Battle management system, battle management method, and battle management program

Abstract

It assists in the progress of a match when multiple players compete in a designated sport using a court. [Solution] The match management system 1 includes a time setting reception unit 23 that accepts the setting of at least one of a reference time or elapsed time on a court when multiple players are playing a sport match using at least one court, a detection unit 43 that detects when a notification condition is met, which includes at least one of the following: the current time has reached the reference time or the elapsed time has elapsed, a combination determination unit 26 that determines the combination of players who should enter the court from among the multiple players, and a notification control unit 44 that, when it detects when a notification condition is met, outputs action instruction information to notify the players to enter the court using a mobile terminal held by the players.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a battle management system, a battle management method, and a battle management program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various techniques for assisting sports games using terminals equipped with computers have been known. For example, techniques for assisting the combination work of sports events that conduct doubles games are known. Also, techniques for predicting the waiting time of tournaments are known. In addition, techniques for displaying the game results in each court on the display of a smartphone are known. Also, techniques for accepting applications for participation in tennis doubles competitions and generating an appropriate combination of opponents are known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventional technologies present challenges because they require a designated user, such as an operator, to perform some kind of input operation on a terminal for the event to proceed, which is cumbersome. For example, input work is required for assigning the order in which multiple players enter the court, and for rewriting the information each time a player is changed. Furthermore, only the operator can operate the terminal, and only the operator can see the screen, and the operator must communicate the situation to the players, which is cumbersome. It is also cumbersome for each player to understand the situation. Therefore, there is a need for a digital operational platform that connects players and activities, and there is a demand for an activity environment that does not involve waiting or getting lost. In addition, there is a need for all players to be able to see their latest status, enabling smart and fluid activities in court-based sports matches.

[0005] One example of a problem that this invention aims to solve is to support the progress of a match when multiple players are competing in a predetermined sport using a court. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The invention according to this embodiment is, When multiple players compete in a sport using at least one court, the reference time on the court 、 or , measured starting from the start time of the match or the end time of the match A time setting reception unit that accepts the setting of the elapsed time, The current time has reached the aforementioned reference time. 、 or , measured starting from the start time of the match or the end time of the match A detection unit that detects when the notification conditions, including the expiration of the aforementioned elapsed time, are met. A combination determination unit that determines the combination of opposing players who should enter the court from among the aforementioned multiple players, A notification control unit, which, upon detecting that the notification conditions have been met, outputs action instruction information to the opposing player to notify the opposing player to enter the court using a mobile terminal held by the opposing player, It is a battle management system equipped with [features / equipment].

[0007] The invention according to this embodiment is, One or more computers that implement a battle management system, When multiple players compete in a sport using at least one court, the reference time on the court 、 or , measured starting from the start time of the match or the end time of the match A process that accepts the setting of the elapsed time, The current time has reached the aforementioned reference time. 、 or , measured starting from the start time of the match or the end time of the match A process to detect when the notification conditions, including the expiration of the aforementioned elapsed time, are met, A process for determining the combination of players who should enter the court from among the aforementioned multiple players, When the aforementioned notification condition is detected, the process involves outputting action instruction information to the opposing player using a mobile device held by the opposing player, informing the opposing player to enter the court. This is a method for managing matches.

