JPH05228259A - Game device utilizing on-line - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a player to select a game and increase the availability factor by connecting a host computer and a game device on a on-line basis, gaining access to the host computer from the game device while the line is connected, and down-loading a specified game program. CONSTITUTION:When coins are inserted into a coin insertion unit 19, a host computer 2 is called out from an NCU 8 installed at a work station terminal via a digital network 1 to connect the line. Access is gained to the host computer 2, and a game menu is down-loaded and displayed on a display 7. When a desired game is selected with an input key 6, an additional charge is displayed, if necessary. When no additional charge is required, access is immediately gained to the host computer 2, and the corresponding game program is down- loaded and written into a RAM 5. The line is then cut off, and a game is played according to the data content written in the RAM 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention can download a computer game program from a host computer to a game terminal via a telephone line, or upload data during play and temporarily store it in the host computer. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique for transmitting binary coded information via a telephone line is known. Since the computer game program is also binary coded, it can be downloaded from the host computer to the terminal device by computer communication, for example. In this case, assuming that the capacity of the game program per unit is, for example, 800 KB, the data can be transmitted in about 2 minutes including the data for error correction by using the digital line.

[0003]

By the way, the computer game machine has a home use and a business use. For home use, a program written in a floppy disk is operated using a video game machine or a personal computer in which a cassette in which a program is written in a ROM is replaced. Therefore, various games can be enjoyed simply by exchanging cassettes and floppy disks with one device. On the other hand, commercial devices have various structures such as models embedded in a table and models with an upright display, but one device can play only one type of game, and the type of game can be changed. If so, the ROM board must be replaced. Therefore, the person who plays the game cannot freely select the game.

Further, the types of games can be broadly classified into shooting games, road racing games, role playing games and the like. Since shooting games and road racing games compete for points under certain conditions, one play time is limited to a certain extent, which is preferable for commercial use. However, the role-playing game is intended for the player to play his or her role in the game and achieve the task given over a long period of time. It was said to be unsuitable when in question.
However, recently, role-playing games are popular,
If these programs can be effectively used in the field of business machines, it will be possible to raise the operating rate all at once.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is of a type in which a host computer and a business terminal are connected online using a telephone line and it takes a long time to complete. An object of the present invention is to provide a game data transmission device that can be adopted for commercial use even for games.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention uses a game device connected to a host computer storing a plurality of game programs as a database via a telephone line. Then, a CP that operates according to the game program and controls peripheral devices
U, a display for displaying game contents, a RAM for writing downloaded data, an input key for selecting a necessary game from the game menu downloaded from the host computer, and an input key for performing various operations, and each game It is decided to use a means that includes a charge inserting device for inserting a charge according to the above, and an NCU for controlling the telephone line.

Further, a means for providing an interruption key as an input key and for interrupting the progress of the game by operating the interruption key in the middle of the game and displaying the password at the time of interruption on the display is also used.

Further, in parallel with claim 2, the input key is provided with an interruption key, the progress of the game is interrupted by the operation of the interruption key during the game, and an arbitrary password at the time of interruption is inputted from the input key. Then, the method of uploading to the host computer was adopted and it was decided to selectively use it.

[0009]

The host computer and the game device can be connected online, and the host device is accessed from the game device while the line is connected to request the download of the specified game program.
Although the game device is composed of a CPU and its peripheral devices, the play amount of the game and the like are determined in accordance with the count fee of the fee inserted from the fee inserter. The input key has a function of determining the type of game and interrupting the game at a desired time.

At the same time as the game is interrupted by the operation of the interrupt key provided on the input key, the password at the time of interrupt is displayed from the program side to the player as one means, and the interrupt key as another means. The host computer is accessed again in accordance with the operation (1) to save the player's appropriate key input on the host computer side.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 is a known digital network, 2 is a host computer, and 3 is a business machine terminal.
The host computer 2 stores a large number of game programs, each of which is provided with an identification code. The business device terminal 3 may have a structure in which the display is viewed from the top of the table or a structure in which the display is upright.

Next, the business machine terminal 3 has a CPU 4, a RAM 5 for storing the downloaded game program, an input key 6 composed of ten keys or necessary alphabet keys, a display 7 for displaying the game contents,
It is composed of an NCU 8 for controlling a digital line and a coin slot 9 for collecting a device usage fee. Although an interface is provided as hardware between the CPU 4 and other peripheral devices, it is omitted for simplification of description. Then, when the business machine terminal 3 is turned on, the initial screen is displayed by the program previously written in the CPU 4, and the player waits for the operation.

