Game machine and network system for setting up game environment thereof

• US 6,902,484 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Idaka, Mitsuhira
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/855,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 463/23, 463/29, 700/92, 382/115, 713/182, 713/186
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi

Abstract

A game player who faces a game machine is captured by a camera, and the game player is individually identified based on the image. Personal information of the identified game player (information regarding a skill level of the player, information regarding the progress status of the game, information regarding the number of acquired tokens, and information regarding the growth status in raising games) is read out from data storage. Based on the personal information which has been read out, a game environment in accordance with the personal information of the game player is automatically set up. During the game the game status is monitored, and based on the monitoring information, personal information of the game player is automatically generated and stored in the data storage.

Claims

1. A game machine comprising:

a player identifier, which identifies a player who wants to play a game;

a data storage, which stores personal information of a plurality of players which have played the game, the data storage being operable to store a plurality of personal information sets for each of said plurality of players, each personal information set including information regarding a same parameter of play of the game; and

a game environment arranger, which selectively reads out one of the personal information sets of the player identified by the player identifier from the data storage, and automatically sets up a game environment of the game based on the read out personal information set;

wherein the player identifier identifies the player using image recognition techniques.

2. The game machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a game monitor, which monitors status of the game played by the player to generate monitoring information; and

a personal information generator, which generates new personal information of the player based on the monitoring information, and stores the new personal information in the data storage.

3. The game machine as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a level determiner, which automatically determines a skill level of the player to generates skill level information, based on the monitoring information,

wherein the personal information generator incorporates the skill level information to the personal information; and

wherein the game environment arranger automatically reads out personal information of another player stored in the data storage as an opponent in a multi-player game, based on the skill level information of the player.

4. The game machine as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a match canceller which refuses to establish the multi-player game with the opponent selected by the game environment arranger.

5. The game machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an information communicator, which communicates the personal information stored in the data storage with another game machine connected to the game machine.

6. The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the personal information includes at least one of information regarding a skill level of the player, information regarding progress status of the game, information regarding a number of tokens acquired in the game, and information regarding growth status in a raising game.

7. A network system for setting up a game environment, comprising:

a common host apparatus;

a plurality of game machines communicatively connected to the host apparatus;

a player identifier, which is provided in at least one of the host apparatus and game machines, and identifies a player who wants to play a game, the player identifier provided;

a data storage, which is provided in the host apparatus, and stores personal information of a plurality of players which have been played the game, the data storage being operable to store a plurality of personal information sets for each of said plurality of players, each personal information set including information regarding a same parameter of play of the game;

a data communicator, which is provided in the host apparatus, and selectively transmits one of the personal information items of the player identified by the player identifier, from the data storage to at least one of the game machines; and

a game environment arranger, which is provided in the respective game machines, receives the personal information transmitted from the host apparatus, and automatically sets up a game environment of the game based on one of the personal information sets;

wherein the player identifier identifies the player using image recognition techniques.

8. The network system as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of the game machine includes:

a game monitor, which monitors status of the game played by the player to generate monitoring information;

a personal information generator, which generates new personal information of the player based on the monitoring information; and

an information communicator, which transmits the new personal information to the data storage in the host apparatus.

9. The network system as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of the game machines includes a level determiner, which automatically determines a skill level of the player to generates skill level information, based on the monitoring information;

wherein the personal information generator incorporates the skill level information to the personal information; and

wherein the game environment arranger automatically receives personal information of another player stored in the data storage as an opponent in a multi-player game, based on the skill level information of the player.

10. The game machine as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a match canceller which refuses to establish the multi-player game with the opponent selected by the game environment arranger.

11. The network system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the host apparatus and the respective game machines are connected via a wide area computer network to play a network game provided on the wide area computer network.

12. The network system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the personal information includes at least one of information regarding a skill level of the player, information regarding progress status of the game, information regarding the number of tokens acquired in the game, and information regarding growth status in a raising game.

13. A game machine comprising:

a player identifier, which identifies a player who wants to play a game;

a data storage, which stores personal information of a plurality of players which have played the game, the data storage being operable to store a plurality of personal information sets for each of said plurality of players, each personal information set including information regarding a same parameter of play of the game; and

a game environment arranger, which selectively reads out one of the personal information sets of the player identified by the player identifier from the data storage, and automatically sets up a game environment of the game based on the read our personal information set.

14. A network system for setting up a game environment, comprising:

a common host apparatus;

a plurality of game machines communicatively connected to the host apparatus;

a player identifier, which is provided in at least one of the host apparatus and game machines, and identifies a player who wants to play a game, the player identifier provided;

a data storage, which is provided in the host apparatus, and stores personal information of a plurality of players which have been played the game, the data storage being operable to store a plurality of personal information sets for each of said plurality of players, each personal information set including information regarding a same parameter of play of the game;

a data communicator, which is provided in the host apparatus, and selectively transmits one of the personal information items of the player identified by the player identifier, from the data storage to at least one of the game machines; and

a game environment arranger, which is provided in the respective game machines, receives the personal information transmitted from the host apparatus, and automatically sets up a game environment based on one of the personal information sets;

wherein the player identifier identifies the player using image recognition techniques.