KR100372899B1 - A Method and Apparatus for Game Broadcasting on Internet - Google Patents

Abstract

Game broadcasting method over the Internet according to the present invention comprises the steps of (a) collecting game data relating to the input and output data and file between the network game server and the computer of the gamer or a computer of the gamer during a network game; (B) processing and transmitting the collected game data to be played on a viewer's computer; And (c) playing the network game on a viewer's computer by using the game data transmitted from the relay server.

With the game broadcasting method and apparatus through the Internet according to the present invention, viewers in remote locations can watch live games currently in progress, and can also watch live recordings using game data stored in a network game database.

The present invention does not require the purchase of a separate equipment for the game broadcast, anyone can broadcast, and the computer specification of the viewer is only a problem in watching the broadcast, the computer specification of the broadcaster side in transmitting the game data It will not affect the quality of the broadcast at all. In addition, the data transmission volume for broadcasting is reduced to about 1/20 or less compared to the existing video transmission, so that the load of the network game server and transmission line is reduced, but it provides a better video than the video played in the existing Windows Media or Real Player. do.

In addition, according to the present invention, the number of viewers who can simultaneously watch the current game game is significantly increased than the number of viewers who can simultaneously watch the current video. It's the same quality as, so you can feel like you're in the game.

Description

Method and Apparatus for Game Broadcasting on Internet}

The present invention relates to a game broadcasting method and apparatus for watching a game game in live or recorded broadcast from a remote location without participating in an ongoing game.

Currently, broadcasting over the Internet adopts VOD (Video-On-Demand) as a standard service method. For VOD service, a corresponding video must be transmitted whenever a viewer requests. Viewers use Microsoft's Windows Media or RealNetwork's RealPlayer to play the video. However, since such video data is very large, it is very inefficient to transmit and receive unprocessed data through a dedicated line. Therefore, a processing method for reducing data size using compression technology is mainly used. Video data that is played back on is also compressed data.

Due to the development of video data compression technology, users connected to the Internet or LAN can receive video in real time. The video compression technology developed so far is MPEG-2, KODAK's KVID3 hardware compression technology and HTU for video conferencing and video telephony on low-rate communication lines (64kbps or less) as the video compression standard proposed by ITU-T. .263 and so on.

The problem is that even compressed video data has a very large data size, which limits the number of users that can be transmitted at the same time. In fact, fewer than 2,000 users can support a server on the Internet that provides video. If the user is congested more than this, the speed of the real-time video is reduced to the extent that the color fades, the quality of the video is also significantly reduced. This depends on the data transmission capacity of the transmission line and the transmission capacity of the server, which is not yet solved even with the currently developed video compression technology. In addition, due to the above problem, the size of the screen that the viewer can see is about 320X240 smaller than the actual screen. This is very poor given the current situation where monitors and video cards support resolutions of 1024x768 or higher.

Currently, there are sites that broadcast or record the live game situation that is happening elsewhere through the Internet. However, as described above, only a compressed video is transmitted and the number of viewers who can watch the broadcast is limited. The reality is that the quality of the image is also very low.

Viewers who want to watch a game that is relayed over the Internet are likely to have already used or are currently using the game, which can be expected without difficulty that the game is installed on the viewer's computer. In view of the above advantages, the present invention processes and transmits the entire data of the game in progress instead of compressing and transmitting the video, and automatically operates the game program installed in the viewer's computer by using the transmitted data. You can watch an ongoing game as an observer or spectator in the same situation as if you participated in the game.

The present invention is to detect the data input and output and file input and output of the ongoing network game to solve the limitations of the number of viewers and the quality of the video can be viewed at the same time to the game broadcast, and transmitted to the viewer's computer The present invention provides a method and apparatus for broadcasting a game game through live or recorded broadcast by reproducing data and executing the same game as an ongoing game already stored in the viewer's computer and automatically operating the same.

1 is a flowchart illustrating a game broadcasting method through the Internet according to the present invention;

2 is a block diagram of a game broadcasting apparatus via the Internet according to the present invention.

In order to achieve the above object, the game broadcasting method through the Internet according to the present invention, the data and file input and output between the network game server and the gamers 'computer or between the gamers' computer generated during a network game. (A) collecting game data relating to the game; (B) processing and transmitting the collected game data to be played on a viewer's computer; And (c) playing the network game on a viewer's computer by using the game data transmitted from the relay server.

