Patent Publication Number: US-6986712-B1

Title: Score management system, score management server, and data recording medium

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to a score management system, a score management server, and a data recording medium, more particularly to a score management system, a score management server, and a data recording medium suitable for managing scores for games such as golf and orienteering in which players or player groups are playing the game while being distanced away from each other. 
   BACKGROUND ART 
   In a case where players or player groups (hereinafter, referred to simply as “players”) are distanced away from each other and they can not talk to each other because of the distance during playing golf or orienteering, each player writes down his/her score on a card, and the cards are gathered after the game to result the final scores. 
   Such the conventional score management has the following problems. 
   The players may lose their competitive mind because no one knows the others&#39; score during the game, and they may be bored after the game because it takes long time to result who is the winner and scoring order. 
   Since the players are distanced away from each other and game statuses of the players are unknown on real time, it is difficult to communicate with the other player. For example, even if one player is extremely distanced away from the former player although the players started the game at regular intervals, it is impossible to say his/her to accelerate his/her play. 
   The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a score management system, a score management server, and a data recording medium suitable for managing scores for games such as golf and orienteering in which players or player groups are playing the game while being distanced away from each other. 
   DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
   To accomplish the above object, this is to disclose the following present invention in accordance with the principle of the present invention. 
   The score management system according to a first aspect of the present invention is a system comprises mobile terminals ( 103 ), and a score management server ( 102 ) which are connected to each other via a wireless communication network ( 104 ). 
   The score management server ( 102 ) stores score data, receives a request for displaying score status from the mobile terminal ( 103 ), transmits data representing the score status based on the stored score data to the mobile terminal ( 103 ), receives a request for inputting new score data from the mobile terminal ( 103 ), and updates the stored score data in accordance with the received request for inputting the new score data. 
   The mobile terminal ( 103 ) transmits the request for displaying the score status to the score management server ( 102 ), receives the data representing the score status from the score management server ( 102 ), displays the score status in accordance with the received data representing the score status, and transmits the request for inputting new score data. 
   The mobile terminal ( 103 ) may be a mobile phone (including PHS (Personal Handyphone System)). In this case, the wireless communication network ( 104 ) may be a wireless internet service on a packet switching data communication network (for example, “DoPa” (TM) and “i-mode” (TM) provided by NTT DoCoMo Inc. which are major packet switching data communication service and wireless internet service in Japan). 
   A score management server according a second aspect of the present invention is a server being connected to mobile terminals ( 103 ) via a wireless communication network ( 104 ), comprises a storage unit ( 151 ), a display request receiver ( 152 ), a result transmitter ( 153 ), an input request receiver ( 154 ), and an update unit ( 155 ). 
   The storage unit ( 151 ) stores score data. The display request receiver ( 152 ) receives a request for displaying score status from the mobile terminal ( 103 ). The result transmitter ( 153 ) transmits data representing the score status based on the score data stored in the storage unit ( 151 ) to the mobile terminal ( 103 ) in response to the display request. The input request receiver ( 154 ) receives a request for inputting new score data from the mobile terminal ( 103 ). The update unit ( 155 ) updates the score data stored in the storage unit ( 151 ) based on the received request for inputting the new score data. 
   The score management server ( 102 ) may further comprise a transmission controller ( 156 ). 
   The transmission controller ( 156 ) controls the result transmitter ( 153 ) to transmit the data representing the score status to the mobile terminal ( 103 ) in response to the update of the score data. 
   In the score management server ( 102 ), the data representing the score status may include input area data representing input areas to be displayed on the mobile terminal ( 103 ) for inputting the new score data. 
   A computer readable data recording medium according to a third aspect of the present invention is a recording medium storing a program to be executed by a score management server ( 102 ) which is connected to mobile terminals ( 103 ) via a wireless communication network ( 104 ). 
   The program causes the score management server ( 102 ) to: store score data; receive a request for displaying score status from the mobile terminal ( 103 ); transmit data representing the score status based on the receive score data to the mobile terminal ( 103 ) in response to the display request; receive a request for inputting new score data from the mobile terminal ( 103 ); and update the stored score data in accordance with the received request for inputting the new score data. 
   The program may further cause the score management server ( 102 ) to transmit the data representing the score status to the mobile terminal ( 103 ) in response to the update of the score data. 
   The program may further cause the score management server ( 102 ) to add input area data representing input areas to be displayed on the mobile terminal ( 103 ) for new score data input, to the data representing the score status. 
   The program which realizes the score management system and the score management server according to the present invention may be stored in a data recording medium such as a compact disc, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a digital versatile disc, a magnetic tape, and a semiconductor memory module. 
   Executing the program stored in the data recording medium according to the present invention by a computer realizes the score management system and the score management server according to the present invention. 
   The data recording medium storing the program according to the present invention may be distributed and merchandised being independent from the system and the server. 
   The score management server according to the present invention may be a WWW (World Wide Web) server. In this case, the display request and the input request are replaced with web page request from the mobile terminal ( 103 ). The data representing the score status may be an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). In the HTML file, texts to be displayed are determined by HTML tags. The HTML tags determine not only highlights, underline, and the like, but also input areas where a user input data. 
