User-name switching method on network game

• US 20020160837A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maehiro, Kazutoyo, Matsuno, Yasumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• 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: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A terminal receives service provided by a server while using any one of a group of user-names stored in the server for each user and while using a character associated with the user-name. When a character currently in use is switched to another character according to a user instruction, the terminal compares a user-name associated with the switched character with a user-name currently in use. When the compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use, the terminal switches the user-name on the terminal side to a user-name associated with the switched character, and transmits information, indicating the user-name associated with the switched character, to the server.

Claims

1. A user-name switching method in which a terminal connected to a server switches a user-name when receiving service provided by said server while using one of a plurality of user-names stored in said server for each user and while using a character associated with said user-name, said user-name switching method comprising:

switching the character currently in use to another character according to a user instruction;

comparing a user-name associated with the switched character with the user-name currently being used to receive said service;

switching the user-name, which is held by said terminal and is currently used, to the user-name associated with said switched character when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use; and

transmitting information, indicating the user-name associated with said switched character, to said server when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use.

2. The user-name switching method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information, indicating the plurality of user-names of the user of said terminal stored in said server and the user-name currently in use among said plurality of user-names, from said server; and

holding said obtained information, indicating the plurality of user-names and the user-name currently in use, in said terminal.

3. The user-name switching method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of user-namnes are stored in said server and associated with an identifier used by said terminal to log into said server.

4. The user-name switching method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the user-name associated with the switched character on a display device when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use.

5. The user-name switching method according to claim 1 in which information indicating the character currently in use is stored in said server and associated with the user-name currently in use, said method further comprising:

transmitting information indicating the switched character to said server when the character is switched so as to switch information indicating the character, which information is stored in said server and is currently in use.

6. A terminal, which receives service provided by a server while using one of a plurality of user-names stored in said server for each user and while using a character associated with said user-name, said terminal comprising:

a character switching system that switches the character currently in use to another character according to a user instruction;

a comparator that compares a user-name associated with the character switched by said character switching system with the user-name currently being used to receive said service;

a user-name switching system that switches the user-name, which is held by said terminal and is currently used, to a user-name associated with said switched character when said user-name compared by said comparator is different from the user-name currently in use; and

a transmitter that transmits information, indicating the user-name associated with said switched character, to said server when said user-name compared by said comparator is different from the user-name currently in use.

7. The terminal according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of user-names are stored in said server and associated with an identifier that said terminal uses to log into said server.

8. The terminal according to claim 6, further comprising:

a display controller that causes a display device to display the user-name associated with the switched character when said user-name compared by said comparator is different from the user-name currently in use.

9. A terminal, which receives service provided by a server while using one of a plurality of user-names stored in said server for each user and while using a character associated with said user-name, said terminal comprising:

storage that stores a program for causing the terminal to switch the character currently in use to another character according to a user instruction, compare a user-name associated with the switched character with the user-name currently being used to receive said service, switch the user-name, which is held by said terminal and is currently used, to a user-name associated with said switched character when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use, and transmit information, indicating the user-name associated with said switched character, to said server when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use; and

a processor that executes the program stored in said storage.

10. A user-name switching system comprising:

a server that stores a plurality of user-names; and

a terminal connected to said server, said terminal receiving service provided by said server while using one of a plurality of user-names stored in said server and while using a character associated with said user-name,

wherein said terminal executes a program stored in storage so as to switch the character currently in use to another character according to a user instruction;

compare a user-name associated with the switched character with the user-name currently being used receive said service;

switch the user-name, which is held by said terminal and is currently used, to a user-name associated with said switched character; and

transmit information, indicating the user-name associated with said switched character, to said server when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use; and

said server switches the user-name currently in use among the plurality of user-names stored according to information indicating the user-name sent from said terminal.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon to control a terminal connected to a server to receive service provided by said server while using one a plurality of user-names stored in said server for each user and while using a character associated with said user-name, said program comprising:

switching the character currently in use to another character according to a user instruction;

comparing a user-name associated with the switched character with the user-name currently being used to receive said service;

switching the user-name, which is held by said terminal and is currently used, to a user-name associated with said switched character when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use; and

transmitting information, indicating the user-name associated with said switched character, to said server when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use.

12. The program according to claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the user-name associated with the switched character on a display device when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use.

13. A program, the code of which is converted into a signal and superimposed on a carrier wave, and which controls a terminal connected to a server to receive service provided by said server while using one of a plurality of user-names stored in said server for each user and while using a character associated with said user-name, said program comprising:

switching the character currently in use to another character according to a user instruction;

comparing a user-name associated with the switched character with the user-name currently being used to receive said service;

switching the user-name, which is held by said terminal and is currently used, to a user-name associated with said switched character when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use; and

transmitting information, indicating the user-name associated with said switched character, to said server when said compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use.