Method for processing the data distributed at online game server and a system thereof

• US 20070184904A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NHN Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: NHN Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Jong
• Application Number:
  US11/496,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20070184904A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• 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 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game

Abstract

A distributed data processing method which defines a predetermined section of the boundary with an adjacent game zone as a buffer sector and flexibly controls a zone server, and a system thereof, wherein the zone server is connected to a client in accordance with a type that an indication area includes the buffer sector. There is an effect that it is possible to provide a distributed data processing method by an online game server and a system thereof, in which a predetermined range based on the boundary with a game zone is defined as a buffer sector, and as a section of the buffer sector is included in an indication area, a user character connects a zone server of a game zone to which the user character moves next, to a client.

Claims

1. A method for providing an online game, the method comprising:

maintaining game map data of at least one game zone;

associating a plurality of zone servers for a plurality of game zones, wherein each zone server processes information about a user character in an associated game zone;

determining the character location space on the game map data;

connecting the client to a first zone server for a first game zone at which a predetermined user character is located, wherein the first game zone is adjacent to a second game zone;

defining a section of the first game zone as a buffer sector based on a boundary of the first game zone with the second game zone;

determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector; and

subsequent to determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector, connecting the client to a second zone server for the second game zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game map data is stored in a zone information database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of connecting the client to a second zone server comprises:

controlling the first zone server, wherein the first zone server is responsible for the instruction processing including controlling the user character; and

controlling the second zone server, wherein the second zone server is responsible for an event within the character location space occurring within the second game zone, including a visualization of game progress by other characters.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a character information database for storing character data for the user character;

copying the character data to the first zone server;

granting the first zone server authorization to modify the copied character data according to the instruction processing of the first zone server;

determining whether the user character leaves the first game zone; and

subsequent to determining whether the user character leaves the first game zone, denying the first zone server authorization to modify the copied character data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

copying the copied character data from the first zone server to the second zone server;

granting the second zone server authorization to modify the second zone'"'"'s copied character data;

controlling the second zone server responsible for instruction processing; and

controlling the first zone server responsible for an event within the character location space occurring in the first game zone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of denying the first zone server authorization to modify the copied character data comprises:

defining a section of the second game zone as a second buffer sector, based on a boundary of the second game zone with the first game zone;

determining whether the character location space includes at least one section of the second buffer sector;

determining whether the character location space does not include the second buffer sector; and

subsequent to determining whether the character location space does not include the second buffer sector, terminating a connection between the first zone server and the client.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein terminating a connection between the first zone server and the client further includes deleting the copied character data maintained in the first zone server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining a movement control line within the character location space for changing a determining point on the game map;

determining a location of the user character within the character location space;

determining whether the location of the user character is identical to the movement control line; and

subsequent to determining whether the location of the user character is identical to the movement control line, determining the character location space on the game map using the entry direction of the user character.

9. A method providing an online game, the method comprising:

maintaining game map data including a buffer sector between an first game zone and an adjacent second game zone;

selecting a first zone server associated with the first game zone and a second zone server associated with the second game zone;

determining a character location space on the game map data;

controlling a zone server to be connected to a client based on the location of the character location space;

determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector; and

subsequent to determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector, connecting the first zone server and the second zone server to the client.

10. A computer-readable medium storing instructions when executed perform a method comprising:

maintaining game map data divided into at least one game zone;

associating a plurality of zone servers for a plurality of game zones, wherein each zone server implements instruction processing for a user character in an associated game zone;

determining the character location space on the game map data;

connecting the client to a first zone server for a first game zone at which a predetermined user character is located, wherein the first game zone is adjacent to a second game zone;

defining a section of the first game zone as a buffer sector based on a boundary of the first game zone with the second game zone;

determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector; and

subsequent to determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector, connecting the client to a second zone server for the second game zone.

11. An online game system, the system comprising:

a zone information database configured to store game map data including at least one game zone;

a management module configured to associate a plurality of zone servers for a plurality of game zones, wherein each zone server implements instruction processing for a user character in an associated game zone;

a definition module configured to define a section of a first game zone as a buffer sector based on a boundary between the first game zone and an adjacent second game zone;

a determination module configured to determine the character location space on the game map data and a target game zone in which the character location space is located, and to determine whether the at least one section of the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector;

a connection means configured to connect a client to a zone server associated with the target game zone; and

a control means configured to control a zone server associated with a game zone adjacent to the target game zone subsequent to determining whether the at least one section of the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector.

12. A method for providing an online game, the method comprising:

determining a character location space located in a first game zone on a game map, wherein the first game zone includes a buffer sector based on a boundary of the first game zone with an adjacent second game zone;

connecting a client to a first zone server associated with the first game zone;

determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector; and

subsequent to determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector, connecting the client to a second zone server associated with the second game zone.

13. An online game system, the system comprising:

a determination module configured to determine a character location space located in a first game zone on a game map, wherein the first game zone includes a buffer sector based on a boundary of the first game zone with an adjacent second game zone, and to determine whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector; and

a connection module configured to connect a client to a first zone server associated with the first game zone, and subsequent to determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector, further configured to connect the client to a second zone server associated with the second game zone.

14. A method for providing an online game, the method comprising:

means for determining a character location space located in a first game zone on a game map, wherein the first game zone includes a buffer sector based on a boundary of the first game zone with an adjacent second game zone;

means for connecting a client to a first zone server associated with the first game zone;

means for determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector; and

means for connecting the client to a second zone server associated with the second game zone subsequent to determining whether the character location space includes a portion of the buffer sector.