Service system and service method employing portable terminal

• US 6,736,727 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Hiroshi, Doi, Miwako
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/716,317
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/24, 463/30, 463/37, 463/39, 463/41-45, 463/47, 345/1, 345/3, 345/5, 345/50, 345/133, 345/169, 345/213, 345/329, 345/520, 345/521, 705/7, 705/10, 705/14, 705/16
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar

Abstract

This service system includes a portable terminal for acquiring a game character to be distributed, and then, executing a game in collaboration with a processor main body, an external station for making communication with the portable terminal via a short distance wireless equipment, and a service server for distributing the game character to the external station. The portable terminal transmits to the external station the contents of a history information storage section for storing history information concerning a game and a game character depending on a user that possesses the portable terminal. The external station receives the history information transmitted from the portable terminal, and then transmits to the portable terminal the game character information transmitted by referring to the history.

Claims

1. A service system comprising:

a portable terminal device configured to execute a game solely or in collaboration with a game machine mainframe, said portable terminal device including,

a portable terminal communication section configured to communicate with an external station,

a portable terminal storage section configured to store game history and character information depending on a user that possesses the portable terminal device,

a portable terminal information management section configured to read the game history and character information stored in said storage section, transmit the game history information to said external station, and receive additional game character information from said external device;

a game machine mainframe including,

a mainframe information exchange section configured to exchange information with the portable terminal device, and

a mainframe information management section configured to write attribute information represented by type of service information into a storage section in the portable terminal device as part of history information;

an external station including,

an external station communication section configured to communicate with the portable terminal device when said portable terminal device is within a predetermined distance, and

an external station distribution control section configured to receive the game history and character information transmitted from said portable terminal and distribute said additional game character information to said portable terminal device according to the received game history information; and

a central service server configured to provide the service information to the external station on the basis of the game history and character information received by the external station from the portable terminal device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable terminal device or game machine mainframe includes a section configured to, when a predetermined condition is met, instruct a user to acquire service information, said game character information, or coupon information.

3. The service system according to claim 1, wherein said portable terminal device or game machine mainframe includes a section configured to indicate a user said external station at which said portable terminal device acquires service information, said game character information, or coupon information.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said external station includes a section configured to transmit to said portable terminal device, guidance information for indicating another external station at which said portable terminal acquires service information, said game character information, or coupon information.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said external station includes a section configured to transmit to said portable terminal device, guidance information for indicating another external station at which said portable terminal acquires service information, said game character information, or coupon information.

6. A service method in a service system comprising a portable terminal device configured to acquire game character information to and execute a game solely or in collaboration with a game machine mainframe, a game machine mainframe including both an information exchange section configured to exchange information with the portable terminal device and an information management section configured to write attribute information represented by type of service information into a storage section in the portable terminal device as part of history information, an external station configured to communicate with the portable terminal when the portable terminal is within a predetermined distance, and a central service server configured to provide to the external station the attribute information to be distributed to said portable terminal device, said service method comprising the steps of:

storing history information depending on a user that possesses said portable terminal device in said portable terminal device;

exchanging information between said portable terminal device and said game machine main frame;

transmitting said stored history information to said external station in said portable terminal;

receiving the transmitted history information at said external station; and

transmitting said game character information to said portable terminal device according to said received history information from said external station and in accordance with information provided by said central service server.