data to another one of the handheld terminal apparatuses by short-range wireless communication; a receiver configured to automatically receive, by the short-range wireless communication, first data that is transmitted from the transmitter of the other one of the handheld terminal apparatuses; and processing circuitry configured to perform a predetermined process of an application, either by using the first data received by the short-range wireless communication, or by using, instead of the first data, second data based on the travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus when the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient for performing the predetermined process of the application, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 2 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising an information processing program stored therein, the information processing program, when executed by a computer of a handheld terminal apparatus, causing the handheld terminal apparatus to at least: automatically receive first data from a communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication; obtain second data based on a travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus; and perform a predetermined process of an application, either by using the first data received by the short-range wireless communication, or by using, instead of the first data, the second data based on the travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus when the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient for performing the predetermined process of the application, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the first data is stored in a storage device of the handheld terminal apparatus, and the predetermined process is performed by using the first data if the first data is stored in the storage device, and is performed by using the second data if the first data is absent from the storage device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the first data is stored in a storage device of the handheld terminal apparatus, and the predetermined process is performed by using the first data if the first data is stored in the storage device, and is performed by using the second data after using, for the predetermined process, the first data stored in the storage device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 4, wherein the first data comprises a plurality of pieces, and the plurality of pieces of the first data is stored in the storage device, and the predetermined process is performed by using the second data after using, for the predetermined process, all of the plurality of pieces of the first data stored in the storage device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to detect a step count of a user of the handheld terminal apparatus, and the second data corresponds to step count data which indicates the detected step count. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to: store, in a storage device of the handheld terminal apparatus, the obtained second data; either delete or invalidate, among the second data stored in the storage device, second data that has been stored in the storage device for a predetermined period or longer; and convert the second data stored in the storage device into data that is storable in the storage device for a period longer than the predetermined period, and the predetermined process is performed by using, instead of the first data, the converted second data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined process is performed a predetermined number of times during a predetermined period by using the second data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to generate, based on the second data, third data which is of the same type as the first data, and the third data is used in executing the application instead of the first data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to generate third data by using either the first data or the second data, and the third data is used in executing the application. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to generate, when the application is executed for the first time, the first data and store the first data in a storage device of the handheld terminal apparatus, and the first data stored in the storage device is transmitted, by the short-range wireless communication, to another handheld terminal apparatus, which is the communication apparatus, and the first data from the other handheld terminal apparatus is received, and the received first data is stored in the storage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the information processing program, when executed, further causes the computer to select, in response to an input via an input device of the handheld terminal apparatus, either the first data stored in the storage device or the first data received from the other handheld terminal apparatus, and the selected first data is transmitted. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the application is a program for generating one piece of collection data that includes a predetermined number of two or more pieces of piece data, and a process of generating one piece of collection data is performed as the predetermined process, by using the third data and/or the first data as the predetermined number of two or more pieces of piece data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the application is a program for generating a plurality of pieces of collection data for which different attributes are set, respectively, one among the respective different attributes set for the plurality of pieces of collection data is set for the first data and the third data, and as the predetermined process, a process is performed of generating one of the pieces of collection data by using the first data and/or the third data for which the one attribute, which is the same attribute as that set for the one of the pieces of collection data, is set. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of pieces of the third data is generated at different generation rates in association with the predetermined number of two or more pieces of piece data, respectively, such that the plurality of pieces of the third data that have been generated correspond to the predetermined number of two or more pieces of piece data, respectively. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein when generating the third data by using either the first data or the second data, an attribute for the third data is set, and, by using the third data, the predetermined process is performed based on the attribute set for the third data. ### Claim 17 A handheld terminal apparatus comprising: communication circuitry configured to automatically receive first data from a communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication; and processing circuitry configured to perform a predetermined process of an application, either by using the first data received by the communication circuitry by the short-range wireless communication, or by using, instead of the first data, second data obtained based on the travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus when the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient for performing the predetermined process of the application, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 18 A system including a handheld terminal apparatus, the system comprising: memory; communication circuitry configured to automatically receive first data from a communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication; and processing circuitry configured to perform a predetermined process of an application, either by using the first data received by the communication circuitry by the short-range wireless communication, or by using, instead of the first data, second data obtained based on the travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus when the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient for performing the predetermined process of the application, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 19 An information processing method implemented using a handheld terminal apparatus comprising communication circuitry and processing circuitry, the method comprising: receiving, automatically via the communication circuitry, first data from a communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication; obtaining second data based on a travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus; and performing, by the processing circuitry, a predetermined process of an application, either by using the first data received by the short-range wireless communication, or by using, instead of the first data, the obtained second data based on the travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus when the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient for performing the predetermined process of the application, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 20 A communication system including a handheld terminal apparatus and a communication apparatus configured to communicate with the handheld terminal apparatus, the handheld terminal apparatus comprising: communication circuitry configured to automatically receive first data from the communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication; and processing circuitry configured to automatically perform a predetermined process of an application, either by using the first data received by the short-range wireless communication, or by using, instead of the first data, second data obtained based on the travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus when the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient for performing the predetermined process of the application, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 21 A handheld terminal apparatus configured to be carried by a user, the handheld terminal apparatus comprising: communication circuitry configured to automatically receive first data from a communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication; and processing circuitry configured to execute an application including a process which uses, if available, the first data received by the communication circuitry by short-range wireless communication, and uses, if the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient, second data obtained based on the movement associated with the carrying of the handheld terminal apparatus by the user, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The handheld terminal apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a movement detection device, wherein the second data is obtained based on data output by the movement detection device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The handheld terminal apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the movement detection device comprises an accelerometer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The handheld terminal apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry generates, based on the data output by the movement detection device, a step count corresponding to a number of steps associated with the carrying of the handheld terminal apparatus by the user. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The handheld terminal apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising global position system (GPS) circuitry, wherein the second data is obtained based on GPS data. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The handheld terminal apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the application generates an image and the first and second data are associated with pieces of the image. ### Claim 27 A handheld terminal apparatus configured to be carried by a user, the handheld terminal apparatus comprising: processing circuitry configured to execute a piece collection application; and communication circuitry configured to automatically receive first piece data from a communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication, wherein the piece collection application uses the first piece data if the handheld terminal apparatus receives the first piece data via the communication circuitry from the communication apparatus and uses second piece data obtained based on movement associated with the carrying of the handheld terminal apparatus by the user if the first piece data is not received and/or is not sufficient, wherein the first piece data and the second piece data are usable for completing an objective for the piece collection application. ### Claim 28 A handheld terminal system comprising: communication circuitry configured to automatically receive first data from a communication apparatus by short-range wireless communication; a pedometer; and processing circuitry configured to perform a predetermined process of an application, either by using the first data received by the short-range wireless communication, that is unrelated to an output of the pedometer, or by using, instead of the first data, second data obtained based on the output of the pedometer when the first data is unavailable and/or insufficient for performing the predetermined process of the application, wherein the first data and the second data are usable for completing an objective for the application. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process is performed using the first data received by the short-range wireless communication when the other one of the handheld terminal apparatuses is within a communicable range, and the predetermined process is performed by instead using the second data based on the travel distance of the handheld terminal apparatus when the other one of the handheld terminal apparatuses is outside the communicable range. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the application is a game and the first data and the second data are usable to accomplish an objective in the game. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the application is a game and the first data and the second data are usable to form portions of an image in the game.