Game System, Storage Server, Score Server, Game System Control Method, Information Recording Medium, and Program

• US 20100120528A1
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Mori, Shoji
• Application Number:
  US12/593,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120528A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 13/352 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 13/798 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 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking

Abstract

When a game terminal (1) transmits progress status information including a score to a storage server (2), the storage server (2) stores the progress status information into a progress status information storage unit (204). At this time, in cases where the stored score is equal to or above a predetermined threshold, the storage server (2) transmits the score to a score server (3) that registers the received score into a ranking memory unit (301). The threshold is updated by a threshold update unit (306) of the score server (3) based on a predetermined threshold order and at a given timing. Scores below the threshold are deleted in a ranking deletion unit (307). The updated threshold is then transmitted to the storage server (2).

Claims

1. A game system comprising a plurality of game terminals (1), a plurality of storage servers (2), and a score server (3), wherein

(a) the score server (3) includes:

a threshold memory unit (302) that stores a threshold of scores,

a ranking memory unit (301) that stores, from among scores of a game that players played, the scores scoring equal to or above the stored threshold in such a manner that the scores are associated with identification codes of the players, and stored in the order of scores, and

a threshold transmission unit (303) that transmits the stored threshold of scores to each of the storage servers (2);

(b) each of the storage servers (2) includes;

a threshold receiving unit (201) that receives a threshold of scores transmitted from the score server (3), and

a threshold storage unit (202) that stores the received threshold of scores;

(c) each of the game terminals (1) includes;

a progress status information transmission unit (11) that transmits game progress status information including the score of a game that a player played on the game terminal (1), and the player'"'"'s identification code to a storage server (2) associated with the player from among the storage servers in advance, and wherein

(d) each of the storage servers (2) further includes;

a progress status information receiving unit (203) that receives the game progress status information and the player identification code transmitted from any of the game terminals (1),

a progress status information storage unit (204), in cases where the received player identification code is associated with the storage server in advance, stores the received game progress status information in association with the received player identification code, and

a score transmission unit (205), in cases where the score included in the received game progress status information is equal to or above the stored threshold of scores, transmits the score included in the game progress status information and the received player identification code to the score server; and

(e) the score server (3) further includes;

a score receiving unit (304) that receives scores equal to or above the threshold and player identification codes that are transmitted from the respective storage servers (2), and

a ranking insertion unit (305) that adds the received scores equal to or above the threshold to the ranking memory unit (301) in association with the received player identification codes.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

(f) the score server (3) further includes:

a threshold update unit (306) that acquires a score of a predetermined threshold order from among the scores stored in the ranking memory unit (301) and stores the acquired score as a new threshold of scores to the threshold memory unit (302), and

a ranking deletion unit (307) that deletes the stored scores below the threshold from the ranking memory unit (301).

3. The game system according to claim 2, wherein

the threshold update unit (306) updates the threshold at predetermined intervals,

the ranking deletion unit (307) deletes the scores at the predetermined intervals, and

the threshold transmission unit (303) transmits the threshold at the predetermined intervals.

4. The game system according to claim 2, wherein

the threshold update unit (306) updates the threshold every time a score is added to the ranking memory unit (301),

the ranking deletion unit (307) deletes the scores every time the threshold is updated, and

the threshold transmission unit (303) transmits the threshold every time the threshold is updated.

5. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

(g) each of the game terminals (1) further includes:

a ranking request transmission unit (12) that transmits a ranking request that requests the game ranking information to the score server (3);

(h) the score server (3) further includes;

a ranking request receiving unit (308) that receives the ranking request transmitted from each of the game terminals (1), and

a ranking response transmission unit (309) that transmits, once the ranking request is received, a ranking response specifying the scores and the player identification codes stored in the ranking memory unit (301) to a game terminal (1) that has transmitted the ranking request; and

(i) each of the game terminals (1) further includes;

a ranking response receiving unit (13) that receives the ranking response transmitted from the score server (3), and

a ranking display unit (14) that displays the scores and the player identification codes that are specified in the received ranking response, in the order of scores.

6. The game system according to claim 5, wherein

in the storage server (2), the score transmission unit (205) further transmits to the score server a score distribution table that shows the number of players per a score saved in the progress status information storage unit (204);

in the score server (3), the score receiving unit (304) further receives the score distribution tables transmitted from the respective storage servers (2),

the ranking insertion unit (305) generates a summed score distribution table that shows a summation of the score distribution tables transmitted from the respective storage servers (2) and stores the generated summed score distribution table in the ranking memory unit, and

the ranking response transmission unit (309) transmits a ranking response that further specifies the summed score distribution table stored in the ranking memory unit (301) to a game terminal that has transmitted the ranking request; and

in the game terminal (1), the ranking display unit (14), in cases where a game score included in latest progress status information is included within scores to be specified in the ranking response transmitted from the score server (3), displays the order of scores based on the score transmitted from the score server, and in cases where a game score included in the latest progress status information is not included within scores that is to be specified in the received ranking response, based on the summed score distribution table that is further to be specified in the received ranking response, the player'"'"'s ranking is estimated and displayed.

