VIRTUAL SPACE-PROVIDING DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND VIRTUAL SPACE-PROVIDING SYSTEM

• US 20110106912A1
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Onda, Yasushi, Kano, Izua, Yamada, Eiju, Yamada, Kazuhiro, Murakami, Keiichi, Kamiya, Dai
• Application Number:
  US12/990,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106912A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game

Abstract

Provided is a setup that allows a user to view, after the fact, the circumstances of communication within a virtual space with other users who were previously present at the same place as the user. When a user designates a previous day and time, the circumstances in the virtual space for said designated day and time are reproduced. When the avatar of the user appears and is caused to speak in the reproduced virtual space, the history content is changed as though the speech actually occurred in the virtual space on that day and time. In this way, the user can read, alter the fact, the circumstances of communication within a virtual space with other users who were previously present at the same place as the user.

Claims

1. A virtual space-providing device comprising:

a communication unit that communicates with a communication terminal;

a storage unit that stores virtual space control data in association with one or more update times of the virtual space control data, the virtual space control data including an identifier that identifies a character, position data that represents a position of the character in a virtual space, and action data that represents an action of the character;

an updating unit that, upon receipt of an update request including the identifier, the position data, and the action data from the communication terminal via the communication unit, updates a content stored in the storage unit based on the update request;

a first transmission control unit that extracts an identifier, position data, and action data of another character that is positioned within a predetermined range with respect to a position represented by the position data included in the update request, from the virtual space control data stored in the storage unit in association with a latest update time, and transmits the extracted information to the communication terminal via the communication unit; and

a second transmission control unit that, upon receipt of a history replay request including the identifier, the position data, and replay start time of the virtual space control data from the communication terminal via the communication unit, extracts an identifier, position data, and action data of another character that is positioned within a predetermined range with respect to a position represented by the position data included in the history replay request, from the virtual space control data stored in the storage unit in association with the replay start time, and transmits the extracted information to the communication terminal via the communication unit.

2. The virtual space-providing device according to claim 1, wherein, upon receipt of a history modification request including the identifier, the position data, the action data, and replay time of the virtual space control data from the communication terminal via the communication unit, the updating unit updates a content stored in the storage unit in association with an update time corresponding to the replay time in accordance with a content included in the history modification request.

3. The virtual space-providing device according to claim 1, wherein the action data is data including a content of an utterance made via the character.

4. A program for causing a computer to perform steps of:

storing virtual space control data in association with one or more update times of the virtual space control data, the virtual space control data including an identifier that identifies a character, position data that represents a position of the character in a virtual space, and action data that represents an action of the character;

upon receipt of an update request including the identifier, the position data, and the action data from the communication terminal, updating a stored content based on the update request;

extracting an identifier, position data, and action data of another character that is positioned within a predetermined range with respect to a position represented by the position data included in the update request, from the virtual space control data stored in association with a latest update time, and transmitting the extracted information to the communication terminal; and

upon receipt of a history replay request including the identifier, the position data, and replay start time of the virtual space control data from the communication terminal, extracting an identifier, position data, and action data of another character that is positioned within a predetermined range with respect to a position represented by the position data included in the history replay request, from the virtual space control data stored in association with the replay start time, and transmitting the extracted information to the communication terminal.

5. A virtual space-providing system comprising a virtual space-providing device and a communication terminal,

the virtual space-providing device including:

a first communication unit that communicates with the communication terminal;

a storage unit that stores virtual space control data in association with one or more update times of the virtual space control data, the virtual space control data including an identifier that identifies a character, position data that represents a position of the character in a virtual space, and action data that represents an action of the character;

an updating unit that, upon receipt of an update request including the identifier, the position data, and the action data from the communication terminal via the first communication unit, updates a content stored in the storage unit based on the update request;

a first transmission control unit that extracts an identifier, position data, and action data of another character that is positioned within a predetermined range with respect to a position represented by the position data included in the update request, from the virtual space control data stored in the storage unit in association with a latest update time, and transmits the extracted information to the communication terminal via the first communication unit; and

a second transmission control unit that, upon receipt of a history replay request including the identifier, the position data, and replay start time of the virtual space control data from the communication terminal via the first communication unit, extracts an identifier, position data, and action data of another character that is positioned within a predetermined range with respect to a position represented by the position data included in the history replay request, from the virtual space control data stored in the storage unit in association with the replay start time, and transmits the extracted information to the communication terminal via the first communication unit, and

the communication terminal including;

a second communication unit that communicates with the virtual space-providing device;

a display unit;

an input unit for inputting an action to be performed by the character in the virtual space;

a first control unit that transmits an update request including the identifier, the position data, and action data representing an action input via the input unit to the virtual space-providing device via the second communication unit; and

a second control unit that, when the second communication unit receives virtual space control data transmitted from the first transmission control unit or the second transmission control unit of the virtual space-providing device, causes the display unit to display an image of the virtual space based on the virtual space control data.