KR20050055543A - System and method for relaying game service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a game service relay system and method, and according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a system for relaying an online game service to a general user client or a client in a PC room, providing different types of online game services. A plurality of online game servers; When connected to the plurality of online game servers, and receives a game service relay request from the client, includes a client requesting a service through the IP mapping and a relay server for relaying the game server, the client is purchased in advance It is characterized in that the game service relay request to the relay server using a channel secured in advance by the unit or the PC room.

Description

System and Method for Relaying Game Service

The present invention relates to a game service relay system and method, and more particularly, by selling a time unit that can use an online game service, and connecting users who use an online game service through the time unit to a game server through a relay server. The present invention relates to a system and method for diversifying the way users access an online game and generating revenue through the relay of game services.

In the past, PC games were generally provided in a packaged form. A package game is a game in which a game software is stored on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a floppy disk so that a user can run it on a PC. The package game does not require any equipment other than a PC on which the software can be executed.

However, as the Internet became active, a new genre of games called online games appeared. An online game is for allowing a plurality of users to access a game server and play a game at the same time. In the role-playing genre game, users compete with each other to level up, and in a strategy simulation game, a game is played against each other. .

Unlike a package game that is played alone, such an online game is different from a package game in that it competes with other users, and has recently gained more popularity than a package game.

In particular, online role-playing games are becoming more and more popular by implementing a space similar to the real world in cyber space.

However, in order to use such an online game, the user has to pay a flat fee or pay a fee per minute.

Conventionally, there was a way to enter into a contract with an online game service company in a PC room, etc., and to use the game service in the PC room without paying a separate fee, but users have to enjoy a game in the PC room. there was.

In addition, in order to use the online game service, the user has to pay for each type of online game, so there is a problem that the economic burden of users increases as they enjoy various online games.

In the present invention, in order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, when the user pays for the use time, it is possible to use a variety of online games by connecting to a plurality of online game servers through a relay server to play a game. The present invention proposes a game relay system and method.

Another object of the present invention is to diversify the payment method for using the online game service, and to propose a method and system that enables users to use the online game service at lower cost.

It is still another object of the present invention to propose a method and system for providing an online game service through a channel of a PC room online without visiting a PC room contracted with an online game service company.

It is still another object of the present invention to propose a system and method for relaying online game services to a plurality of users with one relay server through IP mapping.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system for relaying online game services to a general user client or a client of a PC room, each of which provides a plurality of different types of online game services Online game server; A relay server connected to the plurality of online game servers and receiving a game service relay request from the client, wherein the client requests a service through IP mapping and a relay server relaying the corresponding game server, wherein the client purchases a pre-purchased time; There is provided a game service relay system, which requests a relay of a game service to the relay server using a channel secured in advance by a unit or a PC room.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the game service relay system and method according to the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a game relay system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1, the game relay system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a relay server 100, a plurality of game servers (102, 104, 106), a plurality of PC room client 108 and a plurality of users It may include clients 110 and 112.

In FIG. 1, user clients 110 and 112 refer to a client provided with a game service through a general home PC, and the PC room client 108 refers to a client provided with a game service through a PC room.

After the general user purchases the time unit, the user receives the game service of the online game server through the relay server using his user clients 100 and 112. Users can purchase time units from various websites that sell time units (not shown, such as portal sites or game related sites). The time unit is a kind of time use right, and when the time unit is purchased, the game unit may be provided with a game service of an online game company server connected to the relay server through the relay server for a predetermined time.

When users purchase a time unit from various websites, the purchase information is stored in a relay server or a database storing time unit purchase information, and the relay server 100 determines whether the user pays for the game service. It determines whether or not to relay the online game service.

As shown in Figure 1, the relay server 100 is connected to the server (102, 104, 106) of a plurality of online game service companies can provide a variety of online games, so that the user only costs according to the use time If you pay, you can get games from various online game companies. Therefore, users do not have to pay each of a plurality of online game service companies, which has the advantage of greatly reducing the economic burden.

The relay server 100 may relay the online game service to the clients 108 of the PC room as well as the online relay to users requesting the online game service through a general home PC. Although only one PC room client is shown in FIG. 1, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a plurality of PC room clients may be provided with a service through the relay server 100.

The PC room may pay the cost of relaying the service offline with the operator of the relay server, and may allow the customer of the PC room to receive the online game service after purchasing a time unit online like a general user.

The PC room client 108 and the user clients 108 and 110 are provided with a connection client program which can access a relay server and receive a game service. A user accesses the relay server 100 by executing the installed access client program.

