Network service system and communication unit for game machine and game machine capable of using said network service system

• US 5,664,778 A
• Filed: 12/18/1995
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Saito, Yoshinori, Kawasaki, Kenji, Yago, Kiyotaka, Kikuchi, Misao, Noma, Kenji, Kitagawa, Yasushi, Hayasaka, Hisayoshi, Tahara, Tadayuki, Imasono, Kunimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/574,077
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40-44, 463/29, 455/1, 455/2, 455/3.1, 455/4.1-6.3, 379/90-91, 379/93-96, 379/111, 379/219-221, 364/403, 364/410, 364/478-479, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2, 348/1, 348/5.5, 348/6-10, 348/12-13, 348/552, 340/825.52, 340/825.07, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.35, 340/323 R, 273/148 B, 273/148 R
• US Class Current: 273/148.00B
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network service system capable of providing economical services comprises a plurality of host computers connected to a network for providing services through the network and an information processing terminal connected to the network. The information processing terminal identifies a service identifier, provided in a storage medium for network service, for identifying a type of a network service when the storage medium is attached, connects the line to the host computer which corresponds to the identified service identifier and receives the network service from the line-connected host computer.

Claims

1. A communication unit, for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, said communication unit comprising:

game machine connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the game machine;

network connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the network;

attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether a game cassette is attached to said game machine and for discriminating a game cassette type when the game cassette is attached; and

host accessing means for accessing he host via the network;

said host accessing means being activated when a network game cassette utilizing the game services provided by the host is attached to said attachment state discriminating means.

2. A communication unit, for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, said communication unit comprising:

game machine connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the game machine;

network connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the network;

game cassette attaching means for removably attaching a game cassette of either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host;

attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached; and

host accessing means for accessing the host via the network;

said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.

3. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes an opaque case with a cut section;

wherein said communication unit further comprises a light emitting section and a light receiving section positioned so that said cut section is interposed therebetween when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on an output of said light receiving section.

4. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a light transmitting section having light transmittivity from one end to another end of said case;

wherein said communication unit further comprises a light emitting section and light receiving section positioned so that said light transmitting section is interposed therebetween when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on an output of said light receiving section.

5. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a cut section;

wherein said communication unit further comprises an ultrasonic transmitting section and an ultrasonic receiving section positioned so that said cut section is interposed therebetween when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on an output of said ultrasonic receiving section.

6. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a magnetic body;

wherein said communication unit further comprises a magnetic contactless switch to detect said magnetic body when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said magnetic contactless switch.

7. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a metallic body;

wherein said communication unit further comprises a high frequency contactless switch to detect said metallic body when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said high frequency contactless switch.

8. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of the network type includes a first case and the game cassette of the stand-alone type includes a second case, the first and second cases having a different shape from each other;

wherein said communication unit further comprises a micro-switch to contact either the game cassette of the network type or the game cassette of the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said micro-switch.

9. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a magnetic body;

wherein said communication unit further comprises a magnetic sensor to detect said magnetic body when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a detection result of said magnetic sensor.

10. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette of at least one of the network type and the stand-alone type includes a case with a printed ID code label on a surface of said case;

wherein said communication unit further comprises ID code reading means for reading said printed ID code label when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means; and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type based on a result of said ID code reading means.

11. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein the game cassette includes a storage section to store ID information;

and

wherein said attachment state discriminating means discriminates whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type by reading the ID information stored in said storage section when the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means.

12. The communication unit according to claim 2, wherein said game machine connecting means is a terminal attachable to a game cassette attachment port disposed in said game machine;

and

wherein said game cassette attaching means is an attachment port attachable to existing game cassettes.

13. A communication unit for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, the game machine having a game cassette removably attached, the game cassette being either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host, said communication unit comprising:

processing information storing means for storing processing information of said network connecting means and the game cassette;

attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached;

processing information executing means for executing the processing information stored in said processing information storing means based on a discrimination result of said attachment state discriminating means; and

host accessing means for accessing the host via the network;

said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.