JP2007289458A - Card read system in game system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a card read system in a game system capable of reading the information of the character and item of a game written on a card to a portable game machine and utilizing it in a game application without connecting special peripheral equipment for reading the card by simple authentication in the portable game machine not provided with a card reader. <P>SOLUTION: The bar code 4 of the card 3 put out from an arcade game machine 1 is photographed by the camera of a cellular phone 5 and decoded to text data. A registration request is transmitted to a game server device and the text data are stored in a database 9. The portable game machine 10 requests the distribution of card information registered in the game server device, and it becomes possible to obtain the card information and utilize the data of the card information in the game application. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a card reading method in a game system in which information of a card paid out from, for example, a card game machine can be read by a portable game machine having a wireless LAN function and not having a card reading function.

  Conventionally, in order to read information such as game characters described on a paper card with a portable game machine, a relatively expensive peripheral device such as a dedicated reading device is required, and the peripheral device is higher than a portable game machine. Therefore, such a device has not been realized.

In addition, there is a portable game machine equipped with a reading device that reads card information for a special card that stores a large amount of data such as a game program and related data.
JP2002-263361

  However, the special card is a card prepared for reading only for a specific portable game machine, and the reading device is also dedicated and cannot be used for reading information such as a general paper card. In addition, since only the information of the dedicated card is read, there is a problem that the price of the portable game machine having the reading device increases.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a portable game machine without a card reading device, without connecting a special peripheral device for card reading, and with a simple authentication of the characters and items of the game described on the card. An object of the present invention is to provide a card reading method in a game system that can read information into a portable game machine and use it for a game application.

In order to achieve the above object, claim 1 of the present invention includes a card on which a specific character or item of a game is described with a code pattern and a camera, the code pattern is photographed by the camera, and the photographed code pattern is A mobile communication terminal that can decode and transmit the decoded data via a network, and a game server device that stores the data transmitted by the mobile communication terminal through the network together with ID information for identifying the mobile communication terminal in a storage means And a communication device connected to the network, communicating with the communication device, and transmitting ID information identifying the mobile communication terminal of the mobile device via the communication device, thereby requesting a data transmission to the game server device And receive the data corresponding to the portable communication terminal read from the storage means A portable game machine, reading data of a specific character or item described on the card into the portable game machine, and using the data of the specific character or item as data of application software executed on the portable game machine It is configured to be possible.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the ID information for specifying the mobile communication terminal is a mobile phone number.
A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the communication device uses a wireless LAN function.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first, second or third aspect, the card is a card acquired by an arcade game machine, and one character or item data is described in one card. Features.

According to the above configuration, for example, the barcode of a card paid out from a card game machine is read by the camera of the mobile phone, the card information is sent to the game server device, and the card information is sent to the mobile game machine having a wireless LAN communication function such as WiFi. Can be received, and card information can be used in a portable game machine that does not have a card reader directly.
There is no need to purchase or connect a peripheral device for reading card information to the portable game machine by the above system, and an individual can be identified by using a portable communication terminal, so no special authentication means is used. There is an advantage.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a game system to which a card reading system according to the present invention is applied. The game system according to the present invention includes an arcade game machine 1 having a card payout exit 2 for paying out a card 3 in which a two-dimensional bar code or a color code (hereinafter referred to as “two-dimensional bar code” or the like) is described. A mobile phone 5 for transmitting the decoded two-dimensional barcode or the like with the camera 20 (see FIG. 2) and decoding the data to the game server device, and data sent from the mobile phone 5 are stored in the database 9 The game server device 8 (see FIG. 3) that performs the data transmission request to the game server device 8, receives data corresponding to the ID information from the database 9, and executes the game application software stored in the memory unit In this case, the portable game machine 10 that can use this data, and between the mobile phone 5 and the game server device 8 Preliminary and an internet 35 and the wireless LAN control station 36. which communicates with the portable game machine 10 and the game server device 8.

The card 3 is, for example, a paper card, and one character data or item data is described by a two-dimensional barcode or the like on one card. The characters are, for example, various sauruses that appear in dinosaur games, and various insects that appear in games where insects fight. The item is, for example, a weapon or armor. In addition, it is possible to describe two or more characters and items on one card. Moreover, you may describe the data used for a portable game machine other than a character and an item.
The card 3 can be obtained by playing a game on the arcade game machine 1. It is also possible to obtain other methods, for example, purchase or obtain from other people. The portable game machine 10 is not attached with a function of directly reading the card 3 and cannot be read.

