U.S. patent application number 09/820539 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-11 for game machine, server system, information service method and recording medium.
Invention is credited to Maehiro, Kazutoyo.
Application Number | 20020090996 09/820539 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18824877 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020090996 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maehiro, Kazutoyo |
July 11, 2002 |
Game machine, server system, information service method and
recording medium
Abstract
When a PC (client) utilizes an information service such as an
online game provided by a server group, a game server supplies a
profile server with the game utilized by the PC along with a
connection state. The profile server is a server system that
notifies all the currently connected clients of the utilization
states of the clients collected.
Inventors: |
Maehiro, Kazutoyo; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Clifford Chance Rogers & Wells LLP
200 Park Avenue
New York
NY
10166-0153
US
|
Family ID: |
18824877 |
Appl. No.: |
09/820539 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/79 20140902;
A63F 13/35 20140902; A63F 2300/50 20130101; A63F 13/12
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 17, 2000 |
JP |
2000-351909 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A server system which is connected to a group of game machines
via a communications network, and includes a profile server for
storing personal information on each user, and an information
providing server for providing at least one information service,
said server system comprising: a registration system that selects
and records at least one second user in said profile server to
allow a first user to check personal information about the second
user; a notifying system that causes, when said game machine sends
a request for providing an information service, said information
providing server to notify said profile server of the request sent
from said game machine; an update system that updates personal
information on the user of the game machine that issues the request
in said profile server; and a transmitter that transmits personal
information on the second user to the game machine of the first
user.
2. A game machine connected to a server system that includes a
profile server for storing personal information on each user, and
an information providing server for providing at least one
information service, wherein personal information that includes a
utilization state of the information service by at least one second
user selected by a first user in advance is recorded in said
profile server, and the personal information recorded is updated at
predetermined intervals and transmitted to said game machine
regularly, and wherein said game machine comprises a display
controller that displays the personal information transmitted.
3. The game machine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a
setting system that sets a correspondence list used for displaying
the utilization state of the information service by the second user
in a predetermined format, wherein said display controller displays
the utilization state of the information service by the second user
in the predetermined format using the correspondence list.
4. The game machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
predetermined format comprises icons.
5. A recording medium that records a program executed by a game
machine connected to a server system including a profile server for
storing personal information of each user, and an information
providing server for providing at least one information service,
wherein personal information that includes a utilization state of
the information service by at least one second user selected by a
first user in advance is recorded in said profile server, and the
personal information recorded is updated at predetermined intervals
and transmitted to said game machine regularly, and wherein said
program comprises display control step of displaying the personal
information transmitted.
Description
[0001] The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained
in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-351909, filed on Nov. 17,
2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a (video) game machine that
is connectable to an information service system such as a server
via a communications network, and preferably applicable to
receiving various information services from the server, and also
relates to an information service system, an information service
method and a recording medium associated with the video game
machine.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] As a communications network such as the Internet becomes
popular, online games are started which have a video game machine
connected to a server connected to the Internet to carry out games
using game related information provided by the server.
[0006] The online games include games a user plays individually,
and games a group of users participate in like competing games.
[0007] To play an online game in which a group of users
participate, users decide a date for the game by telephone or
E-mail.
[0008] Accordingly, the users playing the game together are usually
limited to familiar friends. Although it will also be possible to
look for parties in a chat room (electronic forum) on the Internet,
they are not always successfully found.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a game machine, a server system, an information service method and
a recording medium allowing a user to look for peer users easily to
share an information service with them such as in an online
game.
[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a
server system which is connected to a group of video game machines
via a communications network, and includes a profile server for
storing personal information on each user, and an information
providing server for providing at least one information service,
the server system includes a registration system that selects and
records at least one second user in the profile server to allow a
first user to check personal information about the second user a
system that causes, when the video game machine sends a request for
providing an information service, the information providing server
to notify the profile server of the request sent from the video
game machine. The server system also includes an update system that
updates personal information on the user of the game machine that
issues the request in the profile server; and a transmitter that
transmits personal information on the second user to the game
machine of the first user.
