Abstract:
A game server delivers entertainment data to entertainment terminal devices with the same contents at the same time through a broadband broadcast line. The entertainment data to be delivered may be scrambled. This relieves the load of processing on the game server, prevents time lags in transmission of the data from occurring, and simplifies the fee collection system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-337498 filed on Nov. 6, 2000, and 2001-182049 filed on Jun. 15, 2001, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for generating entertainment data to be delivered to entertainment terminal devices; entertainment terminal devices and methods for executing entertainment processes based on entertainment application programs; entertainment systems each made up from an entertainment data generating apparatus, entertainment terminal devices, and a data delivery machine for delivering entertainment data; and storage media storing therein processing programs to be executed on a computer for executing the above-described operations.  
           [0003]    Currently, entertainment systems are known in each of which video game machines are connected through a network with a game server for processing and delivering various data on games, and game players play a video game with their respective video game machines. Such entertainment systems are generally called multiplayer network game systems.  
           [0004]    In such a multiplayer network game system, the game server processes data transmitted from each video game machine (such data will be referred to as player data hereinafter) to which the game server is connected through a network, generates data necessary for each video game machine to execute the game (such data will be referred to as game data hereinafter), and then transmits game data generated for the video game machine to each video game machine. Player data to be transmitted from each video game machine to the game server may include the position in the game space of the game character being operated by the player of the video game machine and the operating conditions of the game character. Game data to be transmitted from the game server to each video game machine may include the position of another game character (being operated by the player of another video game machine) existing near the game character of the player of the video game machine and the operating conditions of the other game character.  
           [0005]    As described above, in the conventional multiplayer network game system, the game server generates units of game data specific to the respective video game machines, and transmits each unit of game data to the corresponding video game machine. The game data generating process and transmitting process are therefore very complicated. Particularly in case of a network game in which several thousands or more players are participating, it is difficult for the server machine to transmit game data generated for the player to every other player.  
           [0006]    Besides, in such conventional multiplayer network game systems, various communication lines different in communication speed and path, e.g., public telephone lines, mobile communication systems such as a PHS (Personal Handy Phone System: Trademark) and portable telephone systems, and digital communication lines such as an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), are used for the network connection between each video game machine and the game server, so that time lags may occur in transmission of game data from the game server to the video game machines. This may bring about a difference in time elapse in the game between players using different communication lines and there is a problem that a game without injustice to any players is difficult to provide.  
           [0007]    Furthermore, different communication lines have different fee systems. Therefore, a number of collection systems for entry fees or the like of a network game must be provided to cope with the different fee systems of the different communication lines to be used. This is very complicated and may cause an increase in cost.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and methods for generating entertainment data, entertainment terminal devices, methods for executing entertainment processes, entertainment systems, and storage media storing therein processing programs to be executed on a computer for the above methods, usable in systems in which game machines are connected with a game server through a network and game data is delivered from the game server to each game machine, such as multiplayer network game systems, wherein the load of processing on the server can be relieved, time lags in transmission of data can be prevented from occurring, and a simplified fee collection system can be realized.  
           [0009]    According to the present invention, entertainment data is delivered to a plurality of entertainment terminal devices with the same contents at the same time through a broadband broadcast communication line. Out of the entertainment data delivered, each entertainment terminal device selects data necessary for the device to execute a predetermined entertainment process. On the basis of the data selected and operation input data obtained from an operation terminal, the entertainment terminal device executes the predetermined entertainment process, and then transmits terminal data generated as a result of the execution of the predetermined entertainment process to a low-speed communication line.  
           [0010]    An apparatus for generating entertainment data receives the terminal data from each of the entertainment terminal devices through the low-speed communication line, and then generates, on the basis of the terminal data from all of the entertainment terminal devices, entertainment data including data necessary for each entertainment terminal device to execute a predetermined entertainment process.  
           [0011]    According to the present invention, entertainment data is delivered to entertainment terminal devices with the same contents at the same time through the broadband broadcast communication line. The entertainment data may be delivered in a scrambled state. In this case, the payment of a predetermined fee may be demanded for descrambling the entertainment data.  