In order to achieve another object of the present invention, the game broadcasting apparatus over the Internet according to the present invention, the data exchange and files between the network game server and the gamers 'computer or between the gamers' computer occurring during a network game A recorder for collecting game data regarding input and output; A relay server for processing the game data collected by the recorder and transmitting the processed game data to a viewer's computer; A network game database storing the game data processed by the relay server; And a screener for playing the network game using the game data transmitted from the relay server.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the game broadcasting method and apparatus through the Internet according to the present invention.

1 is a flowchart illustrating a game broadcasting method according to the present invention.

The step of collecting game data includes all information about the game exchanged between the network game server 10 supporting the game in progress and the gamers computer 11 or between the gamers computer 11, namely the gamers' game. The computer 11 collects the coordinates, the number, the current state, the color, the operation command, the background data, the sound, the file input / output data, and the like of each unit or character displayed on the screen (step 101).

The game data collected in step 101 is processed to be reproduced by the broadcasting method according to the present invention (step 102). Although the collected data itself is generally not a problem in reproducing the current game progress, the present invention uses the collected data so that the viewer's computer 60 can operate the game program automatically to enable game broadcasting. The game data must be processed to enable automatic operation. The processing of the game data is processed by an adjustment command in which the gamer manipulates the gamer's computer 11 during the game so as to enable automatic operation.

The present invention stores the processed game data in order to implement the VOD through not only live broadcasting but also recorded broadcasting, and then transmits game data of a game game corresponding to a request from a viewer. When the viewer selects a game match that he / she wants to watch by accessing a website on the Internet provided by the present invention, the game data of the game match is automatically transferred to the viewer's computer, and the game program is automatically displayed by the screener when the transfer is completed. It is executed and the viewer can watch the previously broadcast game. The processed game data is stored in the network game database 40 according to the present invention.

Using the game data processed in step 102, the viewer's computer 60 automatically manipulates the game program (step 103). A game program should be installed in the computer 60 of the viewer who wants to watch the game broadcast. This is because the present invention requires that a game program be installed in the viewer's computer 60 so that the viewer can watch the viewer through the automatic operation. Accordingly, by executing the game program installed in the viewer's computer 60 and using the data processed in step 102, the computer proceeds to play the game as if each gamer is remotely operated.

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a game broadcasting apparatus according to the present invention.

The network game server 10 relays data exchange and file input / output between a computer of a gamer connected to the Internet or a LAN for a plurality of gamers who want a network game. For example, existing network games, such as Blizzard's StarCraft or Red Storm's Rainbow Six, already provide gamers with the ability to play network games using network-only sites such as Battle.net or MSN Gameing Zone. It is also possible to provide a network game service by installing a private game server using a server program provided by each game developer. In addition, in the case of playing a network game via a LAN (IPX), the computer 11 of the gamer may be a network game server 10 having only the authority to play the game simply by a function included in the network game. The network game server 10 shown in FIG. 2 represents such an existing game server or site.

The computer 11 of the gamer is a computer that is connected to the network game server 10 to play a game. In general, a gaming computer uses a PC, and can be upgraded individually to a game-specific specification. The computer 11 of the gamer shown in FIG. 2 is a computer in which a game is in progress in various game competitions. In addition, the present invention can be used not only for the above-mentioned game competition, but also when general gamers want to relay their games, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to the computer on the playing field.

The recorder 20 is newly added by the present invention, and is installed in the existing network game server 10 or the computer 11 of the gamer to collect game data and transmit the game data to the relay server 30. The recorder 20 is a program that can be installed in the network game server 10 or the computer 11 of the gamer by a user or game conference organizer who wants to broadcast a game game, and is not a separate physical device, but the network game server 11 It is operated separately from the server program used in the) or the game program used in the computer 11 of the gamer. In addition, a broadcast computer having the recorder 20 may be separately installed, and the recorder 20 performs only a function of collecting game data of a game in progress, so that a computer having a particularly high specification is not required. The feature of the viewer's computer 60 is that it should be more than the minimum specification of the game to be watched. In a network game, the computer 11 of each gamer participating in a game must share data simultaneously or sequentially. In other words, whether it is a real-time simulation or a turn method, the computer 11 of each gamer can express the situation at that time only by sharing information about the task that the gamer indicates and processes and the task of the other party. This allows gamers to do the following: In this process, if game data related to data and file input / output is frequently exchanged between the computer 11 of the gamer and the network game server 10, the game data is simultaneously provided to the computer 11 of each gamer participating in the game. The data of the gamer's computer 11, such as the coordinates, the number, the current state, the color, or the operation instruction, the data on the background, the sound, the file input / output, etc., of each unit or character, etc., displayed on the screen of the gamer's computer 11, It includes all data generated between the network game server 10 or the gamers computer 11 and the network game server 10.

