Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – With communication link
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-12
2003-05-13
Harrison, Jessica (Department: 3714)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
With communication link
C463S040000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561909
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication game method between a plurality of game devices connected via a communication line (network), and more particularly to a communication game method for which communication cost is free.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional communication game, when some game data is transmitted from a game device to another game device, the game device enters communication status with a server. The game device sends the data to the server, and the server sends the received data to the other game device. In the case of a one-to-one communication game, a game device enters communicating status with another game device and directly sends the data to the other game device.
In the above case, each game device must enter, communicating status with a server or another game device to send data, so a telephone charge (communication charge) is charged during the communicating status.
The user of the communication game must pay this telephone charge. So, in order to popularize the communication game, the telephone charge charged for a communication game must be decreased as much as possible. In other words, providing a communication game for which a telephone charge is minimized is demanded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a communication game method which allows enjoying communication games free of telephone charges.
According to a communication method of the present invention, to achieve the above object, when an event is generated in a game progressing in a first communicable game device, the first game device sends a call signal to a second communicable game device. When the second game device receives the call signal, an event is generated in the game progressing in the second game device.
In this way, an event is accidentally generated independently from the progress of the game when the game device receives a telephone call signal, in addition to a spontaneous event which is generated according to the progress of the game. Therefore, the user of the game can experience enjoyment which an ordinary game cannot provide, or a thrill which no one can predict will happen.
After transmitting/receiving the call signal, the telephone call is cut-off before the game devices enter communication status, so a communication cost is not charged. Since the cost for communication is free, the user can enjoy a communication game at low cost.
The communication game of the present invention to achieve the above object preferably comprises a step for receiving a call signal from a different game device and a step for generating an event to a game that is progressing based on the reception of the call signal.
The above communication game method preferably further comprises a step for transmitting a call signal to a different game device when an event is generated to the progressing game.
The above communication game method preferably further comprises a step for acquiring a telephone number of a game device to be the destination to send the call signal. If telephone numbers of a plurality of game devices are acquired in the above acquisition step, the call signal is sent to an arbitrary game device selected from the plurality of game devices in the above transmission step.
If a plurality of events are set, an arbitrary event selected from the plurality of events is generated in the above generation step. Or, one of the plurality of events is selected based on the information included in the received call signal. In this case, the information included in the call signal is, for example, a telephone number of the transmission origination game device.
Also in the present invention, a computer program product including a recording medium storing a communication game program for the game device to execute the above mentioned communication game method is provided. Further the game device that executes the communication game method is provided.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5827120 (1998-10-01), Kikuchi et al.
patent: 6213871 (2001-04-01), Yokoi
patent: 6213873 (2001-04-01), Gasper et al.
patent: 6227966 (2001-05-01), Yokoi
patent: 6264562 (2001-07-01), McSheffrey et al.
patent: 6320868 (2001-11-01), Okano et al.
Internet Chess Club Website, http://www.chesclub.com
ewcomer.html.
Iizuka Takashi
Nakamura Shun
Coburn Corbett B
Harrison Jessica
Sega Enterprises Ltd.
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