   The HTML file representing the score status may include data (form data) for determining areas where the user of the mobile terminal ( 103 ) inputs various data. Score data input through thus prepared areas, the input score data are transferred to the WWW server as the input request. 
   The score management server ( 102 ) may execute a program such as CGI (Common Gateway Interface) script, Java applet, and HTML file including JavaScript codes, to perform score management processing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     These objects and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the score management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are block diagrams schematically showing the structure of the score management server according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing steps of server processing executed by the server, and client processing executed by each client; and 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram exemplifying a result display represented by an HTML file. 
   

   BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
   An embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The following embodiment is just for explaining the present invention, therefore, it does not limit the scope of the present invention. Any embodiments modified by one skilled in the art based on some or all elements of the embodiment of the present invention will be included in the scope of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a score management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. For comprehensive explanation, the following description will employ golf score management as an example. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a score management system  101  comprises a score management server  102 , and a plurality of mobile terminals  103 . A wireless communication network  104  interconnects the score management server  102  and the mobile terminals  103 . 
   To reduce the costs by employing existing resources, the mobile terminals  103  may be, for example, mobile phones (especially employing “i-mode” (TM) system provided by NTT DoCoMo Inc., which is a major mobile phone internet service in Japan) which are connected by a wireless communication network featuring packet switching data communication (for example, “DoPa” (TM) provided by NTT DoCoMo Inc., which is a major wireless packet switching data communication service in Japan). In this case, the internet to which the score management server  102  is connected prepares interfaces for the wireless communication, thus, the wireless communication network  104  is realized. 
   A WWW server may act as the score management server  102 . For comprehensive explanation, the following description will employ the WWW server as the score management server  102  as an example. 
   In a case where the WWW server is employed as the score management server  102 , the location of the server is substantially unlimited. For example, it may be a club house in a golf course, or wherever if the internet is available. 
   Or, another high power WWW server which can manage scores of many players at many golf courses may be employed as the score management server  102  of the present invention. That is, an ordinary network-connectable computer is applicable to the score management server  102 . 
   The mobile terminals  103  are held by the players respectively during the game, and they access the score management server  102 . Thus, the players can share the score data among the them even if they are distanced away from each other. 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B  are block diagrams schematically showing the structure of the score management server according to the embodiment of the present invention. Like or same reference numerals as used in  FIG. 1  are also used in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  to denote corresponding or identical components. 
     FIG. 2A  shows the fundamental structure of the score management server according to the embodiment. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2A , the score management server  102  comprises a storage unit  151 , a display request receiver  152 , a result transmitter  153 , an input request receiver  154 , and an update unit  155 . 
   The storage unit  151  stores score data. 
   The display request receiver  152  receives display requests each requesting to display score status, from the mobile terminals  103  via the internet. 
   The result transmitter  153  transmits data representing the score status based on the score data in the storage unit  151  to the mobile terminal  103  concerned via the internet when the display request receiver  152  receives the display request. 
   The input request receiver  154  receives input requests each requesting to input the score data, from the mobile terminals  103  via the internet. 
   The update unit  155  updates the score data in the storage unit  151  based on the input request received by the input request receiver  154 . 
     FIG. 2B  shows an additional component applicable to the fundamental structure shown in  FIG. 2A . As shown in  FIG. 2B , a transmission controller  156  may intervene between the result transmitter  153  and the update unit  155 . The transmission controller  156  receives an information that the score data in the storage unit  151  has been updated, from the update unit  155 , and controls the result transmitter  153  to transmit the display data representing the score status to the mobile terminal  103  concerned via the internet. 
   Those components are realized by operating the WWW server, that is, a computer having a CPU, storage media such as a hard disk drive and RAM, a network interface board, and the like, as follows. 
   Server&#39;s tasks executed by the score management server  102  and client&#39;s tasks executed by any one of the mobile terminals  103  will now be described with reference to a flowchart shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   The client&#39;s data flow starts in response to the user&#39;s operation by which the mobile terminal  103  attempts to access the score management server  102  in order to request it to display or input score data. 
   More precisely, the flow starts when the user inputs URL (Uniform Resource Locator), http (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) address, IP (Internet Protocol) address, and the like which identify the location of the score management server  102 , through a WWW browser executed by the mobile terminal  103 . 
   Once the clients flow starts, the mobile terminal  103  transmits a display request (for score status) to the score management server  102  based on the input http address (step S 201 ). 
   Then, the score management server  102  receives the display request from the mobile terminal  103  (step S 202 ). 
   At that time, the score management server  102  may perform verification to identify whether the mobile terminal  103  transmitting the display request is owned by the predetermined player. This process is helpful to avoid falsifying other&#39;s score, mistakenly inputting other&#39;s score, or the like. 
   The score management server  102  fetches score data sets of the players being stored in the storage medium such as the hard disk (step S 203 ). Since the score management server  102  thus obtains the present score data, the players can also obtain the latest score data. 
   Then, the score management server  102  prepares an HTML file which includes the score data of the players (or score status information consisting required essential information from the score data), and an input form where the player inputs his/her score (step S 204 ). 