[0011] According to the present invention, there may be provided a
game machine connected to a server system that includes a profile
server for storing personal information on each user, and an
information providing server for providing at least one information
service, wherein personal information that includes a utilization
state of the information service by at least one second user
selected by a first user in advance is recorded in the profile
server, and the personal information recorded is updated at
predetermined intervals and transmitted to the game machine
regularly. The game machine includes a display controller the
displays the personal information transmitted.
[0012] According to the present invention, the game machine,
further may also include a setting system that sets a
correspondence list used for displaying the utilization state of
the information service by the second user in a predetermined
format. Moreover, the display controller may display the
utilization state of the information service by the second user in
the predetermined format using the correspondence list. According
to the present invention, the predetermined format may include
icons.
[0013] According to the present invention, there may be provided a
recording medium that records a program executed by a game machine
connected to a server system including a profile server for storing
personal information of each user, and an information providing
server for providing at least one information service. Personal
information includes a utilization state of the information service
by at least one second user selected by a first user in advance is
recorded in the profile server. The recorded personal information
is updated at predetermined intervals and transmitted to the game
machine regularly. The program includes displaying the personal
information transmitted.
[0014] According to the present invention, since the video game
machine allows its user to obtain personal information on other
users, the user can look for users connected to the information
service system easily.
[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an
embodiment of a system in accordance with an aspect of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the content of the
information processing of the embodiment in accordance with an
aspect of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the content of the
information processing on a server side according to an aspect of
the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the content of the
information processing on the profile server side according to an
aspect of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the content of the
information processing on a client side according to an aspect of
the present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display
screen on the client side according to an aspect of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described
in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an entire network system of
the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, the network system comprises a
communications network 101, a server group 102 of a provider, and
clients 103a, 103b, 104a and 104b, for example, connectable to the
server group 102 via the communications network 101 to be used by a
group of users. The server group 102, and the clients 103a, 103b,
104a and 104b each consist of a computer system.
[0024] The server group 102 has its internal servers cooperate to
provide various information services. An information service system
consisting of a set of the servers in the server group 102 is
installed in various countries all over the world, configuring the
server group 102. The information service system includes
authentication servers 111, contents servers 112, message servers
113, mail servers 114, game A servers 116a, game B servers 116b and
profile servers 115. The authentication servers 111 manage accounts
of member users (user IDs (identifiers)) and passwords. The
authentication servers 111 can also manage the connection states
(online/offline) of the users and the addresses of the client
machines of the users in the online state. The contents servers 112
provide various pieces of information about sports, music, comics,
shopping and the like.
[0025] The message servers 113 provide an environment for real-time
message exchanges between users. Specifically, they provide an
environment for the users to activate a messenger application and
chatting application on the client machine. The message servers 113
also perform routing (establish destinations and routes) for
delivering messages exchanged by the messenger application and
chatting messages of the chatting application.
[0026] The mail servers 114 provide an E-mail exchange service
between users.
[0027] The game A servers 116a and game B servers 116b provide
online games. The user activates an online game in the game server
from a viewer to play it. For example, if the online game is a
role-playing game (game in which the user participates as a
character of the game), he or she can play the role-playing game
with other member users.
[0028] The profile servers 115 store a status file in a memory to
manage for each user'account the profile of the user associated
with the account, and status information, short messages and the
like, which will be described later. Using the viewer the user can
record to the profile server 115 his or her own profile, a short
message and information indicating whether the user is a child.
[0029] The clients 103a and 103b may be a home video game machine
such as a PlayStation II (trade mark) of Sony Corp. The clients
104a and 104b may be a general purpose personal computer (called PC
from now on). The clients can load programs that relate to the
present invention and will be described later from a recording
medium such as a CDROM, and execute them. The clients 103a, 103b,
104a or 104b will be simply referred to as a client below.
[0030] The communications network 101 interconnects the server
group 102 and the clients 103a, 103b, 104a and 104b and the like.
The present embodiment supposes the Internet as the communications
network 101 that can use such common protocols as TCP/IP
(transmission control protocol/Internet protocol), HTTP (hypertext
transfer protocol), SMTP(simple mail transfer protocol) and
FTP(file transfer protocol) for the data transfer.
