Game System, Game Server Device Therefor, Method of Controlling Game Server Device, and Terminal Device Therefor and Control Program Product for Controlling Terminal Device

• US 20070265095A1
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jonishi, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

A game system has a plurality of game devices (1), a game server device (3) that communicates with the plurality of game devices (1) to obtain a game result for each of a plurality of players, and a plurality of portable terminals (terminal devices) (4) operated individually by at least one of the plurality of game players. The game server device (3) stores private player identifiers for identifying each of the plurality of players and their game results. The game server device (3) also stores a private player identifier of one player in association with a private player identifier of a competitor player specified by the one player, and game server device (3), when it receives from a portable terminal (4) a view request instructing that a game result of the competitor player, transmits a view response containing the game result.

Claims

1. A game system having a plurality of game devices, a game server device that communicates with said game devices to obtain results of a game for each of a plurality of players, and a plurality of terminal devices operated individually by at least one of said players,

wherein said game server device comprises a storage unit that stores a player identifier for identifying each of said players in association with a recording medium identifier for identifying an information recording medium used by said each player in playing said game device, that stores said player identifier in association with result information indicating a game result, and that stores a player identifier of one of said players in association with a player identifier of another of said players, said another player being specified by said one player;

wherein each of said game devices comprises;

a reader that reads said recording medium identifier from said information recording medium;

a generator that generates said result information according to a game result; and

a transmitter that transmits said result information and said recording medium identifier to said game server device;

wherein each of said terminal devices comprises;

a display;

an inputter that receives player'"'"'s instructions;

an identifying unit that identifies said player identifier of said another player when said one player specifies said another player by operating said inputter;

a player-identifier storage that stores said player identifier of said one player;

a registration requester that generates a registration request containing said player identifier of said one player and said player identifier of said another player identified by said identifying unit and instructing that said another player be registered in association with said one player, said registration request then being transmitted to said game server device;

a view requester that generates a view request containing said player identifier of said one player and instructing that said result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, said view request then being transmitted to said game server device, registration of said another player having been instructed by said registration requester, with said registration being made in association with said one player; and

a response processor that, upon receiving from said game server device a view response containing result information of said another player, causes said result information to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player and said view response being a response to said view request; and

wherein said game server device executes;

a process of, upon receiving from one of said game devices said result information and said recording medium identifier, storing in said storage unit said result information in association with a player identifier corresponding to said recording medium identifier;

a process of, upon receiving said registration request from one of said terminal devices, storing in said storage unit said player identifier of said one player and said player identifier of said another player in association with each other, said player identifier of said one player and said player identifier of said another player being contained in said registration request; and

a process of, upon receiving said view request from one of said terminal devices, obtaining said player identifier of said another player corresponding to said player identifier of said one player contained in said view request, obtaining said result information corresponding to said player identifier of said another player, and transmitting said result information to said terminal device.

2. A game server device comprising:

a storage unit that stores a player identifier for identifying each of a plurality of players in association with result information indicating a game result of said each player, and that stores said player identifier of one of said players in association with a player identifier of another of said players, said another player being specified by said one player;

a registrator that, upon receiving from one of said terminal devices a registration request containing said player identifier of said one player and said player identifier of said another player, with said registration request instructing that said another player be registered in association with said one player, registers in said storage unit said player identifier of said another player in association with said player identifier of said one player;

a first obtainer that, upon receiving from said terminal device a view request containing said player identifier of said one player and instructing that result information of said another player be registered by said registrator in association with said one player be transmitted as a response, identifies said player identifier of said another player registered in association with said player identifier of said one player to obtain from said storage unit result information in association with said identified player identifier of said another player; and

a first replier that transmits to said terminal device a view response containing said obtained result information as a response to said view request.

3. A game server device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second obtainer that, upon receiving from said terminal device a candidate request containing said player identifier of said one player and instructing that candidates for a player to be compared with said one player be transmitted as a response, obtains from said storage unit result information corresponding to said player identifier of said one player contained in said candidate request;

a searcher that performs a search in said storage unit for retrieval of a player identifier of one or a plurality of other players whose game result falls within a predetermined range with said obtained result information as a standard; and

a second replier that generates a candidate response containing a player identifier retrieved by said searcher or a candidate response containing information that no player identifier has been retrieved by said searcher, said candidate response then being transmitted to said terminal device as a response to said candidate request.

4. A game server device according to claim 2,

wherein said storage unit has stored said player identifier being in association with name information indicating a name of each of said players,

said game server device further comprising:

a searcher that, upon receiving from said terminal device a candidate request containing name information and instructing that candidates for a player to be compared with said one player be transmitted as a response, performs a search in said storage unit for retrieval of a player identifier corresponding to said name information contained in said candidate request; and

a second replier that generates a candidate response containing said player identifier retrieved by said searcher or a candidate response containing information that no player identifier has been retrieved by said searcher, said candidate response then being transmitted to said terminal device as a response to said candidate request.

