IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,605,626
Granted Patent B2
US 12,605,626 · App. 18/326,504 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Game system that allows improvement in convenience of user in selection of game, non-transitory storage medium encoded with computer readable information processing program, and information processing method

Inventor: Naoya Morimura (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
A63F13/49A63F13/48A63F13/533
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,605,626
App. No.
18/326,504
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A game system includes at least one computer, a first storage configured to store a plurality of game programs, and a second storage configured to store save data of the plurality of game programs and to store a plurality of pieces of save data for at least one game program. The computer causes the second storage to store save data of the game program that is being executed, based on a status of execution of the game program, causes a display to show a list of corresponding information for each piece of save data of the game program for which a plurality of pieces of save data are stored, and selects information corresponding to one piece of save data from the shown list of information corresponding to the save data shown on the display in accordance with an operation input from a user.

Claims (65)

1 . A game system comprising:

at least one computer;

a first storage configured to store a plurality of game programs; and

a second storage configured to store save data of the plurality of game programs and to store a plurality of pieces of save data for at least one game program, wherein

the computer:

executes at least one game program among the plurality of game programs stored in the first storage,

causes the second storage to store save data of the game program that is being executed, based on a status of execution of the game program,

causes a display to show a list of information corresponding to save data for each piece of save data of the game program for which a plurality of pieces of save data are stored among pieces of save data of the plurality of game programs stored in the second storage, and

selects information corresponding to one piece of save data from the shown list of information corresponding to the pieces of save data shown on the display, based on an operation input from a user,

to execute a game program includes to execute a corresponding game program based on save data in response to selection of information corresponding to the save data; and

to cause the second storage to store save data further includes to cause the second storage to store, together with the save data, an image showing a status of progress of game play corresponding to that save data, and

to cause a display to show a list of information includes to cause the display to show, as the information corresponding to the save data, images arranged adjacent to each other, each respective image showing a status of progress of game play corresponding to that save data.

2 . The game system according to claim 1 , wherein

the list of information is arranged by each corresponding game program.

3 . The game system according to claim 2 , wherein

information indicating the game program is displayed together with the information corresponding to the save data arranged for each game program.

4 . The game system according to claim 3 , wherein

the information indicating the game program includes an image associated with contents of the game program.

5 . The game system according to claim 3 , wherein

in response to selection of the information indicating the game program, the game program corresponding is executed without using save data stored in the second storage.

6 . The game system according to claim 3 , wherein

the information indicating the game program includes an image of a screen showing a title of the game program.

7 . The game system according to claim 1 , wherein

to cause the second storage to store save data includes to cause the second storage to store save data of the game program that is being executed automatically or based on an operation input from the user, and

the information corresponding to the save data includes information indicating that save data has automatically been stored in the second storage.

8 . The game system according to claim 1 , wherein

to cause the second storage to store save data includes to disallow storage in the second storage of new save data of the game program that is being executed when a number of all pieces of save data for the plurality of game programs stored in the second storage has reached a predetermined upper limit number.

9 . The game system according to claim 1 , wherein

to cause the second storage to store save data includes to disallow storage in the second storage of new save data of the game program that is being executed when a data capacity for all pieces of save data for the plurality of game programs stored in the second storage has reached a predetermined upper limit capacity.

10 . The game system according to claim 1 , wherein

to cause a display to show a list of information includes to allocate, for each game program, a prescribed area where the display is caused to show a list of information corresponding to save data and to cause a list of information corresponding to the save data for each piece of save data of the corresponding game program to be shown in each area.

11 . A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program executed by a computer of a game system including a first storage configured to store a plurality of game programs and a second storage configured to store save data of the plurality of game programs and to store a plurality of pieces of save data for at least one game program, at least one computer being configured to perform operations comprising:

executing at least one game program among the plurality of game programs stored in the first storage;

causing the second storage to store save data of the game program that is being executed, based on a status of execution of the game program, where an image showing a status of progress of game play corresponding to that save data is stored together with the save data;

causing a display to show a list of information corresponding to save data for each piece of save data of the game program for which a plurality of pieces of save data are stored among pieces of save data of the plurality of game programs stored in the second storage, where a respective image stored corresponding to respective save data are displayed as the information corresponding to the save data, where the respective images are arranged adjacent to each other;

selecting information corresponding to one piece of save data from the shown list of information corresponding to the pieces of save data shown on the display based on an operation input from a user; and

executing the corresponding game program based on the save data in response to selection of the information corresponding to the save data.

12 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 11 , wherein

the list of information is arranged by each corresponding game program.

13 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 12 , wherein

information indicating the game program is displayed together with the information corresponding to the save data arranged for each game program.

14 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 13 , wherein

the information indicating the game program includes an image associated with contents of the game program.

15 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 14 , wherein

in response to selection of the information indicating the game program, the game program corresponding is executed without using save data stored in the second storage.

16 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 13 , wherein

the information indicating the game program includes an image of a screen showing a title of the game program.

17 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 11 , wherein

the causing the second storage to store save data includes causing the second storage to store save data of the game program that is being executed automatically or based on an operation input from the user, and

the information corresponding to the save data includes information indicating that save data has automatically been stored in the second storage.

18 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 11 , wherein

the causing the second storage to store save data includes disallowing storage in the second storage of new save data of the game program that is being executed when a data capacity for all pieces of save data for the plurality of game programs stored in the second storage has reached a predetermined upper limit capacity.

19 . The non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to claim 11 , wherein

the causing the display to show a list of information includes allocating for each game program a prescribed area where the display is caused to show a list of information corresponding to save data and causing a list of information corresponding to the save data for each piece of save data of the corresponding game program to be shown in each area.

20 . An information processing method comprising:

executing at least one game program among a plurality of game programs stored in a first storage;

causing a second storage to store save data of a game program that is being executed, based on a status of execution, where an image showing a status of progress of game play corresponding to that save data is stored together with the save data;

causing a display to show a list of information corresponding to the save data for each piece of save data of a game program for which a plurality of pieces of save data are stored among pieces of save data of the plurality of game programs stored in the second storage, where a respective image stored corresponding to respective save data are displayed as the information corresponding to the save data, where the respective images are arranged adjacent to each other; and

selecting information corresponding to one piece of save data from the shown list of information corresponding to the save data shown on the display, based on an operation input from a user, wherein

the executing a game program includes executing a corresponding game program based on the save data in response to selection of the information corresponding to the save data.

21 . The information processing method according to claim 20 , wherein

the list of information is arranged by each corresponding game program and information indicating the game program is displayed together with the information corresponding to the save data, and wherein

in response to selection of the information indicating the game program, the game program which corresponds is executed without using the save data stored in the second storage.

22 . The information processing method according to claim 20 , wherein

the causing the second storage to store save data includes disallowing storage in the second storage of new save data of the game program that is being executed when a data capacity for all pieces of save data for the plurality of game programs stored in the second storage has reached a predetermined upper limit capacity.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2023
From: MORIMURA, NAOYA
To: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065199/0082 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-192979 · Dec 1, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240181342A1 · Jun 6, 2024
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