[0031] In the present embodiment, the description is made when the
client is the home video game machine 103a.
[0032] The client 103a comprises at least a main unit of the game
machine, a television set, a CDROM driver and a controller. The
main unit of the game machine activates the viewer, and accesses
the server group 102. The television set outputs video and sound
data supplied from the main unit of the game machine. The
controller supplies the main unit of the game machine with a
command from the user. The viewer is installed from the CDROM to
the main unit of the game machine. In the present embodiment, the
viewer incorporates the program of FIG. 5 so that the CPU in the
main unit of the game machine executes the program, thereby
carrying out the information processing of the present
invention.
[0033] More specifically, the user can find the status (utilization
status) of other member users of the information service system on
the display screen of FIG. 6 using the game machine 103a. Each
status indicates whether the member user is connected to the
information service system, and when connected, the type of the
information service used, and whether he or she is a child or
not.
[0034] It is also possible to limit the users whose status are to
be reported. In this case, each user records the names of other
users whose status he or she wishes to be noticed of from his or
her client to the profile server 115. The file listing the names of
the registered users is prepared for each user. In the present
embodiment, the file is called a friend list.
[0035] In contrast, the names of other users whose status the user
does not wish to be noticed of can also be recorded from the client
to the profile server 115 in the present embodiment. The file of
the user names registered in this way is called a black list in the
present embodiment. The black list is also prepared for each
user.
[0036] Taking account of the foregoing explanation, a reporting
method of the status of other users will be described with
reference to FIG. 2.
[0037] Assume that a user B whose name is "akiko" accesses the
information service using the client 104b. After authenticating the
user ID and the password, the authentication server 111 permits the
access to the game server 116a. When the user B accesses the game
server 116a through the client 104b, and starts a role-playing
game, the game server 116a supplies the profile server 115 with the
name of the user who starts the game ("akiko" in this case), the
game name and the status, that is, the status information that
indicates the start of the game in this case. The user name and the
status information are stored in the profile data memory area along
with the user name "akiko".
[0038] When the user name "akiko" is recorded in the friend list of
the client of a user A (user name "naoko"), the profile server 115
regularly transmits the client'status recorded in the friend list
to the client A. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a message
"enjoying adventure" indicating that "akiko" starts the game is
displayed on the right of the user name [akiko] on the screen of
the client A. The message "enjoying adventure" is a message
assigned to a particular game, and when the user B starts another
game, a message indicating its content is displayed instead. The
message is prepared by the profile server 115, and is sent from the
profile server 115 to the client 104a. The message on the upper
left of the user name is a message the user of the client gives,
which is called a short message in the present specification.
[0039] Thus, when the user B with the user name ("akiko"), whom the
user A selects and records in the friend list, accesses the
information service system through the client, the name of the
information service the user B utilizes is displayed on the screen
of the client A.
[0040] In this system, since the user'own status information is
also sent from the profile server 115 to the client 104a along with
his or her status information and the short message, the client
104a displays the status information and short message.
[0041] Likewise, the client 104b of the user B displays on its
screen the status information of the clients of the users recorded
in the friend list.
[0042] FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate the contents of the information
processing of the game server (an example of a server that provides
the information service), the profile server and the client for
executing such information processing, respectively.
[0043] The procedures as illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5 are stored in
hard disks in the apparatuses in the form of an object typified by
a markup language document such as a computer executable program,
script, or HTML document, so that they are loaded in the system
memories to be executed by the CPUs. Here, the program refers to an
object described in a machine language a CPU can execute
straightforwardly. The script refers to an object that defines the
contents of the information processing so that the CPU can execute
the contents through an interpreter, a program for translating the
script into a machine language. The markup language document is
analyzed by a program called a browser that executes operation
instructions (called a "tag") defined in the markup language
document.
[0044] Next, taking an example of the game server 116a, the
operation of the server providing the information service will be
described with reference to FIG. 3.
[0045] Receiving a first access request from a client (step S10),
the game server 116a transfers to the profile server 115 the client
name and information service name, the type name of the online game
in this case, which are sent from the client. Subsequently, it
starts the designated information service (S15).
