JP2002074402A - Virtual space system having character-registering function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a virtual space system, with which each of users can freely prepare and utilize a character to be used in a virtual space. SOLUTION: This system is provided with at least one user terminal, a network and a server and the user generates an original character by a character- preparing means of the user terminal, transmits the generated character and identification information to the server by a communication means and requests registration. In the case of utilization after registration in the server, the user transmits the utilization request of the registered character and the identification information to the server by the communication means, receives the registered character from the server and utilizes it on the virtual space; the server correspondently registers both the character requested to register from the user terminal and the identification information by a character register means; and when the server receives the utilization request and the identification information, the server extracts a character corresponding to the identification information and transmits it to the user terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a virtual space system having a character registration function for registering and using a user-specific character used in a virtual space.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A system for purchasing a product using a virtual space or a system for communicating with others has been developed.
In a system using such a virtual space, the self and others are represented by characters, and by moving those characters, it is possible to specify an object or a communication partner in the virtual space, It has helped usability of the user interface improve.

Conventionally, however, characters that can be used in a virtual space are limited to those prepared in advance by an application that realizes the virtual space.
For example, to make the character resemble your own appearance,
It is impossible for each person to create and use a character according to his / her preference, and a friendly system has not been realized.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a virtual space system in which each user can freely create and use a character used in the virtual space.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a virtual space system having a character registration function according to the present invention comprises at least one user terminal, a network, and a server connected to the user terminal via the network. Including
Each user terminal includes a communication unit, a character creation unit, an information input unit and an information output unit, and a user generates a character by the information input unit and the character creation unit;
The generated character and the identification information for uniquely identifying the character are transmitted to the server by the communication means to request registration. When the registered character is used after being registered in the server, the use request and the communication means are transmitted by the communication means. The identification information is transmitted to the server, the character registered from the server is received and used in the virtual space by the information output means, and the server includes a character registration means, and the character and the identification information requested to be registered by the user are provided. The two are registered in association with each other, and when a use request and identification information are received from the user terminal, a character corresponding to the identification information is extracted by the character registration means and transmitted to the user terminal.

According to the present invention, the server further includes virtual space management means, executes a user authentication procedure by the virtual space management means, and changes the character corresponding to the use request only when the user is authenticated. The information may be extracted by the registration unit and transmitted to the user terminal. Further, the server may further include a billing processing means, and when the character is registered and / or when the character is used, billing processing may be performed by the billing processing means.

[0007]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a virtual space system according to the present invention. The system of FIG. 1 comprises n user terminals
10, including the server 20 and the network 30. network
30 is, for example, the Internet. The user terminal 10 includes a communication unit 11 for communicating with the server 20 via the network 30, a character creation unit 12 for creating a character used in a virtual space, an information input unit 13 for inputting various information, and a virtual An information output unit 14 for displaying a space or the like is provided. The server 20 includes a communication control unit 21 for controlling communication performed with the user terminal 10 via the network 30, and a virtual space management unit for managing a virtual space shared with the user terminal 10. 22, character registering means 23 for registering a character received from the user terminal 10 and charging processing means 24 for performing charging processing.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operation sequence of the user terminal and the server in the virtual space system of the present invention. The user operates the character creating means 12 of the user terminal 10.
Creates a character to be used in the virtual space. As the character, a real image obtained by capturing the user, a CG image expressing the user, other images created by the user, and the like can be used. Further, the number of characters created by the user is not limited to one, and there may be a plurality of characters.

When the character creation is completed by the character creation means 12, the communication means 11 transmits the character to the network 30.
And sends the created character and identification information that can uniquely identify the character to the server 20 via the server 20 to make a registration request. As the identification information, a number and a symbol for uniquely identifying a character can be used. For example, a combination of a user identification number and a character identification number for identifying a plurality of characters created by a user may be used.

In the server 20, when the communication control means 21 receives the registration request from the user terminal 10, the character registration means 23 registers the character and the identification information received from the user in association with each other.

