Network game method, network game terminal, and server

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0001The present invention relates to a method for enabling a network game developed on a communication network as well as to a network game terminal unit and a game server for the network game, and more specifically this invention relates to a method for enabling a network game in which a number of players (sometimes described as participants hereinafter) can communicate with each other (sometimes described as an online game hereinafter) as well as to a network game terminal unit and a game server for the network game.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

0002Recently the online game developed on a network for enabling various types of games such as a role playing game (RPG) or a match-up game has been becoming more and more popular. In this types of online game, for the purpose to improve the attractiveness or value, for instance, in a network game fought between a group of combat planes and another group of combat planes, communications with comrade planes or with enemy planes is performed, and as a communication tool for that purpose, a chat system or a general telephone line is used for conversations.

0003In the case of conversations based on the chat system, in addition to operations for playing the game, however, entry of characters from a keyboard is required, so that the operations are complicated and troublesome, and further the response is rather slow, and sometimes the game can not progress smoothly. Further in the case of conversation over the general telephone line or the like, excessive economical burden is compelled to the players because of the current telephone rate system, so that these communication tools are not suited for a game requiring a long period of time to play. Although conversations among a plurality of participants are possible even now over the general telephone line, it is impossible to freely and temporally switch the communication mode to, for instance, person to person communication mode or person to multiple persons communication mode during multiple persons to multiple persons communication mode.

0004Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="JP2001314657A"><text>2001-314657</text></patcit> discloses a network game system comprising a voice exchange means such as the Internet telephone or the like available between two persons, one as a navigator and the other as a player, and in this system voices are subjected to acoustic effects to introduce reality into the game. However, the technology disclosed in the publication is limited to person to person telephone communications, and the technology can not enable communications among multiple persons as that required in the match-up game. In addition, the acoustic effects are only application of acoustic pressure and tone control to voices of a telephone message, and therefore the technology is not sufficient for substantially improving realistic sensations or reality of a game.

0005<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="US6241612B1"><text>US 6,241,612 B1</text></patcit> describes a network system with a server and a plurality (4) of player units with which games can be played through the network system.

0006The document mentions that games may be played in a one-to-one, one-to-multiple or multiple-to-multiple communication configuration and that Internet telephony may be used for playing the games.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

0007An object of the present invention is to provide a method for enabling a network game in which a number of players participate and also in which the multiple players can communicate with each other by the use of an IP telephone or an Internet telephone network and a network game terminal adapted to perform said method.

0008The present invention provides a method for enabling an Internet network game in which a number of players participate, characterized in that each player uses a respective terminal unit having a communication tool enabling IP telephone calls over the Internet, wherein the IP addresses of all the players of said network game are registered at each respective terminal unit and telephone communication among the players with registered IP addresses is enabled in response to telephone message signals including the registered IP addresses, the telephone communication among the players with registered IP addresses comprising communication among multiple players, communication between one player and multiple players and player to player communication, and wherein the communication tool receives a musical sound signal, comprising game effect sound data and game message data, in addition to the telephone message signals from players with registered IP addresses over the Internet, and including in each respective terminal unit (12) the step of determining whether an incoming telephone message signal to a respective player includes a registered IP address, and if it is not, providing a sound indication of an incoming call to the respective player.

0009The method according to the present invention enables concurrent communications among multiple players by managing registered IP addresses of each player and enabling a player to receive a telephone message signal including a registered IP address.

0010There is also provided a network game terminal unit having a communication tool enabling IP telephone calls over the Internet adapted to perform the aforesaid method, wherein a voice receiving section of the terminal unit comprises: a game communicating section for sending and receiving program signals for controlling a network game; a game control section for controlling a participant player IP managing section, a sorting section), a plurality of extending sections, and a synthesizing section based on the program signals; the participant IP managing section being adapted to register the IP addresses of all the players of said network game which is provided online on the Internet; a network receiving section for receiving musical sound data for the network game and a plurality of incoming signals of telephone message data over the Internet; the sorting section being adapted to determine whether the received telephone message data includes a registered IP address or not, and to send the plurality of the incoming signals of the telephone message data including a registered IP address sequentially; the plurality of extending sections corresponding to the incoming signals, said plurality of extending sections receiving the plurality of incoming signals from the sorting section and the plurality of the incoming signals of being adapted to restore the transmitted telephone message data; the synthesizing section being adapted to synthesize the restored telephone message data in the time-series mode; and further comprising a D/A converting section for converting a digital signal in the synthesized telephone message data to an analog signal; and a microphone/speaker I/F section as a connecting section to the communication tool.

0011The voice receiving section of the terminal unit further preferably comprises an incoming call transmitting section for transmitting an in-coming call notifying sounds previously accumulated therein, in response to a telephone message from a non-registered IP address, to the synthesizing section in response to an instruction by the sorting section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0012<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> is a general block diagram showing a network game enabling method according to the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> is a flow chart showing an example of the processing for registration of participation in a network game;</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> is a block diagram showing a network game executing section in a managing server;</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> is a view showing an example of a screen displayed on a terminal unit in the transmitting player side when the player sends a call during an online game to another player; and</li><li><figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref> is a block diagram showing configuration of a voice receiving section of a network game terminal unit.</li></ul>

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

0013A method for enabling a network game according to the presentinvention is described with reference to an embodiment of a match-up game in which a number of players participate.