[0008] The invention according to this embodiment is, One or more computers to implement the battle management system, When multiple players compete in a sport using at least one court, the reference time on the court 、 or , measured starting from the start time of the match or the end time of the match A process that accepts the setting of the elapsed time, The current time has reached the aforementioned reference time. 、 or , measured starting from the start time of the match or the end time of the match A process to detect when the notification conditions, including the expiration of the aforementioned elapsed time, are met, A process for determining the combination of players who should enter the court from among the aforementioned multiple players, When the aforementioned notification condition is detected, the process involves outputting action instruction information to the opposing player using a mobile device held by the opposing player, informing the opposing player to enter the court. This is a match management program that executes the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this embodiment, when a plurality of players conduct a competition of a predetermined sport using a court, the progress of the competition can be supported.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] [Figure 1] It is a system configuration diagram showing the overall image of the competition management system. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the competition management server. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing the mobile terminals of the organizer and the participants. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the computer. [Figure 5] It is a plan view showing a gymnasium where a plurality of courts exist. [Figure 6] It is a screen diagram showing a state where the player names entering the court are displayed on the organizer terminal. [Figure 7] It is a screen diagram showing a state where the player names entering the court are displayed on the participant terminal. [Figure 8] It is a screen diagram showing a state where the display of the court is rotated on the participant terminal. [Figure 9] It is a screen diagram showing other display modes on the participant terminal. [Figure 10] It is a screen diagram showing a state where three courts are displayed on the participant terminal. [Figure 11] It is a screen diagram showing a state where the combination of players is displayed on the participant terminal. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing the competition management process. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing the notification control process.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention claimed is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means of solving the problem. For clarity of explanation, the following descriptions and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations have been omitted where necessary.

[0012] (Conventional technology) First, let's explain the conventional technology. In club activities or practice sessions for racket sports such as badminton, tennis, table tennis, and pickleball, it is necessary to play many matches within a limited activity time, while frequently changing partners or opponents among participants. In particular, formats such as doubles and triples require the appropriate determination of combinations of 4 or 6 players, and are required to satisfy complex demands such as "ensuring a fair number of matches" and "avoiding pairing with the same person."

[0013] To alleviate the burden of determining such pairings, traditional methods have included using random number tables corresponding to court numbers or manually assigning them on whiteboards. However, using random number tables involves administrative tasks such as assigning numbers to participants or marking the current match status. Furthermore, if participants are late (joining midway), leave early (leaving), or take temporary breaks due to fatigue, reassigning numbers and recalculating the random number tables becomes difficult, limiting flexible operation. In addition, in order to communicate the determined court and pairings to participants, the organizer (manager) must call out to them, or participants must move to the whiteboard to check, and this "communication" itself causes time loss that hinders the progress of the activity.

[0014] In recent years, technologies have emerged that automatically calculate combinations using smartphone applications. However, the reality is that many conventional applications remain merely "calculation assistance tools for the organizer." Specifically, changes in participant status, such as attendance registration, breaks, and departures, must be confirmed by the organizer with each participant and entered into the organizer's device. Furthermore, the optimal combination results calculated by the app are ultimately only displayed on the organizer's device screen, requiring the organizer to gather participants, read them aloud, or send them via email, which is an unnecessary hassle.

[0015] Thus, conventional technologies, whether analog or digital, rely heavily on the organizer for information input (status tracking) and output (guidance), resulting in waiting time for "confirmation" and "communication" after each match. Therefore, the system of this embodiment automates everything from status tracking to pairing determination and guidance to the next court to enter by linking the participant's own terminal with the system, thereby eliminating the burden on the organizer and minimizing waiting time during the activity.

[0016] (Battle Management System 1) Referring to Figure 1, the configuration overview of the match management system 1 of this embodiment will be described. The match management method is implemented using this match management system 1. Furthermore, the match management method of this embodiment is realized by having a computer execute a match management program. The match management system 1 supports the progress of a match when multiple players play a predetermined sport on a court. In this embodiment, racket sports such as badminton, in which multiple people play on a court, are used as examples of predetermined sports. Note that the match management system 1 may also be applied to sports other than racket sports.

[0017] The battle management system 1 primarily comprises a battle management server 10, an organizer terminal 11, and a participant terminal 12.

[0018] The match management server 10 is located in the cloud. The match management server 10 is connected to a predetermined network N, such as the internet, in a way that allows communication. Note that network N is not limited to the internet; it may also be a LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), or mobile communication network. The organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12 are also connected to the match management server 10 in a way that allows communication via network N.