[0046] During the communications for the information service, the
game server 116a repeats the procedure of start.fwdarw.step
S10.fwdarw.S20.fwdarw.S25.fwdarw.END as in the conventional
information service, thus, providing an online game for a group of
users. When the information service is completed, information
indicating the completion is sent to the profile server 115 (step
S30.fwdarw.S50). Here, the step S25 is a step for provide various
information services. The step S30 is a step for determining
whether an instruction or data related to the information service
is inputted. The processing excepting for the above is performed in
a step S40.
[0047] The processing of the profile server 115 will now be
described with reference to FIG. 4.
[0048] Iterating the procedure as illustrated in FIG. 4, the
profile server 115 waits for information received from the
information providing server or the client of the user. When the
status information and user name are sent from the information
providing server, the profile server 115 writes the status
information into the status information memory area (status file)
corresponding to the user name (step S100.fwdarw.S105).
[0049] The client of the user transmits a status information
request at fixed intervals while it is connected to the information
service system. Receiving the request, the profile server 115
extracts the status information, short message and the like from
the user list corresponding to the user name of the client, and
transmits them to the client that sent the request (step
S110.fwdarw.115). The processing excepting for the above is
performed in a step S130.
[0050] In the present embodiment, a user search function is
provided by the profile server 115. To achieve it, receiving a
category such as a name of a particular online game as a search
condition from the client of the user, the profile server 115
searches status information of all the users, and transmits the
status information meeting the search condition given by the client
that sent the search request to that client. The search results
includes the number of users satisfying the search condition.
Although it will be described later, when the user status
information obtained as the search result exceeds a predetermined
number, say 20, the status information is sent to the client 20
pieces of information at a time in response to the request from the
client side (step S120.fwdarw.S125). Here, the status information
associated with user names listed in the black list is removed from
the transmitted information.
[0051] The operation of the client side will now be described with
reference to the FIG. 5.
[0052] On the client side, an internal timer or the like continues
to count 10 second intervals after the connection of the
information service system, so that the status information request
is sent to the profile server 115 at every 10 seconds interval. In
response to the request, the profile server 115 sends the user
status information described in the friend list. Thus, the client
displays the status information on its screen (step
S210.fwdarw.S215).
[0053] An example of the display is illustrated in FIG. 6. Note
that FIG. 6 illustrates the status information on the search screen
of the user. In FIG. 6, the reference numeral 1005 designates an
icon indicating whether the client is connected to the information
service or not by different shapes of the icon. The reference
numeral 1009 designates the user name; 1010 designates information
indicating a child; 1011 designates the type of the information
service, the name of the online game, here; and 1012 designates a
status (operation state).
[0054] The user inputs the category using a search condition input
screen not shown. For example, when the user inputs a particular
online game as the category (YES in step S200), the client send the
inputted information as a request of search to the profile server
115 (step S201). The profile server 115 sends the user status
information associated with the input category back to the client
that sent the search request. Then, the client displays the status
information in the fashion as illustrated in FIG. 6 (step
S202).
[0055] The display screen of FIG. 6 will be described briefly. The
reference numeral 1001 designates an area for displaying the
category search condition. 1002 designates a category type; 1003
designates the number of users satisfying the search condition; and
1004 designates a short message, a message registered by the user
with the user name displayed.
1TABLE 1 ID utilization states short messages 1 Let's enjoy
adventure party 2 enjoying adventure enjoying adventure 3 item is
on sale item sell
[0056] On the client side, the short message corresponding to the
user utilization state is set in advance as shown in Table 1, so
that the user can find the utilization state at a glance.
[0057] In response to the utilization states of the individual
users sent from the server side, the short messages corresponding
to the utilization states are displayed on the side of the user
names in the form of icon (e.g., balloon) as illustrated in FIG.
6.
[0058] Although the message "Let'enjoy adventure" has one-to-one
correspondence with the word [party] in FIG. 6, other phrases of
the same meaning as the message "Let'enjoy adventure" can be used
such as "looking for participants" and "standby adventure" in
correspondence to the word [party]. Likewise, a single short
message can have correspondence with a group of utilization states
of the same meaning.
