U.S. Patent no. 9,582,147: Inserting game objects through contactless communication

Issued February 28, 2017 to Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Priority Date March 7, 2014

Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 9,582,147 (the ‘147 Patent) relates to inserting an object into a game by reading and communicating with a data storage medium. The system functions by reading the data on the storage device and responding by showing an object in the game representing the stored data. This data can be read from a game card or a figure associated with the game. Typically, contactless communication technology uses Near Field Communication or Radio Frequency IDentification  for wireless communication. The game device reads the object containing the stored data and then proceeds to allow for a selection of in-game objects to be represented by this stored data. This invention allows for greater engagement between real-world objects and interactions in video games.

Abstract:
An example system includes: a contactless communication unit for performing contactless communication with a data storage medium having a contactless communication function; a data acquiring unit for acquiring data stored in the data storage medium by the contactless communication unit; a display processing unit for displaying at least one content stored in a content storage unit and a content according to data acquired by the data acquiring unit on a display unit as selection objects; a selection accepting unit for accepting selection by a user for a content displayed by the display processing unit; and an information processing unit for performing information processing pertaining to a content, which is an object of selection accepted by the selection accepting unit.

Illustrative Claim:
1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a processor for performing information processing pertaining to a game; a content storage unit for storing a plurality of player objects to be operated by a user in the game: and a contactless communication circuit for performing contactless communication with a data storage medium having a contactless communication function, wherein the processor performs the processing of: acquiring data stored in the data storage medium by the contactless communication circuit; displaying at least one player object stored in the content storage unit and a player object according to acquired data on a display unit as selection objects; accepting selection by a user for at least one of the displayed player objects; performing information processing pertaining to the selected player object which is an object of an accepted selection, wherein the selected player object is an object which the user can directly control an action thereof by operation to an operation part of the information processing apparatus; updating data read from the data storage medium by the contactless communication circuit in accordance with the information processing performed by the processor; displaying a player object selection screen that includes at least one selectable player object; while displaying the player object screen, when the contactless communication circuit performs contactless communication with a data storage medium, adding a player object in accordance with the data acquired by the data storage medium to the player object screen and displaying the player object; accepting a player object selection operation at an operation unit while displaying the player object selection screen; displaying a game screen that includes the accepted player object; and accepting an operation for causing the player object to act at the operation unit while displaying the game screen.