GAME APPARATUS

• US 20130123000A1
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kusuda, Kazuhiro, Uchiyama, Takashi, Azuma, Shogo, Ito, Shinya, Yamaguchi, Hirokatsu, Nakasato, Hiroki, Yoshida, Kensaku
• Application Number:
  US13/812,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20130123000A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A game apparatus has an operation unit and a radio communication unit for performing radio communication with the outside and a connection unit that establishes a connection with an external terminal device via the radio communication unit, and stores the number of credits in association with a player ID obtained and also stores this player ID in association with a terminal ID of the external terminal device for which the connection has been established by the connection unit. Also, the game apparatus controls a first game that advances based on an operation of the operation unit while consuming credit corresponding to a player ID and a second game that advances while consuming credit corresponding to a player ID that is associated with the terminal ID of the external terminal device for which the connection has been established by the connection unit so that the first game and the second game advance simultaneously. The game apparatus reduces the number of credits corresponding to the player ID depending on credit consumed respectively in the first and the second game.

Claims

1. A game apparatus comprising:

an obtainer that obtains first identification information for uniquely identifying a player;

a credit storage device that stores data indicating the number of credits for the first identification information obtained by the obtainer in association with the first identification information;

a credit manager that increases the number of credits indicated by the data stored in the credit storage device by the deposit of credit from the outside and reduces the number of credits by the consumption of credit in exchange for a game play;

a radio communication unit adapted to perform radio communication;

a connection unit that establishes a connection with an external portable terminal device via the radio communication unit;

an identification information storage device that stores the first identification information obtained by the obtainer and second identification information assigned to the terminal device for which the connection has been established by the connection unit, the first identification information and the second identification information being stored in association with each other;

an operation receiver that receives an operation of a player with respect to the game; and

a game controller that controls a first game and a second game so that the first game and the second game advance simultaneously, the first game advancing based on the operation received at the operation receiver and advancing while consuming credit corresponding to the first identification information obtained by the obtainer and the second game advancing while consuming credit corresponding to the first identification information associated with the second identification information assigned to the terminal device for which the connection has been established by the connection unit,

wherein the credit manager reduces the number of the credits corresponding to the first identification information obtained by the obtainer depending on the consumption of credits respectively in the first game and in the second game.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a status transmitter that transmits a progress status of the second game to the terminal device via the radio communication unit,

wherein the game controller controls the second game to advance automatically in accordance with a predetermined rule.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the game controller controls the second game based on an instruction from the terminal device.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the connection unit, in a case in which the first identification information is obtained by the obtainer, issues a password in association with the first identification information for display, and stores the first identification information and the second identification information in association with each other in the identification information storage device for the terminal device for which the password first agrees with a password for confirmation obtained from the terminal device since the password was issued, thereby establishing a connection with the terminal device.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the game grants credit depending on a result of the game as a reward that can be obtained depending on the result of the game;

and

wherein the credit manager increases or reduces the number of the credits corresponding to the first identification information obtained by the obtainer depending on the consumption or the grant of credit respectively in the first game and in the second game.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the credit storage device stores, as data indicating the number of credits, in association with the first identification information obtained by the obtainer, data indicating the number of the credits common to the first identification information and the second identification information corresponding to the first identification information;

and

wherein the credit manager increases or reduces the number of the credits depending on credit consumed or granted respectively in the first game corresponding to the first identification information and in the second game corresponding to the second identification information.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the credit storage device stores in association with the first identification information, as the data indicating the number of credits, data indicating the number of first credits corresponding to the first identification information obtained by the obtainer, and stores in association with the first identification information, as the data indicating the number of credits, data indicating the number of second credits that increases or decreases independently from the number of first credits;

and

wherein the credit manager increases or reduces the number of first credits, depending on the credit consumed or granted in the first game corresponding to the first identification information, and increases or reduces the number of the second credits depending on the credit consumed or granted in the second game corresponding to the second identification information that is associated with the first identification information.

8. A game apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the credit manager transfers the first credit corresponding to the first identification information to the second credit corresponding to the second identification information that is associated with the first identification information or transfers the second credit to the first credit.

9. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the game grants, depending on a result of the game, non-credit that is not exchangeable for play as a reward that can be obtained depending on the result of the game;

wherein the credit storage device further stores, in association with the first identification information obtained by the obtainer, non-credit information indicating the granted non-credit and varying by the grant of the non-credit in the game; and

wherein the credit manager changes the non-credit information corresponding to the first identification information obtained by the obtainer depending on the non-credit granted respectively in the first game and the second game.