0014<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> is a general block diagram showing the invention as a whole, and the figure shows a case in which a first team 10 consisting of participants A, B, C and a second team 20 consisting of participants D, E, F participate in a match-up type of online game. Terminal units 12, 12, ... operated by the participants A to F and a managing server 30 providing the network game service are connected to Internet network 40 respectively.

0015Provided in each of the terminal units 12, 12, ... operated by the participants A to F is a communication tool 14, and in the present invention, communications over the IP telephone is carried out with the terminal unit 12 having the communication tool 14. In the present invention, the IP telephone is defined as a system for sending and receiving digitalized voice data over the Internet network 40, and includes the Internet telephone for sending and receiving voice data through the public Internet network. With the system according to the present invention described hereinafter, the players A to F, which are participants in a network, can make communications not only among multiple persons and between one person and multiple persons over the Internet telephone, but also can make person to person communication, if necessary. Namely, simultaneous communications among players can freely be switched to a communication mode between one person and multiple persons, or to the person to person communication mode by providing controls from a game screen.

0016Various methods may be employed to decide a participant in a network game, and for instance, a counter partner for the match-up game or the participant as a team member can be decided by the use of the method as disclosed, for instance, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="JPHEI11253657B"><text>HEI 11-253657</text></patcit> or International Patent Publication Bulletin <patcit id="pcit0004" dnum="WO0127771A"><text>WO 01/27771</text></patcit>.

0017<figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> is a flow chart showing the processing for registering a participant in a network game, and in this figure, the processing procedure in the managing server 30 providing a network game service is shown at the center, and the processing procedures for registering the players A to C in the first team 10 and the players D to F in the second team 20 are shown in the right and left sides thereof. The processing procedure for registering the players A to C in the first team 10 is the same as that for registering the players D to F in the second team 20.

0018Each of the players A to F checks whether the terminal unit 12 is connected online to a network or not (21), and when it is determined that the terminal unit 12 is still offline to the network, the player connects the terminal unit 21 to the network by performing prespecified operations (22). After each of the players A to F has made the prespecified procedure for participating in the network game (23), the managing server 30 recognizes the registration by each player for each match-up game and executes the processing for acknowledging the players prespecified for the network game (24). Namely, the managing server 30 checks and verifies the players A to F person by person (25), and determines whether a required number of players have been registered or not (26). When it is determined that all of the required players have registered in the network game, the managing server 30 fetches IP addresses of all of the players (27), and notifies (28) each of the players A to F of the IP addresses of all players and that of the managing server. The IP addresses are stored (29) in a participant IP managing section 53 provided in the terminal unit 12 for each of the players A to F described hereinafter. Alternatively, the IP addresses of the players may be fetched during any of the processing procedure (23) by each of the players A to F to participate in the network game, the processing procedure (24) for acknowledging the participants by the managing server 30, or in any other step.

0019Next the managing server 30 providing a network game is described. <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> is a block diagram showing a network game executing section in the managing server 30, and the executing section comprises a game image data accumulating section 31 for accumulating data of a network game, a game effect sound data accumulating section 32, a game message data accumulating section 33, a game processing section 34 for managing, processing, and making determinations for transaction of various data described above in response to progress of a network game, a match-up game managing section 35 for managing a game match by match, a game communicating section 36 for sending and receiving program signals for controlling the network game to and from the terminal unit 12 for each player, and in addition, a communication processing section 37 for sending voices (musical sounds) in response to a request from the game processing section 34, a control section 38 for controlling the game processing section 34 and the communication processing section 37, and a network transmitting section 39 which is a so-called transmitting section for the IP telephone.

0020Accumulated in the game image data accumulating section 31 described above is also character data such as superimpose and telop for a network game separated from the images. The data and audio signals as ordinary game sounds are transmitted from the game communicating section 36 to a receiving section for each game program (not shown) in the terminal unit 12 together with image data for the game according to the method similar to that employed in the known network game server. On the other hand, game effect sound data such as voices, music, and sounds for a network game and game message data such as game messages generated from devices and instruments during a game (generically described as musical sound data hereinafter) are transmitted from the network transmitting section 39 to a network receiving section 54 on the terminal unit 12 described later when the control section 38 issues an instruction for preparation for extraction and transmission of required musical sound data to the communication processing section 37 upon a request from the game processing section 34 having referred to the match-up game managing section 35.

0021<figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> is a view showing a terminal screen on the terminal unit 12 for a player, namely an example of a screen displayed on the terminal unit 12 for a player in the transmitting side when the player transmits a telephone message to another player connected online to the network. The game image is not shown. Provided along an upper edge of a display screen 41 are a group of connection buttons 42 (for all players as counter partners in a game) used for transmitting messages to the first team (a counter partner in the game), and a group of connection buttons 43 (for each player as a counter partner in the game), and also provided along a lower edge thereof are a group of connection buttons 44 (for all fellow players) and a group of connection buttons 45 (for each fellow player). Further a button for allowing transmission of a message from one player in the transmitting side to a plurality of specified players or transmission of a message from one player to all opponent players may be provided.