Conventionally, when using an online game service through a PC room, users had to use the online game service only through a computer in the PC room. However, in the case of using the relay system according to the present invention, users can relay their online game service through a channel secured in advance by a PC room using their PC.

The PC room may pay a certain cost and occupy an access channel with the relay server, and the user may access the relay server through the channel occupied by the PC room using the installed access client program. At this time, the user pays for the channel usage time to the PC room occupying the channel. As such, when using the online game service through a channel secured by the PC room, various services can be used without any burden, and the online game service can be provided at a lower cost than if the monthly game fee is paid to the online game company. Will be.

When the relay server 100 receives game service request information from the user clients 110 and 112 or the PC room client 108, the relay server 100 relays the game server and the client corresponding to the requested game service. Since the relay server 100 directly relays the communication between each client requesting the service and the game server, the relay server 100 may check a user's use time and charge accordingly.

In order to relay the communication between the plurality of clients and the game server, the relay server 100 performs IP mapping.

Game servers 102, 104, and 106 are servers of online game companies that provide game services. In general, the game servers 102, 104, and 106 perform direct communication with user clients, but the present invention provides an online game service via a relay server.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of a general user using an online game relay service according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the user accesses a web server of a website that sells time units (S200) and purchases a time unit from the connected website (S202). As described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the website may be a general portal site, and other types of sites may be included.

After purchasing the time unit, the user executes a connection client program for connecting to the relay server (S204). When the connection client program is executed, the connection client program provides a menu for the user to select whether to use the general channel or the PC room channel.

When using the service through the time unit, the user selects a normal channel and performs a user login (S206). When the user logs in, the user may input an identification number of a time unit purchased by the user, and the relay server performs authentication on the same.

When the user authentication is completed, the user selects the online game service to be provided (S208), and the relay server connects the game server and the user client (S210).

When the connection with the game server is completed, the user can receive the requested online game service through the relay server (S212).

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of using an online game relay service according to the present invention through a channel secured by a PC room.

As shown in FIG. 3, a user first executes an access client program to access a relay server (S300).

When the access client program is executed, a menu for selecting whether to use a general channel or a channel secured by the PC room is provided, and the user selects a channel secured by the PC room (S302).

When the channel secured by the PC room is selected, the user client is connected to the relay server through the selected channel (S304).

The user selects a game service to use using a menu provided by the relay server (S306), and after receiving the user selection information, the relay server connects the user client and the game server corresponding to the selected game (S308).

When the connection with the game server is completed, the user receives the game service from the game server through the relay service (S310).

When the game ends (S312), the relay server provides the user and the PC room information on the use time, the user pays the cost for the use time to the PC room (S314). It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, unlike FIG. 3, the user may pay the cost in advance to the PC room.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a relay server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the relay server receives connection request information from the user client or the PC room client to the game server (S400). As described above, the connection request is made through a connection client program installed in the client.

After receiving the access request information, the relay server determines whether the user is an authenticated user (S402). In other words, the relay server determines whether to request a service using a channel of a PC room that has justly purchased a time unit or has been contracted.

If it is not a request from the authenticated user, the relay server transmits a connection failure message (S404).

If the user is an authenticated user, the relay server provides a game selection menu to the client (S406). When the user selects a game, the selection information is transmitted to the relay server (S408), and the relay server performs IP mapping to relay the client and the game server requesting the service (S410).

When the IP mapping is completed, the relay server connects the game server and the client (S412). When the user ends the game (S414), the relay server calculates the time the user used the relay service (S416).

As described above, according to the present invention, the game relay system and method may allow users to play various games by connecting to a plurality of online game servers through a relay server when the user pays for the use time. Available to users.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to receive online game service through the channel of the PC room online without visiting a PC room contracted with an online game service company, and to diversify the payment method for using the online game service. There is an advantage that users can use the online game service at a lower cost.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a game relay system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart illustrating a process of a general user using an online game relay service according to the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of using an online game relay service according to the present invention through a channel secured by a PC room.

Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the relay server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (2)

In a system for relaying an online game service to a general user client or a client in a PC room, A plurality of online game servers each providing a different kind of online game service; A relay server connected to the plurality of online game servers and receiving a game service relay request from the client, wherein the client requests a service through IP mapping and a relay server relaying the corresponding game server; And the client requests a game service relay to the relay server by using a time unit or a channel secured in advance by a PC room. The method of claim 1, The client is provided with a connection-only client program for accessing the relay server, the game service relay system, characterized in that the online game relay service is provided through a channel secured by the PC room online using the connection-only client program. .