Patents Assigned to Nintendo Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11219829
    Abstract: An example image processing apparatus disposes a virtual camera and a terrain object in a virtual space, and generates grass objects at a predetermined region located with reference to a land horizon that is a boundary between the terrain object and a background as viewed from the virtual camera. A player character is displayed at a position closer to the virtual camera, and the grass objects are generated in the predetermined region located with reference to the land horizon. Therefore, the terrain can be represented to look real, and the player character can be more easily seen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yonezu, Koji Takahashi, Jun Takamura
  • Patent number: 11219830
    Abstract: A non-limiting example game system comprises a processor incorporated in a main body apparatus, and the processor causes a player character to dig the ground based on an operation input of a player, thereby to form a hole. Water is placed in the hole, whereby a water place is formed. A shape of the water place is changed by expanding the hole, and when the water place has a long shape, the water is controlled so as to flow. When the water place is not a long shape, the water does not flow. That is, a river or a pond is formed in a game field based on an operation input of the player. When causing a player character to perform fishing based on an operation input of the player, different processing is executed between the river and the pond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kotaro Hiromatsu, Yoshihiko Ito, Koji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11219126
    Abstract: A first conductive pattern according to the present disclosure includes a first land electrode and a second land electrode, in which at least a portion of the first land electrode is arranged in an inner portion of a first circle defined by a center point and a first radius, the second land electrode is arranged on a second circle defined by the center point and a second radius that is larger than the first radius to surround the first land electrode, the second land electrode is not arranged in the inner portion of the first circle, the first land electrode is not arranged on the second circle, and the first land electrode and the second land electrode are arranged on a third circle defined by the center point and a third radius that is larger than the first radius and is smaller than the second radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Okamura, Kohei Odanaka, Masaya Takei
  • Patent number: 11209974
    Abstract: An example of an information processing apparatus causes an object displayed on a display device to move based on a drag operation performed by a user. The information processing apparatus acquires input coordinates of the drag operation performed on the object. The information processing apparatus calculates a change amount of the input coordinates from when the drag operation has been started. The object moves based on the input coordinates during the drag operation. The information processing apparatus causes the object to move while performing a correction to make the object away from the input coordinates so that a distance between the input coordinates and coordinates of the object becomes larger in a case where the change amount is large than in a case where the change amount is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Oshino, Yusaku Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11207597
    Abstract: A use start time of a game application is stored in advance. When a predetermined event is executed, a waiting time is determined on the basis of the use start time and a reference waiting time associated with the predetermined event, such that the waiting time is made shorter when the start time is earlier. Then, a reward related to the event is given to a user after elapse of the waiting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junpei Horita, Kazuyoshi Sensui, Masaki Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 11207603
    Abstract: An information processing system that performs puzzle game processing for a puzzle game played against each other by a plurality of users includes designating a game element with which first and second parameters are associated for each of a plurality of users, performing puzzle game processing based on an operation by each user onto a puzzle object arranged in a game field, and executing, when a status of progress of the puzzle game processing for one of the plurality of users satisfies an offense condition while the puzzle game processing is being performed, an offense event that produces an effect of interference in the game field in the puzzle game processing for the other user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki Yoshihara, Soojin Lee, Taehoon Jun, Taewoo Kim
  • Publication number: 20210394068
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, on the basis of a first direction input performed on an operation device, a player object is caused to perform a posturing action of holding an item object in an orientation corresponding to an input direction according to the first direction input. Further, in accordance with cancelation of the first direction input, the player object is caused to perform a swinging action of swinging the item object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji AONUMA
  • Patent number: 11202959
    Abstract: In order to select a content to be used in a specified game or game stage from a plurality of contents, a selection image including a plurality of contents is displayed in which possessed contents and unpossessed contents not possessed by a user are visually distinguishable, and at least a display form or display position of each content is varied based on parameters set for a combination of the content and the specified game or game stage, and at least one is selected from the plurality of contents displayed in the selection image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yugo Hayashi, Shinya Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20210387084
    Abstract: In a case where a second camera operation through a third input unit using an inertial sensor is performed while a pointer operation process based on a pointer operation through a first input unit or a camera operation process based on a first camera operation through a second input unit is performed, an absolute value of a quantity of change in a position or an image capturing direction of a virtual camera based on the second camera operation is reduced as compared with a case where the second camera operation is performed when neither of the pointer operation process based on the pointer operation and the camera operation process based on the first camera operation are performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicants: Nintendo Co., Ltd., The Pokémon Company
    Inventors: Kenichi NAKAGUCHI, Kazumasa KITADA
  • Patent number: 11198058
    Abstract: An example of an information processing apparatus repeatedly acquires input positions detected by a pointing device. The information processing apparatus sets a reference position, based on an input position at which an input to the pointing device is started. The information processing apparatus executes a first movement process of causing a first object to move in a virtual game space, based on the reference position, and an input position of an input which is continuously performed from start of the input to the pointing device. The information processing apparatus executes a first process on a second object which is the same as or different from the first object, in a case where the input position of the input, which is continuously performed from start of the input to the pointing device, satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the relationship between the input position and the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke Yabuki, Takeshi Miyamoto, Shigeto Murata, Shinya Nakano
  • Patent number: 11192038
