Game system and method of entering game system

• US 5,816,920 A
• Filed: 01/05/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanai, Naohito
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US08/564,152
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/40, 463/7, 463/6, 434/62, 434/69, 364/410
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• 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 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

This game system enables the entry of a new game terminal into a currently operating multiplayer game system, or the isolation of a specific game terminal from a currently operating multiplayer game system. Each game terminal includes a master/slave setting section which detects whether or not data is being transferred over data transfer lines when that game terminal starts up, and either sets itself to be the master machine if transfer data is not present, or sets itself to be a slave machine if transfer data is already present. The game system also includes an entry acceptance signal transfer section wherein the master machine transfers an entry acceptance signal between game terminals for accepting entries into the game system.

Claims

1. A game system, comprising:

a plurality of game terminals including a master machine and at least one other game terminal connected by data transfer lines for mutually transmitting and receiving data, each of said game terminals executing one of a single-player game and a multiplayer game with other game terminals, wherein;

an entry acceptance signal is repeatedly sent from the master machine to the at least one other game terminal even after the game system is operating for accepting an entry of said at least one other game terminal as at least one slave machine into said game system without obstructing said multiplayer game;

said at least one slave machine sends data after receiving said entry acceptance signal and entering said game system, and

said master machine halts sending of said entry acceptance signal when at least one of said game terminals are providing said multiplayer game.

14. The game system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of entry write areas in said entry acceptance signal for writing entry data for each of said slave machine;

an overall data transfer control means in said master machine for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to each of said game terminals and for providing overall control of data transfer in the game system, wherein

said slave machine writes entry data for said slave machine into an empty entry write area in said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal, sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, and setting a write address for data concerning said slave machine in a data write area of said data transfer signal to correspond to a write address for said entry data whenever said another game terminal enters the system.

23. The game system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said game terminals are connected in a loop structure by data transfer lines, and data transfer occurs in one direction around said loop.

2. A game system comprising:

a plurality of game terminals connected by data transfer lines for mutually transmitting and receiving data, wherein said game system provides a multiplayer game wherein a player at one of said game terminals plays within a common game space against players at other of said game terminals while watching a game image on a screen;

each of said game terminals including;

master/slave setting means for detecting whether or not there is data present on said data transfer lines when that game terminal is started up, and one of setting said game terminal to be a master machine when transfer data is not present, and setting said game terminal to be a slave machine when transfer data is already present;

entry acceptance signal transfer means for repeatedly sending an entry acceptance signal even after said game system is operating for accepting an entry of at least one of said slave machine and another game terminal into said game system when said game terminal has been set to be said master machine; and

data transfer means for sending data after receiving said entry acceptance signal and entering said game system, when said game terminal has been set to be said slave machine.

3. The game system as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal transfer means of each of said game terminals is configured in such a manner that;

said entry acceptance signal is halted when at least one of said game terminals are providing said multiplayer game; and

the operation of accepting the entry of a game terminal is repeated without obstructing said multiplayer.

4. The game as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said master/slave setting means of each of said game terminals is configured in such a manner that;

when an entry acceptance signal is received from another game terminal and said game terminal has been set to be the master machine, said master/slave setting means releases the setting of said terminal as said master machine, re-detects whether there is data present on said data transfer lines, and then sets said game terminal to be said master machine when transfer data is not present, and sets said game terminal to be said slave machine when transfer data is already present.

5. The game system as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said master/slave setting means of each of said game terminals is configured in such a manner that;

when an entry acceptance signal is received from another game terminal and said game terminals has been set to be the master machine, said master/slave setting means releases the setting of said game terminal as said master machine, redetects whether there is data present on said data transfer lines, and then sets said game terminal to be said master machine when transfer data is not present, and sets said game terminal to be said slave machine when transfer data is already present.

6. The game system as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said same terminals further comprises:

reset means for severing a master/slave relationship between said game terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between said game terminals is established.

