Abstract:
The information processing system of the present invention is composed of a recording medium  2  and an information processing device  1.  The recording medium  2  comprises a first recording region  21  and a second recording region  22.  The information processing device  1  either regenerates data recorded in the first recording region  21  of the recording medium  2  or executes a program recorded in the first recording region  21  of the recording medium  2,  and comprises recording means for recording specific information of its own into the second recording region  22  of the above-mentioned recording medium  2.  The information processing device  1  comprises comparing means  101  for comparing specific information recorded from the recording means with specific information in the second recording region, and processing means  101  for changing the operation of regenerating data of the recording medium or the operation of executing a program in the recording medium  2  in accordance with the result of the comparison.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing device used in this system and a recording medium used in this system. More particularly, this invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing device and a medium, which are designed to make the operational environment of a recording medium used only for a specific information processing device (for example, a game device owned by a user) different from that of a recording medium already used by another information processing device (for example, a game device other than that owned by a user). 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, an information processing system has been suggested, which is designed to perform specified information processing operations on the basis of whether or not ID information of an information processing device is identical with ID information of a recording medium by setting a region where a specific identification number (mainly ID information) can be memorized in a recording medium such as a ROM cassette or CD-ROM. The related art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. Sho 5 (1930)-52967, Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. Sho 9 (1934)-34799, Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. Sho 9 (1934)-26875, and the like. 
     These prior art documents suggested countermeasures against the illegal use of software by comparing the identification number of an information processing device with the identification number of an information processing device stored in a recording medium, and if the numbers are not the same, they prevent illegal installation of a program stored in the recording medium to an HDD of the information processing device. 
     These above-mentioned prior art documents, however, prevent only the illegal installation of a program stored in a recording medium into an information processing device. No attention is paid to an information processing system used without installation of the program stored in a recording medium into an HDD of the device, for example, a system composed of a recording medium with a game program stored therein and a game device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an information processing system of the kind described above with varied information processing operational environment by differing the operational environment of a recording medium used solely for a specific information processing device (for example, a game device owned by an user) and the operational environment of a recording medium already used by another information processing device. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an information processing system designed to enhance the value of a recording medium used solely for a specific information processing device by differing the operational environment thereof and the operational environment of a recording medium already used by another information processing device. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide an information processing device used in the above-described information processing system, and a recording medium. Moreover, it is a further object of this invention to provide a game machine relating to this information processing system, and a recording medium for a game machine. 
     In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the information processing system according to this invention comprises a recording medium and an information processing device. The recording medium comprises a first recording region and a second recording region. The information processing device either produces data recorded in the first recording region of the recording medium or executes a program recorded in the first recording region of the recording medium, and comprises recording means for recording it specific information into the second recording region of the recording medium. The information processing device further comprises comparing means for comparing specific information recorded from the recording means with specific information in the second recording region, and processing means for changing the operation of regenerating data in the recording medium or the operation of executing a program in the recording medium in accordance with the result of the comparison. 
     This invention makes it possible to provide an information processing system that enhances the value of a recording medium used solely for a specific information processing device (for example, a game device owned by a user) by differing the operational environment of the recording medium and the operational environment of a recording medium already used by another information processing device (for example, a game device other than the game device owned by a user). 
     At the same time, with the information processing system of this invention, if the specific information do not coincide with each other as a result of the comparison made by the comparing means, the processing means will limit the replaying operation of data recorded in the first recording region of the recording medium, or will limit the executing operation of a program. 
     It is preferable that the specific information be identification information of the information processing device. In this case, if the identification information of the information processing device is identical with the identification information of the recording medium it is determined that the recording medium has not been used by another information processing device. On the other hand, if the identification information is not the same, it is determined that the recording medium has already been used by another information processing device. In accordance with the result of these above-described determinations, the operation of regenerating data of the recording medium or the operation of executing a program will be changed. 
     The recording medium is, for example, a medium with a game program stored therein, and the information processing device is a game device. In this case, the processing means will change the operation of processing the game, the progress of which is controlled by the recording medium. 
     The medium and the information processing device according to this invention are the recording medium and the information processing device which are applied to the above-described information processing system. 
     Furthermore, the medium herein mentioned is a medium which has information (such as a game program) recorded in the first recording region thereof by way of some physical means, and which is capable of causing the information processing device such as a game device to operate a certain function such as execution of a game program. Without limitation to a game program, any medium in the form of a CD with music data or an LD with information such as animation data recorded therein may be used. In short, either a medium which downloads a program to a computer with some kind of measures, or a medium which reproduces music data or animated data will do. 