           [0012]    According to the present invention, as described above, entertainment data is delivered to the entertainment terminal devices with the same contents at the same time through the broadband broadcast communication line. Therefore, no time lags occur in transmission of the data to the entertainment terminal devices. Besides, it is not necessary to generate units of entertainment data specific to the respective entertainment terminal devices, and to transmit each unit of entertainment data to the corresponding entertainment terminal device. This can relieve the load of processing.  
           [0013]    Besides, out of the entertainment data delivered, each entertainment terminal device selects data necessary for the device to execute a predetermined entertainment process. Therefore, any entertainment device can execute its predetermined entertainment process according to the present invention.  
           [0014]    Further, when a predetermined fee is imposed upon descrambling the entertainment data, an existing receiving fee collection system of a broadcasting system using scrambled lines can be used for fee collection without any change. In this case, it is not required to newly establish a fee collection system. The fee collection for delivery of entertainment data can be done in a simple manner.  
           [0015]    Other and further objects and features of the present invention will become obvious upon understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described in connection with the accompanying drawings or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employing the invention in practice. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the construction of a multiplayer network game system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a procedure for processing game data and player data, and for transmitting/receiving such data in the multiplayer network game system of FIG. 1;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a procedure in the game server to identify a video game machine user and judge as to whether the user may participate in a game;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a game processing routine in the game server to generate game data; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a procedure in a video game machine to participate in a network game and execute the game.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]    Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0022]    Referring to FIG. 1, a multiplayer network game system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be generally divided into a user terminal system  10  including a video game machine  13  as an entertainment terminal device of a user; a game server  30  for managing multiplayer network games; a CS broadcasting system  60  capable of transmitting broadband broadcast signals in CS (Communication Satellite) communication; a communication satellite  70  for the CS communication; a low-speed communication line at, e.g., about 9800 bps to 64 kbps, such as a general telephone line (in this embodiment, referred to as a telephone line  20  by way of example); and an exclusive or public broadband communication line  40  for connecting between the CS broadcasting system  60  and the game server  30 . The low-speed communication line is not limited to a public telephone line, and may also be a mobile communication line such as PHS system or a portable telephone system, or an optical digital communication line such as ISDN. Besides, the broadcast communication is not limited to CS communication, and may also be communication using an analog or digital BS (Broadcasting Satellite) line, an analog or digital ground wave broadcasting line, an analog or digital cable TV broadcasting line, or the like, all of which are broadband communication lines capable of transmitting a large amount of data to a plurality of terminal devices at the same time. Besides, the CS broadcasting system  60  and the game server  30  may be integrated into a single system.  
         [0023]    The user terminal system  10  includes the above-described video game machine  13  with which the user can play a video game being displayed on a TV monitor  14  through a controller  15 , an antenna  11  and a receiver  12  capable of receiving broadband broadcast signals, e.g., CS broadcast signals. The receiver  12  may be a general CS tuner for receiving and demodulating CS broadcast signals transmitted from the communication satellite  70 . Besides, the CS tuner can descramble scrambled signals of each predetermined channel to output audio/video signals of CS television broadcasts or data of CS data broadcasts.  
         [0024]    The video game machine  13  is an entertainment machine that has not only a function of executing video games on the basis of various game application programs but also functions for other operations or signal processing based on various other application programs. The video game machine  13  still has functions of connecting with a modem for communication through the telephone line  20 , and taking therein audio/video signals of CS television broadcasts and data of CS data broadcasts received through the receiver  12 . Each of the above-described application programs can be read out from, e.g., an optical disk or a semiconductor memory, or downloaded through a communication network. The flow of a procedure in this video game machine  13  to execute a multiplayer network game will be described later.  
         [0025]    The game server  30  includes an interface (I/F)  31  with the telephone line  20  to which each video game machine  13  is connected; a player management section  32  for managing data of players participating in each multiplayer network game (in practice, data sent from each video game machine); a player database  33  for accumulating various data of the players; a game management section  36  for managing network games; a game database  37  for accumulating data of games; a game processing section  35  for generating game data to be delivered to each video game machine  13 , which will be described later; and an interface (I/F)  34  with the exclusive or public broadband communication line  40 . The game server  30  can be constituted by a single server machine or several server machines. The flow of a procedure in this game server  30  to execute a multiplayer network game will be described later.  