5. A game server device according to claim 2,

wherein said storage unit has stored said player identifier in association with district information indicating a district indicating a location of said each player,

said game server device further comprising:

a searcher that, upon receiving from said terminal device a candidate request containing district information and instructing that candidates for a player to be compared with said one player be transmitted as a response, performs a search in said storage unit for retrieval of a player identifier corresponding to said district information contained in said candidate request; and

a second replier that generates a candidate response containing said player identifier retrieved by said searcher or a candidate response containing information that no player identifier has been retrieved by said searcher, said candidate response then being transmitted to said terminal device as a response to said candidate request.

6. A game server device according to claim 3, wherein said searcher obtains from said storage unit said result information corresponding to said retrieved player identifier;

and

wherein said second replier generates said candidate response containing said player identifier and said result information and transmits said candidate response to said terminal device as a response to said candidate request.

19. A game server device according to claim 4, wherein said searcher obtains from said storage unit said result information corresponding to said retrieved player identifier;

and

wherein said second replier generates said candidate response containing said player identifier and said result information and transmits said candidate response to said terminal device as a response to said candidate request.

20. A game server device according to claim 5, wherein said searcher obtains from said storage unit said result information corresponding to said retrieved player identifier;

and

wherein said second replier generates said candidate response containing said player identifier and said result information and transmits said candidate response to said terminal device as a response to said candidate request.

7. A terminal device that communicates with a game server device which communicates with a plurality of game devices to obtain result information indicating a game result for each of a plurality of players and to store a player identifier for identifying each of said players in association with result information of said each player, said terminal device comprising:

a display;

an inputter that receives instructions from one of said players;

an identifying unit that, when said one player specifies another of said players by operating said inputter, identifies a player identifier of said another player;

a player-identifier storage that stores a player identifier of said one player; and

a registration requester that generates a registration request containing said player identifier of said one player and said player identifier of said another player identified by said identifying unit, said registration request then being transmitted to said game server device.

8. A terminal device according to claim 7,

wherein said identifying unit performs a process of causing a screen prompting for an input of said player identifier of said another player to be displayed on said display and a process of obtaining said player identifier of said another player input by said inputter.

9. A terminal device according to claim 7,

wherein said game server device has stored said player identifier and name information indicating a name of said each player stored in association with each other,

said terminal device further comprising a candidate requester that generates, in accordance with operations of said inputter, a candidate request containing said player identifier of said one player and instructing that candidates for a player to be compared with said one player be transmitted as a response, said candidate request then being transmitted to the game server device,

wherein said identifying unit performs:

a process of, upon receiving from said game server device a candidate response containing a player identifier specifying a candidate for a player to be compared with said one player and also containing name information, said candidate response being a response to said candidate request, causing said candidate to be displayed on said display on the basis of said name information; and

a process of, when said one player uses said inputter to select said candidate displayed on said display, identifying a player identifier corresponding to said selected candidate as said player identifier of said another player.

10. A terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a view requester that generates a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, said view request then being transmitted to said game server device, registration of said another player having been instructed by said registration requester, with said registration being made in association with said one player; and

a response processor that, upon receiving from said game server device a view response containing said result information of said another player corresponding to said one player, with said view response being a response to said view request, causes said result information to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player.

11. A terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a view requester that generates a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, said view request then being transmitted to said game server device, registration of said another player having been instructed by said registration requester so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a result-information storage that stores said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a writer that, upon receiving from said game server device a view response as a response to said view request, said view response containing result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, writes in said result-information storage said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a reader that, upon receiving said view response from said game server device, reads from said result-information storage said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player stored as of the time a view response immediately previous to said view response was received, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a determiner that determines, as conditions for determination, whether said result information of said one player read by said reader exceeds said result information of said another player read by said reader and whether said result information of said one player contained in said received view response falls below said result information of said another player contained in said received view response, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player; and

a response processor that, in a case in which said determination conditions are found to be affirmative, causes said result information of said another player to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player.

21. A terminal device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a view requester that generates a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, said view request then being transmitted to said game server device, registration of said another player having been instructed by said registration requester, with said registration being made in association with said one player; and

a response processor that, upon receiving from said game server device a view response containing said result information of said another player corresponding to said one player, with said view response being a response to said view request, causes said result information to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player.

22. A terminal device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a view requester that generates a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, said view request then being transmitted to said game server device, registration of said another player having been instructed by said registration requester, with said registration being made in association with said one player; and

a response processor that, upon receiving from said game server device a view response containing said result information of said another player corresponding to said one player, with said view response being a response to said view request, causes said result information to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player.

23. A terminal device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a view requester that generates a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, said view request then being transmitted to said game server device, registration of said another player having been instructed by said registration requester so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a result-information storage that stores said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a writer that, upon receiving from said game server device a view response as a response to said view request, said view response containing result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, writes in said result-information storage said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a reader that, upon receiving said view response from said game server device, reads from said result-information storage said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player stored as of the time a view response immediately previous to said view response was received, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a determiner that determines, as conditions for determination, whether said result information of said one player read by said reader exceeds said result information of said another player read by said reader and whether said result information of said one player contained in said received view response falls below said result information of said another player contained in said received view response, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player; and

a response processor that, in a case in which said determination conditions are found to be affirmative, causes said result information of said another player to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player.

