Information processing system that seamlessly connects real world and virtual world

• US 20020188760A1
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kuwahara, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 7,115,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• 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 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• 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 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A player moves point value in virtual world into an IC card and a service center updates the point value stored in the IC card based on a result of an event which the player performed in real world. As a result, information concerning the play of the player in the virtual world is updated based on the player'"'"'s acts in the real world and a part of the virtual world is created based on the acts, which allows seamlessly connecting between the virtual world and the real world.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

terminal device provided at a user side, for executing predetermined information processing;

storage means for storing information of the information processing executed on the terminal device;

modifying means for modifying the information of the information processing stored in the storage means in accordance with a result of an event which the user performed by using the information of the information processing; and

controlling means provided at the user side, for controlling the information processing executed on the terminal device based on the information of the information processing modified by the modifying means.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information of the information processing is concerned with a video game which the user executed on the terminal device.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the event to be performed by the user is instructed while the user plays the video game on the terminal device.

4. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the information of the information processing represents point value obtained by the user through playing the video game.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4, the controlling means adds points to the point value stored in the storage means when the user clears the event.

6. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein the controlling means subtracts points corresponded to an virtual item purchased by the user from the point value stored in the storage means when the user purchases the virtual item within the video game at an existing store with the point value stored in the storage means.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the storage means is portable by the user.

8. An information processing method comprising the step of:

modifying information of information processing executed on a terminal device in accordance with a result of an event which a user performed by using the information of the information processing; and

controlling the information processing executed on the terminal device based on the modified information of the information processing.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein the information of the information processing is concerned with a video game which the user executed on the terminal device.

10. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the event to be performed by the user is instructed while the user plays the video game on the terminal device.

11. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the information of the information processing represents point value obtained by the user through playing the video game.

12. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the modifying step comprises a step of adding points to the point value when the user clears the event.

13. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the modifying step comprises a step of subtracting points corresponded to an virtual item purchased by the user from the point value when the user purchases the virtual item within the video game at an existing store with the point value.

17. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the event to be performed by the user is instructed while the user plays the video game on the terminal device.

18. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the information of the information processing represents point value obtained by the user through playing the video game.

19. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the information processing program further comprises the step of:

adding points to the point value when the user clears the event.

20. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the information processing program further comprises the step of:

subtracting points corresponded to an virtual item purchased by the user from the point value when the user purchases the virtual item within the video game at an existing store with the point value.

14. An information processing program to be executed on a computer, comprising the steps of:

modifying information of information processing executed on a terminal device in accordance with a result of an event which a user performed by using the information of the information processing; and

controlling the information processing executed on the terminal device based on the modified information of the information processing.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having recorded therein an information processing program to be executed on a computer, wherein the information processing program comprises the steps of:

modifying information of information processing executed on a terminal device in accordance with a result of an event which a user performed by using the information of the information processing; and

controlling the information processing executed on the terminal device based on the modified information of the information processing.

16. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim. 15, wherein the information of the information processing is concerned with a video game which the user executed on the terminal device.

21. An information processing system comprising:

terminal device provided at a user side, for executing predetermined information processing;

storage unit for storing information of the information processing executed on the terminal device;

modifying unit for modifying the information of the information processing stored in the storage unit in accordance with a result of an event which the user performed by using the information of the information processing; and

controlling unit provided at the user side, for controlling the information processing executed on the terminal device based on the information of the information processing modified by the modifying unit.