  A camera 20 is mounted on the back surface of the liquid crystal display unit 6 of the cellular phone 5. By checking the two-dimensional barcode 4 of the card 3 on the liquid crystal display unit 6 and pressing the shooting button 7, a two-dimensional barcode or the like is obtained. 4 can be taken. When the card 3 is photographed, the mobile phone 5 decodes the two-dimensional bar code 4 and the like and transmits the decoded data to the game server device 8. The portable game machine 10 has a WiFI wireless LAN communication function, displays an execution screen of game application software on the liquid crystal display unit 11, and the user can enjoy the game by operating the operation unit 12. Data (characters and items) described in the card received from the game server device 8 can be used by the portable game machine 10.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment of a circuit of a mobile phone in the game system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 to be described later show only portions directly related to the present invention, and other configurations are omitted.
The camera control circuit 22 performs drive control of an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS of the camera 20 in accordance with a command from the control unit 26. When the user selects the camera shooting mode, the control unit 26 instructs the camera control circuit 22 to capture a card image from the camera 20, and the image processing unit 24 performs predetermined image processing to capture a card image currently being captured. Is displayed.
When the user presses the shooting button 7 after confirming the composition on the liquid crystal display unit 25 so that the two-dimensional barcode on the card 3 can be clearly photographed, the control unit 26 receives this operation signal and receives a camera control circuit. 22 is instructed to take an image. The photographed image of the card 3 is stored in the memory unit 21, and the barcode image conversion unit 26a converts the image image into text data. The control unit 26 stores this text data in the memory unit 21. In this way, the contents of the barcode on the card 3 are recognized.

  Next, the recognition data transmission unit 26b of the control unit 26 displays on the liquid crystal display unit 25 for selecting whether or not to transmit the recognized data to the game server device 8, and prompts transmission. When the user selects transmission, the communication unit 23 accesses the game server device 8 via the base stations 34 a to 34 n and the carrier exchange 33 and becomes communicable. The recognition data transmission unit 26b transmits recognized data such as character data together with the mobile phone number (ID information).

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment of the circuit of the game server device and the portable game machine in the game system according to the present invention.
The carrier exchange 33 is connected to the Internet line 35 and can communicate with the game server device 8 through the Internet line 35. In addition, a LAN control station 36 is connected to the Internet line 35, and the LAN control station 36 controls the LAN base stations 36a to 36n installed in various places and can communicate with the portable game machine 10 having a wireless LAN communication function. It has become. The wireless LAN communication apparatus includes a LAN control station 36 and LAN base stations 36a to 36n. This wireless LAN can stably communicate with the outside by using the WiFi wireless LAN standard.

When the mobile phone number and the recognized data are sent from the mobile phone 5 via the communication unit 32, the control unit 30 of the game server device 8 stores the information in the database 9.
The database 9 stores game data and various data related to portable game machines, and has an area 9a for storing a mobile number-card number and a card number-character table 9b.
In the area 9a, an example is shown in which the card number 009 (recognized data) is stored for the mobile number XX... If the card number 009 is referred to the card number-character table 9b, it can be understood that the card number is 0.
When there is a mobile phone number and data reception request from the portable game machine 10, the control unit 30 reads the character data corresponding to the mobile phone number from the database 9, and sends the character data corresponding to the mobile phone number to the portable game machine 10. Send. In this example, the card number 009 is associated with the mobile number XX... XX. Therefore, the data of thesaurus I is transmitted from the card number-character table 9b.

  The communication unit 43 of the portable game machine 10 has a wireless LAN function and can communicate with the LAN base stations 36a to 36n. The game application software 1 is installed in the memory unit 41, and the user can enjoy the game by operating the game application software 1. When the game is activated, the control unit 42 reads the game application software 1 to realize the function of the game control unit 42a. The game control unit 42a performs image processing in the image processing unit 45, displays a game screen on the liquid crystal display unit 11, and the game progresses as the user performs selection or input operation. The game control unit 42 a sends sound and background sound data to the sound circuit 46 along with the progress of the game, and causes the speaker 47 to output sound and background sound.

