Wireless network system, wireless communication instrument, wireless communication instrument setting device, game process control method, information storage medium, and portable electronic instrument

• US 20070286109A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
• Inventors: Kaku, Ryoichi, Omori, Yasushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

In a game system including a wireless LAN AP instrument and a portable game device, the AP instrument transmits a beacon signal including a MAC address of the AP instrument and a network ID obtained by encoding an instruction code so that the network ID can be decoded using the MAC address. The portable game device decodes the network ID included in the received beacon signal using the MAC address, and executes control based on control data when authenticity determination data included in the decoded instruction code coincides with specific data and the present date is within a valid period indicated by valid period data.

Claims

1. A wireless network system comprising:

a wireless communication instrument including an ID transmission section which continually transmits an instrument ID and a wireless network ID; and

a portable electronic instrument capable of receiving the instrument ID and the wireless network ID transmitted from the wireless communication instrument;

the wireless communication instrument including;

an instrument ID storage section which stores the instrument ID of the wireless communication instrument; and

a network ID storage section which stores, as the wireless network ID, data obtained by encoding data including at least specific authenticity determination data and given control data for controlling the portable electronic instrument so that the data can be decoded using the instrument ID stored in the instrument ID storage section, the ID transmission section transmitting the instrument ID stored in the instrument ID storage section and the wireless network ID stored in the network ID storage section; and

the portable electronic instrument including;

a reception section which receives the instrument ID and the wireless network ID transmitted from the ID transmission section;

a decoding section which decodes the received wireless network ID using the received instrument ID;

an authenticity determination section which determines whether or not the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data; and

a control section which executes control based on the control data included in the decoded data when the authenticity determination section has determined that the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data.

2. The wireless network system as defined in claim 1,

wherein the network ID storage section of the wireless communication instrument stores data obtained by encoding data including at least the authenticity determination data, the control data, and period data indicating a valid period of control based on the control data so that the data can be decoded using the instrument ID as the wireless network ID;

wherein the portable electronic instrument includes a period determination section which determines whether or not a present date is within the valid period indicated by the period data included in the data decoded by the decoding section; and

wherein the control section does not execute control based on the control data when the period determination section has determined that the present date is not within the valid period, and executes control based on the control data when the period determination section has determined that the present date is within the valid period and the authenticity determination section has determined that the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data.

3. A wireless communication instrument which continually transmits an instrument ID and a wireless network ID of the wireless communication instrument in order to perform wireless communication conforming to a specific communication standard with a portable electronic instrument which is located in a wireless communication area, the wireless communication instrument comprising:

an instrument ID storage section which stores the instrument ID of the wireless communication instrument;

a network ID storage section which stores data obtained by encoding given data so that the data can be decoded using the instrument ID stored in the instrument ID storage section as the wireless network ID; and

a transmission section which transmits the instrument ID stored in the instrument ID storage section and the wireless network ID stored in the network ID storage section.

4. A wireless communication instrument setting device which stores a wireless network ID in the wireless communication instrument as defined in claim 3, comprising:

an encoding section which encodes given data so that the data can be decoded using an instrument ID set for the wireless communication instrument in advance; and

a network ID storage control section which stores the data encoded by the encoding section in the wireless communication instrument as the wireless network ID.

5. A game process control method for execution by a portable computer capable of performing wireless communication conforming to a specific communication standard, the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving encoded data obtained by encoding data including at least

     1) an instrument ID and

     2) specific authenticity determination data and given control data so that the data can be decoded using the instrument ID, the encoded data being transmitted from another communication instrument which is located in a present wireless communication area and performs wireless communication conforming to the communication standard;

a decoding step of decoding the received encoded data using the received instrument ID;

an authenticity determination step of determining whether or not the data decoded in the decoding step includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data; and

a game process control step of controlling the game process based on the control data included in the decoded data when the data decoded in the decoding step has been determined to include the same data as the specific authenticity determination data in the authenticity determination step.

6. The game process control method as defined in claim 5,

wherein the wireless network ID is data obtained by encoding data including at least the authenticity determination data, the control data, and period data indicating a valid period of control based on the control data so that the data can be decoded using the instrument ID;

wherein the method further includes a period determination step of determining whether or not a present date is within the valid period indicated by the period data included in the data decoded in the decoding step; and

wherein the game process control step does not control the game process based on the control data when it has been determined that the present date is not within the valid period in the period determination step, and controls the game process based on the control data when it has been determined that the present date is within the valid period in the period determination step and it has been determined that the data decoded in the decoding step includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data in the authenticity determination step.

7. The game process control method as defined in claim 5,

wherein the game process control step includes a new character generation step of generating a new character based on the control data.

8. The game process control method as defined in claim 5,

wherein the game process control step includes a parameter change step of changing a specific parameter value set for a character appearing in the game based on the control data.

9. A computer-readable information recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the game process control method as defined in claim 5.

10. A computer-readable information recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the game process control method as defined in claim 6.

11. A computer-readable information recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the game process control method as defined in claim 7.

12. A computer-readable information recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the game process control method as defined in claim 8.

13. A portable electronic instrument which can perform wireless communication conforming to a specific communication standard and executes a specific game while controlling a game process, the portable electronic instrument comprising:

a reception section which receives encoded data obtained by encoding data including at least

     1) an instrument ID and

     2) specific authenticity determination data and given control data so that the data can be decoded using the instrument ID, the encoded data being transmitted from another communication instrument which is located in a present wireless communication area and performs wireless communication conforming to the communication standard;

a decoding section which decodes the received encoded data using the received instrument ID;

an authenticity determination section which determines whether or not the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data; and

a game process control section which controls the game process based on the control data included in the decoded data when the authenticity determination section has determined that the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data.