Communicative game system

• US 6,306,039 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Kaji, Toshiyuki, Fuse, Naoki, Harada, Yoshinori, Nakane, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BINH AN DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/672,017
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 463/92, 463/1, 463/40, 463/2, 463/3, 463/4, 463/5, 463/6, 463/7, 463/8, 463/9, 463/10, 463/11, 463/12, 463/13, 463/15, 463/16, 463/25, 463/26, 463/30, 463/31, 463/41, 463/43, 273/292, 273/293, 345/418, 345/433, 345/113, 345/114, 345/133, 345/329
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player

Abstract

By enabling exchange of information relating to players, apart from game data, “communication” between the players is increased, and the sense of rivalry and level of interest generated by a game are raised. The communication game system 1 forms a network comprising a plurality of game devices 2a-2d connected mutually by communication media 3. The plurality of game devices 2a-2d respectively comprise a communications system 31 for receiving data transferred over the network and transferring the received data and data generated by the home game device onto the network, and a host system 32 for accessing the received data. By this means, data comprising a game packet, sound packet and video packet can be transmitted by conducting broadcast communications based on the communications system 31 and host system 32 between the plurality of game devices 2a-2d.

Claims

1. A communicative game system comprising a network formed by mutually connecting a plurality of game devices, whereby a plurality of players play a game individually by means of communications media, wherein said plurality of game devices respectively comprise:

camera means for capturing an image of the individual player at the game device;

transferring means for receiving an image transferred over the network and transferring the received image and the image generated by the game device onto the network;

processing means for processing the received image and the image generated by the game device; and

display means for displaying the processed images;

wherein

the images, corresponding to a specific moment during the game, are displayed adjacent to each other and in a ranking order.

2. A communicative game system comprising a network formed by mutually connecting a plurality of game devices, whereby a plurality of players play a game individually by means of communications media, wherein said each game device comprises:

camera means for capturing an image of the individual player at the game device;

sound generating means for generating sound data corresponding to an instrument allocated to the game device;

transferring means for receiving an image and sound data transferred over the network and transferring the received image, received sound data, the image captured at the game device, and the sound data generated by the game device onto the network;

processing means for processing the received image and the image generated by the game device;

a synthesizing means for synthesizing the received sound data and the sound data generated by the game device;

display means for displaying the processed images as performers in a band; and

speaker means for outputting synthesized sound data.

3. A communicative game system comprising a network formed by mutually connecting a plurality of game devices, whereby a plurality of players play a game individually by means of communication media, wherein each game device comprises:

camera means for capturing an image of the individual player at the game device;

transferring means for receiving an image transferred over the network and transferring the received image and the image generated by the game device onto the network;

processing means for processing the received image and the image generated by the game device; and

display means for displaying the processed images in a display position corresponding to a character operated by the player at a corresponding game device.