Exclusive: Nintendo patent heats up GBA successor talk
In the words of Iwata, it’s all about connectivity.
Nintendo has applied for a patent of what seemingly is a new transition in the life of its indestructible Game Boy series, focusing on greatly expanding the connectivity offered by the machine.
The patent talks of a “portable handheld game machine which includes a capability to download and execute code from a source such as another game machine,” spurring talk of a Game Boy video games jukebox.
The application continues, “The portable game machine enters a download mode in which it is receptive to receipt of executable code downloaded from the source. The portable game machine stores the executable code in an internal random access memory, and executes the code out of the memory. Successive downloads can be used to download an application that is larger than the internal memory capacity of the portable game machine,” seemingly confirming the jukebox status of the device.
The patent was filed under the names of Takao Sawano and Tomohiro, both technical staff based at Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters.
Seemingly, Nintendo aims to deliver a Game Boy console with writable media, which will then be filled with game data from another console, or direct from a centralised provider.
It denotes, “a portable game machine adapted for receiving an information storage medium in receiving portion thereof, and further including readable/writable storage, said portable game machine selecting between (a) process to start, in response to application of power, execute code stored in said information storage medium when said information storage medium is received by said receiving portion, and (b) a process to request another game machine to transfer executable code thereto for execution when said information storage medium is not received in said receiving portion.”
Perhaps a pre-emptive strike at Sony’s PSP, Nintendo seems intent on delivering perhaps a portable hard drive games player, as the patent goes on to mention several times that cartridges will not be needed for certain types of gameplay, including multiplayer gaming.
This seems to be confirmed by, “[the] portable game machine that can be placed into a "download mode" when no game cartridge is inserted into the portable game machine. When operating in the "download mode", the portable game machine is capable of receiving executable code written to it by a data source (e.g., another portable game machine, a home video game machine, a personal computer, a network, etc.) The portable game machine writes the received executable code into an internal working random access memory and then proceeds to execute the code. In one example arrangement, this download capability permits multiple players to play a common video game on multiple video game units using only a single cartridge or other storage media.”
All very interesting. As soon as anything is clarified, you’ll be the first to know.
The patent talks of a “portable handheld game machine which includes a capability to download and execute code from a source such as another game machine,” spurring talk of a Game Boy video games jukebox.
The application continues, “The portable game machine enters a download mode in which it is receptive to receipt of executable code downloaded from the source. The portable game machine stores the executable code in an internal random access memory, and executes the code out of the memory. Successive downloads can be used to download an application that is larger than the internal memory capacity of the portable game machine,” seemingly confirming the jukebox status of the device.
The patent was filed under the names of Takao Sawano and Tomohiro, both technical staff based at Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters.
Seemingly, Nintendo aims to deliver a Game Boy console with writable media, which will then be filled with game data from another console, or direct from a centralised provider.
It denotes, “a portable game machine adapted for receiving an information storage medium in receiving portion thereof, and further including readable/writable storage, said portable game machine selecting between (a) process to start, in response to application of power, execute code stored in said information storage medium when said information storage medium is received by said receiving portion, and (b) a process to request another game machine to transfer executable code thereto for execution when said information storage medium is not received in said receiving portion.”
Perhaps a pre-emptive strike at Sony’s PSP, Nintendo seems intent on delivering perhaps a portable hard drive games player, as the patent goes on to mention several times that cartridges will not be needed for certain types of gameplay, including multiplayer gaming.
This seems to be confirmed by, “[the] portable game machine that can be placed into a "download mode" when no game cartridge is inserted into the portable game machine. When operating in the "download mode", the portable game machine is capable of receiving executable code written to it by a data source (e.g., another portable game machine, a home video game machine, a personal computer, a network, etc.) The portable game machine writes the received executable code into an internal working random access memory and then proceeds to execute the code. In one example arrangement, this download capability permits multiple players to play a common video game on multiple video game units using only a single cartridge or other storage media.”
All very interesting. As soon as anything is clarified, you’ll be the first to know.
Companies:
Nintendo
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