Information-processing device, server device, information-processing method, computer-readable storage medium, communication system, and communication method

• US 8,761,800 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuwahara, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Jean
• Application Number:
  US13/565,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 463/42, 463/9, 340/539, 701/469
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• 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 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

An exemplary information-processing device includes: a terminal position-acquiring unit configured to acquire a position of a portable terminal used by a user; a specified position-acquiring unit configured to acquire a position specified by the user; an event-generating unit configured to generate an event at a generation position, the position acquired by the specified position-acquiring unit being regarded as the generation position; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit information relating to the event to the portable terminal when the position acquired by the terminal position-acquiring unit and the generation position come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

Claims

1. An information-processing device comprising:

a specified position-acquiring unit configured to acquire a position specified by a user;

a storage unit configured to store a first virtual object in association with the position specified by the user;

an event-generating unit configured to generate an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when or where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

a terminal position-acquiring unit configured to periodically acquire a position of a portable terminal used by the user; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit information relating to the generated second virtual object to the portable terminal when the position acquired by the terminal position-acquiring unit and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

2. The information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event when a predetermined time has passed from acquisition of a position by the specified position-acquiring unit.

3. The information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the specified position-acquiring unit is further configured to acquire a position of the portable terminal when a predetermined operation is performed by the user.

4. The information-processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the event-generating unit is further configured, when the predetermined period has passed from the time the event was generated with the position acquired by the specified position-acquiring unit, to change a state in which the event is generated to a state in which no event is generated.

5. The information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event when a predetermined condition is met.

6. The information-processing device according to claim 5, wherein

the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event with a probability of less than 1 (one).

7. The information-processing device according to claim 6, wherein

the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event with a probability varying depending on a type of the event.

8. The information-processing device according to claim 7, wherein

the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event with a probability varying depending on the position acquired by the specified position-acquiring unit.

9. The information-processing device according to claim 7, wherein

the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event with a probability varying depending on a period of time during which the specified position-acquiring unit acquired a position.

10. The information-processing device according to claim 7,

wherein the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event in relation to the position acquired by the specified position-acquiring unit, with a probability varying depending on the first virtual object stored in the storage unit in association with the position acquired by the specified position-acquiring unit.

11. The information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the terminal position-acquiring unit is further configured to acquire a position of a first portable terminal,

the specified position-acquiring unit is further configured to acquire a position specified by a user of a second portable terminal,

the event-generating unit is further configured to generate the event, the position specified by the user of the second portable terminal and acquired by the specified position-acquiring unit being regarded as a generation position for the event, and

the transmitting unit is further configured to, when the position of the first portable terminal acquired by the terminal position-acquiring unit and the generation position at which the event is generated by the event-generating unit come to be in a predetermined positional relationship, transmit information relating to the second virtual object to the first portable terminal.

12. An information-processing device comprising:

a specified position-acquiring unit configured to acquire a position specified by a user;

a storage unit configured to store a first virtual object in association with the position acquired by the specified position-acquiring unit;

an event-generating unit configured to generate an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when and where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

a terminal position-acquiring unit configured to periodically acquire a position of a portable terminal used by the user; and

a presenting unit configured to present information relating to the generated second virtual object to the user when the position acquired by the terminal position-acquiring unit and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

13. The information-processing device according to claim 12, further comprising a processing unit configured to execute a process relating to the event in response to an operation performed by the user.

14. A server device comprising:

a specified position-acquiring unit configured to acquire a position specified by a user;

a storage unit configured to store a first virtual object in association with the position specified by the user;

an event-generating unit configured to generate an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when or where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

a terminal position-acquiring unit configured to periodically acquire a position of a portable terminal used by the user; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit information relating to the generated second virtual object to the portable terminal when the position acquired by the terminal position-acquiring unit and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

15. An information-processing method comprising:

acquiring a position specified by a user;

storing a first virtual object in a storage unit in association with the position specified by the user;

generating an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when or where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

periodically acquiring a position of a portable terminal used by the user; and

transmitting information relating to the generated second virtual object to the portable terminal when the acquired position of the portable terminal and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for causing a computer device to execute a process, the process comprising:

acquiring a position specified by a user;

storing a first virtual object in association with the position specified by the user;

generating an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when or where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

periodically acquiring a position of a portable terminal used by the user; and

presenting information relating to the generated second virtual object to the user when the acquired position of the portable terminal and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

17. An information-processing method comprising:

acquiring a position specified by a user;

storing a first virtual object in association with the position specified by the user;

generating an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when or where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

periodically acquiring a position of a portable terminal used by the user; and

presenting information relating to the generated second virtual object to the user when the acquired position of the portable terminal and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

18. A communication system comprising

a server device and

a portable terminal, wherein

the portable terminal includes:

a notifying unit configured to notify the server device of a position specified by a user;

a receiving unit configured to receive information transmitted from the server device; and

an information-providing unit configured to provide the user with the information received by the receiving unit, and

the server device includes;

a specified position-acquiring unit configured to acquire the position specified by the user of the portable terminal and notified from the portable terminal;

a storage unit configured to store a first virtual object in association with the position specified by the user;

an event-generating unit configured to generate an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when or where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

a terminal position-acquiring unit configured to periodically acquire a position of the portable terminal; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit information relating to the generated second virtual object to the portable terminal when the position acquired by the terminal position-acquiring unit and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship.

19. A communication method comprising:

notifying, from a portable terminal to a server device, a position specified by a user;

acquiring, by the server device, the position specified by the user of the portable terminal and notified from the portable terminal and storing a first virtual object in a storage unit in association with the position specified by the user;

generating, by the server device, an event including generation of a second virtual object different from the stored first virtual object to appear in relation to the position specified by the user, with a probability varying depending on one or more conditions including a type of the event, the first object stored at the position specified by the user, and when or where the position was specified by the user,

wherein the generated second virtual object is to disappear from the position specified by the user when a predetermined period has passed from the time the second object was generated;

periodically acquiring, by the server device, a position of the portable terminal;

transmitting, by the server device, information relating to the second virtual object to the portable terminal when the position of the portable terminal acquired by the server and the position specified by the user where the generated second virtual object appears come to be in a predetermined positional relationship; and

receiving, by the portable terminal, the information transmitted from the server device; and

providing, by the portable terminal, the received information to the user.