         [0026]    The CS broadcasting system  60  may have almost the same construction as a general CS broadcasting system, which includes a broadcast program management section  64  for managing broadcast programs; a broadcast program database  65  for accumulating data of broadcast programs; a CSTV customer management section  66  for managing data of customers registered for receiving CS television broadcasts or CS data broadcasts; a customer database  67  for accumulating the customer data; a scrambling section  63  for scrambling broadcast signals for CS broadcasting in a predetermined manner; and a transmitter  62  and an antenna  61  for transmitting the scrambled CS broadcast signals to the communication satellite  70 . In addition, the CS broadcasting system  60  of this embodiment includes an interface  68  with the exclusive or public broadband communication line  40 . The broadcast program database  65  accumulates game data transmitted from the game server  30 , as a kind of broadcast program data for CS broadcasting. The broadcast program management section  64  manages game data stored in the broadcast program database  65  to be broadcast using one of the CS data broadcasting channels (e.g., a game channel). In this case, the number of the game channel does not need to be one, and two or more game channels may be used for this purpose. Besides, each game channel may not be exclusive to game data of one game. Game data of two or more games can be transmitted through one channel by time sharing.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 illustrates the flow of a procedure for processing game data and player data, and for transmitting/receiving such data in the multiplayer network game system of FIG. 1.  
         [0028]    In the network game system of FIG. 1, when multiplayer network games in which a plurality of players are participating are taking place, the game server  30  identifies, in step S 1  of FIG. 2, each video game machine  13  that has accessed the game server  30  through the telephone line  20 . At this time, in each video game machine  13 , the player can select a game in which he or she intends to participate.  
         [0029]    In the next step S 2 , the game server  30  processes all player data received through the telephone line  20  from all of the players participating in a multiplayer network game (in practice, from the video game machines  13  of the players) to generate game data in accordance with the player data of all of the players.  
         [0030]    In this embodiment, player data includes the position in the game space of the game character being operated by the player and the operating conditions of the game character, and game data includes the positions of the game characters being operated by all of the players participating in the network game, the positions of other objects, and the operating conditions of them. In the conventional network game system, game data generated and transmitted by the game server gives only information necessary for each player playing the game. For example, the game data includes only the position of another game character existing near the game character being operated by the player of a video game machine, and the operating conditions of the other game character. In contrast, in this embodiment, the game data includes the positions of the game characters being operated by all of the players participating in the network game, and the operating conditions of the game characters. For example, in the case of a role-playing game in which many players participate on a vast map, game data which includes information on movement and position of the game characters being operated by all of the players is generated as the above-mentioned game data. The game data is delivered to the video game machine of each player participating in the game.  
         [0031]    In the next step S 3 , the game server  30  transmits the game data for all of the players to the CS broadcasting system  60  through the exclusive or public broadband line  40 .  
         [0032]    In the next step S 4 , the CS broadcasting system  60 , having received the game data from the game server  30 , broadcasts the game data through, e.g., one CS broadcasting game channel.  
         [0033]    In the next step S 5 , the receiver  12  of each user terminal system  10  receives the game data through the CS broadcasting game channel, and the video game machine  13  then extracts data necessary for the video game machine  13  to execute the game from the received game data for all of the players.  
         [0034]    In the next step S 6 , the video game machine  13  transmits player data, which has been changed with the progress of the game, to the game server  30  through the telephone line  20 . After this, the flow returns to step S 2  to repeat the procedure from step S 2  to step S 6  until the game ends or the player ends the game.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 3 illustrates the flow of a procedure in the game server  30  to identify each video game machine  13  that has accessed the game server  30  through the telephone line  20 , and to determine whether the user of the video game machine  13  may participate in the game requested. This is a detail of the procedure in step S 1  of FIG. 2.  
         [0036]    When the game server  30  of FIG. 1 receives an access of a video game machine  13  through the telephone line  20  in step S 11 , the player management section  32  of the game server  30  refers, in step S 12 , to player registration data accumulated in the player database  33  to thereby check whether the user of the video game machine  13  has been registered as a regular member.  
