KR101155255B1 - System and method for detecting bad user of on-line game service - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A faulty user detecting system and method thereof in an online game service is provided to detect faulty users who use a robot program based on the inactivation time of a game window in each user computer. CONSTITUTION: Information related to the inactivation time of a game window and the motions of each user character are collected in each user computer(S211). The user character who repeatedly executes specific actions is detected in the inactivation time of the game window based on the collected information(S212). The information related to the inactivation time of the game window is grasped by a game client.

Description

Bad user detection system and method in online game service {System and Method for Detecting Bad User of On-Line Game Service}

The present invention relates to an online game service provided through a communication network, and in particular, it is possible to effectively detect a rogue user who abnormally progresses an online game using a robot program.

As the network and computer related technologies are developed, various kinds of online game services are being provided. As the value of the goods in the game increases, there are an increasing number of cases in which online games are illegally used in abnormal ways.

In general, abnormal use of online games is through robot programs (also called illegal programs, BOT, etc.).

Since the robot program proceeds by disguising itself as if it is a user according to the programmed contents, it is not easy to determine the character manipulated by the robot program.

When the game proceeds with the automated process by the robot program, various damages related to the online game service occur.

For example, users who normally use the game are unfairly deprived of the opportunity to obtain good game items in the game and are prevented from progressing the game. In addition, it reduces the interest in the game to avoid the use of the game, it is a major factor in generating a complaint about the game.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a system and method for detecting a bad user in an online game service that can effectively detect a bad user who abnormally uses an online game through a robot program. There is a purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the bad user detection method in the online game service according to the present invention, the game server to proceed with the online game while communicating with the game client installed on each user computer inactivates the game window on each user computer Collecting information about the time that was in the state and information about the behavior of each user character; And detecting, as a bad user, a user character who performs a specific action a predetermined number of times when the game window is in an inactive state based on the collected information.

In this case, the game client may identify and transmit information regarding a time when the game window is in an inactive state in each user computer.

The specific action refers to an action that may occur only when the game window is in an active state in a normal game environment.

The game client may transmit information about a time when the game window was in an inactive state according to a command periodically transmitted by the game server.

In such an embodiment, if the game server does not receive a response within a predetermined time after transmitting the command to the game client, the game server may record the corresponding user character as a bad user.

If the response is not received within a predetermined time after determining that the user character is a bad user because the response is not received, the game server may minimize the bad user record for the user character.

The bad user detection system in the on-line game service according to the present invention comprises: collecting means for collecting information on a time when a game window is in an inactive state on each user computer and information on a behavior of each user character; Storage means for storing information collected by the collecting means; And detection means for detecting a user character performing a specific action a predetermined number of times when the game window is in an inactive state based on the information stored in the storage means.

According to the present invention, a bad user using a robot program can be detected based on the time when the game window is in an inactive state in each user computer.

In other words, in the normal game environment, the behavior of the user character, such as acquisition of a game item, purchase of a game item in an online store, or movement of a place in a game, may be generated only by the user's operation. Should be.

However, the robot program may display a plurality of game windows, or play a game through the disabled game window.

Therefore, even though the game window was inactive, if the user character performed an action (an action only possible when the game window is active) during the time, it can be determined that the game has been progressed by the robot program.

Accordingly, it is possible to effectively detect a rogue user who illegally uses an online game using a robot program and take appropriate measures.

1 is an overview of a system for providing an online game service;
2 is an example of a user computer;
3 is an embodiment of a bad user detection method in an online game service according to the present invention;
4 is an example of collected information;
5 and 6 illustrate an example of a process in a situation where there is no response or a delay from a game client.
7 is an embodiment of a bad user detection system in an online game service according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the game service system 17 is connected to each user computer 10 through various communication networks 15 such as a wired internet network or a wireless internet network to provide an online game service.

The game service system 17 can service various kinds of online games.

