JP2014113228A - Game system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game system capable of using only a specific game controller.SOLUTION: A game controller 40 includes a Q & A table in which all of a plurality of questions transmitted from a game machine 10 and answers to the questions are preliminarily stored, and when receiving a question from the game machine 10, transmits an answer to the received question to the game machine 10. Only when the answer to the question is right, the game machine 10 permits a use of the game controller 40. Further, a question to be transmitted to the game controller 40 is changed for each optional period (e.g., a prescribed long period). For instance, the game machine 10 using a portable terminal changes a question for each time of updating middleware for game controller connection, which is downloaded from a server 5.

Description

  The present invention relates to a game system for connecting a game controller to a game machine.

  A game machine in which a game such as a video game or a computer game is executed includes a game machine body and a game controller that is connected to the game machine body via a cable or wireless communication and receives an operation from a player (patent) References 1 and 2).

  In addition to the game controller provided by the manufacturer of the game machine main body, a game controller having a higher operability, a game controller having an operation button with a special shape according to the contents of each game, etc. from a third party Provided.

JP-A-2005-224431 Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-21665

  In order to enjoy the game comfortably, the reliability and durability of the game controller are important. In addition, in a game controller provided by a third party, consistency and compatibility with the game machine main body and each game software are also important. For this reason, there has been a demand for a technology that enables only a specific game controller such as a certified game controller suitable for reliability and consistency testing.

  The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a game system that can be used only by a specific game controller.

  The gist of the present invention for achieving the object lies in the inventions of the following items.

[1] an operation unit;
A communication unit communicating with the game machine;
An answer section for deriving a correct answer to a plurality of predetermined questions;
When the communication unit transmits operation information indicating the content of the operation received at the operation unit to the game machine, and the communication unit receives a question from the game machine, the answer to the received question is the answer unit. And a control unit that derives the answer and transmits the answer to the game machine by the communication unit;
A game controller having
A program used when playing a game on the game machine, wherein a question selected from the plurality of predetermined questions is transmitted to the game controller and a correct answer to the question is received from the game controller Permits the use of the game controller, and if the correct answer to the question is not received from the game controller, a program for operating the game machine to prohibit the use of the game controller;
Have
The game system, wherein the question transmitted from the game machine operating according to the program to the game controller is changed every arbitrary period.

  In the said invention, when a game controller returns the correct answer to the question from a game machine, use of the game controller is permitted. Game consoles change the questions sent to the game controller every arbitrary period of time (for example, a predetermined long period of time), but legitimate game controllers will answer the correct answers to all the predetermined questions that can be sent from the game machine. Therefore, the correct answer can always be returned. On the other hand, non-regular game controllers cannot answer questions from game machines and are not allowed to be used. Even if a legitimate game controller is analyzed to find an answer to a certain question and a non-genuine product that can answer the question is produced, the question from the game machine can be used for an arbitrary period of time (for example, a predetermined number). The non-genuine game controller cannot be used after the question is changed. In addition, since questions from game machines are changed every arbitrary period (for example, a predetermined long period of time), it is extremely difficult to find correct answers for all questions in advance through motion analysis and produce non-genuine products. Become. It should be noted that a predetermined long period may be set as appropriate, and a calendar month or the like may be used as a change cycle.

[2] The game system according to [1], wherein the arbitrary period is a predetermined long period.

[3] The game system according to [1] or [2], wherein a question to be transmitted to the game controller is changed by upgrading the program.

  In the above invention, the question is changed when a predetermined program used in the game machine is upgraded. That is, changing every predetermined arbitrary period (for example, a predetermined long period) means changing at the time of version upgrade.

[4] The game system according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the answer unit stores in advance a plurality of predetermined questions and correct answers to the questions. .

  In the above invention, the answering unit stores in advance all questions that can be transmitted from the game machine and correct answers to those questions. Multiple questions without any regularity between questions and answers can be used. The answering unit may be configured to output a correct answer to the question by calculation of a specific function using the question as an input value.

[5] The game system according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the program is provided from a server to the game machine.

  In the said invention, a game machine runs the program provided from a server. The program can be updated easily.

[6] The game machine has a function realized by executing an OS program, a game program as application software, and the program as middleware on a portable terminal or an information processing device. The game system according to any one of [1] to [5].

