Virtual world system, server computer and information processor

• US 20020095523A1
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimakawa, Keiso, Shimada, Muneki, Okada, Toyoshi, Fujii, Takahiro, Kimoto, Yousuke, Komaki, Kenjiro, Hiramatsu, Shuji, Ohba, Akio, Suzuoki, Masakazu, Kake, Tomokazu, Enomoto, Shigeru, Kimura, Yuta, Onai, Hidehisa, Horie, Hiromasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/316
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

Objects which are created in conformity with the data format of objects to be handled in a virtual world, are offered to users on the terminal computers of the users independently of the virtual world. The users transmit the offered objects to a server computer which generates the virtual world, while the server computer stores these objects in association with the operators. Since these objects are recorded in the format which can be interpreted by the server computer for generating the virtual world, they can be handled in the virtual world likewise to the other objects which are defined in the virtual world beforehand. Thus, the users are permitted to use in the virtual world the objects which are different from the objects defined in the virtual world beforehand.

Claims

1. A virtual world system having a server computer, and a plurality of terminal computers connected to the server computer, wherein avatars of operators of the terminal computers are displayed in a virtual world generated on the server computer, and they are caused to act on the basis of operations from the terminal computers, comprising:

object offer means for offering virtual objects to the operators of said terminal computers;

object transmission means for transmitting the offered objects to said server computer;

object storage means for receiving said objects, and for storing them in association with said operators of said terminal computers having transmitted them; and

object display means for displaying the stored objects in the virtual world on the basis of the operations of said operators.

2. A server computer having virtual world generation means for generating a virtual world, and for outputting symbols to act in the virtual world in accordance with operations from participant terminals, to the participant terminals, comprising:

an object record area in which data concerning objects available in said virtual world are stored in conformity with a predetermined data format;

object display means for displaying the objects in said virtual world by reference to said object record area; and

object data acceptance means for accepting from the participants the object data recorded in the predetermined data format, and for recording the accepted object data in said object record area.

3. A server computer as defined in claim 2, wherein:

said object data acceptance means records said accepted object data in said object record area in association with said participants pertinent to said object data; and

said object display means refers to the recorded object data on the basis of the operations from the associated participants.

4. An information processor comprising:

game offer means for offering a game which presents a problem to a player, and which awards a virtual object to the player when the problem has been cleared;

the object to-be-awarded having been recorded in said predetermined data format mentioned in claim 2; and

transmission means for transmitting the awarded object to said server computer as defined in claim 2.

5. An information processor as defined in claim 4, further comprising:

means for permitting said player to access said server computer as defined in claim 2, and to participate in said virtual world generated on said server computer; and

means for making said awarded object available to the operator in said virtual world in which he/she has participated.

6. A program for causing an information processor to execute a game which presents a problem to a player, and which awards a virtual object to the player when the problem has been cleared;

wherein

the object to-be-awarded has been recorded in said predetermined data format mentioned in claim 2; and

said program causes the information processor to execute a transmission process for transmitting the awarded object to said server computer as defined in claim 2.

7. A program as defined in claim 6, further causing said information processor to execute:

a process for permitting said player to access said server computer as defined in claim 2, and to participate in said virtual world generated on said server computer; and

a process for making said awarded object available to the operator in said virtual world in which he/she has participated.

8. A program for causing an information processor to execute a process which accepts an operation from an operator, and which creates a virtual object on the basis of the operation, said program causing the information processor to execute:

a process for recording the created object in conformity with said predetermined data format as mentioned in claim 2; and

a transmission process for transmitting the recorded object to said server computer as defined in claim 2.

9. A program as defined in claim 8, wherein:

an attribute is set for said object which is transmitted to said server computer; and

a mode in which the operator uses said object in said virtual world is determined based on the attribute.

10. An information processor-readable recording medium in which said program as defined in any one of claims 6 through 9 is recorded.

11. A virtual world offering method which generates a virtual world on a server computer connected to a computer network, and which outputs symbols to act in the virtual world in accordance with operations from participant terminals, to the participant terminals, wherein:

when data concerning objects available in said virtual world have been accepted in a predetermined data format from the participants;

the objects are registered as possessions of the pertinent participants, and are handled as objects available to said pertinent participants in said virtual world.