Game Interruption Mechanism for Arbitrary State Resumption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional game apparatuses make it cumbersome to interrupt and resume games in progress, as operation inputs vary by game and often restrict arbitrary interruption due to preset save points.
Innovation Solution
A game apparatus with a game execution means, storage control means, and setting changing means that allows users to temporarily interrupt games, store interruption information, and resume from the same state, with options for normal termination and hibernation data management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional save methods are used, then game state can be preserved, but operation inputs vary by game and arbitrary interruption is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal interruption mechanism that works across different game types and platforms. The suspension command interpreter translates various game-specific interruption requests into a standardized internal format, allowing the same interruption operations to function universally across different games while maintaining their individual characteristics through the translation layer
2Productivity
If game is terminated normally, then system resources are freed, but game state cannot be resumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces suspension information as an intermediary data structure that bridges the gap between game termination and resumption. When a game is suspended, the current state is captured and stored as suspension information in a dedicated storage area. This intermediary representation allows the system to free game resources while preserving the ability to restore the exact game state later, solving both resource management and state preservation requirements
3Reliability
If interruption information is stored, then game can be resumed, but storage space is occupied and may conflict with other data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic storage management system for suspension information. The stored interruption data is not permanently retained but is recovered only when needed for game resumption. The system can clear or overwrite suspension information when it is no longer required, allowing storage space to be reused for other purposes. This approach ensures game resumption reliability while optimizing storage space utilization through selective retention and recovery of suspension data
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A game execution unit 101 of a game apparatus 2 executes game processing in conformity with predetermined setting information including a game program, and terminates the game processing in progress in response to a command for temporary interruption from a user. A storage control unit 102 restores the state at the time of game termination by the game execution unit 101, and stores in a storage unit 107 interruption information allowing resumption of the game processing in conformity with the command for temporary interruption from the user. A setting changing unit 103 changes the predetermined setting information in response to a change command from the user. The storage control unit 102 deletes the interruption information stored in the storage unit 107 in accordance with setting change carried out by the setting changing unit 103.