Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and system for obtaining and exchanging goods using a network system that includes a game center based computer to assist customers of a game center. Goods can be offered to customers and allowed to be exchanged by customers via use of an account that is registered as belonging to the customer.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a method and system for obtaining and exchanging goods using a network system that includes a game center based computer to assist customers of a game center.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    To date customers at game centers have been unable to redeem the small amount of remaining credit that they have from a game center. This remaining credit relates to games played. The customer may wish to play later or redeem this credit in some way at a later time so there is a desire to make this credit collectable and exchangeable to receive items the Internet or a similar information carrying network.  
           [0003]    A second problem has arisen in getting customers to come to a game center. While publicity using newspapers, fliers or the Internet is possible,an effective means for use of the Internet or wireless phones has yet to appear.  
           [0004]    There is also a desire for obtaining information on customers of game centers. An effective data mining method or system for this purpose has yet to arise.  
           [0005]    The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention relates to a method and system for obtaining and exchanging goods using a network system that includes a game center based computer to assist customers of a game center.  
           [0007]    A first objective of the present invention is to provide a way for customers of a game center to make use of their remaining credit at a game center to obtain and exchange goods.  
           [0008]    A second objective of the present invention is to provide a way for game centers to increase their customer base.  
           [0009]    A third objective is to allow for data mining relating to customers of game centers.  
           [0010]    The above-stated and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken with accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and are not to be construed as defining the scope and limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the claims appended hereto. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    As appears in FIG. 1, in step  1 , terminal  101  forms a communication link with server  102  and sends digital data representing remaining credit of a game center customer to server  102  which server  102  then saves the digital data in the form of an account to a memory or database (memory  102 ) accessible to server  102  (“account creation”). Terminal  101  comprises any commercially available computer with access to a memory and capable of connection to a communication network sending and receiving digital data. Server  102  comprises any commercially available server with access to a memory or dedicated database and capable of sending and receiving digital data. Memory  102  comprises a memory or database capable of connection with server  102  and of containing digital data. In step  2 , portable computer  103  forms a communication link with server  102  and communicates to server  102  data comprising a password and ID or similar data (“account ID”) with which the owner of the account can identify themselves (“account ID creation”). Portable computer  103  comprises a portable device capable of wireless communication including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), cell phone or other portable device with access to a memory and capable of sharing files using i-Mode or other file-sharing platforms. According to an embodiment of the present invention portable computer  103  could be capable of communication using Bluetooth or file-sharing applications comprising i-Mode offered by NTT DoCoMo. Alternatively, in step  1  according to FIG. 1, terminal  101  can communicate to server  102  data to identify the owner of the account as requested by the owner and thereby carry out both account creation and account ID creation. Then in step  2 , the owner could make use of server  102  to control transactions relating to their account comprising obtaining or exchanging of goods or other transactions once providing account ID to server  102 . For example, though there are many other embodiments of the present invention, in step  2  the owner could provide shipping data for goods to which their account entitles them. Further, by way another example only, the owner could wait until they accrue a number of goods in their account by repeated occurrences of step  1  and then decide to exchange the goods that have accrued in their account for other goods available from or through server  102 .  
         [0017]    As appears in FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention, following account creation and account ID creation in step  1  of FIG. 2, in step  2 , server  102  accesses memory  102 , retrieves data, and forms a communication link with server  104  and transfers data relating to the owner account registered in step  1  (“account data transfer”). Server  104  comprises a server similar to server  102 . Server  104  then accesses memory  104  to record the transferred data. Memory  104  comprises a memory or database capable of connection with server  104  and of containing digital data. In such way, the owner account can be maintained at either or both of server  102  and server  104 , including recognition of account ID. In step  3  of FIG. 2, portable computer  103  forms a communication link with either server  102  or server  104  to utilize the credit in the owner account and obtain or exchange goods. In this way, the owner, a customer at a game center can make use of remaining game related credit to obtain goods or exchange them. The present invention does not require that account data transfer include erasure of account data at server  102 , in other words the transfer is of data but not necessarily the account unless server  102  is programmed or instructed to do so.  
         [0018]    As appears in FIG. 3, following account creation and account ID creation, portable computer  103  in step  1  for FIG. 3 can form a communication link with server  102  and convey data that is relayed to terminal  101 , comprising any data, for example and example only, a request that goods equal to those covered by the owner account be shipped (“shipping instructions”) to a certain address that portable computer  103  inputs. This data is stored to memory  102  by server  102 . In step  2 , either periodically or immediately server summons shipping instructions from memory  102  and relays shipping instructions to terminal  101 . In step  3 , terminal  101  then indicates to server  102  that shipping has been carried out and to decrease the owner account equal to any item shipped. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, any data received in step  1  of FIG. 3 can be relayed to terminal  101  as a way of data mining. In this way terminal  101  can receive data that is important to their marketing strategies or business in general.  
         [0019]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, as appears in FIG. 4, assuming account creation in step  1  and account data transfer in step  2 , in step  3 , terminal  105  forms communication links with either server  102  or server  104  to indicate what goods they wish to make available to account owners. Terminal  105  comprises any device similar to terminal  101 . In step  4 , portable computer  103  can then form a communication link with server  102  or server 104  to see what goods are available to transfer their game related credit for and then select any goods that their account can cover. In this way, goods can be offered by various companies for distribution to certain customers comprising customers of game centers or other account owners. Actual orders for goods may be communicated to terminal  105  according to an embodiment of the present invention as explained as to FIG. 3 or in other ways.  
         [0020]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, as appears in FIG. 5, following account creation, in step  1 , terminal  101  communicates to server  102  data to convey to any portable computer  103 . In the event that server  102  is instructed or programmed to forward data to server  104 , then step  2  takes place in which the data originally received from terminal  101  is forwarded to server  104  by server  102  and recorded by server  104  to memory  104 . The data may include announcement of the opening of a new game center or other advertising data. In step  3 , server  102  or server  104  can forward this data to portable computer  103  for the user of portable computer  103  to be able to review. Because the owner of portable computer  103  has been to a game center, perhaps including the game center of terminal  101 , such advertising is far more likely to draw customers than general advertising. In this way, the objective of drawing more customers to game centers can be achieved. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, if allowed to do so by server  102  or server  104 , terminal  105  could also communicate data for distribution to portable computer  103  by sending such data to server  102  or server  104 . In this way various companies could advertise using the present invention if they agree to do so.  
         [0021]    According to any embodiment of the present invention i-Mode may be used as a file sharing application to communicate with portable computer  103 , Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”) may be used as a communication protocol for portable computer  103  or Bluetooth may be used to communicate with portable computer  103  as well.