         [0037]    In the checking process in step S 12 , if the player management section  32  determines that the user of the video game machine  13  has not been registered as a regular member, the flow advances to step S 13 , in which the player management section  32  transmits to the video game machine  13  through the telephone line  20  a message rejecting the access, e.g., a message informing the user that he or she has not yet been registered, together with a message inquiring whether the user wants to be registered.  
         [0038]    When the player management section  32  determines that the user of the video game machine  13  has been registered as a regular member, the flow advances to step S 14 , in which the player management section  32  transmits to the video game machine  13  through the telephone line  20  a message permitting the user&#39;s entry for this network game system. The flow then advances to step S 15 .  
         [0039]    In step S 15 , the game management section  36  waits to receive from the user of the video game machine  13  through the telephone line  20  a game designation signal indicating which game the user intends to participate in. When the game management section  36  receives the game designation signal, the flow advances to step S 16 .  
         [0040]    In step S 16 , the game management section  36  determines whether the game designated by the user of the video game machine  13  is able to accept a new player. This determination can be made by the maximum number of players who can participate in the game, and current game conditions.  
         [0041]    If the game management section  36  judges, in step S 16 , that the designated game can not accept any new players at present, the flow advances to step S 17 , in which the game management section  36  transmits to the video game machine  13  through the telephone line  20  a message asking if the user wants to enter another game, or a message asking the user to wait until the designated game is able to accept a new player.  
         [0042]    When the game management section  36  judges, in step S 16 , that the designated game can accept the user of the video game machine  13  as a new player, the flow advances to a game processing routine for generating game data shown in FIG. 4, which is executed by the game processing section  35  of the game server  30 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 4 illustrates the flow of the game processing routine in the game server  30  to generate game data.  
         [0044]    In step S 21 , the game processing section  35  receives data from all of the players (all video game machines  13 ) participating in the game through the telephone line  20 .  
         [0045]    In the next step S 22 , the game processing section  35  makes the game progress in accordance with the data from all of the players. In the next step S 23 , the game processing section  35  generates game data for all of the players in accordance with the current game conditions, and transmits the game data to the CS broadcasting system  60  through the exclusive or public broadband line  40 . The game data contains therein identification data with which each video game machine  13  can identify and select the game characters and objects in the game related to the video game machine  13 .  
         [0046]    In the next step S 24 , the game processing section  35  determines whether the game has ended. If the game has not ended, the game processing section  35  repeats the procedures from step S 21  to step S 24  until the game ends.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 5 illustrates the flow of a procedure in a video game machine  13  to participate in a network game and execute the game. The program for this procedure in the video game machine  13  is contained in a game application program, e.g., downloaded from the game server  30 , or delivered or sold with a storage medium such as an optical disk or a semiconductor memory.  
         [0048]    When the user of the video game machine  13  intends to participate in a network game by controlling a controller  15 , he or she connects, in step S 31 , the video game machine  13  with the game server  30  through the telephone line  20  to access the game server  30 . After the game server  30  judges the user to be a regular member, the video game machine  13  receives a reply from the game server  30  permitting entry to the network game system, and the user selects a desired game with the controller  15 . The video game machine  13  transmits, in step S 32 , a signal through the telephone line  20  designating the game selected to the game server  30 .  
         [0049]    When it receives the reply from the game server  30  permitting entry to the designated game, the video game machine  13  participates in the game, and transmits current player data to the game server  30  through the telephone line  20  in step S 33 .  
         [0050]    In the next step S 34 , the video game machine  13  receives data transmitted by broadband CS broadcasting through the communication satellite  70 . In the next step S 35 , the video game machine  13  extracts game data from the above-described received data and further extracts identification data as described above from the game data. On the basis of the extracted identification data, the video game machine  13  selects a game character, object, or the like, operable through the controller  15  of the video game machine  13 , and another game character, object, or the like, related to the above game character, object, or the like, e.g., an adjacent game character being operated by another player.  
         [0051]    In the next step S 36 , the video game machine  13  controls the action and so on of each of the above game characters or the like to execute the game.  
         [0052]    In the next step S 37 , the video game machine  13  updates its player data in accordance with current game conditions. The flow then returns to step S 33 , in which the video game machine  13  transmits the updated player data to the game server  30  through the telephone line  20 .  