[0019] The organizer's terminal 11 is a portable device owned by the organizer who manages the sports event. The organizer's terminal 11 is, for example, a tablet computer (tablet device).

[0020] The participant terminal 12 is a portable device owned by the participant, who is a player of a sport. The participant terminal 12 may be, for example, a tablet computer, smartphone, smartwatch (wristwatch computer), or laptop computer. The participant terminal 12 may also include wireless earphones that allow the player to receive information by voice even while playing. The organizer may substitute a designated participant, in which case the participant terminal 12 can be changed to the organizer terminal 11.

[0021] For example, tablet computers are used by organizers to register participants and set up match schedules. Furthermore, tablet computers are used by multiple people, such as organizers and participants, to monitor the match status. Smartphones are used by individuals to monitor match status, register to participate, and check which court they should be on. Smartwatches are used by players to obtain visual information even while playing. Laptops are used to record match status and send it to the match management server 10.

[0022] In other words, the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12 are information processing devices such as mobile terminals and wearable devices, and are equipped with an input interface such as a touch panel, a display unit such as a display, an audio output unit such as a speaker, and a vibration (haptics) module. Furthermore, in the case of activities at a sports venue, the organizer terminal 11 may be configured to be able to connect to an external audio output terminal via wireless or wired means such as Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi, enabling announcements to be made throughout the venue.

[0023] A predetermined application for coordinating with the match management server 10 is installed on the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12. The organizer and participants can use the match management system 1 of this embodiment by logging into the application with the account they created. The match management server 10 can individually identify the organizer terminal 11 or participant terminal 12 (mobile terminal) owned by the organizer and participant, respectively, based on the account used to log into the application.

[0024] (Block diagram) Next, a block diagram showing the battle management system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Note that each component of the battle management system 1 represents a functional block, not a hardware-level configuration. Each component is realized by any combination of hardware and software, centered around the CPU, memory, programs loaded into memory, storage media such as a hard disk for storing those programs, and a network connection interface of any computer. Furthermore, there are various modifications to the implementation method and apparatus.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the match management server 10 includes a court reception unit 20, a competition reception unit 21, a participant reception unit 22, a time setting reception unit 23, a rule setting reception unit 24, a rule switching unit 25, a pairing determination unit 26, a status management unit 27, a result reception unit 28, and a distribution processing unit 29.

[0026] The court reception unit 20 receives input from the organizer terminal 11 regarding the status of the courts located at the sports venue. When the organizer operates the organizer terminal 11 and inputs the court status, that information is sent to the match management server 10.

[0027] The competition registration unit 21 receives input from the organizer terminal 11 indicating the competition to be held on the court. When the organizer operates the organizer terminal 11 and enters the name of the competition to be held on the court, that information is sent to the match management server 10. Alternatively, the competition registration unit 21 may display multiple competition options on the screen of the organizer terminal 11, allowing the organizer to select one of these options.

[0028] The participant registration unit 22 receives input of the names of the participants who will become players from the organizer terminal 11 or the participant terminal 12. The organizer or participant operates the organizer terminal 11 or the participant terminal 12 and enters the participant's name. The name entered may be just the last name, both first and last name, a nickname, or a jersey number. In this embodiment, the name only needs to be something that can identify the person, and may be a real name, a pseudonym (nickname), or a symbol.

[0029] In addition, the participant registration unit 22 accepts input of information regarding the participant's gender and skills (proficiency) in addition to the participant's name. The organizer or participant operates the organizer terminal 11 or the participant terminal 12 to input this information.

[0030] The time setting reception unit 23 accepts the setting of at least one of the reference time or elapsed time on the court when multiple players are competing in a sport using at least one court. For example, in the case of badminton, the organizer may set a preparation time of 30 seconds, a match time of 7 minutes, and a break time of 60 seconds, and set these to repeat. The organizer may also set the time at which the status changes.

[0031] The rule setting reception unit 24 accepts the setting of match generation rules to be applied to each of the multiple matches to be played in the future, either before the start or during the match, when multiple players are playing a sport using at least one court. For example, in the case of badminton, the organizer sets rules such as men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, mixed doubles, skill-based singles, and skill-based doubles.

