Log collecting/analyzing system with separated functions of collecting log information and analyzing the same

• US 20020184366A1
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kanee, Kazuhiro, Kimoto, Yousuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A log collecting/analyzing system has a log collection terminal device as a client terminal device which collects logs and transmits the collected logs to a log server via a network. The log server receives the transmitted logs and stores the received logs for analysis. According to this configuration, it is possible to obtain useful information, such as information about what play modes are popular in the case of games and so forth, or information about what characters are popular in the case of selecting a character for a game. Therefore, it is possible to make use of the result of log analysis to develop the game.

Claims

1. A log collecting/analyzing system, comprising:

a client terminal device having a collecting unit operable to collect log information and a transmitter operable to transmit collected log information via a network; and

a log server having a storing/analyzing unit operable to store and analyze the log information transmitted from the client terminal device.

2. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the client terminal device further comprises a forming unit operable to form a basic structure of a log and a generating unit operable to generate desired log information from the basic structure of the log.

3. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 2, wherein the forming unit is operable to form a tree structure consisting of nodes and elements as the basic structure of the log, and the generating unit is operable to generate the desired log information hierarchically utilizing the tree structure.

4. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the client terminal device manages the collected log information independently for each application program.

5. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the client terminal device stores the collected log information under an off-line condition except for log information transmission processing for the log server.

6. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the client terminal device stores the collected log information in a desired form.

7. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the storing/analyzing unit is operable to pull out necessary information to analyze from the log information transmitted from the client terminal device.

8. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the log server is operable to manage the log information transmitted from the client terminal device independently for each application program.

9. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the log server is operable to store the log information transmitted from the client terminal device in a desired form.

10. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the log server and the client terminal device manage at least one of duration of service and a number of collection times for log collection.

11. A log collecting/analyzing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a log utilization terminal device for requesting desired log analyzed results from the log server via a network and for receiving the desired log analyzed results transmitted from the log server.

13. A method of log collection according to claim 12, wherein the managing step further comprises managing the information on the log using a tree structure consisting of nodes and elements.

14. A method of log collection according to claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting an un-transmitted log to a log server via a network if it is determined that the log collecting/analyzing system can be utilized;

accumulating the un-transmitted log if the network is incapable of transmitting the un-transmitted log; and

transmitting the accumulated un-transmitted log to the log server when the network is capable of transmitting the un-transmitted log.

17. A method of log analysis according to claim 16, further comprising:

analyzing the stored log information for each application program utilizing a database which is provided with a log management database for managing at least from which log application program the log user utilizes the log information, a log storage database for managing log information registered in a log application program and a log analyzed result management database for managing analyzed log information.

20. A log collecting device according to claim 19, wherein the log object consists of the log management information having a log application ID specifying an application program that utilizes the log collecting/analyzing system and a log user ID indicating which user a log belongs to, and log data having a tree structure consisting of nodes and elements.

12. A method of log collection, comprising:

determining whether a log collecting/analyzing system can be utilized;

executing at least one application program that utilizes the log collecting/analyzing system if it is determined that the log collecting/analyzing system can be utilized;

collecting a log generated by the log collecting/analyzing system at the time the at least one application program is executed; and

managing information on the log independently for each application program.

15. A recording medium recorded with a log collection program to be executed on a computer, the program comprising:

determining whether a log collecting/analyzing system can be utilized;

executing at least one application program that utilizes the log collecting/analyzing system if it is determined that the log collecting/analyzing system can be utilized;

collecting a log generated by the log collecting/analyzing system at the time the at least one application program is executed; and

managing information on the log independently for each application program.

16. A method of log analysis, comprising:

receiving log information transmitted from a log collection terminal device via a network;

storing the received log information;

analyzing the stored log information utilizing a log analysis interface to produce an analyzed result; and

storing the analyzed result.

18. A recording medium recorded with a log analysis program to be executed on a computer, the program comprising:

receiving log information transmitted from a log collection terminal device via a network;

storing the received log information;

analyzing the stored log information utilizing a log analysis interface to produce an analyzed result; and

storing the analyzed result.

19. A log collecting device, comprising:

an operating system for operating a log collecting/analyzing system;

an application program that utilizes the log collecting/analyzing system; and

a log system basic function processing unit for providing a basic function of the log collecting/analyzing system,

wherein the log system basic function processing unit includes a log interface management unit for managing a log interface for generating log information at the time the application program is executed, a log object processing unit for controlling a function of a log object consisting of log management information and log data, a log object transmission unit for controlling processing for transmitting the log information to a log server and a log object management unit for managing the log object.

21. A log analyzing device, comprising:

an operating system for operating a log analyzing system; and

a log server function processing unit for analyzing received log information and storing an analyzed result,

wherein the log server function processing unit includes a log analysis interface management unit for managing a log analysis interface, a log object analysis unit for analyzing the received log information, a log object reception unit for controlling a function for receiving log information transmitted from a log collection terminal device via a network and a log analyzed result management unit for storing the analyzed result.

22. A log analyzing device according to claim 21, further comprising:

a log management database for managing at least from which application program the log user utilizes the log information;

a log storage database for managing log information registered in the application program; and

a log analyzed result management database for managing the analyzed log information.

24. A log collection terminal device according to claim 23, further comprising:

a forming unit operable to form a basic structure of a log; and

a generating unit operable to generate desired log information from the basic structure of the log.

25. A log collection terminal device according to claim 24, wherein the forming unit is operable to form a tree structure consisting of nodes and elements as the basic structure of the log, and the generating unit is operable to generate the desired log information hierarchically utilizing the tree structure.

26. A log collection terminal device according to claim 23, wherein the collected log information is managed independently for each application program.

27. A log collection terminal device according to claim 23, wherein the collected log information is maintained under an off-line condition except for log information transmission processing for the log server.

28. A log collection terminal device according to claim 23, wherein the collected log information is maintained in a desired form.

29. A log collection terminal device according to claim 23, further comprising:

means for managing at least one of duration of service of the log collection and a number of collection times for log collection.

23. A log collection terminal device, comprising:

a collecting unit operable to collect log information; and

a transmitter operable to transmit collected log information to a log server via a network.

30. A log server, comprising:

a receiver operable to receive log information transmitted from a log collection terminal device; and

a storing and analyzing unit operable to store the received log information and to pull out necessary information to analyze from the received log information.

31. A log server according to claim 30, wherein the received log information is independently managed for each application program.

32. A log server according to claim 30, wherein the received log information is stored in a desired form.

33. The log server according to claim 30, further comprising:

means for managing at least one of duration of service of log collection and a number of collection times for the log collection.

34. The log server according to claim 30, further comprising:

a transmitter operable to transmit an analyzed result to a log utilizing terminal device.

35. A log collecting/analyzing system, comprising:

a client terminal device having a collecting unit operable to collect log information and a transmitter operable to transmit the collected log information to a log server via a network; and

a log server having a storing/analyzing unit for storing and analyzing the log information transmitted from the client terminal device.