Game System and Replacement Part

• US 20080096646A1
• Filed: 12/26/2005
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kasuya, Yasufumi, Ishida, Tetsuo, Ishimaru, Tetsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,976,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

There is provided a game system for improving a maintenance property of a game machine in which a replacement part is provided. A replacement part D has a part information recording device 34c in which uniquely given part identification information is recorded. A game machine main body K includes a part information obtaining device 24 and a server transmission device 23. The part information obtaining device 24 obtains the part identification information. The server transmission device 23 transmits to a center server CS, game machine identification information uniquely given to a game machine G together with the obtained part identification information. The center server CS has a server storage device 12 for storing the received part identification information and the received game machine identification information in association with each other.

Claims

1. :

A game system having a center server and a plurality of game machines capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the center server through a communication network, said each game machine comprising a game machine main body and a replacement part being replaceable,

wherein the replacement part comprises a part information recording device recording part identification information which can be obtained by the game machine, the part identification information being uniquely given to each replacement part in the game system,

the game machine main body comprises;

a game machine storage device storing game machine identification information uniquely given to each of the game machines in the game system;

a part information obtaining device obtaining the part identification information recorded in the identification information recording device; and

a server transmission device transmitting to the center server, the part identification information obtained by the part identification information obtaining device together with the game machine identification information stored in the game machine storage device, and

the center server comprises;

a server storage device storing the part identification information and the game machine identification information transmitted from the game machine in association with each other.

2. :

The game system according to claim 1, wherein the replacement part further comprises;

a part information output device outputting the part identification information recorded in the identification information recording device to the game machine main body; and

an information output control device controlling output time of the part identification information of the part information identification device, and

the part information obtaining device of the game machine main body obtains the part identification information outputted from the part information output device.

3. :

The game system according to claim 2, wherein the replacement part is a self-propelled body,

the game machine main body further comprises;

a part communication device transmitting and receiving information on operation of the replacement part to and from the replacement part,

the replacement part further comprises;

a game machine communication device transmitting and receiving information on operation of the replacement part to and from the game machine main body; and

an operation control device controlling the operation of the replacement part based on the information on operation of the replacement part transmitted and received by the game machine communication device.

4. :

The game system according to claim 3, wherein the game machine further comprises a traveling surface, the game part is the self-propelled body traveling on the traveling surface, and the part identification information is motor identification information which is uniquely given to a motor provided in the mobile body.

5. :

The game system according to claim 2, wherein the replacement part further comprises a status information storage device storing status information indicating a status of the replacement part,

the part information output device outputs the status information together with the part identification information,

the part information obtaining device of the game machine main body obtains the status information together with the part identification information,

the server transmission device transmits to the center server, the status information together with the part identification information and the game machine identification information, and

the server storage device of the center server further stores the status information in association with the part identification information.

6. :

The game system according to claim 5, further comprising a maintenance server transmitting and receiving data to and from the center server,

the center server copies storage contents of the server storage device into a maintenance storage device of the maintenance server, and

the maintenance server generates maintenance information on maintenance of the replacement part based on the part identification information, the game machine identification information, and the status information, which are stored in the maintenance storage device.

8. :

The game system according to claim 3, wherein the replacement part further comprises a status information storage device storing status information indicating a status of the replacement part, the part information output device outputs the status information together with the part identification information, the part information obtaining device of the game machine main body obtains the status information together with the part identification information, the server transmission device transmits to the center server, the status information together with the part identification information and the game machine identification information, and the server storage device of the center server further stores the status information in association with the part identification information.

9. :

The game system according to claim 4, wherein the replacement part comprises a status information storage device storing status information indicating a status of the replacement part, the part information output device outputs the status information together with the part identification information, the part information obtaining device of the game machine main body obtains the status information together with the part identification information, the server transmission device transmits to the center server the status information together with the part identification information and the game machine identification information, and the server storage device of the center server further stores the status information in association with the part identification information.

10. :

The game system according to claim 8, further comprising a maintenance server transmitting and receiving data to and from the center server, the center server copies storage contents of the server storage device into a maintenance storage device of the maintenance server, and the maintenance server generates maintenance information on maintenance of the replacement part based on the part identification information, the game machine identification information, and the status information, which are stored in the maintenance storage device.

11. :

The game system according to claim 9, further comprising a maintenance server transmitting and receiving data to and from the center server, the center server copies storage contents of the server storage device into a maintenance storage device of the maintenance server, and the maintenance server generates maintenance information on maintenance of the replacement part based on the part identification information, the game machine identification information, and the status information, which are stored in the maintenance storage device.

7. :

A replacement part replaceably provided in each of a plurality of game machines, each of the game machines capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a center server through a communication network,

wherein the replacement part comprises a part information recording device recording part identification information which can be obtained by game machine, the part identification information for identifying the replace part from the other replacement part.