     Examples of the medium include a CD-R, game cartridge, floppy disk, magnetic tape, magneto-optical disc, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, ROM cartridge, RAM memory cartridge with a battery backup, flash memory cartridge, and nonvolatile RAM cartridge. 
     Communication media such as a wire communication medium like a telephone line, and a radio communication medium such as micro-wave are also included. The internet is also included in the above-mentioned communication media. 
     The above-mentioned medium comprises a second recording region apart from the above-mentioned first recording region, and this second recording region is used as the area for storing identification information of the information processing device (a game machine, for example). In this case, the second recording region can be composed of a nonvolatile memory. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the outline of a game device system according to an embodiment of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed structure of the game device system in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the game device system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter explained with regard to the configuration and the principle of the operation, referring to FIGS. 1 through 3. 
     Configuration 
     A game device system is composed of a game device  1 , a telereceiver  5 , a control pad  2   b  and a CD-R  2 , as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     This CD-R  2  is one example of an external recording medium. As other examples, a game cartridge, floppy disc, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, magnetic tape, ROM cartridge, magneto-optical disc, RAM memory cartridge with a battery backup, flash memory cartridge, or nonvolatile RAM cartridge may be used. 
     The CD-R  2  comprises a read only region  21  (a first recording region) and a writable region  22  (a second recording region). A game program, for example, is stored in the read only region  21 . The writable region  22  is composed of, for example, a nonvolatile memory and the like, and it can be used as an identification information storage region for storing identification information, and it can also be used as a region for saving the result of the game program, that is, as a backup memory. 
     This identification information may be an identification number (such as a serial number) specific to the game machine  1 , or an identification code of some kind (such as a character code). It may also be a combination of a number code and a character code. Different identification information is given to a different game device. 
     A control pad  2   b  is a controller for a player to play the game and to operate characters. Game pictures are displayed on the telereceiver  5 . 
     The game device  1  comprises a main CPU  101 , a CD I/F  180 , a RAM  103 , a ROM  103 , a VDP  120 , a PAD I/F  2   a.  An ID memory region  103   a  is secured inside the ROM  103 . Identification information of the game device  1  is stored in the ID memory region  103   a.    
     The main CPU  101  is connected through an internal bus  105  to the RAM  103  and the ROM  103 , and performs various control operations, arithmetic processing and the like. The main CPU  101  runs a game program stored in the CD-R  2  through the CD I/F  180  and the internal bus  106 . 
     The CD I/F  180  herein referred to is an I/O interface of the CD-R  2 . Data necessary for the execution of the game program is stored in the RAM  102 . 
     The VDP  120  is a processor for displaying game pictures on the telereceiver  5 , and is connected to the main CPU  101  through the internal bus  107 . The PAD I/F  2   a  is an I/O interface for obtaining output data from the control pad  2   b.    
     Referring to FIG. 2, the schematic block in FIG. 1 will be hereinafter explained in detail. FIG. 2 is an example configuration to realize the block of FIG.  1 . The game device  1  is composed of a CPU block  10  which controls the whole game device  1 , a vide block  11  which controls the display of game pictures, a sound block  12  which generates sound effects and the like, a subsystem  13  which reads the CD-ROM, and the like. 
     The CPU block  10  is composed of an SCU (System Control Unit)  100 , a main CPU  101 , a RAM  102 , a ROM  103 , a cartridge I/F  1   a,  a sub-CPU  104 , a CPU bus  105  and the like. 
     The main CPU  101  controls the whole device. This main CPU  101  has an internal operating function similar to that of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and is capable of running application software at high speed. ) The RAM  102  is used as a work area of the main CPU  101 . The ROM  103  is divided into an ID memory region  103   a  explained with reference to FIG. 1 and a region where an initialization program for initialization processing and programs for performing various controls are stored. 
     The SCU  100  controls the buses  105 ,  106  and  107 , thereby allowing smooth input and output of data between the main CPU  101 , VDPs  120  and  130 , a DSP  140 , a CPU  141  and the like. The SCU  100  is provided with an internal DMA controller inside and is capable of transferring sprite data in the course of a game to a VRAM inside the video block  11 . This makes it possible to run applications software of games and the like at high speed. 