To give an example of playing a game using the device configured as above, first insert one coin into the coin inserter 9 as an entry fee in the state of the initial screen, and then work through the digital network 1. The NCU 8 installed in the machine terminal 3 calls the host computer 2 to connect the line.
Then, the host computer 2 is accessed to download the game menu and display it on the display 7 in the form of a list. In this case, if the play fee for all games is a uniform unit price, the entry fee can include one play fee, but if the play fee varies depending on the type of game, the additional fee is also displayed. To be done. Then, when the desired game is selected by the input key 6, the fact that an additional fee is required is displayed on the display, and when the additional fee is not required, the host computer 2 is immediately accessed to download the corresponding game program, RA
Written to M5. In addition, although one coin of 100 yen is inserted as the structure of the coin inserter 9 and the next coin is additionally inserted if necessary, the coin inserter 9 is replaced with a charge inserter, for example, When a 1,000-yen bill is thrown in, the game for 10 counts may be made possible, and the amount of money may be counted down as the game progresses.
After downloading the game program in this way, the line is automatically disconnected and the game can be played according to the data content written in the RAM 5. It should be noted that if the line connection time becomes long, the line usage fee will increase, so the line may be automatically disconnected when the input key 6 is not operated within a certain time after the game menu is displayed. ..

Subsequently, when the game selected by the above-mentioned procedure does not require a long time like a shooting game, it is only necessary to return to the initial screen again by ending the game program. However, in the case of a game that requires a long time such as a role-playing game, an additional fee system for each fixed time is also used. That is, for example, the internal clock of the CPU 4 is used to calculate a unit time, and when a certain time has elapsed, the additional charge is prompted, and if there is no additional charge, the game is interrupted at the same time. It is also possible to pause the program progress for a certain period of time after this interruption, and cancel the pause and restart the game if an additional fee is paid within the time determined from here.

By the way, when a game requires a long time, the player often wants to spontaneously interrupt the game. However, in the past, voluntarily interrupting the game with a business machine is the same as ending, and it is impossible to restart from the same place. In this embodiment, the game can be forcibly interrupted by the interruption key provided on the input key 6, and in this case, the password at the time of interruption is displayed. Then, the handling of this password is performed by two separate means. The first embodiment is a means for processing inside the business machine terminal 3. That is, when the game program is downloaded from the host computer 2, the password is displayed on the display by the address at the time of interruption, and the player remembers this and inputs the password at the start of the game in the next game. is there. This is suitable for games with a relatively small amount of data and low-priced games. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, when the game is interrupted, a password is specified by the player, and the address of the game program at the time of interruption is uploaded to the host computer and saved together with this password. If this method is adopted, a higher performance host computer is required,
This is an effective means for games that require extremely high play fees. However, if the password is registered for a long period of time, it will be a cause of lowering the processing capability of the host computer 2, so it may be deleted on the host computer side after a specified period. Further, instead of this, an identification code (ID) is given to each player, and when registering a password, the ID is first input, and a certain number of password registrations are permitted in association with this ID. There are also things to do.

[0016]

Since the present invention employs the above-described means, any one of a plurality of games can be played by one device without the work of replacing the ROM board or the like. In addition, since a game program is provided online from the host computer, it is very easy to provide a new game. Therefore, a player can play his / her favorite game by securing one device, so that the game can be distributed in a distributed manner without the popularity of a particular type of device as in the past. As a result, it has become possible to improve the yield of operating revenue.

Further, if the game time is long, the player can forcibly interrupt the game by operating the interrupt key at an arbitrary time. In that case, the password displayed from the program side will be displayed next time. Of the game, or if the player decides an arbitrary password, the game can be resumed from the interruption point in the next game. Therefore, even a role-playing game that has been conventionally considered inconvenient for a business machine can be adopted, and the types of games that can be provided can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example in which the device of the present invention is connected to a host computer,

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Digital Line Network 2 Host Computer 3 Business Machine Terminal 4 CPU 5 RAM 6 Input Key 7 Display 8 NCU8 9 Coin Inserter

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A game device connected to a host computer, which stores a plurality of game programs as a database, via a telephone line, the CPU performing arithmetic operations according to the programs and controlling peripheral devices, and a display for displaying game contents. In addition to selecting the required game from the RAM for writing the downloaded data and the game menu downloaded from the host computer,
An online game device comprising an input key for performing various operations, a charge inserter for inserting a charge according to each game, and an NCU for controlling a telephone line. 2. An online game according to claim 1, wherein the input key includes an interruption key, and the progress of the game is interrupted by operating the interruption key during the game, and the password at the time of interruption is displayed on the display. apparatus. 3. An input key is provided with an interrupt key, and the progress of the game is interrupted by operating the interrupt key in the middle of the game, and an arbitrary password at the time of interrupt is input from the input key and uploaded to the host computer. A game device using the online according to claim 1.