  In the above invention, the program for determining whether or not the game controller can be used based on the question is middleware. Therefore, the game program operating on the program can be arbitrarily changed to various programs.

  According to the game system of the present invention, only a specific game controller can be used in a game machine.

It is a figure which shows the system configuration | structure of the game system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the software configuration and operation | movement of a game machine. It is a block diagram which shows the electrical structure of a game machine. It is a block diagram which shows the electrical structure of a game controller. It is a figure which shows an example of the Q & A table memorize | stored in the game controller. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a game controller. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the middleware of a game machine performs. It is a flowchart which shows the modification of the process which the middleware of a game machine performs.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a game environment 2 including a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The game environment 2 includes a server 5, a game machine 10, and a game controller 40.

  The server 5 and the game machine 10 can communicate with each other through a network such as the Internet, and the game machine 10 is provided with various programs used for the game from the server 5.

  The game machine 10 is an information processing apparatus such as a general-purpose portable terminal or a smartphone, and fulfills a function as a game machine by executing a game application program (software) provided from the server 5. In this game machine 10, a game operation can be received by a touch panel or the like of the game machine, but in order to enable a more comfortable operation, the game operation is accepted by a short-range wireless communication or the like. An external game controller 40 can be used.

  In order to use the game controller 40, dedicated middleware is obtained from the server 5, and a game application program is operated via the middleware.

  The game controller 40 has a thin, hollow, horizontally long rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a number of operation buttons 41a and a cross-shaped direction pad 41b on the top surface of the case can be inclined in any direction. An analog stick 41c or the like whose inclination direction is detected is disposed as the operation input unit 41. Further, an operation button 41d is provided on one side. When any operation input unit 41 such as an operation button is operated, the game controller 40 transmits operation information indicating the content of the operation to the game machine 10 by short-range wireless communication.

  FIG. 2 shows a software configuration and its operation in the game machine 10. The game machine 10 includes a wireless communication unit 42 as a physical device for short-range wireless communication with the game controller 40, and the OS (Operating System) program 61 manages and controls the wireless communication unit 42 and other hardware resources. To do. When the game controller 40 is used, dedicated middleware 63 is inserted between the game application program 62 and the OS program 61.

  The middleware 63 transmits a predetermined question Q to the game controller 40 and receives an answer A to the question Q from the game controller 40. If the received answer A is a correct answer to the question Q, the use of the game controller 40 is permitted, and if not, the use of the game controller 40 is rejected.

  Specifically, if the received answer A is correct, the middleware 63 delivers the operation information F received from the game controller 40 to the upper game application program 62 for notification. On the other hand, if the received answer A is not correct, the operation information F received from the game controller 40 thereafter is discarded without notifying the application program 62 for the upper game. In FIG. 2, the operation information F discarded by the middleware 63 is indicated by a broken line. The game system of the present invention includes the middleware 63 and the game controller 40, or includes the game machine 10 and the game controller 40.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the game machine 10. The game machine 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 via a bus, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a nonvolatile memory 14, an operation unit 15, a display unit 16, a network communication unit 17, It is configured by connecting a wireless communication unit 18 or the like.

  The CPU 11 controls the operation of the game machine 10 according to a program stored in the ROM 12. The ROM 12 stores programs such as a startup program and an OS program 61 and fixed data. The RAM 13 is used as a work memory for temporarily storing various data when the CPU 11 executes a program. The nonvolatile memory 14 stores various setting information, a game application program 62, other application programs, the middleware 63 described above, and the like.

  The display unit 16 includes a liquid crystal display. The operation unit 15 includes a touch panel provided on the display surface of the display unit 16 and several operation buttons. The network communication unit 17 performs a function of communicating with the server 5 and other external devices through a network including a wireless LAN (Local Area Network). The wireless communication unit 18 performs a function of communicating with the game controller 40 by short-range wireless communication. For example, Bluetooth (registered trademark), infrared communication, and the like can be used as short-range wireless communication.

  FIG. 4 shows an electrical schematic configuration of the game controller 40. The game controller 40 includes a CPU (control unit) 43, a ROM 44, a RAM 45, an operation input unit 41, a wireless communication unit 42, and the like connected thereto. Note that the ROM 44 and the RAM 45 may be configured as a one-chip configuration with the CPU 43.