     Control pads  2   b  and  2   c  are equipped with ABC keys and XYZ keys in addition to cross keys. The sub-CPU  104  is called an SMPC (System Manager &amp; Peripheral Control) and has functions, for example, to collect output data of ABC keys or the like from the control pad  2   b  or  2   c  through the PAD I/F  2   a  when required by the main CPU  101 . 
     Furthermore, an optional peripheral among a joy stick, a keyboard and the like, in addition to the control pad  2   b,  can be connected to the PAD I/F  2   a.  The sub-CPU  104  automatically recognizes the type of peripheral connected to the PAD I/F  2   a  (a terminal placed on the side of the main device) and has a function to collect peripheral data and the like by a communication method in accordance with the type of peripheral. 
     The video block  11  comprises a VDP (Video Display Processor)  120  which draws characters and the like composed of polygon data of a video game, and a VDP  130  which performs drawing of background pictures, synthesis of polygon picture data and the background pictures, clipping processing and the like. The VDP  120  is connected to a VRAM  131  and frame buffers  122  and  123 . Drawing data of polygons representing characters of a video game device is sent from the main CPU  101  through the SCU  100  to the VDP  120 , and is then written on a VRAM  121 . The drawing data written on the VRAM  121  is drawn, for example, on the frame buffer  122  or  123  for drawing in a 16 bit/pixel format. Data drawn on the frame buffer  122  or  123  is sent to the VDP  130 . Information for controlling the drawing is given from the main CPU  101  through the SCU  100  to the VDP  120 . The VDP  120  performs the drawing processing in accordance with these instructions. 
     The VDP  130  is connected to the VRAM  131 , and picture data outputted from the VDP  130  is caused to be outputted to an encoder  160  through a memory  132 . 
     The encoder  160  generates vide signals by adding synchronizing signals and the like to this picture data, and outputs them to the telereceiver  5 . 
     The sound block  12  is composed of a DSP  140  which performs sound synthesis in a PCM mode or an FM mode, and a CPU  141  which controls this DSP  140 . Sound data generated by the DSP  140  is converted to 2-channel signals by a D/A converter  170 , which are then output to a speaker  5   b .    
     The subsystem  13  is composed of a CD-ROM drive  1   b,  a CD I/F  180 , a CPU  181 , MPEG AUDIO  182 , MPEG VIDEO  183  and the like. This subsystem  13  has functions, for example, to read application software provided in a form of a CD-ROM and to generate animation data. The CD-ROM drive  1   b  is designed to read data from a CD-ROM. The CPU  181  performs processing, for example, to control the CD-ROM drive  1   b  and to correct errors in the data read. Data which is read from a CD-ROM is supplied through the CD I/F  180 , the bus  106  and the SCU  100  to the main CPU  101 , and is then utilized as application software. Also, the MPEG AUDIO  182 , the MPEG VIDEO  183  are devices to restore the data compressed by MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group) standards. 
     Restoration of MPEG compressed data which is written on the CD-R  2  as shown in FIG. 1 by using the MPEG AUDIO  182  and the MPEG VIDEO  183  enables the regeneration of animation data on the telereceiver  5 . 
     Principle of Performance 
     The block operation shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be hereinafter explained, referring to the flowchart of FIG.  3 . 
     Firstly, a player inserts the CD-R  2  into the game device  1  and starts the game device  1  (S 301 ). When the game device  1  starts, an initialization program for the initialization processing stored in the ROM  103  is executed. The contents of the writable region  22  of the CD-R  2  are transferred through the SCU  100  to the RAM  102  (S 302 ), so that the main CPU  101  can check whether identification information specific to the game device  1  is stored in the writable region  22  of the CD-R  2 . Upon shipment of the CD-R  2 , the identification information is not written in the writable region  22 . Accordingly, the main CPU  101  determines whether any identification information is written in the writable region  22  or not (S 303 ), and if the identification information is written, it compares the identification information of its own with the identification information of the medium (S 306 ). 
     If it is determined that no identification information of the game machine  1  is written in the writable region  22  (if the answer is “No” in S 303 ), the identification information stored in the ID memory region  103   a  will be written in the writable region  22  (S 304 ). 
     The identification information may be the date and time when the main CPU  101  recognized that the CD-R  2  was initially applied to the game device  1 , for example. Also, the identification information can be decided by random numbers. 
     Subsequently, the contents of the writable region  22  are reread (S 305 ), and then the processing proceeds to S 306 . 
     On the other hand, if it is determined that the identification information is written in the writable region  22  (if the answer is “YES” in S 303 ), then the processing proceeds to S 306 . 