7. The game system as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said game terminals further comprises:

reset means for severing a master/slave relationship between said game terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between said game terminals is established.

8. The game system as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said game terminals farther comprises:

reset means for severing a master/slave relationship between said game terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between said game terminals is established.

9. The game system as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said game terminals further comprises:

reset means for severing a master/slave relationship between said game terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between said game terminals is established.

10. The game system as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said game terminals are connected in a loop structure by said data transfer lines and data transfer occurs in one direction around said loop; and

each of said game terminals further comprises;

reset means for forcibly halting data transfer over said data transfer lines and severing a master/slave relationship between said game terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between game terminals is established.

11. The game system as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said game terminals are connected in a loop structure by said data transfer lines and data transfer occurs in one direction around said loop; and

each of said game terminals further comprises;

reset means for forcibly halting data transfer over said data transfer lines and severing a master/slave relationship between said game terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between game terminals is established.

12. The game system as defined in claim 4 wherein:

said game terminals are connected in a loop structure by said data transfer lines and data transfer occurs in one direction around said loop; and

each of said game terminals further comprises;

reset means for forcibly halting data transfer over said data transfer lines and severing a master/slave relationship between said name terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between game terminals is established.

13. The game system as defined in claim 5 wherein:

said game terminals are connected in a loop structure by said data transfer lines and data transfer occurs in one direction around said loop; and

each of said game terminals further comprises;

reset means for forcibly halting data transfer over said data transfer lines and severing a master/slave relationship between said game terminals; and

malfunction detection means for detecting a malfunction in said master machine and causing said reset means to operate, wherein

another master/slave relationship between game terminals is established.

15. The game system as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals including;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said game terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

16. The game system as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals including;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said game terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

17. The game system as defined in claim 4 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals includes;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said same terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

18. The game system as defined in claim 5 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals includes;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said game terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

19. The game system as defined in claim 10 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals includes;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said game terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

20. The game system as defined in claim 11 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals includes;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said game terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

21. The game system as defined in claim 12 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals includes;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said game terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

22. The game system as defined in claim 13 wherein:

said entry acceptance signal comprises a plurality of entry write areas for writing entry data for each of said slave machine, each of the entry write areas having a write address of said entry data;

each of said game terminals includes;

an overall data transfer control means for sending a data transfer signal comprising a plurality of data write areas to slave machines and providing overall control over data transfer in the game system when said game terminal has been set to be the master machine;

entry means for writing entry data for said game terminal into an empty entry write area of said entry acceptance signal to modify the entry acceptance signal and sending the modified entry acceptance signal to other game terminals, when said game terminal has been set to be a slave machine;

address setting means for setting a write address for data concerning said game terminal in a data write area of said data transfer signal based on said write address of said entry data in said entry acceptance signal; and

data transfer means for receiving said data transfer signal, reading data for other game terminals, writing data concerning said game terminal into said data transfer signal based on the set write address, and sending said data transfer signal to the other game terminals.

24. The game system as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said game terminals are connected in a loop structure by data transfer lines, and data transfer occurs in one direction around said loop.

25. A method of entering a game system, wherein said game system comprises a plurality of independent game terminals connected by data transfer lines for mutually transmitting and receiving data, and said game system provides a multiplayer game wherein a player at one of said game terminals plays within a common game space against players at other game terminals while watching a game image on a screen, comprising the steps of:

setting a master/slave relationship based on whether data is passing through said data transfer lines when each of said game terminals starts up, wherein said game terminal is a master machine when data is not passing through said data transfer lines and a slave machine when data is passing through said data transfer lines;

repeatedly sending an entry acceptance signal, even after said game system is operating, from said master machine to said slave machine for accepting an entry of said slave machine into said game system;

starting data transfer after said slave machine has received said entry acceptance signal; and

accepting the entry into said game system of another game terminal without obstructing said multiplayer game even after said game system is operating.