Patents Assigned to Nintendo Co., Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20240037695
    Abstract: An exemplary image processing system first writes normal line information and color information into the G buffer and depth information into the depth buffer for a first object. Next, at a time of writing the normal line information into the G buffer for a second object, the exemplary image processing system calculates a difference between the depth information of a first object and the depth information of the second object, and blends the normal line information of the first object with the normal line information of the second object based on the difference, and writes the blended normal line information into the G buffer. The exemplary image processing system then renders an image in a frame buffer based on information stored in the G buffer and light source information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicants: Nintendo Co., Ltd., HAL Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventor: Ayumu KATO
  • Patent number: 11878247
    Abstract: In a virtual space of an own apparatus, the movement speed of a movement object is reduced on the basis of a reduction value according to a communication delay time with respect to an opponent apparatus. The reduction value is adjusted such that the movement speed of the movement object is reduced in accordance with the time having elapsed from start of movement of the movement object. The opponent character object is caused to perform an action on the movement object, on the basis of data received from the opponent apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Tatsuta, Takafumi Masaoka, Kazuhiro Yoshikawa, Ryosuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11872477
    Abstract: At a position including coordinates of an input start possible point on a first display, an image indicating the input start possible point is displayed, and at a position including coordinates of an input target point on a second display, an image indicating the input target point is displayed. Then, if a coordinate input to the first display includes an input to a position including the coordinates of the input start possible point, and a coordinate input to the second display includes an input to a position including the coordinates of the input target point, based on trajectories of coordinates of the coordinate inputs to the first display and the second display, a positional relationship between the first display and the second display is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Suzuki, Yoshinori Tsuchiyama, Izumi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11872475
    Abstract: A game system that is a non-limiting example information processing system comprises a main body apparatus, and this main body apparatus is provided with a left controller and a right controller in a attachable and detachable manner. Each of the left controller and the right controller comprises a plurality of operation buttons and an analog stick. In a first operation mode, action of a player character is controlled according to an operation of a player. In a second operation mode, a sub-character appears, and action of the sub-character is automatically controlled except for a case where the sub-character attacks an enemy character according to depression of a ZL-button. In a third operation mode, movement of the player character and movement of the sub-character are respectively controlled according to an operation of the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahisa Taura, Kaori Ando, Makoto Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11871206
    Abstract: In a case where a virtual microphone has moved to an extent greater than a predetermined reference in a virtual space, during a predetermined period from the movement of the virtual microphone, first interpolation for changing from a relative distance before the movement to a relative distance after the movement over the predetermined period, and second interpolation for changing from a relative direction before the movement to a relative direction after the movement over the predetermined period, are each performed. Then, the volume and the balance of sounds to be outputted are set on the basis of the relative distance by the first interpolation and the relative direction by the second interpolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Taniwa
  • Patent number: 11865462
    Abstract: Exemplary communication system 1 includes game devices 10, communication terminals 20, and game support server 30. Game devices 10 enable users to perform a multi-play activity. Each of communication terminals 20 runs an application associated with corresponding game device 10. Game support server 30 divides communication terminals 20 into separate communication groups in accordance with a situation of the multi-play activity performed by game devices 10 so that communication terminals 20 belonging to a same communication group can communicate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakamura, Masashi Seiki, Yosuke Fujino, Miki Murakami, Hideaki Tanabe, Sho Onuma, Naoya Hirota, Kojiro Taguchi, Daisuke Tsujimura
  • Patent number: 11871530
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a housing; a display provided at a front side thereof; and a stand provided at a back side thereof. The housing has a transition wall between back and bottom walls, which extends further to the front as further downwardly separated from the back wall. The transition wall has a recessed part and a ventilation hole communicated with the recessed part. The stand is attached to the housing so that the stand can move between a closed state where the stand approaches the back wall and an open state where a bottom end part of the stand is separated away from the back wall so that the stand can support the housing at an angle from a placement surface. The stand is configured so that the bottom end part of the stand covers part of the recessed part when the stand is in the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichiro Miyatake, Yuya Okazaki, Takafumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 11865454
    Abstract: An example of an information processing apparatus acquires action data based on an output of a sensor according to a fitness action performed by a player, and executes a game event. In the game event, the information processing apparatus designates at least one type of fitness event from among a plurality of types of fitness events. Each fitness event causes the player to perform a fitness action. During the game event, the information processing apparatus executes a fitness event that causes the player to perform a fitness action corresponding to the designated fitness event until an ending condition is satisfied. The information processing apparatus determines whether or not the achievement condition has been satisfied, based on the action data acquired during the fitness event. The information processing apparatus repeats designation and execution of the fitness event until it is determined that the achievement condition has been satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Suzuki, Masaki Wada
  • Patent number: 11850510
    Abstract: In accordance with a placement operation of a user, a part including at least one connection direction can be placed in a first placement direction in a virtual space that is a two-dimensional space including a plurality of square grid divisions, the part being square, and in accordance with a rotation operation of the user, and the part can be changed so that the part is placed in a second placement direction. Then, in accordance with a placement position in the virtual space where the part is placed in the virtual space, the first placement direction when the part is newly placed in the virtual space is determined by rotating the part to be placed in each of the square grid divisions by 90 degrees each time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoko Higashi, Yusaku Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11845009
    Abstract: A game period is common among a plurality of users and includes a first period and a second period. An example information processing system advances a first game for each user in the first period. A rank of each user is determined based on a first individual parameter of the user for the first game from a past game period. A second individual parameter is determined for each user based on the rank of the user and the first individual parameter of the user for the first game from a current game period. In the second period, the information processing system determines a common parameter that is common among the plurality of users based on the second individual parameters for users who have performed a particular game input so as to advance a second game that is common among the plurality of users based on the common parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: So Araya, Yuji Ohashi, Keisuke Ohtani, Tetsuro Matsuzaki, Kouhei Maeda
