US5664778A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Network service system and communication unit for game machine and game machine capable of using said network service system
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1995-12-18
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Granted: 1997-09-09
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Expires: 2015-12-18
Abstract
Abstract A network service system capable of providing economical services comprises a plurality of host computers connected to a network for providing services through the network and an information processing terminal connected to the network. The information processing terminal identifies a service identifier, provided in a storage medium for network service, for identifying a type of a network service when the storage medium is attached, connects the line to the host computer which corresponds to the identified service identifier and receives the network service from the line-connected host computer.
Inventors
- 👤 Misao Kikuchi
- 👤 Kunimasa Imasono
- 👤 Yasushi Kitagawa
- 👤 Kenji Noma
- 👤 Tadayuki Tahara
- 👤 Yoshinori Saito
- 👤 Hisayoshi Hayasaka
- 👤 Kiyotaka Yago
- 👤 Kenji Kawasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 15:33
CPC Classifications
A63F13/12; A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/30; H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; A63F13/35; A63F13/90; A63F13/95; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/16; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/51; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/20; A63F2300/206; A63F2300/40; A63F2300/409; A63F2300/50; H04L67/01; H04L67/131
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A communication unit, for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, said communication unit comprising: game machine connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the game machine; network connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the network; attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether a game cassette is attached to said game machine and for discriminating a game cassette type when the game cassette is attached; and host accessing means for accessing he host via the network; said host accessing means being activated when a network game cassette utilizing the game services provided by the host is attached to said attachment state discriminating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A communication unit, for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, said communication unit comprising: game machine connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the game machine; network connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the network; attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether a game cassette is attached to said game machine and for discriminating a game cassette type when the game cassette is attached; and host accessing means for accessing he host via the network; said host accessing means being activated when a network game cassette utilizing the game services provided by the host is attached to said attachment state discriminating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
155 words
A communication unit, for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, said communication unit comprising: game machine connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the game machine; network connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the network; game cassette attaching means for removably attaching a game cassette of either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host; attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached; and host accessing means for accessing the host via the network; said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
155 words
A communication unit, for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, said communication unit comprising: game machine connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the game machine; network connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the network; game cassette attaching means for removably attaching a game cassette of either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host; attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached; and host accessing means for accessing the host via the network; said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes an opaque case with a cut section; wherein said communication unit further comprises a light emitting section and a light receiving section positioned so that said cut section is interposed therebetween when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on an output of said light receiving section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
108 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a light transmitting section having light transmittivity from one end to another end of said case; wherein said communication unit further comprises a light emitting section and light receiving section positioned so that said light transmitting section is interposed therebetween when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on an output of said light receiving section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
95 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a cut section; wherein said communication unit further comprises an ultrasonic transmitting section and an ultrasonic receiving section positioned so that said cut section is interposed therebetween when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on an output of said ultrasonic receiving section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
87 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a magnetic body; wherein said communication unit further comprises a magnetic contactless switch to detect said magnetic body when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said magnetic contactless switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a metallic body; wherein said communication unit further comprises a high frequency contactless switch to detect said metallic body when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said high frequency contactless switch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
109 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of the network type includes a first case and the game cassette of the stand-alone type includes a second case, the first and second cases having a different shape from each other; wherein said communication unit further comprises a micro-switch to contact either the game cassette of the network type or the game cassette of the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said micro-switch.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a magnetic body; wherein said communication unit further comprises a magnetic sensor to detect said magnetic body when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said magnetic sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
97 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a printed ID code label on a surface of said case; wherein said communication unit further comprises ID code reading means for reading said printed ID code label when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a result of said ID code reading means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette includes a storage section to store ID information; and wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type by reading the ID information stored in said storage section when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein said game machine connecting means is a terminal attachable to a game cassette attachment port disposed in said game machine; and wherein said game cassette attaching means is an attachment port attachable to existing game cassettes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
177 words
A communication unit for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, the game machine having a game cassette removably attached, the game cassette being either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host, said communication unit comprising: processing information storing means for storing processing information of said network connecting means and the game cassette; attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached; processing information executing means for executing the processing information stored in said processing information storing means based on a discrimination result of said attachment state discriminating means; and host accessing means for accessing the host via the network; said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
177 words
A communication unit for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, the game machine having a game cassette removably attached, the game cassette being either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host, said communication unit comprising: processing information storing means for storing processing information of said network connecting means and the game cassette; attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached; processing information executing means for executing the processing information stored in said processing information storing means based on a discrimination result of said attachment state discriminating means; and host accessing means for accessing the host via the network; said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-08 | 2001-03-10 | 2001-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-08 | 2005-03-10 | 2005-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-08 | 2009-03-10 | 2009-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |