System, method, and data storage medium for sharing data between video games

Abstract

A system for sharing information between separately executable programs is provided. The data sharing system includes a control unit ( 11 ) having a processor ( 12 ) and a memory ( 16 ) coupled to the processor ( 12 ). The memory ( 16 ) stores information pertaining to a first program that was previously executed by the processor ( 12 ). The data sharing system also includes a data storage medium ( 14 ) that stores a second program executable by the processor ( 12 ). When executed by the processor, the second program retrieves information pertaining to the first program from the memory and utilizes the information pertaining to the first program with the execution of the second program.

1 . A system for sharing data between software programs comprising: 
 (a) a control unit having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing information pertaining to a first program that was previously executed by the processor; and    (b) a data storage medium couplable to the control unit, the data storage medium storing a second program implementable by the processor for: 
 (i) retrieving information pertaining to the first program from the memory; and  
 (ii) utilizing the information pertaining to the first program with the execution of the second program.  
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second program implementable by the processor verifies the validity of the retrieved information before utilizing the retrieved information with the second program.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second program implementable by the processor: 
 (i) identifies information pertaining to the second program for sharing with the first program; and    (ii) requests storage of the information pertaining to the second program in the memory for retrieval by the first program.    
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first program implementable by the processor: 
 (i) identifies information pertaining to the second program for sharing with a third program; and    (ii) requests storage of the information pertaining to the second program in the memory for retrieval by the third program.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the memory is a nonvolatile random access memory.  
   
   
       6 . A system for sharing data between software programs comprising: 
 (a) a control unit having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor; and    (b) a first data storage medium couplable to the processor, the first data storage medium storing a first program implementable by the processor for: 
 (i) identifying information pertaining to the first program for sharing with a second program; and  
 (ii) requesting storage of the information pertaining to the first program in the memory for retrieval by the second program; and  
   (c) a second data storage medium couplable to the control unit, the second data storage medium storing the second program implementable by the processor for: 
 (i) retrieving the information pertaining to the first program from the memory; and  
 (ii) utilizing the information pertaining to the first program with the second program.  
   
   
   
       7 . The data sharing system of  claim 6 , wherein the second program implementable by the processor verifies the validity of the retrieved information prior to utilizing the retrieved information in the execution of the second program.  
   
   
       8 . The data sharing system of  claim 6 , wherein the information pertaining to the first program affects the second program, causing the second program implementable by the processor to: 
 (i) produce information pertaining to the second program for sharing with the first program; and    (ii) request storage of the information pertaining to the second program in the memory for retrieval by the first program.    
   
   
       9 . The data sharing system of  claim 8 , wherein the first program implementable by the processor further: 
 (i) retrieves the information pertaining to the second program from the memory; and    (ii) utilizes the information pertaining to the second program with the first program.    
   
   
       10 . The data sharing system of  claim 9 , wherein the first program implementable by the processor verifies the validity of the retrieved information pertaining to the second program prior to utilizing the retrieved information pertaining to the second program in the execution of the first program.  
   
   
       11 . The data sharing system of  claim 6 , wherein the information pertaining to the first program affects the second program, causing the second program implementable by the processor to: 
 (i) produce information pertaining to the second program for sharing with a third program; and    (ii) request storage of the information pertaining to the second program in memory for retrieval by the third program.    
   
   
       12 . A method for sharing information between three software programs implementable by a processor, the method comprising: 
 connecting a first data storage medium having a first program stored therein to said processor;    transferring data pertaining to a first program to a memory coupled to the processor;    connecting a second data storage medium having a second program stored therein to the processor;    retrieving the data pertaining to the first program from the memory coupled to the processor and then using said data in connection with the second program;    transferring data pertaining to the second program to the memory coupled to the processor;    connecting a third data storage medium to the processor, the third data storage medium having a third program stored therein; and    retrieving the data pertaining to the second program from the memory coupled to the processor and then utilizing said data in connection with the third program.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 transferring data pertaining to the second program to the memory coupled to the processor; and    retrieving the data pertaining to the second program from the memory coupled to the processor and then utilizing said data in connection with the first program.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein transferring data pertaining to the first program to the memory coupled to the processor comprises setting a flag in the memory indicating the status of an event pertaining to the first data storage medium for affecting the implementation of the second program.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the transferring of data pertaining to the second data storage medium to the memory coupled to the processor comprises setting a flag in the memory indicating the status of an event pertaining to the second data storage medium for affecting the implementation of the first program.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the memory coupled to the processor is a nonvolatile random access memory.