  • Patent number: 11833425
    Abstract: If an account is changed in a periodic service withdrawn state, a first timing which is an in-game item distribution timing on an account before the change, a second timing which is the next distribution timing, and a third timing which is the distribution timing next thereto, are acquired. A valid period of a periodic service that has been associated with an account after the change is acquired. If the expiration timing of the valid period is at or before the third timing, a post-change distribution timing which is a distribution timing for the first time after the account change timing is determined as the third timing. If the expiration timing is after the third timing, the post-change distribution timing is determined in accordance with a second valid period. An in-game item is provided at both of timings from the first timing onward and from the post-change distribution timing onward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nitta, Junpei Horita
  • Patent number: 11835737
    Abstract: An example of an image display system includes a goggles apparatus and is capable of setting an angle of view of a virtual camera disposed in a virtual space to a first angle of view or a second angle of view smaller than the first angle of view. If the angle of view of the virtual camera is set to the first angle of view, the image display system sets a parallax between an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye to a first parallax. If the angle of view of the virtual camera is set to the second angle of view, the image display system sets the parallax between the image for a left eye and the image for a right eye to a second parallax smaller than the first parallax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Iwata, Ryuhei Matsuura
  • Patent number: 11826641
    Abstract: An example game controller includes a housing main body formed by connecting a housing member on a front surface side and a housing member on a back surface side. On the left and right of the housing main body, holding portions are provided. To the left and right holding portions, a pair of grip portions covering the entirety of the holding portions are connected. A boundary portion between two housing members is covered with a grip portion. Thus, when a user grips the grip portion, the grip portion is likely to fit the hand well. Thus, it is possible to improve the operability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Fumiyoshi Suetake, Takanori Okamura
  • Publication number: 20230356078
    Abstract: A non-limiting example content holding system includes a game apparatus and a server, which are connected to each other communicably via a network. Multiple types of games can be played on the game apparatus, and a character used in the game can be deposited with the server. In a case of depositing a character with the server, character data is converted into a format having a common area and an inherent area of a game. When keeping the character, the server updates, in withdrawal character data of the character, only common data and data of the inherent area used in the game. When withdrawing a deposited character, the game apparatus acquires, from withdrawal character data held on the server, the character data having the common area, and the inherent area of the game that uses the character to be withdrawn, and converts the acquired character data into a format to be used in the game, and saves the converted data while including in save data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicants: Nintendo Co., Ltd., The Pokémon Company
    Inventors: Hiroki TOGASHI, Nobuyuki OHTA
  • Patent number: 11810418
    Abstract: A lottery game is selected out of a plurality of lottery games in each of which a plurality of contents are set as a lottery target. A content is specified through a lottery out of the plurality of contents set as the lottery target in the selected lottery game. A lottery game is specified as a recommended lottery game on the basis of a predetermined condition out of lottery games that are different from the selected lottery game among the plurality of lottery games. In a lottery result display scene, a first image regarding the specified content and a second image regarding the specified recommended lottery game are displayed, and when a user operation on the second image has been performed, the lottery result display scene is caused to transition to a scene for the recommended lottery game regarding the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Sensui, Masaki Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 11782898
    Abstract: A server includes a content storage medium configured to store content data of content usable in different types of games. The server, upon a transmission request, sends content data to an information-processing device, and retains the sent content data in the content storage medium wherein sending the content data again is prohibited. The server, when the content data is sent from the information-processing device, receives the content data, assigns a new ID to the received content data in case the received content data lacks the ID, and stores the received content data in the content storage medium wherein sending the content data is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignees: NINTENDO CO., LTD., THE POKÉMON COMPANY
    Inventors: Tsunekazu Ishihara, Takanori Sowa, Nobuyuki Ohta, Takahiro Ohnishi, Hiroki Togashi
  • Patent number: 11771991
    Abstract: In an example of an information processing system, in a case where a user character is present on an area in a first state on a wall surface, and while an input to an operation button is continued, the user character is caused to perform a preliminary action, and if at least the input to the operation button ends, the user character is moved to a boundary between the area in the first state and another area on the wall surface. If the user character reaches the boundary, the user character is caused to jump from the boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shintaro Sato, Kenji Matsumoto, Shinya Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11771980
    Abstract: The first operation portion is configured to be pressed by one hand of a user holding a grip portion. The first button depression portion is configured to move toward a first button of a game controller secured in a compartment, thereby pressing the first button of the game controller secured in the compartment, in response to the pressing operation on the first operation portion. The second operation portion is configured to be pressed by the other hand of the user holding the grip portion. The second button depression portion is configured to move toward a second button of the game controller secured in the compartment, thereby pressing the second button of the game controller secured in the compartment, in response to the pressing operation on the second operation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Kamata, Yuriko Sakai
  • Patent number: 11771994
    Abstract: An example of an information processing apparatus acquires action data based on an output of a sensor according to a fitness action performed by a player, and executes a game event. In the game event, the information processing apparatus designates at least one type of fitness event from among a plurality of types of fitness events. Each fitness event causes the player to perform a fitness action. During the game event, the information processing apparatus executes a fitness event that causes the player to perform a fitness action corresponding to the designated fitness event until an ending condition is satisfied. The information processing apparatus determines whether or not the achievement condition has been satisfied, based on the action data acquired during the fitness event. The information processing apparatus repeats designation and execution of the fitness event until it is determined that the achievement condition has been satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Suzuki, Masaki Wada
  • Patent number: D1002528
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yui Ehara, Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Junichiro Miyatake