A specific example of an online game is a game of the Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) type, in which multiple users simultaneously participate in multiple tasks to perform a certain task (quest).

The game service system 17 may be configured in various ways depending on the type, content, and nature of the online game.

As one example, the game service system 17 may include a web server 17-1, a game server 17-2, an account information database 17-3, and the like.

The web server 17-1 operates a wired internet homepage or a mobile internet homepage to provide various information related to a game service or to open a game account by receiving information required for membership registration. Can be.

The account information database 17-3 stores and maintains various pieces of information each user needs in order to use the online game service, such as user information, game level information, user character information, and game item information.

The game server 17-2 performs an online game while communicating with the game client 12 installed in each user computer 10.

The user computer 10 used by the users to use the online game service is provided through a communication network 15 such as a personal computer (PC), a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, a smartphone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA). Any device that can use the online game service.

The user computer 10 is provided with a game client 12 that allows the user to play online games. The robot program 13 may be installed in the user computer 10 in connection with the case of illegally using the online game.

The game client 12 may be downloaded and installed through the communication network 15. The game client 12 basically plays the online game while communicating with the game server 17-2, and displays a game related announcement and a game. It plays various roles to be performed on the user side, such as screen processing, sound effect processing, and providing various user interfaces (UIs) for games.

2 illustrates a specific example of a user computer 10, in which elements are connected to each other through a system bus 10-1 having various structures, and collectively of a central processing unit (CPU) 10-2. It plays its role by exchanging data with each other under normal control.

ROM (Read Only Memory, 10-3) generally stores a basic input / output system (BIOS) to facilitate the transfer of information between the components, and random access memory (RAM). 10-4) holds computer programs or data that the central processing unit 10-2 will immediately access.

The input device interface 10-5 is connected to various input devices 10-6, such as a keyboard, a keypad, a touch screen, and a mouse, so that a user can input various commands or information through the input device 10-6. .

The display adapter 10-7 processes video information to be output through the display screen 10-8, and the sound card 10-9 processes audio information and outputs it through the speaker 10-10.

The network interface 10-12 allows the user computer 10 to communicate with various communication networks 15 such as a wired internet network or a wireless internet network.

The storage medium 10-11 is nonvolatile and may have various forms of internal, external, removable, and non-removable types that can be accessed by the user computer 10.

The storage medium 10-11 stores various computer programs or data such as an operating system (OS) such as Microsoft's Windows, a web browser that allows a user to use an Internet service, and a game client 12. In particular, the robot program 13 for playing an online game may be installed according to the programmed contents.

When the user drives the game client 12 or the robot program 13, it is loaded into the RAM 10-4 by the central processing unit 10-2 and executed.

The normal user proceeds to the game while manipulating the user character using the input device 10-6 such as a keyboard or a mouse.

However, when the robot program 13 is driven, the user does not operate the input device 10-6, but the game is performed by the robot program 13 according to the programmed contents. The robot program 13 may output one or more game windows, and may proceed with the game through a game window that is currently inactive.

Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment of a bad user detection method in an online game service according to the present invention will be described.

First, while playing an online game, the game server 17-2 collects information about the in-game behavior of each user character and time information in which the game window is in an inactive state in the user computer 10 (S211).

The normal game client 12 outputs only one game window, and the user can use the game only when the game window is activated and cannot play the game when the game window is in the inactive state.

Which of the user character's behaviors to collect among the behaviors of the user character may be variously set.

Information about the behavior of the user character may be collected through the game client 12 or the robot program 13 exchanges the game progress information with the game server 17-1 in the course of the online game.

The game client 12 checks and transmits the time information in which the game window is in an inactive state in the user computer 10.

The game client 12 may determine a time when the game window is in an inactive state on the user computer 10.

As a specific example, the game client 12 may determine the time when the game window is in an inactive state in the user computer 10 by using an application program interface (API) provided by an operating system (OS) of the user computer. That is, an operating system (OS) such as Microsoft's Windows provides an API for notifying each window state, and the game client 12 uses these APIs to determine whether the game window on the user's computer is active or inactive. Can determine whether or not.