7. The game system according to claim 6, wherein

in the score server (3), the threshold memory unit (302) further stores a distribution partition number, and

the threshold transmission unit (303) transmits the distribution partition number along with the threshold to each of the storage servers;

in the storage server (2), the threshold receiving unit (201) receives the threshold and the distribution partition number that are transmitted from the score server;

the score distribution table, for each score range that was obtained by dividing the threshold transmitted from the score server by the distribution partition number, is created by adding up the number of players who acquired scores within the score range from among the scores stored in the progress status information storage unit (204); and

the summed score distribution table is created by adding for each score range of the 5 storage server.

8. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

(j) each of the game terminals (1) further includes:

a read-out request transmission unit (15) that transmits a read-out request specifying an identification code of a player using the game terminal (1) to the storage server that is associated with the player in advance;

(k) each of the storage servers (2) further includes;

a read-out request receiving unit (206) that receives the read-out request transmitted from each of the game terminals (1),

a progress status information read-out unit (207) that reads out progress status information stored in association with the player identification code in the progress status information storage unit in cases where the player identification code that is specified in the received read-out request is associated with the storage server in advance, and

a read-out response transmission unit (208) that transmits a read-out response specifying the read out progress status information to the game terminal from which the read-out request was transmitted; and

(l) each of the game terminals (1) further includes;

a read-out response receiving unit (16) that receives the read-out response that is transmitted from the storage server (2) from which the read-out request is transmitted, and

a game resuming unit (17) that resumes a game played by the player according to the progress status information that is to be specified in the received read-out response.

9. A plurality of storage servers (2) communicating with a plurality of game terminals (1) and a score server (3), the storage server comprising:

a threshold receiving unit (201) that receives a threshold of scores transmitted from the score server (3);

a threshold storage unit (202) that stores the received threshold of scores;

a progress status information receiving unit (203) that receives game progress status information transmitted from any of the game terminals, the progress status information including a score in a game that a player played and an identification code of the player;

a progress status information storage unit (204) that stores the received game progress status information in association with the received player identification code in cases where the received player identification code is associated with the storage server in advance; and

a score transmission unit (205) that transmits the score included in the game progress status information and the received player identification code to the score server in cases where the score included in the received game progress status information is equal to or above the stored threshold of scores.

10. A score server (3) communicating with a plurality of game terminals (1) and a plurality of storage servers (2), the score server comprising:

a threshold memory unit (302) that stores a threshold of scores;

a threshold transmission unit (303) that transmits the stored threshold of scores to each of the plurality of storage servers;

a score receiving unit (304) that receives scores equal to or above the threshold and identification codes of players that are transmitted from the respective storage servers (2);

a ranking memory unit (301) that stores, from among scores of a game played by the player, the scores scoring equal to or above the stored threshold in such a manner that the scores are associated with identification codes of players, and stored in the order of scores, and

a ranking insertion unit (305) that adds the received score to the ranking memory unit in association with the received player'"'"'s identification code.

11. A game system control method controlling a plurality of game terminals (1), a plurality of storage servers (2), and a score server (3), wherein each of the game terminals (1) has a progress status information transmission unit (11), each of the storage servers (2) has a threshold receiving unit (201), a threshold storage unit (202), a progress status information receiving unit (203), a progress status information storage unit (204) and a score transmission unit (205), and the score server (3) has a threshold memory unit (302), a ranking memory unit (301), a threshold transmission unit (303), a score receiving unit (304) and a ranking insertion unit (305), and wherein:

(a) the score server (3) includes;

a threshold memory step of storing a threshold of scores in the threshold memory unit (302),

a ranking memory step of storing, from among scores of a game that players played, the scores scoring equal to or above the stored threshold of scores to the ranking memory unit (301) in such a manner that the scores are associated with identification codes of the players, and stored in the order of scores, and

a threshold transmitting step of transmitting the stored threshold of scores to each of the storage servers (2) in the threshold transmission unit (303);

(b) each of the storage servers (2) includes;

a threshold receiving step of receiving the threshold of scores transmitted from the score server (3) in the threshold receiving unit (201), and

a threshold storing step of storing the received threshold of scores in the threshold storage unit (202);

(c) each of the game terminals (1) includes;

a progress status information transmitting step of transmitting the game progress status information including the score of a game that a player played on the game terminal (1) and the player'"'"'s identification code to a storage server associated in advance with the player from among the storage servers in the progress status information transmission unit (11);