     In S 306 , the identification information written in the writable region  22  is compared with the identification information stored in the ID memory region  103   a.  If the comparison result shows that both identification information are the same, the main CPU  101  determines the CD-R  2  as a “a medium which has not been used by another information processing device” and runs the game program as usual (S 308 ). 
     On the other hand, if the former identification information is not identical to the latter, the main CPU  101  determines that the CD-R  2  “has already been used by another information processing device”, the changes the contents of the processing to execute the game program (S 307 ). 
     Possible changes to the processing to execute the game program in S 307  are as follows: 
     For example, the CD-R  2  can tell the user that the CD-R  2  “has already been used by another information processing device” by displaying a message indicating that the CD-R  2  “has already been used by another information processing device” on the telereceiver  5 . 
     In this case, it is possible to alter the contents of the processing of the game program, or change parts of the scenario of the game program, shorten the play time of the game, or reduce the number of stages of the game. Moreover, saving the results of the game in the writable region  22  can be prohibited. Also, the speed of the operation processing of the main CPU and the like can be made slower on purpose. For example, the processing to lower a clock frequency is possible. 
     Also, according to a direction of the main CPU  101 , the sub-CPU  104  is capable of limiting or stopping the acquisition of a part of peripheral data received from the control pad  2   b  and the like, and partially limiting or stopping the acceptance of the control pad  2   b  and the like from a user. 
     The above-described processing can give variety to the contents of execution and processing of a game program in the game machine. 
     Moreover, by limiting the operation of the VDP  120  and the VDP  130 , it is possible to partially limit the display of the image of the game screen. Also, sound output from the speakers  5   a  and  5   b  can be partially limited by limiting the operation of the CPU  141  and the DSP  140  which compose the sound block  12 . 
     As for the contents of the processing in S 307 , other than partially limiting the execution of the game program, the main CPU  101  can stop the execution of the game program by stopping the access to the game program stored in the read only region  21  of the game cartridge  2 . The telereceiver  5  can also display a game as a demonstration version. 
     Also, is possible to cancel the processing in S 305 , and reread the identification information written in the recording medium (CD-R  2 ) in S 304 , and then perform specified processing by determining this recording medium as unused in any game device. An example of such processing is to display a message on the telereceiver  5  to the effect that this recording medium is used with a game device for the first time, and to run the game program normally. Accordingly, this invention makes it possible not only to determine whether the recording medium has been used by any information processing device, but also to change the operating environment of the program stored in the recording medium if it has already been used by any information processing device. 
     In S 306 , if the identification information is completely identical, it is judged a “YES”. Otherwise, it is judged as “NO”. However, even if it is “NO” in S 306 , it is possible to make further identification by determining whether the identification information is partially identical or not. For example, although it is not shown in the flow chart in FIG. 3, if a specific region of the identification information is searched and it is found that the information of the specific region is identical, the contents of the game program processing can be changed accordingly. For example, if the identification region is divided into N number of blocks A 1 , A 2 , through A N , and if only the information of the region belonging to the block A N  is identical, the number of stages in the game scenario is reduced, and if only the information of the region belonging to the block A N-1  is identical, the degree of difficulty of the game is changed. Otherwise the game program will be caused to run normally. 
     Moreover, it is possible to give a special meaning to the information in the specific region of the identification information and to change the contents of the game program processing on the basis of agreement or disagreement of the information in the specific region. For example, in the case where the information in the specific region is “1”, even if all the information in other regions is not identical, the game program will be caused to run normally. For example, in the case of a specific CD-R  2  which can be used regardless of the type of the game device  1 , it is necessary to make the execution of the game program possible even if the identification information of the game machine  1  is not identical with the identification information of the CD-R  2 . Consequently, if the CD-R  2  is the specific recording medium as described above, it is possible to set the information in the specific region of the identification information as “1” and to perform the above-described processing. 
     As described above, this invention makes it possible to provide a system designed to give variety to informational processing operational environment by comparing identification information of the recording medium with identification information of the information processing device and by changing the operational environment of the program stored in the recording medium or the contents of the execution processing. 
     Moreover, in the case where the medium is, for example, a CD, LD or the like which records sound data or animation data, it is possible to give changes to the operational environment thereof, that is, the time of reproducing music and the like. This can be done by limiting the operation of the CD I/F  180 , thereby setting a limitation on the acquisition of sound data or animation data by the CPU  181 .