    Abstract: A cover for housing a portable electronic device that includes: a first main surface formed in a rectangular shape, a second main surface formed in a rectangular shape on a side opposite to the first main surface, a peripheral edge surface that joins peripheral edge portions of the first main surface and the second main surface and has an upper edge surface, a lower edge surface, and a pair of side edge surfaces, at least one joystick that protrudes from the first main surface, operation portions that are provided on portions of the upper surface toward the pair of side edge surfaces and protrude toward the second main surface, and protruding portions that protrude from the second main surface and are located on the lower edge surface sides of the operation portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro Miyatake, Yuya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11185782
    Abstract: The game system comprises: a first selection unit that performs a first selection in which a game character is selected; a strengthening unit that raises the skill level of the game character on condition that the game character selected in the first selection is already possessed by the user; an effect-enabling unit that enables the game character to be changed in appearance on condition that the game character selected in the first selection is an appearance changing character; an effect applying unit that changes the appearance of the game character that is enabled to be changed in appearance; and a second selection unit that performs a second selection in which an appearance changing ticket applicable to any game character possessed by the user can be selected when the skill level of all types of the game character reaches an upper limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihito Ito, Tomoya Masuda, Shotaro Ito
  • Patent number: 11185779
    Abstract: An example image processing apparatus disposes a virtual camera and a terrain object in a virtual space, and generates grass objects at a predetermined region located with reference to a land horizon that is a boundary between the terrain object and a background as viewed from the virtual camera. A player character is displayed at a position closer to the virtual camera, and the grass objects are generated in the predetermined region located with reference to the land horizon. Therefore, the terrain can be represented to look real, and the player character can be more easily seen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yonezu, Koji Takahashi, Jun Takamura
  • Patent number: 11179630
    Abstract: A computer system that includes at least two game devices is provided. A first game device is used by a user to play a game and a second game device is used to receive state data regarding playing the game on the first game device. The state data is continuously applied to a game that is executed on the second game device to allow for the user to seamlessly transition to playing the game on the second game device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sébastien Ronsse
  • Patent number: 11183014
    Abstract: A first lottery section performs a first lottery for specifying at least one presentation element among a plurality of presentation elements respectively associated with a plurality of content groups. A presentation section presents the presentation element specified by the first lottery, to a user. A second lottery section performs, in accordance with a user's instruction, a second lottery for specifying at least one content from the content group associated with the presentation element presented by the presentation section. A providing section provides the content drawn by the second lottery, to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignees: NINTENDO CO., LTD., DENA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Sensui, Masaki Yasuhara, Ai Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11179636
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus obtains at least one piece of history information that allows identification of a first travel route over which a game object has traveled in a first race run in a virtual game stage, executes a second race run in the virtual game stage, in which a game event occurs independently of the first race and in which a player object and at least one non-player object participate, associates the history information with the non-player object for the second race, and determines in the second race, over which of the first travel route identified by the associated history information and a second travel route different from the first travel route the non-player object is to travel, depending on a race state resulting from the game event that occurs in the second race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Miyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 11173406
    Abstract: At least one unit region on a virtual field is set as a special region associated with a special effect, based on setting data received via a network. Furthermore, movement and fighting of a player character are controlled, and, when the player character reaches the special region, the special effect is exhibited. Information of the unit region in which an event has occurred in a game is transmitted via the network. The special region is set (1) based on the frequency with which the event occurs for each unit region, or (2) based on the setting data which represents the special region and is defined based on the information of the unit region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michi Ryu
  • Patent number: 11173403
    Abstract: An example information processing device chooses a subset of game objects as candidate game objects from among available game objects; selects a candidate game object as a selected game object according to the user's instruction; updating, when an update condition is satisfied, possession data in the memory so that the selected game object is set as a possessed game object possessed by the user; on a condition that the remaining time has been expired, replacing the candidate game object on the selection screen with a game object newly chosen from among the available game objects; and on at least one of a first condition that the candidate game object has been selected as a selected game object and a second condition that the update condition is satisfied, replacing the selected game object with a game object newly chosen from among the available game objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD
    Inventor: Masahiro Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11173392
    Abstract: A human-machine interface involves plural spatially-coherent visual presentation surfaces at least some of which are movable by a person. Plural windows or portholes into a virtual space, at least some of which are handheld and movable, are provided by using handheld and other display devices. Aspects of multi-dimensional spatiality of the moveable window (e.g., relative to another window) are determined and used to generate images. As one example, the moveable window can present a first person perspective “porthole” view into the virtual space, this porthole view changing based on aspects of the moveable window's spatiality in multi-dimensional space relative to a stationary window. A display can present an image of a virtual space, and an additional, moveable display can present an additional image of the same virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Genyo Takeda, Howard Cheng
  • Patent number: 11178061
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a radio module which wirelessly transmits and receives a packet through synchronous communication to and from another apparatus and a first controller. The first controller determines whether or not the packet transmitted from the radio module has been received by another apparatus, and selects, when reception of a previously transmitted packet by the another apparatus is not confirmed, between retransmission processing for retransmitting the previously transmitted packet and non-retransmission processing for transmitting another packet instead of the previously transmitted packet depending on a content of the previously transmitted packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kondo, Shumpei Yasuda, Toshiki Oizumi, Kouichi Kawamoto