[0032] The match generation rules include a first match generation rule and a second match generation rule that differs from the first match generation rule. For example, the organizer can set the first match to be mixed doubles and the second match to be skill-based doubles.

[0033] The rule switching unit 25 configures the system to switch the match generation rule applied when a match on the court transitions from the Nth match generation rule to the N+1th match generation rule. Information regarding these rule switches is included in the schedule data distributed to the participant terminal 12.

[0034] The pairing determination unit 26 determines the pairings of players who should enter the court from among multiple players. This pairing information is included in the schedule data distributed to the participant terminal 12.

[0035] Furthermore, the pairing determination unit 26 determines the combination of players who should enter the court from among multiple players based on the match generation rules. In this way, the match generation rules to be applied and the combination of players to be entered can be automatically switched and generated during the progress of the sport without requiring any input operation to change the new match generation rules. These rules may be generated in advance or immediately before each match.

[0036] The status management unit 27 receives input from the participant terminal 12 regarding the participant's current status and manages the schedule. For example, the status management unit 27 receives requests from the participant terminal 12 for "join," "break," and "leave" and updates the stored participant status.

[0037] The results reception unit 28 receives and stores information regarding the match results from the organizer terminal 11 or the participant terminal 12.

[0038] The distribution processing unit 29 performs the process of distributing data, including the schedule of matches to be played on the court, to the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12.

[0039] The battle management server 10 includes a database group 30. This database group 30 is a collection of information that is stored in memory, HDD, and cloud computing resources and organized so that it can be searched or stored.

[0040] The database group 30 includes a player database 31, an event setting database 32, a rule setting database 33, and a history database 34.

[0041] The player database 31 stores information about participants as players. For example, the player database 31 stores a list of participants, including their user ID, name (last name, first name), phonetic spelling of the name, gender, and team ID.

[0042] The player database 31 also stores the dynamic status of participants. Dynamic status is managed by flags that track each participant's current state in real time. For example, a participant's status such as "participating," "requesting a break," or "requesting to leave" is set using flags.

[0043] The event settings database 32 stores setting information for each sports event, such as the event ID, date and time, venue name, and court layout information.

[0044] The layout information includes map data that virtually represents the physical arrangement of the courts at the actual venue. In addition to grid information such as "2x2 arrangement," "1x4 arrangement," and "3x2 arrangement," the layout information also includes the orientation of the central net (vertical or horizontal) and a court ID that identifies each court.

[0045] Furthermore, the battle management system 1 has the function of saving and duplicating past venue settings stored in the event setting database 32 as templates.

[0046] The rule setting database 33 stores match formats, priority logic, gender rules, etc. Match formats include, for example, singles, doubles, and triples. Priority logic is the setting of weights such as "equal number of matches (leveling out waiting time)," "distributed number of pair formations (not playing with the same person)," "distributed number of matches (not playing against the same person)," and "level-based (balancing strength)." Gender rules are the setting of conditions for player pairings, such as "mixed gender" and "separated by gender."

[0047] The history database 34 stores the participants' match history. For example, the history database 34 stores each participant's "total number of matches," "pair history (who they teamed up with and how many times)," and "match history (who they played against and how many times)" on a match-by-match and cumulative basis.

[0048] For example, the union selection unit 26 extracts only those whose status is "participating" from the player database 31 as the population. If the number of players exceeds the capacity (number of courts × number of players required), the union selection unit 26 refers to the history database 34 and prioritizes selecting the player with the fewest matches played. If there are two or more players with the fewest matches played, the union selection unit 26 prioritizes selecting the player who was registered as a participant earlier in the player database 31.

[0049] Furthermore, the combination determination unit 26 determines the optimal combination pattern for the selected players that satisfies the constraints of the rule setting database 33 and the distribution conditions of the history database 34 using a predetermined algorithm. The constraints are, for example, rules such as mix. The distribution conditions are, for example, avoidance of duplicate pairs.

