Game device

• US 20050209008A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega
• Original Assignee: SEGA Corporation (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Yusuke, Masui, Hiroshi, Ikebuchi, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a game machine having high data management ability. In order to achieve this object, the game machine (10) of the present invention includes a card interface (11) configured so that a magnetic card (20) is detachably attached thereto, card ID recording means (12) for recording a card ID generated on the basis of time information specifying the date and time when the magnetic card (20) is attached to the card interface (11) in a magnetic data recording area (22) provided in the magnetic card (20), and printing means (14) for printing an access code uniquely obtained by the calculation of a predetermined function based on the card ID in a printing area (21) of the magnetic card (20).

Claims

1. A game machine comprising:

an external interface configured such that an external memory medium is detachably attached thereto;

means for generating an ID for an external memory medium attached to the external interface by using a predetermined algorithm;

ID recording means for recording the generated ID in a magnetic data recording area provided in the external memory medium;

means for generating identification information corresponding to the ID and visually identifiable to a game player; and

printing means for printing the identification information in a printing area of the external memory medium;

2. The game machine according to claim 1 wherein the ID is identification information generated on the basis of time information and unique information to the game machine.

3. The game machine according to claim 2 wherein the game machine obtains time information from a server device connected thereto via a network.

4. A game machine comprising:

memory means for storing a plurality of game programs; and

game processing means for reading a specific game program that is selected on the condition of satisfying a prescribed requirement from among the programs stored in the memory means, and executing the game program.

5. The game machine according to claim 4 wherein the prescribed requirement is to achieve a certain result in a game.

6. A server device comprising:

data management means for storing a character message entered from a terminal device to perform a data management task on a database; and

communication means for transmitting the character message to a game machine operated by a player to display the same on image display means of the game machine.

7. A game system comprising a plurality of game machines and a server device connected to the game machines via a network,

wherein the game machine comprises;

an external interface configured such that an external memory medium is detachably attached thereto;

recording means for generating an ID without duplication upon use of the external memory medium and recording the ID in a magnetic data recording area provided in the external memory medium, via the external interface;

recording means for requesting the server device to register the ID, receiving an access ID associated with the ID from the server device, and recording the access ID in a magnetic data recording area provided in the external memory medium; and

printing means for printing another unique access code obtained by subjecting the access ID to prescribed conversion processing in a printing area of the external memory medium.

8. A game system comprising a plurality of game machines and a server device connected to the game machines via a network,

wherein the game system further comprises:

memory means for storing a plurality of game programs; and

game processing means for reading a specific game program that is selected on the condition of satisfying a prescribed requirement from among the programs stored in the memory means, and executing the game program.

9. A game system comprising a plurality of game machines and a server device connected to the game machines via a network,

wherein the game system further comprises:

data management means for storing a character message entered from a terminal device connectable via a network to perform a data management task on a database; and

display means for displaying the character message in response to a prescribed operation of a player on image display means of a game machine operated by the player.

10. A game system comprising a plurality of game machines capable of reading game information stored in an external memory medium, and a server device connected to the game machines via a network,

wherein the game machines each comprise:

an external interface configured such that an external memory medium is detachably attached thereto;

means for deciding an ID for identifying an external memory medium attached to the external interface;

decision means for deciding identification information for game players which is associated one-to-one with the identification information so that a game player is capable of identifying;

printing means for printing the identification information for game players in a predetermined place of the external memory medium;

transmission means for transmitting the decided ID and game information to the server device; and

recording means for recording part of the game information transmitted to the server device in the external memory medium; and

wherein the server device comprises;

means for deciding managing identification information for managing the ID transmitted from a game machine;

transmitting means for transmitting the managing identification information to a game machine and also transmitting the entire or part of the information stored in the memory means to the game machine in response to a request from the game machine; and

game processing means which transmits the entire or part of the information stored in the memory means to the game machine having requested the same to allow the game machine to perform game processing when connectable to the game machine via a network, whereas, when not connectable to the server device via a network, performs game processing using the partial information recorded on the external memory medium.