  The CPU 43 operates in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 44. In addition to the program, the ROM 44 stores a Q & A table 46 in which a plurality of sets of questions that may be received from the game machine 10 and corresponding answers are registered. The RAM 45 is used as a work memory that temporarily stores various data when the CPU 43 executes a program, a transmission buffer that temporarily stores operation information to be transmitted, and the like. The wireless communication unit 42 has a function of performing short-range wireless communication with the game machine 10 and is equivalent to the wireless communication unit 18 included in the game machine 10.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the Q & A table 46 stored in advance in the ROM 44 of the game controller 40. In the Q & A table 46, 256 questions from Q1 to Q256 and the correct answers of each question are registered in association with each other. In the Q & A table 46, all the questions that may be received from the game machine 10 and correct answers to the questions are registered.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the game controller 40. The CPU 43 of the game controller 40 waits to receive a question from the game machine 10 (step S101; No). When a question is received from the game machine 10 (step S101; Yes), an answer corresponding to the question is stored in the ROM 44. The stored Q & A table 46 is retrieved and retrieved (step S102).

  Then, the retrieved answer is transmitted to the game machine 10 through the wireless communication unit 42 (step S103). Thereafter, the operation mode indicating the content of the operation detected by the operation input unit 41 is shifted to an operation mode in which the operation information is transmitted to the game machine 10 (step S104), and the detection and transmission of the operation information is performed at a certain cycle (for example, 16.7 ms). ) Repeatedly.

  FIG. 7 shows the flow of processing performed by the middleware 63 of the game machine 10. The CPU 11 that operates according to the middleware 63 of the game machine 10 monitors whether or not the game controller 40 is newly connected (step S201; No), and when the game controller 40 is newly connected (step S201; Yes), A predetermined question is transmitted to the game controller (step S202).

  This question is one of the questions registered in the Q & A table 46 stored in the game controller 40. The transmitted question is changed when the version of the middleware 63 is updated, and the same question is transmitted during the same version. When upgrading, questions to be sent in the next version are selected randomly (for example, randomly).

  After transmitting the question to the game controller 40, the game machine 10 waits to receive an answer from the game controller 40 (step S203; No, step S204; No), and when timed out before receiving the answer (step S203) S204; Yes), the use of the game controller 40 is rejected, and thereafter, the operation information received from the game controller 40 is operated to be discarded (step S206).

  When an answer is received from the game controller 40 before the timeout (step S203; Yes), it is checked whether the answer is a correct answer to the question transmitted in step S202 (step S205). When the answer is not correct (step S205; No), the use of the game controller 40 is rejected, and thereafter, the operation information received from the game controller 40 is operated (step S206).

  If the answer received from the game controller 40 before the timeout is a correct answer (step S205; Yes), the use of the game controller 40 is permitted, and thereafter, the operation information received from the game controller 40 is used for the upper game. It operates so as to be delivered to the application program 62 (step S207).

  Since all questions that may be received from the game machine 10 and correct answers to the questions are registered in the Q & A table 46 of the game controller 40, the middleware 63 of the game machine 10 is upgraded by the game controller 40. Even if this is done, a correct answer can always be returned to the question received from the game machine 10.

  On the other hand, in the case of a game controller that does not include the Q & A table 46, for example, a game controller manufactured by a third party by imitating the regular game controller 40 according to the present embodiment, a correct answer cannot be returned to the question. It cannot be used by connecting to the game machine 10.

  Temporarily, information exchange between the game machine 10 and the regular game controller 40 is analyzed, and when the game machine 10 is operating with a certain version of middleware 63, a question transmitted from the game machine 10 and this It is assumed that a relationship with the answer returned from the game controller 40 in response to the question is found, and a game controller imitating this is manufactured. However, when the middleware 63 is upgraded, the question changes and the correct answer to the question changes, so that a game controller manufactured by imitation by a third party cannot be used when the middleware 63 is upgraded.

  Here, in the portable terminal such as a smartphone, there is a current situation in which the OS program 61 is upgraded and improved many times, and the middleware 63 provided from the server 5 is also upgraded in accordance with this, and a question is asked. Be changed. When many users who use the game machine 10 update the OS program 61 to the upgraded version, the middleware 63 is also updated by downloading the upgraded version from the server 5. Therefore, by changing the question at the time of version upgrade, it is possible to prevent the use of a game controller produced by a third party.

