GAME SYSTEM, GAME TERMINAL THEREFOR, AND SERVER DEVICE THEREFOR

• US 20090318235A1
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ashida, Hiroyuki, Osato, Shintaro
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/404 characterized by a local network connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• 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: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

The present invention provides a game system 100, a game terminal 10, and a server device 40. Game system 100 allows players to play a game in a unit of a group constituting one game terminal 10 that has been selected as a parent node and game terminals 10 that have been selected as child nodes. The parent node is capable of communicating with each node, and each child node is capable of communicating with the parent node. The selection of the parent node is performed by server device 40. A parent node is selected based on bandwidth notified from each game terminal 10.

Claims

1. A game system comprising:

plural communication groups, each having been allocated different communication paths from one another and each including plural game terminals sharing the communication path allocated to the respective communication groups; and

a server device that forms a player group of game terminals which will play a multiple-player game in a unit of a group by selecting, from among the plural game terminals of the plural communication groups, one game terminal as a parent node and a game terminal other than the one game terminal as a child node,

wherein the child node communicates with the parent node exclusively using a certain amount of bandwidth, and

wherein the number of the child nodes varies for different groups within a range having an upper limit and a lower limit,

each of the plural game terminals of the plural communication groups comprising;

an inputter that receives an instruction input by a player;

a securer that secures, upon a predetermined instruction being input via the inputter, bandwidth that is equal to or greater than the certain amount of bandwidth and is equal to or less than the remaining amount of bandwidth of a communication path used for the game terminal;

a grouping request transmitter that transmits a grouping request for requesting formation of the player group to the server device, the grouping request also indicating the bandwidth secured by the securer;

a player group data receiver that receives player group data indicating the configuration of the player group;

a controller that controls, on the basis of the player group data, communication during the game based on a result of the determination;

a deallocation bandwidth identifier that identifies, as bandwidth to be deallocated, the difference between the bandwidth secured by the securer and bandwidth that will be required at the game terminal in the player group having a configuration indicated by the player group data; and

a deallocator that deallocates the bandwidth to be deallocated,

the server device comprising;

a grouping request receiver that receives the grouping request;

a secured amount storage that stores a piece of secured amount data indicating the bandwidth indicated by the grouping request in association with a game terminal that has transmitted the grouping request;

a grouper that forms the player group based on the piece of secured amount data stored in the secured amount storage; and

a player group data transmitter that transmits, to each of the game terminals configuring the player group formed through the selection by the selector, the player group data of the player group,

wherein the grouper compares bandwidth indicated by the pieces of secured amount data for game terminals of the number that is greater than the number of child nodes of the group from among game terminals corresponding to the pieces of secured amount data stored in the secured amount storage, to form the group based on a result of the comparison.

2. A game system according to claim 1, further comprising plural management devices that are provided for the respective communication groups and are capable of communicating respectively with the plural game terminals of the communication group to which each management device corresponds,

wherein the securer has an allocation requester that transmits an allocation request requesting allocation of bandwidth to the management device corresponding to the communication group including the game terminal and an allocation data receiver that receives allocation amount data indicating bandwidth allocated to the game terminal, and the securer secures bandwidth based on the allocation amount data;

and

wherein the deallocator has a deallocation notification transmitter that transmits a deallocation notification indicating the bandwidth to be deallocated to the management device corresponding to the communication group including the game terminal,

each of the plural management devices comprising;

a remaining amount storage that stores remaining amount data indicating the remaining amount of bandwidth in the communication path allocated to the corresponding communication group;

an allocation request receiver that receives the allocation request;

an allocation processor that, upon receiving the allocation request by the allocation request receiver, determines, based on the remaining data, bandwidth to be allocated to a game terminal that has transmitted the allocation request, transmits the allocation amount data indicating the determined bandwidth to the game terminal that has transmitted the allocation request, and updates the remaining amount data so that the remaining amount is reduced by the amount of bandwidth;

a deallocation notification receiver that receives the deallocation notification; and

a deallocation processor that, upon receiving the deallocation notification by the deallocation notification receiver, updates the remaining amount data so that the remaining amount is reduced by the amount of bandwidth indicated by the deallocation notification.