0022When a player in the transmitting side selects (by clicking a mouse thereon or by key entry) any of the connection buttons 42 to 45 displayed on the terminal screen, desired telephone message data is transmitted to a desired player in the receiving side (a counter partner in the game).

0023Next the terminal unit 12 for a player with the communication tool 14 connected thereto is described.

0024<figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref> is a block diagram showing configuration of a voice receiving section of the terminal unit 12, and the receiving section is connected to the game communicating section 36 of the managing server 30 via the Internet network 40. The receiving section comprises a game communicating section 51 for sending and receiving program signals for controlling a network game, a game control section 52 for controlling the entire voice receiving section based on the signals, a participant IP managing section 53 for managing IP addresses of game participants connected online to the network, a network receiving section 54 for receiving telephone message data and musical sound data via the Internet network 40, a sorting section 55 for determining whether received telephone message data includes a prespecified IP address or not and sending a result of determination to a following extending section 56, the extending section 56 for restoring the transmitted telephone message data and musical sound data, a synthesizing section 57 for synthesizing the restored telephone message data and musical sound data in the time-series mode, a D/A converting section 58 for converting digital signals for the synthesized telephone message data and musical sound data to analog signals, a microphone/speaker I/F section 59 as a connecting section to a microphone/speaker or other analog equipment, and an in-coming call transmitting section 60 for accumulating therein in-coming call alerting voices (such as voices or electronic sounds) previously prepared and transmitting the sounds to the synthesizing section 57 according to an instruction by the sorting section 55.

0025In <figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref>, the IP address data transmitted from the game communicating section 36 of the managing server 30 is received by the game communicating section 51, and is stored in the participant IP managing section 53 according to an instruction by the game control section 52.

0026In the game terminal unit 12 connected to a network, telephone message signals transmitted from other player are received by the network receiving section 54 and are delivered to the sorting section 55. The sorting section 55 determines whether the signals are those each including an IP address registered in the participant IP managing section 53 or not, and when it is determined that the signals include registered IP addresses respectively, the sorting section 55 delivers the signals to the extending section 56. It is desirable that a plurality of extending sections 56a, 56b, ... are provided for a plurality of in-coming signals to cope with a trouble such as a delay. The digital signals normalized in the extending section 56 are then transmitted to the synthesizing section 57 and are synthesized in succession in the time-series mode. To accurately synthesize the digital signals in the time-series mode, it is desirable that each of the in-coming signals has a time stamp.

0027Then the synthesized digital signals are subjected to digital to analog conversion in the D/A converting section 58, and is outputted to a speaker of the communication tool 14 via the microphone/speaker I/F section 59. Synthesis in the synthesizing section 57 may be either digital synthesis or analog synthesis, and when analog synthesis is to be carried out, the positional relation between the synthesizing section 57 and the D/A converting section 58 is contrary to that shown in <figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref>.

0028In the synthesizing section 57, synthesis of telephone message data transmitted from the other player and also synthesis of musical sound data (such as game effect sounds or game messages) transmitted from the managing server 30 according to a type of a network game or to other necessities are carried out. Namely, also a signal including musical sound data transmitted from the network transmitting section 39 of the managing server 30 is received by the network receiving section 54 and is delivered, like the telephone message signal from a player, to the sorting section 55, and is outputted to a speaker of the communication tool 14 after having been subjected to synthesis in the synthesizing section 57.

0029In the step of determination by the sorting section 55 described above, when it is determined that the in-coming signal does not include a registered IP address, the signal is aborted, or an instruction for transmission of a dial tone to the in-coming call transmitting section 60 is issued, and the dial tone is transmitted to the synthesizing section 57. When the dial tone is outputted to the speaker, a player having received the dial tome can sense a call even from a person not participating in the game.

0030In other words, in the present invention, it is possible to provide also telephone message data transmitted from a person not participating in a game as an in-coming call sound on service, if required.

0031Further it is also possible to abort an in-coming signal from a specified person or all in-coming signals in response to an instruction from the game control section 52 according to progress of a game. The control signal for this type of musical sound data is transmitted from the game communicating section 36 under controls by the game processing section 34 in the managing server 30 according to progress of each game, and is received by the game communicating section 51 in the game terminal unit 12. The processing by the game control section 52 is especially effective, for instance, when any person cancels participation in or quits from the game in a match-up game.

0032The method for enabling a network game according to the present invention enables not only concurrent telephone communications among three or more participants in a network game, but volume adjustment of game effect sounds and game messages to provide reality or realistic sensations in communications among players, so that the effects in improving a completion of a network game and satisfaction of players are quite large.

0033Further an in-coming call from a person other than players can be sensed during a network game, and therefore the present invention can provide the remarkable advantage of being capable dissolving the uneasiness caused by long time occupation by a game in the Internet telephone or the IP telephone which would be a mainstream in the future communications.