On the other hand, the game server 17-2 detects as a bad user a user character who has performed a certain number of times or more when the game window is in an inactive state based on the information collected through the step S211 (S212).

Here, the specific action refers to an action that can occur only when the game window is in an active state. For example, movement of a user character, confrontation with an NPC, acquisition of game items, and trading of game items in an online store.

The predetermined number of times may be set to one or more times, but may be set to a plurality of times (for example, five times) for accurate determination without errors.

Looking specifically at step S212, if the user character has acquired a certain game item in the game, this behavior can only occur by the user's direct manipulation. By the way, if this action was performed when the game window was in the inactive state in the user computer 10, it can be determined that this action occurred as a result of the game progressed by the robot program 13.

4A illustrates an example of time information in which a game window is in an inactive state in each user computer. In a user computer in which a user character A is connected, the game window is 10:20:10 seconds from March 5, 2011 to March 2011. On the user's computer, which was inactive until 5:03:20 on 5th, and the user's character B was connected, the game window was opened from 11:29:30 of March 5th, 2011 to 16:59 of March 5th, 2011. It was inactive until seconds.

4B shows an example of information about the in-game behavior of each user character, in which user character A purchased game item # 7 from the online store at 13:45:25 on March 5, 2011, and user character B Attacked NPC # 32 with game item # 23 on March 5, 2011, at 13:56:11.

In the example of FIG. 4, the behavior of the user character A is normal because it is performed when the game window is not in an inactive state, but the behavior of the user character B is abnormal because it occurs when the game window is in an inactive state.

Therefore, in step S212, a user character that has performed this abnormal behavior a predetermined number of times or more is detected as a bad user. In this case, step S212 may detect as a bad user a user character that has continuously generated abnormal behavior for a predetermined number of times while the game window is continuously maintained in an inactive state.

The game client 12 may transmit, to the game server 17-2, a time when the game window is in an inactive state at regular intervals. In addition, the game client 12 may transmit corresponding information according to a game window status report command periodically transmitted by the game server 17-2.

In this regard, when the robot program 13 proceeds with the game, the game window status report command received from the game server 17-2 may not be interpreted or intentionally ignored. In this case, the game server 17-2 may fail. May not receive information regarding the inactivity time of the game window from the game client 12.

In this situation, the game server 17-2 may determine that the user character is a bad user if a response is not received within a predetermined time after transmitting the game window status report command to the game client 12.

Referring to FIG. 5, after the game server 17-2 transmits a game window status report command to the game client 12 (S231), the game server 17-2 responds within a predetermined time (eg, 5 seconds) from the game client 12. If received, it is managed as collected information (S232, S233), but if the response is not received, the corresponding user character is recorded as a bad user (S232, S234).

However, the reason why the game client 12 does not respond to the game window status report command may not be due to the robot program 13 such as processing delay of the user computer 10.

Therefore, as shown in the example of FIG. 6, the game server 17-2 does not receive a response from the game client 12 within a predetermined time, and records the corresponding user character as a bad user, and then, within a predetermined time (for example, 20 seconds). When a response to the game window report command is received, the recording may be canceled (S251 and S252). However, if no response is received even after the corresponding time elapses, the bad user record is maintained (S253).

Referring to FIG. 7, the bad user detection system 20 according to the present invention interworks with the game service system 17 and detects a bad user who abnormally uses an online game using a robot program. The bad user detection system 20 includes a collecting means 21, a storage means 22, and a detection means 23.

The collecting means 21 collects information on the time when the game window is inactive and information on the behavior of each user character in each user computer, and the storage means 22 collects the information collected through the collecting means 21. Save it.