3. A game system according to claim 1,

wherein the grouper selects as a parent node one game terminal corresponding to the piece of secured amount data indicating bandwidth that is found to be the greatest by the comparison.

4. A game system according to claim 1,

wherein the grouper selects as a parent node one game terminal corresponding to the piece of secured amount data indicating bandwidth that is found to be the smallest by the comparison.

5. A game system according to claim 1,

wherein the securer secures bandwidth corresponding to the upper limit in a case in which the remaining amount of bandwidth of a communication path used by the game terminal is greater than the bandwidth corresponding to the upper limit.

6. A game system according to claim 1

wherein the lower limit is two or greater;

and

wherein the securer secures the certain amount of bandwidth in a case in which the remaining amount of bandwidth of a communication path used by the game terminal is less than the bandwidth corresponding to the certain amount of bandwidth.

7. A game system according to claim 1,

wherein the server device further comprises a first returner that determines, upon receiving the grouping request, whether bandwidth indicated by the grouping request is greater than bandwidth corresponding to the upper limit and that, if a result of the determination is affirmative, transmits first return data indicating bandwidth of the difference therebetween to the game terminal that has transmitted the grouping request and regards the piece of secured amount data stored by the secured amount storage in association with the game terminal as indicating bandwidth corresponding to the upper limit,

each of the plural game terminals of the plural communications group further comprising:

a first return data receiver that receives the first return data; and

a first deallocation identifier that, upon receiving the first return data, identifies bandwidth indicated by the first return data as the bandwidth to be deallocated, and

wherein the deallocator deallocates bandwidth to be deallocated when the bandwidth to be deallocated is identified.

8. A game system according to claim 1

wherein the server device further comprises a second returner that determines, upon receiving the grouping request, whether bandwidth indicated by the grouping request is less than bandwidth corresponding to the lower limit and is greater than the certain amount of bandwidth and that, if a result of the determination is affirmative, transmits second return data indicating bandwidth of the difference between the bandwidth indicated by the grouping request and the certain amount of bandwidth to the game terminal that has transmitted the grouping request and regards the piece of secured amount data stored by the secured amount storage in association with the game terminal as indicating the certain amount of bandwidth,

each of the plural game terminals of the plural communications group further comprising:

a second return data receiver that receives the second return data; and

a second deallocation identifier that, upon receiving the second return data, identifies bandwidth indicated by the second return data as the bandwidth to be deallocated, and

wherein the deallocator deallocates bandwidth to be deallocated when the bandwidth to be deallocated is identified.

9. A game system according to claim 1,

wherein the grouper restricts the number of child nodes to the upper limit in a case in which a certain time period has not passed since a first receipt of a grouping request that triggered storage, in the secured amount storage, of the piece of secured amount data stored in the secured amount storage in association with a game terminal that is not yet in the player group, whereas the grouper makes the number of child nodes freely selected within the range if the certain time period has passed.

10. A game system according to claim 2,

wherein the securer, upon receiving the allocation amount data, determines whether bandwidth indicated by the allocation amount data is greater than bandwidth corresponding to the upper limit, and if a result of the determination is affirmative, identifies bandwidth therebetween as the bandwidth to be deallocated and secures bandwidth corresponding to the upper limit.

11. A game system according to claim 2,

wherein the securer, upon receiving the allocation amount data, determines whether bandwidth indicated by the allocation amount data is less than bandwidth corresponding to the lower limit and is greater than the certain amount of bandwidth, and if a result of the determination is affirmative, identifies bandwidth between the bandwidth indicated by the allocation amount data and the certain amount of bandwidth as the bandwidth to be deallocated and secures the certain amount of bandwidth.

