Portable display system

Abstract

An example display system for playing a video game includes a hand-holdable housing; a liquid crystal display; one or more input devices; a first boot ROM storing code that is executed if a video game program for the video game has a first specification; and a second boot ROM storing code that is executed if a video game program for the video game has a second specification.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A handheld electronic gaming device, comprising:
 a main body incorporating a touch-sensitive panel on a front surface of the main body, wherein the touch-sensitive panel comprises a touch-sensitive surface configured to generate position related data in response to a user's touch input;   first and second input devices located on a top surface of the main body that joins the front surface and a rear surface of the main body.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive panel comprises a touch-sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 2 , further comprising image processing circuitry that is configured to cause a three-dimensional image to be displayed on the touch sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive panel is located at approximately a center of the front surface of the main body with respect to first and second opposite side surfaces of the main body. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second input devices comprise control buttons. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second input devices are located such that when a user holds the device with at least one hand, a finger of the at least one hand can operate one of the first and second input devices. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second input devices are located such that when a user holds the device with both hands, the index finger of the user's first hand can operate the first input device, and the index finger of the user's second hand can operate the second input device. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second input devices are located on opposite end portions, respectively, of the top surface of the main body. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first input device is located at or adjacent a first corner of the main body that joins the top surface to a first side surface of the main body, and wherein the second input device is located at or adjacent a second corner of the main body that joins the top surface to a second side surface of the main body that is opposite the first side surface. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second input devices are arranged laterally symmetrically with respect to a center of the main body. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third input device disposed on a first side of the front surface of the main body; and   a fourth input device disposed on a second side of the front surface of the main body opposed to the first side, the third and fourth input devices both being structured to allow a user to provide inputs.   
     
     
         12 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the third input device and the fourth input device are arranged symmetrically on the main body with respect to an axis bisecting the front surface of the main body. 
     
     
         13 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the third input device and the fourth input device are located such that when a user holds the device with both hands, the thumb of the user's first hand can operate one of the third and fourth input devices, and the thumb of the user's second hand can operate the other of the third and fourth input devices. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the third and fourth input devices is structured to allow a user to provide directional inputs in each of two different directions. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the third and fourth input devices comprises a cross-key. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth input devices can be operated at the same time by different fingers of the user's hands when a user holds the device with both hands. 
     
     
         17 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one speaker located on the main body and configured to generate audio output. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising an audio output terminal located on the main body. 
     
     
         19 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator light located on the main body and configured to indicate an on/off power status of the device. 
     
     
         20 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising a third input device located on the main body and configured to allow a user to perform at least one of a start operation and a select operation. 
     
     
         21 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one memory card slot located on the main body and that is configured to receive a memory card. 
     
     
         22 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second input devices are located on opposite sides of the top surface of the main body. 
     
     
         23 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second input devices are located at or adjacent first and second lateral corners, respectively, of the main body. 
     
     
         24 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising an audio interface mounted on the main body. 
     
     
         25 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry configured to download game data from a data network. 
     
     
         26 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 25 , wherein the control circuitry is also configured to store downloaded game data in a memory. 
     
     
         27 . The handheld electronic gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising processing circuitry configured to communicate with at least one other gaming device to enable the handheld electronic gaming device to play a multiplayer game. 
     
     
         28 . A handheld electronic gaming device, comprising:
 a main body configured to be held in both hands of a user;   a touch-sensitive panel located on a front surface of the main body, the touch-sensitive panel comprising a touch-sensitive surface configured to generate position related data in response to the user's touch input;   a first shoulder button configured to receive input from a finger of the user's first hand; and   a second shoulder button configured to receive input from a finger of the user's second hand.   
     
     
         29 . A handheld electronic gaming device, comprising:
 a housing configured to be held in both hands of a user;   a touch-sensitive panel located on a front surface of the housing, the touch-sensitive panel comprising a touch-sensitive surface configured to generate position related data in response to the user's touch input;   a first input device located on a top surface of the housing, the first input device being operable with a finger of the user's first hand when the user holds the housing in both hands; and   a second input device located on the top surface of the housing, the second input device being operable with a finger of the user's second hand when the user holds the housing in both hands.   
     
     
         30 . A handheld electronic gaming device, comprising:
 a main body having a front surface, a rear surface and a top surface;   a touch-sensitive panel located on the front surface of the main body and configured to generate position related data in response to a user's touch input; and   first and second input devices that are located at or adjacent opposite end portions, respectively, of the top surface of the main body.