   The required essential information may include, for example, names of top 10 players and their scores which are sorted or the like. Or, the essential information may represent the present rank of a specific player who transmitted the display request via the mobile terminal  103 . In this case the score management server  102  determines the player concerned based on the display request received at step S 202 . 
   Once the players each owning the mobile terminal  103  are previously registered in the score management server  102 , the player can access a storage medium such as a hard disk to refer to his/her own score data recorded hole by hole. If minimum hole No. of hole numbers whose relating scores are not stored yet does not coincide with number of the hole where the player plays, it reminds the player that he/she forgot to input the latest score, because the minimum hole No. concerned represents the present hole unless the player forgets to input the scores at every hole. 
   Then the score management server  102  sends the HTML file (representing the score status to be displayed) to the mobile terminal  103  concerned (step S 205 ). 
   The mobile terminal  103  receives the HTML file from the score management server  102  (step S 206 ), and displays the resultant texts in accordance with HTML tags (step S 207 ). 
     FIG. 4  exemplifies the texts displayed on a display screen of the mobile terminal  103 . Since the display screen of the mobile terminal  103  is usually small, visible portion in the texts is limited. Therefore, the user may operate the mobile terminal  103  to scroll the texts to see desired portions. 
     FIG. 4  shows both the visible portions and hidden portions. In  FIG. 4 , a reference numeral  301  denotes hole contents of the texts, and a reference numeral  302  denotes a frame which determines the visible area. As the user operates the mobile terminal  103  for scroll, the frame  302  moves, and the contents within the frame  302  are visible. 
     FIG. 4  exemplifies the following information.
         Name of the Golf Course: Eighteen-Hole Golf Course   Date: Aug. 11, 1999   Minimum Hole No. to be Recorded (regarding to a party owning the mobile terminal  103 ): Hole No. 9   Par (Hole No. 9): Par 3   Players of the Party: “Woods”, “Els”, “Nicklaus”, and “Norman”   Input Areas ( 303 ) Player by Player   Gathered All Player&#39;s Scores: scores and ranking of top 3 players and players who have the mobile terminals  103  are shown. In  FIG. 4 , for example, “1st” place player is “Singh” scoring “4 under” after “9th hole”, “52nd” place player is “Norman” who has finished “8th hole” and scores “5 over”.       
   The mobile terminal  103  stands by score input via the input areas  303  (step S 208 ). 
   In ordinary golf play, a party (player group) includes 4 players, therefore, input areas  303  are prepared for 4 players. The player operates a scroll button and ten-keys of the mobile terminal  103  to input his/her score in the input area  303 . After the score input, the player operates the scroll button or the like of the mobile terminal  103  to select an OK button  304  in the displayed field. 
   The mobile terminal  103  regards the selection of the OK button  304  as score input completion, and sends a data input request to the score management server  102  for registering the input score data to the score management server  102  (step S 209 ). 
   The score management server  102  receives the data input request from the mobile terminal  103  (step S 210 ). 
   The score management server  102  fetches the score data (representing scores player by player) from the received data input request (step S 211 ), and updates the score data being stored in the storage medium such as the hard disk in accordance with the fetched score data (step S 212 ). 
   For example, if one player&#39;s scores after 8th hole have been stored in the storage medium (hard disk, etc.), the score data of the player concerned obtained at step S 211  are added to the storage medium as the score data of the 9th hole. 
   In the score management server  102 , the process flow returns to step S 203  after the score update. 
   In the mobile terminal  103 , the process flow returns to step S 206  after the process at step S 209  is completed. 
   Accordingly, the latest score data based on the input score data are displayed on the display screen of the mobile terminal  103 . 
   Additional steps may be employed. For example, the mobile terminal  103  may check the input score to warn the player if the input score was wrong. In this case, the mobile terminal  103  may request the player to input correct score. 
   The score management server  102  may also check the input score at the reception of the data input request. 
   Accordingly, each player inputs score data through the mobile terminal  103  and the score management server  102  gathers and manages the score data. Each player can see all players&#39; scores on real time, therefore, the players enjoy the game with by knowing the scores altering each hole. Moreover, final results are shown immediately after the game finishes. 
   One skilled in the art may easily add other functions to the above embodiment, for example, handling handicap information, much play rule, penalties when putting over 3 times or lost in water hazard. The scope of the invention will include any modifications like the above. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the invention may employ various calculation methods for scoring or ranking which are different by courses or games to flexibly output results. 
   As described above, the present invention provides a score management system, a score management server, and a data recording medium, more particularly a score management system, a score management server, and a data recording medium suitable for managing scores for a game in which players or player groups are distanced away from each other. 
   Various embodiments and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. The above-described embodiment is intended to illustrate the present invention, not to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is shown by the attached claims rather than the embodiment. Various modifications made within the meaning of an equivalent of the claims of the invention and within the claims are to be regarded to be in the scope of the present invention. 
   This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. H11-166354 filed on Jun. 14, 1999 and including specification, claims, drawings and summary. The disclosure of the above Japanese Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.