Compatibility adapter and compatibility processing method

Abstract

A compatibility adapter configured for connection to an external connection terminal of a new-generation game device is provided. An old-generation processor unit is a processor unit compatible with the processing function of an old-generation game device. When it is determined that the type of a recording medium storing application software is for the old-generation game device, a hub receives data, which has been input to the new-generation game device, from the new-generation game device via the external connection interface. Data extracted from a received packet is supplied to the old-generation processor unit and processed accordingly. The hub supplies the processed data to the new-generation game device via the external connection interface.

1 . A compatibility adapter device comprising:
 an external connection interface configured to be connected to an external connection terminal of a new-generation entertainment device;   a compatibility processor unit configured to be compatible with the processing function of an old-generation entertainment device; and   a control unit configured to receive data, which has been input to the new-generation entertainment device, from the new-generation entertainment device via the external connection interface, when it is determined that the type of a recording medium storing application software is for the old-generation entertainment device, to supply the data to the compatibility processor unit, and to transmit the data processed by the compatibility processor unit to the new-generation entertainment device via the external connection interface.   
     
     
         2 . The compatibility adapter device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an emulator unit configured to demodulate a reproduced pre-demodulation signal read from the recording medium, wherein, when the type of the recording medium storing application software is for the old-generation entertainment device, the control unit receives the reproduced pre-demodulation signal that has been read from the recording medium in the disk drive of the new-generation entertainment device from the new-generation entertainment device via the external connection interface, supplies the received signal to the emulator unit, and supplies the data demodulated by the emulator unit to the compatibility processor unit. 
     
     
         3 . The compatibility adapter device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the external connection interface is a network interface and is provided with a hub having a first port for communicating with the new-generation entertainment device and a second port for communicating with an external network,   wherein data exchanged between the new-generation entertainment device and the compatibility adapter device is packetized and is transmitted and received via the hub,   wherein data to be transmitted from the new-generation entertainment device to the external network is input to the first port of the hub and output from the second port of the hub, and   wherein data to be received by the new-generation entertainment device from the external network is input to the second port of the hub and output from the first port of the hub.   
     
     
         4 . The compatibility adapter device according to  claim 1 , wherein the external connection interface is a bus interface for connecting a peripheral device, and data to be exchanged between the new-generation entertainment device and the compatibility adapter device is converted into a signal adapted to a bus interface standard before being transmitted and received via the bus interface. 
     
     
         5 . The compatibility adapter device according to  claim 1   4 , wherein the compatibility processor unit delivers processed video data to the control unit without upconverting the rendered video data. 
     
     
         6 . The compatibility adapter device according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more frames rendered by the compatibility processor unit are skipped in order to cancel displacement in the cycles of frames due to difference in the clock frequencies of the new-generation entertainment device and the old-generation entertainment device. 
     
     
         7 . A compatibility processing method adapted for a compatibility adapter device connected to an external connection terminal of a new-generation entertainment device in order to provide the new-generation entertainment device with downward compatibility with an old-generation entertainment device, comprising:
 receiving data, which has been input to the new-generation entertainment device, from the new-generation entertainment device via an external connection interface, when it is determined that the type of a recording medium storing application software is for the old-generation entertainment device; and   supplying the input data as received to a compatibility processor unit compatible with the processing function of the old-generation entertainment device, and transmitting the data processed by the compatibility processor unit to the new-generation entertainment device via the external connection interface.   
     
     
         8 . The compatibility processing method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving, when the type of the recording medium storing application software is for the old-generation entertainment device, a reproduced pre-demodulation signal that has been read from the recording medium in the disk drive of the new-generation entertainment device from the new-generation entertainment device via the external connection interface;   demodulating the reproduced pre-demodulation signal as received, using emulation in the compatibility adapter device; and   supplying data thus demodulated to the compatibility processor unit.