Cran Da Maniac 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2004 Source Nintendo patents key console online gaming features By Tony Smith Published Thursday 19th August 2004 10:06 GMT Nintendo has been granted a US patent that yields it the ownership of key online multi-player gaming facilities, including player league tables, voice communications and online gaming host services. The patent, number 6,769,989, was granted on 3 August this year, but is essentially a continuation of another Nintendo patent, 6,599,194, which was filed in April 1999. The two patents detail a "home video game system with hard disk drive and Internet access capability", but the second filing adds provision for "substantially real-time" online multi-player gaming, connection via an online gaming service, support for online "player performance data", using the connection to download information and do so securely through an authentication process, and the communication across the Net of "audio input signals". All of these components are well-established elements of modern online gaming, and have been available for PCs for some time. Nintendo's patents focus on "home game video systems", so it's more of an issue for rival console vendors than PC gamers. The PC world might provide the basis for a prior art claim, but it would arguably be negated by Nintendo's specific console-oriented implementation of the broader concepts. Patents can be modified to add new elements, and technology companies frequently amend existing intellectual property with new, related ideas - which then apply from the first filing date, in this case April 1999, long before last year's introduction by Microsoft of Xbox Live, its console-oriented online gaming and information service, and which also offers voice chat facilities. How Nintendo will make use of its new intellectual property remains to be seen, but it does appear at first sight to give it some weight over rival console vendor Microsoft and, indeed, any moves Sony or other console vendors offer in that direction. It certainly strikes us that Nokia's online N-Gage Arena service may fall within the terms of Nintendo's patent, as might the upcoming Internet-enabled (via GPRS) Gizmondo handheld console. ® Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dubq 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2004 Source Nintendo console patent sparks rumors Recent patenting of online-capable device leads to reports of PSX-like device; in fact, it is an amended version of the N64's disk drive. A recent patent filed by Nintendo has sparked a series of rumors that the company was reversing its position on "convergence"--the combination of game consoles with multimedia and online functionality. On August 3, the US Patent and Trademark Office approved patent #6,769,989. The abstract for the patent describes the device as "an existing video game system...modified to include additional communication and storage capability via a modem and hard disk drive." The hard drive "permits downloading from the Internet of entire games." The device's communication system would be expanded with the "use of an expansion device coupled to a video game system port." This expansion would incorporate "a cable TV tuner" that would allow a user to "watch TV while viewing overlay information from the video game console." Users could also "receive a TV channel guide downloaded via the Internet, spot a program which the user desires to view and immediately access, via an IR input, the desired channel through the expansion device TV tuner." The machine would also let a user "watch TV while simultaneously logging onto the Internet." The abstract did not say whether or not the machine could record shows on its hard drive like Sony's PS2/PVR hybrid, the PSX. Given the concrete proof of the machine's existence, theories quickly sprung up about what it could be. Some Nintendophiles pegged it as the vaunted Revolution, the next-generation console that will be unveiled at next year's E3. However, given that the patent is for "an existing video game system," a more reasonable theory was that it was a revamped, online-enabled GameCube with content-download capabilities reminiscent of Xbox Live. However, all those theories are wrong. After acquiring a scan of the actual patent documents (pictured), GameSpot has learned the August 3, 2004, filing was merely for a supplementary patent to the 64DD, the online peripheral for the N64 console. The patent #6,769,989 was originally filed in April 1999, eight months before the 64DD's lackluster release. Shunned by consumers, it was discontinued, and its online support was shut down in March 2001. Nintendo reps contacted by GameSpot confirmed the patent was indeed for the 64DD and not for a new console. By Tor Thorsen -- GameSpot POSTED: 08/17/04 04:38 PM PST Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cran Da Maniac 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2004 Well doesn't that suck. Was hoping this meant more online stuff for the Gamecube. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dubq 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2004 Well doesn't that suck. Was hoping this meant more online stuff for the Gamecube. Ditto. Right now, and probably until RE4 is released, my Cube is just gathering dust. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted August 21, 2004 The 64DD's miserable failure is exactly why Nintendo isn't too keen on online gaming. They got burned once, and they don't want to get burned again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted August 21, 2004 I just got Wind Waker for my GC...but other than that it's just been sitting around doing next to nothing since I got it in January Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