  In addition, since a question is changed at the time of version upgrade, the relationship between a question and an answer is not analyzed and imitated before that. That is, even if a third party analyzes and finds out the relationship between a question and an answer in the latest version of middleware 63 provided from the server 5 and manufactures a game controller corresponding to this, Game controllers made by third parties can no longer be used.

  If a question is changed in a short period (several minutes or hours), there is a high possibility that all questions will be analyzed by a third party unless a large number of questions are prepared. On the other hand, in the game system according to the present embodiment, the question is changed at the time of version upgrade. For example, if a combination of about 256 questions and answers is prepared in advance, the period is sufficiently longer than the product life cycle. It is possible to prevent the use of a game controller produced by a third party over a period of time. The question change is not limited to the version upgrade, and may be performed every arbitrary period. “Every arbitrary period” is preferably every predetermined long period, for example, every time the version is upgraded.

  The question can be changed when the middleware 63 is upgraded by any of the following methods.

(1) In the middleware 63 of each version, only a combination of one question selected from the Q & A table 46 and a correct answer to the question is registered. The set of questions and answers registered in the middleware 63 is changed by a middleware 63 updater or the like when the version is upgraded.

(2) The middleware 63 is pre-embedded with the equivalent of the Q & A table 46. An update operator of the middleware 63 changes the version number embedded in the middleware 63. The middleware 63 converts the version number embedded in the middleware 63 at the time of execution into a question using a specific function (for example, a hash function), and the Q & A embedded in the middleware 63 with the answer to this question By retrieving from the table 46, the question to be transmitted and its answer are recognized in the current version.

  In the above (1), even if a third party analyzes the middleware 63 program, it is not possible to grasp the question at the time of the next version upgrade. On the other hand, in the above (2), the work man-hour at the time of version upgrade is reduced.

<Modification>
The question change is not limited to being performed at the time of version upgrade. For example, it may be changed every time a calendar month changes. In this case, a Q & A table 46 with the calendar year and month as a question or a Q & A table 46 with the calendar year and month converted by a specific function as a question is created. The Q & A table 46 is stored in both the middleware 63 and the ROM 44 of the game controller 40.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the middleware 63 when a question is changed each time a calendar month changes. Instead of step S202 of FIG. 7, steps S202A and S202B are performed. Steps that perform the same processing as in FIG. 7 are assigned the same step numbers as in FIG. 7, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  In step S202A, the current date is acquired. For example, the year and month information is acquired from a calendar function provided in the mobile terminal (game machine 10). Then, the question corresponding to this year and month and the correct answer are acquired from the Q & A table 46, and the acquired question is transmitted to the game controller 40 (step S202B). When an answer is received from the game controller 40, the received answer is compared with the answer acquired from the Q & A table 46 in step S202B.

  Thus, since the question is changed at a rate of once a month, for example, if 256 types of questions are prepared, the question can be changed every month for 21 years. In addition, since the question is changed every month, the use of the game controller by imitation of a third party can be prevented even if the middleware 63 is not upgraded.

  Note that the period for changing the question is not limited to one month in the calendar, and may be any long period such as half a month or two months. For example, the time obtained by dividing the life cycle of the product by the appropriate number of questions (for example, 256) may be set as a cycle for changing the questions.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to that shown in the embodiment, and there are changes and additions within the scope of the present invention. Are also included in the present invention.

  In the embodiment, the game machine 10 is configured to execute the game application program 62 and the middleware 63 on the portable terminal, but may be a dedicated game machine. Even in this case, the question may be changed when the program used in the game machine is upgraded, or the question may be changed every predetermined long period as the calendar month changes. Good.

That is, the present invention may be configured as the following game system.
[A] an operation unit;
A communication unit communicating with the game machine;
An answer section for deriving a correct answer to a plurality of predetermined questions;
When the communication unit transmits operation information indicating the content of the operation received at the operation unit to the game machine, and the communication unit receives a question from the game machine, the answer to the received question is the answer unit. And a control unit that derives the answer and transmits the answer to the game machine by the communication unit;
A game controller having
A question selected from the plurality of predetermined questions is transmitted to the game controller, and when the correct answer to the question is received from the game controller, the use of the game controller is permitted, and the correct answer to the question is A game machine that operates to prohibit the use of the game controller if not received from the game controller;
Have
The game system, wherein the question transmitted from the game machine to the game controller is changed every arbitrary period (for example, a predetermined long period).

