Multiuser electronic platform-screen, in particular for games, and method for controlling clerance for executing programmes such as games

Abstract

The invention concerns an electronic platform-screen comprising (a) a globally flat case ( 200 ); electronic processing, storage and interface means housed in the case; (c) a flat screen display ( 110 ) arranged at an upper surface ( 202 ) of the case; and (d) a plurality of user-interface elements ( 300 ) for several users, distributed around the display screen and connected to the interface means housed in the case. The invention also concerns a method for controlling clearance for executing downloaded programmes such as games. The invention is applicable in particular to electronic games involving several players.

1 . An electronic multiuser screen platform, especially for electronic games, characterized in that it comprises: 
 a generally flat casing ( 200 ),    electronic ( 10 ) processing ( 100 ), storage ( 102 ,  104 ,  116 ) and interface ( 114 ) means housed in the casing,    a flat display screen ( 110 ) provided on an upper surface ( 202 ) of the casing, and    a plurality of user interface elements ( 300 ) for several users, distributed around the display screen and connected to the electronic interface means ( 114 ) housed in the casing.    
     
     
         2 . The screen platform as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing ( 200 ) has a generally rectangular shape, with user interface elements ( 300 ) on its four sides.  
     
     
         3 . The screen platform as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that one or two sets of user interface elements ( 300 ) for one or two users, respectively, are provided on each side.  
     
     
         4 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that the sets of user interface elements comprise joysticks ( 300 ) which are separate from the casing.  
     
     
         5 . The screen platform as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the joysticks ( 300 ) are connected to the electronic interface means via cables ( 304 ) and separable connectors ( 302 ) on each side of the casing.  
     
     
         6 . The screen platform as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the joysticks ( 300 ) are connected to the electronic interface means via a wireless link such as an infrared link.  
     
     
         7 . The screen platform as claimed in either of claims  5  and  6 , characterized in that a plurality of housings ( 230 ) for the joysticks ( 300 ) are provided on the periphery of the casing.  
     
     
         8 . The screen platform as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that each joystick ( 300 ) can be used just as well in its housing as outside thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that the sets of user interface elements ( 300 ) are integrated into the casing, in a peripheral region thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  9 , characterized in that each set of user interface elements comprises a miniature display screen ( 314 ) and a set of control buttons ( 310 ).  
     
     
         11 . The screen platform as claimed in  claim 10 , characterized in that each set of user interface elements ( 300 ) further comprises a member ( 312 ) for moving a cursor on the miniature display screen ( 314 ).  
     
     
         12 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  11 , characterized in that it further comprises at least one loudspeaker ( 120 ) for sound reproduction.  
     
     
         13 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  12 , characterized in that each set of user interface elements ( 300 ) comprises movement means ( 310 ) acting on at least one display element displayed by the display screen, and in that the way in which said movement means act depends on the side of the casing from which the set of user interface elements can be used.  
     
     
         14 . The screen platform as claimed in  claim 13  taken in combination with one of  claims 4  to  8 , characterized in that a code is provided for each joystick ( 300 ) according to which side of the casing said joystick can be used and/or the position of said joystick.  
     
     
         15 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  14 , characterized in that it has a connector ( 214 ,  216 ) for downloading games programs.  
     
     
         16 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  15 , characterized in that the casing ( 200 ) has layouts for maintaining a vertical position.  
     
     
         17 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  16 , characterized in that it further comprises a touch-sensitive detection device ( 111 ) superimposed on the screen ( 110 ).  
     
     
         18 . The screen platform as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  17 , characterized in that it further comprises a rechargeable battery as its electrical power supply.  
     
     
         19 . The screen platform as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises display control means capable of altering the orientation of the display on the flat screen ( 110 ), especially so as to adapt said orientation to a particular player.  
     
     
         20 . A method of checking the authorization of a user to execute a program on a computer system, and especially a game on a computer game platform comprising a device for reading portable storage objects, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: 
 providing the user with a portable object ( 118 ) capable of containing an unmodifiable program identifier in a first memory zone,    establishing a connection with a server via a computer network,    verifying ( 507 ,  508 ) the presence of a program identifier in the memory of the portable object using the read device,    transmitting the identifier to the server, and    downloading ( 509 ) the program corresponding to said identifier from the server to the computer system.    
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , characterized in that the computer system comprises an unmodifiable memory zone containing a unique identifier for said system, and in that the portable object also comprises a second unmodifiable memory zone capable of containing a computer system identifier.  
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 21 , characterized in that it also comprises the steps consisting in: 
 comparing ( 405 ) the system identifier stored in the system with the system identifier stored in the portable object, and when these correspond, authorizing the execution of the program.    
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in either of claims  21  and  22 , characterized in that it also comprises the following steps: 
 on each interaction between a portable object and the read device, determining ( 403 ) whether the second memory zone of said portable object contains a system identifier, and  
 when this is not the case, writing ( 404 ) into said second memory region the identifier of the system to which the read device belongs.  
 
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 , characterized in that it further comprises the step consisting, at server level, in recording said system identifier in a database.  
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 21  to  24 , characterized in that it also comprises the following steps: 
 during each transaction between the computer system and the server, determining ( 503 ) whether the second memory zone of a portable object interacting with the read device of said system contains a system identifier corresponding to an identifier recorded in the database of the server, and  
 when this is not the case, abandoning the transaction.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 20  to  25 , characterized in that it further comprises the following steps: 
 attaching a number combining a system identifier and a program identifier to a program to be downloaded,  
 in the system receiving the program, calculating ( 603 ) a number combining, in the same way, the identifier of the system in question and the program identifier stored in the portable object, and  
 comparing ( 604 ) the number attached to the downloaded program with the number calculated in the system.