Wireless network system, wireless communication instrument, wireless communication instrument setting device, game process control method, information storage medium, and portable electronic instrument

• US 7,916,679 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
• Inventors: Omori, Yasushi, Kaku, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US11/727,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20070286109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/3.03, 455/420, 370/313, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

In a game system including a wireless LAN AP instrument and a portable game device, the AP instrument transmits a beacon signal including a MAC address of the AP instrument and a network ID obtained by encoding an instruction code so that the network ID can be decoded using the MAC address. The portable game device decodes the network ID included in the received beacon signal using the MAC address, and executes control based on control data when authenticity determination data included in the decoded instruction code coincides with specific data and the present date is within a valid period indicated by valid period data.

Claims

1. A wireless network system comprising:

a wireless communication instrument; and

a portable electronic instrument;

the wireless communication instrument including;

an instrument ID storage section that stores an instrument ID of the wireless communication instrument;

a network ID storage section that stores, as a wireless network ID, data obtained by encoding data including at least specific authenticity determination data and given control data for controlling the portable electronic instrument to be decoded using the instrument ID stored in the instrument ID storage section; and

a transmission section that periodically transmits a beacon signal including the instrument ID stored in the instrument ID storage section and the wireless network ID stored in the network ID storage section, in accordance with a wireless communication standard that specifies that a wireless instrument transmits an instrument ID of the wireless instrument as an instrument ID included in transmission data; and

the portable electronic instrument including;

a reception section that receives the beacon signal;

a decoding section that decodes the wireless network ID included in the received beacon signal using the instrument ID included in the received beacon signal;

an authenticity determination section that determines whether or not the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

a period determination section which determines whether or not a present date is within the valid period indicated by the period data included in the data decoded by the decoding section; and

a control section that executes control based on the control data included in the decoded data when the authenticity determination section has determined that the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

wherein the network ID storage section of the wireless communication instrument stores data obtained by encoding data including at least the authenticity determination data, the control data, and period data indicating a valid period of control based on the control data so that the data can be decoded using the instrument ID as the wireless network ID; and

the control section disregards control based on the control data when the period determination section has determined that the present date is not within the valid period, and executes control based on the control data when the period determination section has determined that the present date is within the valid period and the authenticity determination section has determined that the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data.

2. The wireless network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instrument ID is a MAC address of the wireless communication instrument.

3. The wireless network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the beacon signal is a destination-independent signal.

4. The wireless network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instrument ID is unique to the wireless communication instrument transmitting the beacon signal, and

the decoding section of the portable electronic instrument uses the received instrument ID as a decryption key for decoding the received wireless network ID.

5. A game process control method for execution by a portable computer capable of performing wireless communication conforming to a specific communication standard, the method comprising:

receiving a beacon signal transmitted from a wireless communication instrument, the beacon signal including

     1) an instrument ID of the wireless communication instrument, and

     2) a wireless network ID that is obtained by encoding data including at least specific authenticity determination data and given control data to be decoded using the instrument ID, the beacon signal being periodically transmitted from the wireless communication instrument that is located in a present wireless communication area of the portable computer in accordance with a wireless communication standard that specifies that a wireless instrument transmits an instrument ID of the wireless instrument as an instrument ID included in transmission data;

decoding the wireless network ID included in the received beacon signal using the instrument ID included in the received beacon signal;

determining whether or not the decoded data includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

controlling a game process based on the control data included in the decoded data when the decoded data has been determined to include the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

determining whether or not a present date is within the valid period indicated by the period data included in the decoded data; and

disregarding control of the game process based on the control data when it has been determined that the present date is not within the valid period and controlling the game process based on the control data when it has been determined that the present date is within the valid period and it has been determined that the decoded data includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

wherein the wireless network ID is data obtained by encoding data including at least the authenticity determination data, the control data, and period data indicating a valid period of control based on the control data to be decoded using the instrument ID.

6. The game process control method as defined in claim 5,

wherein the controlling of the game process includes generating a new character based on the control data.

7. The game process control method as defined in claim 5,

wherein the controlling of the game process includes changing a specific parameter value set for a character appearing in the game based on the control data.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable information recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the game process control method as defined in claim 5.

9. The game control method as defined in claim 5, wherein the instrument ID is a MAC address of the wireless communication instrument.

10. The game control method as defined in claim 5, wherein the beacon signal is a destination-independent signal.

11. The game control method as defined in claim 5, wherein the instrument ID is unique to the wireless communication instrument transmitting the beacon signal, and

the decoding step uses the received instrument ID as a decryption key for decoding the received wireless network ID.

12. A portable electronic instrument that can perform wireless communication conforming to a specific communication standard and execute a specific game while controlling a game process, the portable electronic instrument comprising:

a reception section that receives a beacon signal transmitted from a wireless communication instrument, the beacon signal including

     1) an instrument ID of the wireless communication instrument and

     2) a wireless network ID that is obtained by encoding data including at least specific authenticity determination data and given control data to be decoded using the instrument ID, the beacon signal being periodically transmitted from the wireless communication instrument that is located in a present wireless communication area of the portable electronic instrument in accordance with a wireless communication standard that specifies that a wireless instrument transmits an instrument ID of the wireless instrument as an instrument ID included in transmission data;

a decoding section that decodes the wireless network ID included in the received beacon signal using the instrument ID included in the received beacon signal;

an authenticity determination section that determines whether or not the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

a game process control section that controls the game process based on the control data included in the decoded data when the authenticity determination section has determined that the data decoded by the decoding section includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

a determination section that determines whether or not a present date is within the valid period indicated by the period data included in the decoded data; and

a control disregarding section that disregards control of the game process based on the control data when it has been determined that the present date is not within the valid period and controlling the game process based on the control data when it has been determined that the present date is within the valid period and it has been determined that the decoded data includes the same data as the specific authenticity determination data;

wherein the wireless network ID is data obtained by encoding data including at least the authenticity determination data, the control data, and period data indicating a valid period of control based on the control data to be decoded using the instrument ID.

13. The portable electronic instrument as defined in claim 12, wherein the instrument ID is a MAC address of the wireless communication instrument.

14. The portable electronic instrument as defined in claim 12, wherein the beacon signal is a destination-independent signal.

15. The portable electronic instrument as defined in claim 12, wherein the instrument ID is unique to the wireless communication instrument transmitting the beacon signal, and

the decoding section of the portable electronic instrument uses the received instrument ID as a decryption key for decoding the received wireless network ID.