24. A terminal device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a view requester that generates a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, said view request then being transmitted to said game server device, registration of said another player having been instructed by said registration requester so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a result-information storage that stores said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a writer that, upon receiving from said game server device a view response as a response to said view request, said view response containing result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, writes in said result-information storage said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a reader that, upon receiving said view response from said game server device, reads from said result-information storage said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player stored as of the time a view response immediately previous to said view response was received, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a determiner that determines, as conditions for determination, whether said result information of said one player read by said reader exceeds said result information of said another player read by said reader and whether said result information of said one player contained in said received view response falls below said result information of said another player contained in said received view response, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player; and

a response processor that, in a case in which said determination conditions are found to be affirmative, causes said result information of said another player to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player.

12. A method of controlling a game server device capable of communicating with a plurality of terminal devices, comprising:

storing a player identifier for identifying one player and a player identifier of another player specified by said one player in association with each other;

storing, upon receiving from one of said terminal devices a registration request containing said player identifier of said one player and said player identifier of said another player and instructing that said another player be registered in association with said one player, stores said player identifier of said one player in association with said player identifier of said another player;

identifying, upon receiving from said one terminal device a view request containing said player identifier of said one player and instructing that result information of said another player registered in association with said one player be transmitted as a response, a player identifier of said another player registered in association with said player identifier of said one player;

obtaining result information that is associated with said identified player identifier of said another player; and

transmitting to said terminal device a view response containing said obtained result information as a response to said view request.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

obtaining, upon receiving from said terminal device a candidate request containing said player identifier of said one player and instructing that candidates for a player to be compared with said one player be transmitted as a response, result information that is in association with said player identifier of said one player contained in said candidate request;

searching for retrieval of a player identifier of one or a plurality of players whose game result falls within a predetermined range with said obtained result information as a standard; and

generating a candidate response containing said retrieved player identifier or a candidate response containing information that no player identifier has been retrieved and transmitting said candidate response to said terminal device as a response to said candidate request.

14. A control program product for use in a terminal device that comprises a communicator that communicates with a game server device capable of communicating with a plurality of game devices to obtain result information indicating a game result for each of a plurality of players and to store a player identifier for identifying each of said players in association with said result information and that comprises a display, an inputter that receives instructions from one of said players, a player-identifier storage that stores a player identifier of said one player, and an information processor,

wherein said program product causes said information processor to execute:

a process of, when said one player operates said inputter to identify another of said players, identifying a player identifier of said another player;

a process of generating a registration request containing said player identifier of said one player and said player identifier of said another player and instructing that said another player be registered in association with said one player; and

a process of transmitting said registration request to said game server device.

15. A control program product according to claim 14,

wherein said process of identifying said player identifier of said another player includes:

a process of causing a screen for prompting an input of said player identifier of said another player to be displayed on said display; and

a process of obtaining said player identifier of said another player input by said inputter.

16. A control program product according to claim 14,

wherein said game server device stores said player identifier and name information indicating a name of each of said players in association with each other;

and

wherein said information processor is further caused to execute;

a process of generating a candidate request, in accordance with operations of said inputter, a candidate request containing said player identifier of said one player and instructing that candidates for a player to be compared with said one player be transmitted as a response;

a process of transmitting said candidate request to said game server device;

a process of, upon receiving from said game server device a candidate response containing a player identifier specifying a candidate for a player to be compared with said one player and also containing name information, with said candidate response being a response to said candidate request, causing said candidate for a player to be compared with said one player to be displayed on said display on the basis of said name information; and

a process of, when said player uses said inputter to select said candidate displayed on said display, identifying a player identifier corresponding to said selected candidate as said player identifier of said another player.

17. A control program product according to claim 14,

wherein said information processor is further caused to execute:

a process of generating a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a process of transmitting said view request to said game server device; and

a process of, upon receiving from said game server device a view response containing said result information of said another player registered in association with said one player, with said view response being a response to said view request, causing said result information to be displayed on said display.

18. A control program product according to claim 14,

wherein said information processor is further caused to execute:

a process of generating a view request containing said player identifier of said one player read from said player-identifier storage and instructing that result information of said one player and result information of said another player be transmitted as a response, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a process of transmitting said view request to said game server device;

a process of storing said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a process of storing, upon receiving from said game server device a view response containing said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player and said view response being a response to said view request, said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player contained in said view response;

a process of reading, upon receiving said view response from said game server device, said result information of said one player and said result information of said another player stored as of the time a view response immediately previous to said view response was received, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player;

a process of determining, as conditions for determination, whether said result information of said one player read by said reader exceeds said result information of said another player read by said reader and whether said result information of said one player contained in said received view response falls below said result information of said another player contained in said received view response, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player; and

a process of, when said determination conditions are found to be affirmative, causing said result information of said another player to be displayed on said display, registration of said another player having been instructed so that said another player is registered in association with said one player.