[B] The game system according to [A], wherein the answer unit stores in advance a plurality of predetermined questions and correct answers to those questions.

The present invention may be the following game controller.
[C] an operation unit;
A communication unit that communicates with a predetermined game machine;
An answer unit for deriving a correct answer to a plurality of predetermined questions to be transmitted to the game controller in order to determine whether or not the game machine permits use of the game controller connected to the game machine; ,
When the communication unit transmits operation information indicating the content of the operation received at the operation unit to the game machine, and the communication unit receives a question from the game machine, the answer to the received question is the answer unit. And a control unit that derives the answer and transmits the answer to the game machine by the communication unit;
A game controller characterized by comprising:

  In the above invention, a correct answer can be returned to all questions sent from a predetermined game machine in order to determine whether or not to permit the use of the game controller.

[D] The game controller according to [C], wherein the question transmitted from the game machine is changed every arbitrary period (for example, a predetermined long period).

[E] The game according to [C] or [D], wherein the question transmitted from the game machine is changed by upgrading a program used when the game is played on the game machine. controller.

[F] The game controller according to any one of [C] to [E], wherein the answer unit stores the plurality of predetermined questions and answers to the questions in advance.

  In addition, when embedding the Q & A table 46 in the middleware 63, it is desirable to embed the Q & A table 46 by encrypting it so that it is not analyzed.

  In the embodiment, the Q & A table is used as an answer unit for deriving a correct answer to the question. However, a correct answer to the question may be obtained by calculation. For example, a specific conversion function may be defined, an input value to this conversion function may be a question, and an output value of the conversion function may be an answer. It is preferable that the conversion function is difficult to estimate the output value from the input value. Even when a conversion function is used, questions from game consoles change every long period of time, so even if a third party analyzes the behavior, you can predict what questions will be output from the game console. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to find a conversion function.

  The game machine 10 and the game controller 40 may be connected with a cable. Moreover, what is necessary is just to set suitably the number and content of a question, and the answer.

  The program related to the game system of the present invention such as the middleware 63 may be provided by any providing method other than that provided from the server 5, for example, a recording medium. In the embodiment, the middleware 63 is a program for determining whether or not the game controller 40 can be used by transmitting a question. However, if the program is used in a game machine, for example, a basic program of the game machine, each game It may be included in any game program.

2 ... Game environment 5 ... Server 10 ... Game machine 11 ... CPU
12 ... ROM
13 ... RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 ... Nonvolatile memory 15 ... Operation part 16 ... Display part 17 ... Network communication part 18 ... Wireless communication part 40 ... Game controller 41 ... Operation input part 41a ... Operation button 41b ... Cross-shaped direction pad 41c ... Analog stick 41d ... Operation button 42 ... Wireless communication unit 43 ... CPU
44 ... ROM
45 ... RAM
46 ... Q & A table 61 ... OS program 62 ... Game application program 63 ... Middleware A ... Answer F ... Operation information Q ... Question

Claims (6)

An operation unit;
A communication unit communicating with the game machine;
An answer section for deriving a correct answer to a plurality of predetermined questions;
When the communication unit transmits operation information indicating the content of the operation received at the operation unit to the game machine, and the communication unit receives a question from the game machine, the answer to the received question is the answer unit. And a control unit that derives the answer and transmits the answer to the game machine by the communication unit;
A game controller having
A program used when playing a game on the game machine, wherein a question selected from the plurality of predetermined questions is transmitted to the game controller and a correct answer to the question is received from the game controller Permits the use of the game controller, and if the correct answer to the question is not received from the game controller, a program for operating the game machine to prohibit the use of the game controller;
Have
The game system, wherein the question transmitted from the game machine operating according to the program to the game controller is changed every arbitrary period. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the arbitrary period is a predetermined long period. The game system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a question to be transmitted to the game controller is changed by upgrading the program. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the answer unit stores the plurality of predetermined questions and correct answers to the questions in advance. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the program is provided from a server to the game machine. The function of the game machine is realized by executing an OS program, a game program as application software, and the program as middleware on a portable terminal or an information processing device. 5. The game system according to any one of 4 to 4.

Images