Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – With communication link
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-15
2001-02-06
Cheng, Joe H. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
With communication link
C463S001000, C463S030000, C463S031000, C463S040000, C463S043000, C345S111000, C345S111000, C345S182000, C345S215000, C345S418000, C345S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183367
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communicative game system comprising a plurality of game devices linked by means of communications media, which is suitable for conducting a game of a format wherein a plurality of people compete against each other by means of these game devices.
2. Description of the Related
With the progress of computer graphics technology in recent years, image processing devices providing various types of images have been proposed. Of these, some are used in so-called video game devices (hereinafter, game devices) to provide racing games, shooting games, simulation games, action games, or the like. Game devices of this kind capable of displaying clearer and more realistic images are sought, for both domestic and commercial use. A game device generally comprises a game device main unit containing a computer device which executes previously recorded game programs, an operating device for supplying operating signals instructing the movement of an object represented in the game to the computer device, a display for displaying images associated with the game development in accordance with the execution of the game program by the game device, and a sound device for generating sounds associated with this game development.
In recent years, in order to make images of a higher quality and greater appeal, game devices have come to display images wherein an object (character) and a background, etc. are located in virtual three-dimensional spatial co-ordinates by defining image data, and these items are viewed from a prescribed viewpoint.
One of the game formats used in such game devices is a communicative game. Usually, a communicative game is implemented by means of a communicative game system. A communicative game system is a system wherein a plurality of game devices having the foregoing composition are linked mutually by means of communications media, such as communications cables, or the like, to form a communications loop. In this communicative game system, conventionally, data (game data) representing the game contents of the individual game devices is exchanged between the game devices. Thereby, each game device in the communications loop displays, practically in real time, the game progress status of the game device operated by the other players involved in the game contest. A communicative game system of this kind is suitable, for example, for a driving game wherein a plurality of players compete (contest) with each other in a virtual game space for rankings in a car race.
However, in the conventional communicative game system described above, only game data is exchanged between the game devices in the communications loop, and there is no communication whatsoever of information other than this. In other words, whilst it is natural for each player to make various expressions or to emit cries, or other sounds, in response to the state of development of a competitive game, these are not transmitted by the game device to the other players, forming the opponents in the competitive game. If the actual bodies of the game devices are positioned adjacent to each other, then it is possible to gain some impression of the opponents' feelings, but in nearly all cases, a player's eyes are glued to the monitor screen of his or her own game device, and therefore it is difficult for the player to tell the feelings of his or her opponents in the game. Consequently, certain aspects of “communication” created by contact between the players is lacking.
This lack of “communication” is a particular feature in the field of game devices. Since a game involves the use of game devices, the sense of rivalry and level of interest created by the game can be increased by transmitting the cries of rival players, expressing their emotions, to the other players. However, in conventional game devices, no consideration whatsoever is given to the provision of means for transmitting “communication” of this kind, and therefore the sense of rivalry and interest have been diminished accordingly. Moreover, since conventional communicative game systems involve only exchange of game data, it has not been possible to communicate special effects, such as noises, etc. required in the game, and hence the game space has created a poor sense of realism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was devised in order to overcome the current state of conventional game communications systems, as described above. A first object of the present invention is to increase “communication” between players, by making it possible to exchange information relating to each player, other than the game data, thereby raising the sense of rivalry and the level of interest created by the game, and thus increasing the added value of the game.
A further object of the present invention is to raise the sense of realism of a game by making it possible to communicate special effects, and the like, which lie outside the game data, but are desirable for the game.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the communicative game system relating to the present invention is a communicative game system forming a network of a plurality of game devices, whereby a plurality of players play a game individually, connected mutually by means of communications media, wherein the plurality of game devices respectively comprise transferring means for receiving data transferred on the network and transferring this reception data and data generated by the game device itself onto the network, and access means for accessing the reception data, and data is transmitted and received between the plurality of game devices by means of a broadcast communications system based on the transferring means and the access means.
The communications media are signal cables, for example. Desirably, the transferring means comprises a controller for controlling the data transmission and reception operations of the transferring means, and a memory for storing the reception data, whilst the access means comprises a CPU for commanding the execution of the game in the home game device, and there is also provided control means for causing the CPU to access the memory, whilst causing the aforementioned access operation and the transmission of reception data to the network by the transferring means to be executed simultaneously. In this case, desirably, the control means comprises means for causing the access operation by the CPU to the memory and the access operation by the controller to the memory to be executed alternately by time division.
Furthermore, each game device may also be provided, for example, with means for changing the right to transmit data to the network, alternately by time division.
Furthermore, each game device may also comprise means for selecting data transmitted over the network.
Moreover, desirably, a prescribed game device of the plurality of game devices is provided with synchronizing means for transmitting a synchronizing signal for synchronizing the operational timing of each of the game devices, onto the network, wherein the synchronizing signal is a signal which is synchronized with the video signal.
Furthermore, a prescribed game device of the plurality of game devices may also comprise means for detecting a fault in the communications media between the plurality of game devices by determining whether or not the synchronizing signal is transmitted to each of the game devices.
Desirably, the data transmitted over the network comprises: a game data packet generated by execution of the game in each game device; a sound data packet relating to the sound of the player playing the game at each game device; and a video data packet relating to the image of the player playing the game at each game device. In this case, desirably, each game device comprises: game implementing means for generating game data; sound data generating means for generating sound data by inputting the voice of the player; and video data generating means for generating video data by inputting video images of
Fuse Naoki
Harada Yoshinori
Kaji Toshiyuki
Nakane Toshihiro
Cheng Joe H.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
Nguyen Binh-An
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