The relay server 30 is newly added according to the present invention, and processes and transmits the game data transmitted from the recorder 20 to be reproduced by the viewer's computer 60. In addition, the processed game data is stored in the network game database 40 in order for the viewer who does not watch the live broadcast to watch the game. Since the information collected by the recorder 20 is pure data of a game in progress, it must be processed so that it can be reproduced by the viewer's computer 60 so that the viewer can view it through automatic operation by the screener 50.

The network game database 40 is newly added by the present invention, and enables the user to watch the recorded game for the viewer who has not watched the live broadcast. The game broadcasting apparatus according to the present invention may implement VOD by storing game data broadcasted by the network game database 40 and transmitting game data of a corresponding game when a viewer desires it. Game data stored in the network game database 40 is game data processed by the relay server 30.

The screener 50 is newly added by the present invention and is a program installed in the viewer's computer 60. The screener 50 may be installed on its computer by the viewer who wants to watch the game broadcast provided by the present invention to download on the Internet. The screener 50 executes a game program already installed in the viewer's computer 60 using game data currently in progress or stored in the network game database 40 at a remote location transmitted from the relay server 30. And automatically operates the game program. Viewers watch a game played from the observer's or viewer's standpoint. The automatic operation by the screener 50 is that the screener 50 mimics the role played by each gamer at a remote location. For example, if Gamer A and Gamer B are currently playing, the computer 50 of the viewer 50 plays the role of both Gamer A and Gamer B by the screener 50, and the work to be performed is All will be by the operation command transmitted from the screener (50). As a result, viewers see a game game they want to see, and 3D action games, etc., can select and view a desired point of view, and 2D strategy simulation or turn-based simulation or role-playing game can be arbitrarily designated as desired. Can be seen and changed from time to time.

The viewer's computer 60 is a computer capable of watching the game broadcast provided by the present invention, and a general PC is sufficient. However, since a general trend is that many games that require a computer with a higher specification, it is necessary to have a specification that is suitable for executing such a game program.

As described above, by the game broadcasting method and apparatus through the Internet according to the present invention, viewers in remote locations can watch live games currently in progress, and record video using game data stored in a network game database. You can also watch.

The present invention does not require the purchase of a separate equipment for the game broadcast, anyone can broadcast, and the computer specification of the viewer is only a problem in watching the broadcast, the computer specification of the broadcaster side in transmitting the game data It will not affect the quality of the broadcast at all. In addition, the data transmission volume for broadcasting is reduced to about 1/20 or less compared to the existing video transmission, so that the load of the network game server and transmission line is reduced, but it provides a better video than the video played in the existing Windows Media or Real Player. do.

In addition, according to the present invention, the number of viewers who can simultaneously watch the current game game is significantly increased than the number that can simultaneously watch the current video, and the size of the screen and the quality of the video that can be watched are also the screen and the video of the actual game. It's the same quality as, so you can feel like you're in the game.

Claims (5)

(A) collecting game data relating to data exchange and file input / output between the network game server and the gamers 'computer or between the gamers' computers; (B) processing and transmitting the game data collected through the step (a) into a command capable of automatically operating a game program installed in the viewer's computer so that the game data can be played on the viewer's computer; And Playing the network game on the viewer's computer by automatically operating the game program installed in the viewer's computer by the viewer's computer using the game data received through step (b). Real-time network game broadcasting method through the Internet, characterized in that it comprises a (c). (A) collecting game data relating to data exchange and file input / output between the network game server and the gamers 'computer or between the gamers' computers; (B) processing the game data collected through the step (a) into a command capable of automatically manipulating a game program installed in the viewer's computer so that the game data can be reproduced on the viewer's computer; (C) storing the game data processed through the step (b) in a network game database and transmitting the game data when a viewer requests it; And By using the game data transmitted through the step (c), the network game is played on the viewer's computer by automatically operating the game program installed in the viewer's computer as the player operates. On-demand network game broadcasting method over the Internet comprising the step (d). delete delete A recorder for collecting game data relating to data exchange and file input / output between a network game server and a gamers 'computer or between gamers' computers occurring during a network game; A relay server for processing the game data collected by the recorder into a command capable of automatically manipulating a game program installed in the viewer's computer so that the game data can be played on the viewer's computer; A network game database storing the game data processed by the relay server; And Using the game data transmitted from the relay server, the game program installed on the viewer's computer is automatically operated by the viewer's computer in the same way that the gamer operates, so that the network game is played on the viewer's computer. Network game broadcasting device through the Internet, characterized in that.