12. A game terminal for use in a game system having a server device comprising:

a communicator that communicates with the server device that forms a player group of game terminals that will play a multiple-player game in a unit of a group by selecting, from among plural game terminals of plural communication groups, one game terminal as a parent node and a game terminal other than the one game terminal as a child node,

wherein the child node communicates with the parent node by exclusively using a certain amount of bandwidth;

wherein the number of child nodes is variable for the respective player groups within a range having an upper limit and a lower limit and the upper limit is two or more; and

wherein the plural communication groups are respectively allocated with different communications paths and each communication group includes plural game terminals that share the allocated communication path,

the game terminal further comprising;

an inputter that receives an instruction input by a player;

a securer that secures, upon a predetermined instruction being input via the inputter, bandwidth that is equal to or greater than the certain amount of bandwidth and is equal to or less than remaining amount of the bandwidth of a communication path used for the game terminal;

a grouping request transmitter that transmits a grouping request for requesting formation of the player group to the server device, the grouping request also indicating the bandwidth secured by the securer;

a player group data receiver that receives player group data indicating the configuration of the player group;

a controller that controls, on the basis of the player group data, communication during the game based on a result of the determination;

a deallocation bandwidth identifier that identifies, as bandwidth to be deallocated, the difference between the bandwidth secured by the securer and bandwidth that will be required at the game terminal in the player group having a configuration indicated by the player group data; and

a deallocator that deallocates the bandwidth to be deallocated, the server device comprising;

a grouping request receiver that receives the grouping request;

a secured amount storage that stores a piece of secured amount data indicating the bandwidth indicated by the grouping request in association with a game terminal that has transmitted the grouping request; and

a player group data transmitter that transmits, to each of the game terminals configuring the player group formed through the selection by the selector, the player group data of the player group,

wherein the grouper compares bandwidth indicated by the pieces of secured amount data for game terminals of the number that is greater than the number of child nodes of the group from among game terminals corresponding to the pieces of secured amount data stored in the secured amount storage, to form the group based on a result of the comparison.

13. A server device for use in a game system having plural communication groups each including plural game terminals,

the server device comprising:

a communicator that communicates with each of the plural game terminals of the plural communication groups; and

a grouper that forms a player group of game terminals that will play a multiple-player game in a unit of a group by selecting, from among plural game terminals of plural communication groups, one game terminal as a parent node and a game terminal other than the one game terminal as a child node,

wherein the number of child nodes is variable for the respective player groups within a range having an upper limit and a lower limit, and the upper limit is two or more;

wherein the plural communication groups are respectively allocated with different communications paths and each communication group includes plural game terminals that share the allocated communication path; and

wherein each of the plural game terminals of the plural communication groups comprises an inputter that receives an instruction input by a player;

a securer that secures, upon a predetermined instruction being input via the inputter, bandwidth that is equal to or greater than a certain amount of bandwidth and is equal to or less than the remaining amount of bandwidth of a communication path used for the game terminal;

a grouping request transmitter that transmits a grouping request for requesting formation of the player group to the server device, the grouping request also indicating the bandwidth secured by the securer;

a player group data receiver that receives player group data indicating the configuration of the player group;

a controller that controls, on the basis of the player group data, communication during the game based on a result of the determination;

a deallocation bandwidth identifier that identifies, as bandwidth to be deallocated, the difference between the bandwidth secured by the securer and bandwidth that will be required at the game terminal in the player group having a configuration indicated by the player group data; and

a deallocator that deallocates the bandwidth to be deallocated, the server device further comprising;

a grouping request receiver that receives the grouping request;

a secured amount storage that stores a piece of secured amount data indicating the bandwidth indicated by the grouping request in association with a game terminal that has transmitted the grouping request;

a grouper that forms the player group based on the piece of secured amount data stored in the secured amount storage; and

a player group data transmitter that transmits, to each of the game terminals configuring the player group grouped through the selection by the selector, the player group data of the player group,

wherein the grouper compares bandwidth indicated by the pieces of secured amount data for game terminals of the number that is greater than the number of child nodes of the group from among game terminals corresponding to the pieces of secured amount data stored in the secured amount storage, to form the group based on a result of the comparison.