[0059] It is also possible for the server side to record
correspondence between the "utilization states (objects)" and the
short messages in advance, so that the short messages can also be
transmitted from the server to the client as the personal
information. In this way, the client can display the short messages
without setting them by itself.
[0060] Thus, in the present embodiment, the profile server has a
friend list registered by each user, which includes personal
information of his or her friends.
[0061] The personal information, which includes the utilization
states of the information server, is transferred from the
information server to the profile server when the utilization state
varies, so that the personal information is updated. The profile
data is regularly transmitted to the client.
[0062] The client can check the condition of each friend on the
screen. In this case, displaying the short message the user
registered in advance according to the "object" can facilitate
checking the conditions of the friends.
[0063] The reference numeral 1005 designates an icon indicating
whether the user is registered (connected) to the information
service system, in which different icons are displayed depending on
whether the connection is established or not. The images of the
icons are prepared on the client side, so that the client can
select the icon to be displayed in response to the status
information sent from the profile server 115.
[0064] The reference numeral 1009 designates a user name of a
member of the information service system. 1011 designates an
information service name in use. The reference numeral 1010
designates an icon showing that the user is a kid and 1012
designates the operation state of the client of the user.
[0065] The reference numeral 1006 designates a button (called "BACK
button" from now on) for returning the display of the search result
to a preceding screen. 1007 designates a sort button for
rearranging the search results so that the display is rearranged in
each predetermined field in response to the manipulation of the
button. 1008 designates a button (called NEXT button from now on)
to proceed to the next search result screen.
[0066] In this configuration, in response to the search condition
the user sends to the profile server 115, the profile server 115
transmits the short message, information about
connection/disconnection to the information service system,
information on whether the user is a child or not, and the message
indicating the operation state to the client as the status
information satisfying the search condition, so that they are
displayed on the client as illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0067] When the user manipulates the sort button 1007, the sort
instruction is sent from the client to the profile server 115, so
that the profile server 115 carries out the sorting and sends the
results back to the client. The client displays the sorting result
on its screen (step S220.fwdarw.S225).
[0068] When the user manipulates the BACK button 1006, the request
for the preceding 20 pieces of the status information in the search
result is sent from the client to the profile server 115, so that
the status information is sent to the client. The client displays
the status information on its screen (step S230.fwdarw.S235).
[0069] When the user manipulates the NEXT button 1008, the request
for the next 20 pieces of the status information in the search
result is sent from the client to the profile server 115, so that
the status information is sent to the client. The client displays
the status information on its screen (step S240.fwdarw.S245).
Processing excepting for the above is performed in a step S250.
[0070] Besides the foregoing embodiment, the following
configuration can be implemented.
[0071] 1) Although the foregoing embodiment uses the online game as
the information service, the information service is not limited to
the online game.
[0072] 2) Although when a great number of pieces of the status
information is present in the foregoing embodiment, a specific
number of pieces is sent from the profile server to the client, the
entire search result can be transmitted to the client.
[0073] 3) The notification of the status information can take
various shapes such as icons, characters, and figures.
[0074] 4) The video game machine according to the present invention
includes a dedicated video game machine, general-purpose personal
computer, mobile phone, mobile information terminal and all other
information processing devices available for receiving the
information services from the information service system.
[0075] 5) Although the Internet is supposed as the communications
network in the foregoing embodiment, the communications network can
include a LAN, public telecommunications network, and other
communications networks.
[0076] 6) The information services provided by the information
service system refer to various services such as an online game,
chatting (electronic forum), message communication, E-mail,
transmitting and receiving services, etc.
[0077] 7) Although the game server and the like detects the
utilization state of the user, and the profile server notifies the
client of the utilization state in the foregoing embodiment, the
same server can detect the utilization state and notify of it.
[0078] Modifications other than the foregoing variations are
possible, and it is the intention in the appended claims to cover
all such changes and modifications as falling within the true
spirit of the present invention.
[0079] The present invention has been described in detail with
respect to preferred embodiments, and it will now be apparent from
the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and
modifications may be made without departing from the invention in
its broader aspect, and it is the intention, therefore, in the
appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall
within the true spirit of the invention.
* * * * *