Which of the user character's behaviors to collect in-game behavior of the user character may be variously set. Information regarding the behavior of the user character collected by the collecting means 21 in relation to the present invention may be in a game window activated state. Include information about actions that can only happen.

The game client 12 checks and transmits the time information in which the game window is in an inactive state in the user computer 10.

The game client 12 may determine a time when the game window is in an inactive state on the user computer 10.

As a specific example, the game client 12 may determine the time when the game window is in an inactive state in the user computer 10 by using an application program interface (API) provided by an operating system (OS) of the user computer.

That is, an operating system (OS) such as Microsoft's Windows provides an API for notifying each window state, and the game client 12 uses these APIs to determine whether the game window on the user's computer is active or inactive. Can determine whether or not.

The detection means 23 detects a user character who performed a specific action more than a predetermined number of times as a bad user when the game window is in an inactive state based on the information stored in the storage means 22.

Here, the specific action refers to an action that can occur only when the game window is in an active state. For example, the movement of a user character, a confrontation with an NPC, a game item acquisition, a game item transaction in an online store, etc. are mentioned.

The predetermined number of times may be set to one or more times, but may be set to a plurality of times (for example, five times) for accurate determination without errors.

As a specific example, when a user character acquires a game item in the game, the action may necessarily occur only by the user's direct manipulation. By the way, if this action was performed when the game window was in the inactive state in the user computer 10, it can be determined that this action occurred as a result of the game progressed by the robot program 13.

Therefore, it is reasonable that the detection means 23 detects a user character that has performed this abnormal behavior more than a predetermined number of times as a bad user.

The detection means 23 can be configured in various ways. For example, it is configured to detect bad users by inquiring information stored in the storage means 22 in real time or periodically, or detect bad users by inquiring information stored in the storage means 22 according to a game manager's instruction. You may.

In the latter case, the detection means 23 may include a computer program installed and executed in a computer system used by the game manager, and inquiries of information stored in the storage means 22 according to the game manager's instructions. Defective users can be detected and the list can be displayed on the screen.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. to be.

10: user computer 12: game client
13: Robot Program 15: Network
17: Game Service System 17-1: Web Server
17-2: Game Server 17-3: Account Information Database
20: bad user detection system 21: collecting means
22: storage means 23: detection means

Claims (9)

A method for detecting a rogue user who abnormally uses the online game through a robot program by a game server that performs an online game while communicating with a game client installed in each user computer,
Collecting information on a time when the game window has been inactive on each user computer and information on each user character's behavior; And
Detecting a user character performing a specific action a predetermined number of times when the game window is in an inactive state based on the collected information. The method of claim 1,
And the game client grasps and transmits information on the time when the game window is in an inactive state in each user's computer. The method of claim 1,
The specific action is a bad user detection method in the online game service, characterized in that the action can occur only when the game window is in the active state in a normal game environment. The method of claim 1,
And the game client transmits information about the time when the game window was in an inactive state according to a command periodically transmitted by the game server. The method of claim 4, wherein
And the game server records the user character as a bad user if a response is not received within a predetermined time after transmitting the command to the game client. The method of claim 5, wherein
The game server determines that the user character is a bad user because the response is not received, and when the response is received within a predetermined time, the game server cancels the bad user record for the user character. User detection method. A system for detecting a rogue user who abnormally uses the online game through a robot program in conjunction with a game service system that provides an online game service through a communication network,
Collecting means for collecting information on the time when the game window has been inactive on each user computer and information on the behavior of each user character;
Storage means for storing information collected by the collecting means; And
And detection means for detecting a user character who has performed a specific action a predetermined number of times when the game window is in an inactive state based on the information stored in the storage means. The method of claim 7, wherein
A bad user detection system in an online game service, characterized in that a game client grasps and transmits information on a time when a game window has been inactive in each user computer. The method of claim 7, wherein
The specific action is a bad user detection system in the online game service, characterized in that the action that can occur only when the game window is in the active state in a normal game environment.

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