         [0053]    In the multiplayer network game system of this embodiment, game entry fees, game playing fees, or the like, can be collected from the players who participated in a game, by using, e.g., the existing collection system for receiving fees of CS television broadcasts and CS data broadcasts in the CS broadcasting system  60 .  
         [0054]    More specifically, in the multiplayer network game system of this embodiment, for example, one of the CS data broadcasting channels is used as a game channel and game data as described above is delivered through the game channel. Such a game channel can be provided as a scrambled toll channel. In this case, the above-described entry fees or the like can be collected as the receiving fees of the toll channel. Alternatively, the game channel may be provided as a free channel. In this case, the above-described entry fees or the like may be collected as part of the total receiving fee for CS data broadcasts of each player.  
         [0055]    In case of collecting the game entry fees or the like by using the receiving fee collection system of CS data broadcasts as described above, the CSTV customer database  67  of the CS broadcasting system  60  stores therein information on each player (the user of each video game machine  13 ) as data of a customer who has made a contract for receiving CS broadcasts. The CSTV customer management section  66  manages customers and their receiving fees with such customer data. The CSTV customer management section  66  calculates a receiving fee for the user of each video game machine  13  who received the above-described game channel. The CS broadcasting system  60  then demands the payment of the receiving fee for the game channel from the user of the video game machine  13  and the user pays the receiving fee for the game channel to the CS broadcasting system  60 . In this case, the receiving fee for the game channel may include the receiving fee for CS broadcasts actually received, an agent fee for fee collection, etc., in addition to the entry fee for the game in which the user of the video game machine  13  participated.  
         [0056]    On the other hand, in the game server  30 , for example, the player management section  32  calculates a game entry fee for each player. The game server  30  then demands the payment of the entry fee from the CS broadcasting system  60 . In response to this, the CS broadcasting system  60  pays, to the game server  30 , the game entry fee that is calculated by subtracting the receiving fee for CS broadcasts, the agent fee, etc., as described above, from the total receiving fee received from the player.  
         [0057]    As described above, in the multiplayer network game system in which, e.g., from several hundreds to thousands of players access the game server  30  (constituted by only one server machine or several server machines as a set) to play a network game, up communication from each video game machine  13  to the server machine  30  undertakes only a small amount of data such as player data. In contrast, in down communication from the game server  30  to each video game machine  13 , a large amount of data must be transmitted at a high speed. For this reason, in the network game system of this embodiment, an existing low-speed communication line at, e.g., about 9800 bps to 64 kbps, such as the telephone line  20 , is used for the up communication from each video game machine  13  to the server machine  30 , and an existing broadband communication line such as a digital CS communication line is used for the down communication from the game server  30  to each video game machine  13 . Therefore, in this embodiment, multiplayer network games can be realized using existing communication infrastructures.  
         [0058]    In the network game system of this embodiment, the game server  30  generates a single unit of game data in accordance with data of all of the players participating in a network game. The game data is transmitted to all video game machines  13  participating in the game at the same time through a broadband broadcast communication line such as a CS broadcasting line. Therefore, unlike the conventional network game system, complicated processes are not required in which units of game data specific to the respective video game machines are generated and each of them is transmitted to the corresponding video game machine. That is, in the network game system of this embodiment, only a single unit of game data suffices to be generated and transmitted. As a result, the load of generating game data on the game server can be relieved, and also the load on the network line can be relieved.  
         [0059]    Besides, in the network game system of this embodiment, the same game data is delivered to all video game machines at the same time. Thus, there is no difference in time elapse in the game between players. This makes it possible to provide the game without injustice to any players.  
         [0060]    Further, in the network game system of this embodiment, game entry fees, game playing fees, or the like, can be collected using an existing fee collection system, such as the receiving fee collection system of CSTV. Therefore, it is not required to establish a new fee collection system. Besides, it is not required to use different fee collection systems of different communication lines as in the conventional network game system. In the network game system of this embodiment, therefore, the entry fees or the like can be collected simply and at a low cost.  
         [0061]    The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. The entertainment machine of the present invention is, for example, not limited to the video game machine explained in the embodiment.