When the control unit (CPU) 42 reads out the communication control program in the memory unit 41, the function of the communication control unit 42b is realized. As described above, the communication control unit 42b can control the communication unit 43 according to the WiFi wireless LAN standard and can access the game server device 8 via the LAN base stations 36a to 36n.
When the user operates the operation unit 12 to input a mobile phone number and request distribution of data, the character data can be received from the game server device 8. The received character data can be used by making it appear in the game of the game application software 1.

Next, the overall operation of this game system and the flow of data will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow until card information obtained from the arcade game machine is registered in the game server device.
When the card is paid out from the arcade game machine 1 (step (hereinafter referred to as “S”) 001) and the photographing mode of the mobile phone 5 is activated, the control unit 26 determines whether or not the two-dimensional barcode of the card has been read. (S002). When the two-dimensional bar code or the like is read, the bar code conversion unit 26a converts it into text data and transmits it to the game server device 8 (S003). When there is access from the mobile phone 5, the control unit 30 of the game server device 8 determines whether or not the card information from the mobile phone 5 has been received (S004). When the card data is received from the mobile phone 5, the received card information is stored in the database 9 in association with the unique information (mobile number) of the mobile phone in the database 9 (S005).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow until the registered card information is used in the portable game machine.
The control unit 30 of the game server device 8 monitors whether or not distribution of card information is requested from the portable game machine 10 in correspondence with the telephone number of the cellular phone 5 (S010). When there is a distribution request, the card information of the telephone number of the mobile phone 5 is read from the database 9 and the read character data is transmitted to the mobile game machine 10 (S011, S012). In the portable game machine 10, the character transmitted by the game application software can appear and used in the game (S013).

In the above embodiment, the example in which the portable game machine is accessed to the game server device using the WiFi wireless LAN function has been described. However, if the stability can be secured, the wireless LAN function of another standard can be used. good. It is also possible to communicate using other communication methods such as Bluetooth.
Although an example using a mobile phone as the mobile communication terminal has been described, other mobile communication terminals such as a PDA having a camera function and a communication function can also be used.

  A game system including an arcade game machine, a mobile phone, a game server device, and a portable game machine, wherein the card information paid out from the arcade game machine is read into the portable game machine.

It is a figure which shows the outline of the game system to which the card reading system by this invention is applied. It is a circuit block diagram which shows embodiment of the circuit of the mobile telephone in the game system by this invention. It is a circuit block diagram which shows embodiment of the circuit of the game server apparatus and portable game machine in the game system by this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow until it registers into the game server apparatus the card information obtained from the arcade game machine. It is a flowchart which shows a flow until it uses the registered card information with a portable game machine.

Explanation of symbols

1 Arcade game machine
2 Card payment exit
3 cards
4 Barcode
5 Mobile phones
6, 11, 25 Liquid crystal display unit 7 Shooting button 8 Game server device 9 Database 10 Portable game machine 12 Operation unit
20 Cameras 21, 31, 41 Memory unit 22 Camera control unit 23, 32 Communication unit 24, 45 Image processing unit 26, 30, 42 Control unit 27 Telephone function unit 33 Carrier switch 34a-34n Base station 35 Internet line 36 LAN control station 36a to 36n LAN base station 44 operation control unit 46 sound circuit 47 speaker

Claims (4)

A card describing a specific character or item of the game in a code pattern;
A mobile communication terminal equipped with a camera, photographing the code pattern by the camera, decoding the photographed code pattern, and transmitting the decoded data via a network;
A game server device that stores the data transmitted by the mobile communication terminal through the network in a storage unit together with ID information that identifies the mobile communication terminal;
A communication device connected to the network;
A mobile communication terminal that communicates with the communication device and transmits data request to the game server device by transmitting ID information for identifying its own mobile communication terminal via the communication device, and is read from the storage means A portable game machine that receives the corresponding data,
The data of a specific character or item described in the card is read into a portable game machine, and the data of the specific character or item can be used as data of application software executed on the portable game machine. Card reading method in a game system.   2. A card reading method in a game system according to claim 1, wherein the ID information for specifying the mobile communication terminal is a mobile phone number.   3. A card reading method in a game system according to claim 1, wherein the communication device uses a wireless LAN function.   4. A card reading method in a game system according to claim 1, wherein the card is a card acquired by an arcade game machine, and one character or item data is described in one card. .

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