(d) each of the storage servers (2) further includes;

a progress status information receiving step, by the progress status information receiving unit (203), of receiving the game progress status information and the player identification code that are transmitted from any of the game terminals,

a progress status information storing step of storing the received game progress status information in the progress status information storage unit (204) in association with the received player identification code in cases where the received player identification code is associated with the storage server in advance, and

a score transmitting step of transmitting the score included in the game progress status information and the received player identification code to the score server in the score transmission unit (205) in cases where the score included in the received game progress status information is equal to or above the stored threshold of scores; and

(e) the score server (3) further includes;

a score receiving step of receiving a score equal to or above the threshold and the player identification code that are transmitted from the respective storage servers (2) in the score receiving unit (304), and

a ranking adding step of adding (inserting) the received score equal to or above the threshold to the ranking memory unit (301) in association with the received player identification code in the ranking insertion unit (305).

12. An information recording medium storing a program including a program for a game terminal that causes each of computers of a plurality of game terminals to function as a game terminal (1), a program for a storage server that causes each of computers for a plurality of storage servers to function as a storage server (2), and a program for a score server that causes a computer for a score server to function as a score server (3), wherein

(a) the program for the score server causes the computer for the score server to function as:

a threshold memory unit (302) that stores a threshold of scores,

a ranking memory unit (301) that stores, from among scores of a game that players played, the scores scoring equal to or above the stored threshold in such a manner that the scores are associated with identification codes of the players, and stored in the order of scores, and

a threshold transmission unit (303) that transmits the stored threshold of scores to each of the computers for the storage servers;

(b) the program for the storage server causes each of the computers for the storage servers to function as;

a threshold receiving unit (201) that receives a threshold of scores transmitted from the score server, and

a threshold storage unit (202) that stores the received threshold of scores;

(c) the program for the game terminal causes each of the computers for the game terminals to function as;

a progress status information transmission unit (11) that transmits game progress status information including the score of a game that a player played on the game terminal, and the player'"'"'s identification code to a computer for a storage server that is associated with the player in advance from the computers of the storage servers;

(d) the program for the storage server further causes each of the computers for the storage servers to function as;

a progress status information receiving unit (203) that receives the game progress status information and the player identification code that are transmitted from any of the computers for the game terminals,

a progress status information storage unit (204) that stores the received game progress status information in association with the received player identification code in cases where the received player identification code is associated with the storage server in advance, and

a score transmission unit (205), in cases where the score included in the received game progress status information is equal to or above the stored threshold of scores, transmits the score included in the game progress status information and the received player identification code to the computer for the score server; and

(e) the program for the score server further causes the computer for the score server to function as;

a score receiving unit (304) that receives scores equal to or above the threshold and player identification codes that are transmitted from each of the computers of the storage servers, and

a ranking insertion unit (305) that adds the received scores equal to or above the threshold to the ranking memory unit in association with the received player'"'"'s identification codes.

13. A program including a program for a game terminal that causes each of computers for a plurality of game terminals to function as a game terminal (1), a program for a storage server that causes each of computers for a plurality of storage servers to function as a storage server (2), and a program for a score server that causes a computer for a score server to function as a score server (3), wherein

(a) the program for the score server causes the computer for the score server to function as:

a threshold memory unit (302) that stores a threshold of scores,

a ranking memory unit (301) that stores, from among scores of a game that players played, the scores scoring equal to or above the stored threshold in such a manner that the scores are associated with identification codes of the players, and stored in the order of scores, and

a threshold transmission unit (303) that transmits the stored threshold of scores to each of the computers for the storage servers;

(b) the program for the storage server causes each of the computers for the storage servers to function as;

a threshold receiving unit (201) that receives a threshold of scores transmitted from the score server, and

a threshold storage unit (202) that stores the received threshold of scores;

(c) the program for the game terminal causes each of the computers for the game terminals to function as;

a progress status information transmission unit (11) that transmits game progress status information including the score of a game that a player played on the game terminal, and the player'"'"'s identification code to a computer for a storage server that is associated with the player in advance from the computers of the storage servers;

(d) the program for the storage server further causes each of the computers for the storage servers to function as;

a progress status information receiving unit (203) that receives the game progress status information and the player identification code that are transmitted from any of the computers for the game terminals,

a progress status information storage unit (204) that stores the received game progress status information in association with the received player identification code in cases where the received player identification code is associated with the storage server in advance, and

a score transmission unit (205), in cases where the score included in the received game progress status information is equal to or above the stored threshold of scores, transmits the score included in the game progress status information and the received player identification code to the computer for the score server; and

(e) the program for the score server further causes the computer for the score server to function as;

a score receiving unit (304) that receives scores equal to or above the threshold and player identification codes that are transmitted from each of the computers of the storage servers, and

a ranking insertion unit (305) that adds the received scores equal to or above the threshold to the ranking memory unit in association with the received player'"'"'s identification codes.