Picture display unit and image display system

Filing Information

• Patent Number: US5864346
• Application Number: US8523939
• Filing date: 09/06/1995
• Issue date: 01/26/1999
• Predicted expiration date: 09/06/2015

• U.S. Classifications: 345/514  · 345/509  ·
• International Classifications: G09G 500 ·
• International Classifications: 345190;200;204;523;524;514;509;515;507;516;517 ·
• Foreign Priority: JP6217276 - 09/12/1994 ·
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Patent Family

Abstract

When a game is started, the game execution time is counted by a counter and a determination is made as to whether or not the execution time coincides with a timer value which is set before the game is started, so that the game is forcibly ended upon coincidence. When the game is forcibly ended, the game content before the ending is preserved. Thus, it is not necessary to do the game all over again, in order to restart the game.

Independent Claims | See all claims (18)

1. 1. A picture display unit comprising:program storage means storing a picture display program;processing means executing picture display processing in accordance with said picture display program being stored in said program storage means;data storage means for storing progress situation data for indicating the progress situation of said picture display processing;save point detecting means for detecting predetermined proper save points during execution of said picture display processing by said processing means;decision means for deciding a state for preserving said progress situation data at a time corresponding to the detection of the save points by said save point detecting means;data preservation control means storing said progress situation data in said data storage means every time said decision means decides said state for preserving said progress situation data;counter means for counting a continuous execution time of said picture display processing by said processing means;interruption means interrupting said execution of said picture display processing by said processing means at a time that is independent of said save points when said continuous execution time being counted by said counter means reaches a previously set permissible picture display continuation time; andrestarting control means for making said processing means restart execution of said picture display processing from one of said save points ahead of said interruption on the basis of said progress situation data being stored in said data storage means when a prescribed condition for restarting is satisfied after said interruption means interrupts said picture display processing by said processing means.
2. 8. A picture display system comprising a picture display unit body outputting a picture signal by executing picture display processing in accordance with a picture display program, and a cartridge detachably connected with said picture display unit body,said cartridge comprising:a substrate;program storage means being provided on said substrate for storing said picture display program and an interruption processing program; anddata storage means being provided on said substrate and storing progress situation data for indicating the progress situation of said picture display processing,said picture display unit body comprising:processing means executing said picture display processing in accordance with said picture display program;save point detecting means for detecting previously set proper save points during execution of said picture display processing by said processing means;decision means for deciding a state for preserving said progress situation data at each of said save points detected by the save point detecting means;data preservation control means for storing said progress situation data in said data storage means every time said decision means makes a decision on said state for preserving said progress situation data;counter means counting a continuous execution time of said picture display processing by said processing means;interruption means interrupting said execution of said picture display processing by said processing means at a time independent of said save points when said continuous execution time being counted by said counter means reaches a prescribed relation with a previously set permissible picture display continuation time; andrestarting control means for making said processing means restart execution of said picture display processing from a last of said save points ahead of interruption on the basis of said progress situation data being stored in said data storage means when a prescribed condition for restarting is satisfied after said interruption means interrupts said execution of said picture display processing by said processing means,said cartridge being mounted on said picture display unit body thereby electrically connecting said picture display unit body with said substrate, so that said decision means, said data preservation control means, said counter means, said interruption means and said restarting control means operate in accordance with said interruption processing program in response to said processing means execution said picture display program.
3. 11. A picture display unit comprising:a program memory storing a picture display program, where the picture display program includes instructions to:generate pictures for display,generate progress situation data indicative of interactions between a person using the picture display unit and the generated pictures,and predefined save points in the program instructions;a processor connected to the program memory, wherein the processor executes the instructions of the picture display program to generate the pictures for display and progress situation data based on interactions between the person and the display unit, and detects the predefined save points during the execution of the program;a data memory storing progress situation data, where the progress situation data is indicative of a state of the picture display program corresponding to a detected save point;wherein, after an interruption of the program, said processor accesses the progress situation data in the data memory to restart the picture display program at the state of the picture display program corresponding to the last save point, which state is independent of a state at which the picture display program is interrupted.
4. 14. A method for restarting picture display programs on a picture display unit having a processor, a program memory and a data memory, the method comprising the steps of:a. generating interactive pictures to be displayed by the processor, which accesses the program memory to execute the picture display program and monitors interactions between a person and the picture display unit;b. detecting predefined save points in the program as the processor executes the program;c. saving progress situation data in the data memory indicative of a state of the picture display program corresponding to the detected save point;d. having an interruption of the picture display program occur at a point in time unrelated to the detection of the save points in step (b);e. after step (d), restarting the execution of the picture display program at the state of the picture display program corresponding to a last save point by using the progress situation data stored in the data memory.