When using the registered character, the user makes a use request to the server 20. When making a use request, in order to prevent others from using the character registered by the user without permission, user authentication is performed, and the server 20 accepts the use request only to the authenticated user. Is also good. In this case, the user terminal 10 makes an authentication request to the server 20 simultaneously with or before the use request, and receives an authentication execution result from the server 20. User authentication methods include password authentication,
Authentication using biological information or the like can be used. Further, by using encryption processing for communication between the user terminal 10 and the server 20 via the network 30, security can be further improved.

When the user authentication is completed, the user inputs a use request through the information input means 13 of the user terminal 10.
When the use request is input, the communication means 11
A use request is transmitted to the server 20 via the. When transmitting a use request, identification information corresponding to a character to be used is transmitted at the same time.

The communication control means 21 of the server 20
When the character registration unit 23 receives the use request and the identification information from, the character registration unit 23 extracts a character corresponding to the received identification information from the already registered character list.
The communication control means 21 transmits the extracted character to a network.
User terminal 10 that has made a character use request via 30
Send to

In the user terminal 10, the communication means 11 is a server 20
When a character is received from the user, the received character is arranged in the virtual space displayed on the information output means 14 by the virtual space application, and the user uses the received character. The method of using the character in the user terminal 10 differs depending on each application. For example, each user may purchase a product by pointing to a target such as a store in a virtual space displayed on the user terminal 10 with the character. It can be used in a separate virtual space at the terminal. In addition, the same virtual space is shared by a plurality of user terminals, mutual characters and their positional information and the like are transmitted and received between the user terminals via the server 20, and the respective characters are displayed on each user terminal for communication. For example, it can be used in a virtual space shared by a plurality of user terminals.

The billing means 24 of the server 20 bills the user for character registration. For example, the use of a character can be permitted only when it is confirmed that the user has paid the registration fee of the character to the server administrator collectively or continuously. It is also possible to charge according to the number of times of use or the use time of the character.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By creating and registering a favorite character in the server, the user can freely use the character in various applications using the virtual space, and realize a more friendly user interface. it can. In addition, by executing an authentication procedure when using a character, unauthorized use of a registered character can be prevented, and the originality of the character in the electronic space can be protected. Further, as a server administrator, it is possible to implement a character registration service as a business by charging for character registration.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a virtual space system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operation sequence of a user terminal and a server in the virtual space system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User terminal 11 Communication means 12 Character creation means 13 Information input means 14 Information output means 20 Server 21 Communication control means 22 Virtual space management means 23 Character registration means 24 Charging processing means 30 Network

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Ishibashi 2-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (reference) 5B050 BA07 CA07 CA08 FA02

Claims (3)

[Claims] At least one user terminal, a network, and a server connected to the user terminal via the network, wherein each user terminal includes a communication unit, a character creation unit, an information input unit, and an information output unit; , A character is generated by the information input means and the character creation means,
The generated character and the identification information for uniquely identifying the character are transmitted to the server by the communication means to request registration. When the registered character is used after being registered in the server, the use request and the communication means are transmitted by the communication means. The identification information is transmitted to the server, the character registered from the server is received and used in the virtual space by the information output means, and the server includes character registration means, and the character and identification information requested by the user for registration are provided. A character registration function characterized in that both are registered in association with each other, and when a use request and identification information are received from a user terminal, a character corresponding to the identification information is extracted by a character registration unit and transmitted to the user terminal. Virtual space system. 2. The server further comprises a virtual space management unit, executes a user authentication procedure by the virtual space management unit, and extracts a character corresponding to the use request by the character registration unit only when the user is authenticated. The virtual space system having a character registration function according to claim 1, wherein the virtual space system transmits the character registration data to a user terminal. 3. The server according to claim 1, further comprising a billing unit, wherein the server performs a billing process when the character is registered and / or when the character is used. A virtual space system having a character registration function according to item 1.