[0050] Furthermore, the pairing determination unit 26 has a background calculation function. The pairing determination unit 26 performs the calculation of the next pairings in advance just before the current match ends (for example, 5 seconds before the end) to reduce waiting time. The pairing determination unit 26 may calculate the pairings in advance, or it may recalculate just before the end of the match only if there is a change in the number of participants.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12 are equipped with an input processing unit 40, a schedule acquisition unit 41, a progress management unit 42, a detection unit 43, and a notification control unit 44.

[0052] The input processing unit 40 processes the information entered by the organizer or participant and sends it to the match management server 10. The information entered by the organizer or participant includes information about the court and information about the participant.

[0053] The schedule acquisition unit 41 accesses the match management server 10 and obtains data from this server, including the schedule of matches to be played on the court. This schedule includes the court on which the matches will be played, the match pairings, the rules of the matches, and so on.

[0054] The progress management unit 42 manages the progress of the match schedule. This progress management unit 42 includes a real-time clock, timer, and counter. The progress management unit 42 can measure when the current time has reached a reference time or when elapsed time has elapsed.

[0055] For example, the progress management unit 42 manages a cycle of "preparation time (e.g., 30 seconds)", "match time (e.g., 7 minutes)", and "break time (e.g., 60 seconds)" that is set in advance by the organizer. The progress management unit 42 has a function to automatically repeat this cycle after the organizer's start operation, that is, a function to execute a loop process.

[0056] The detection unit 43 detects when a notification condition is met, which includes at least one of the following: the current time has reached the reference time, or the elapsed time has elapsed. Based on this detection (determination), the notification control unit 44 changes the output and display modes of the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12.

[0057] When the detection unit 43 detects that the notification conditions have been met, the notification control unit 44 outputs action instruction information to the opposing player, informing them to enter the court, using a portable terminal such as the participant terminal 12 held by the opposing player. In this way, when multiple players are participating in a sport, the timing of a specific player entering the court is notified without requiring any special operation.

[0058] Action instructions are information that prompts the participating players to take the next action. This action instruction information can be an image displayed on the screen or audio output through earphones. For example, the participant's name may be displayed in association with the court, or an automated voice may output instructions such as, "Yamada-san, please enter court 4 next."

[0059] Furthermore, the detection unit 43 detects that the match being played on the court has moved from the Nth match to the N+1th match, based on at least one of the time or elapsed time. Based on this detection, the notification control unit 44 changes the display mode of the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12. Note that the detection of the transition from the Nth match to the N+1th match is not limited to time or elapsed time. For example, the transition to the next match and the switching of rules may be triggered by the operation of the match end button by the organizer or participant, or by the completion of inputting the match result (score). In other words, the detection unit 43 may detect that the match being played on the court has moved from the Nth match to the N+1th match based on input operations by the organizer or participant.

[0060] For example, when a match transitions from the Nth match (e.g., the 1st match) to the N+1th match (e.g., the 2nd match), the match generation rule applied is switched from the first match generation rule (e.g., mixed doubles) to the second match generation rule (e.g., skill-based doubles). The notification control unit 44 displays the switched rule on the screens of the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12.

[0061] The action instruction information includes a layout diagram showing the physical arrangement of multiple courts used in sports. The notification control unit 44 displays the layout diagram information on the screen of a mobile device such as a participant terminal 12. In this way, players can instantly understand which court they should be on among the multiple courts.

[0062] The notification control unit 44 individually identifies (distinguishes) the mobile device owned by each player and changes the display mode according to each mobile device. For example, the notification control unit 44 individually identifies the mobile device based on the account that the player has registered in advance.

[0063] The notification control unit 44 displays, in a different manner from other courts, the specific court to which a player holding a mobile device is next assigned, from among the multiple courts included in the layout information. In this way, the court to which the player should next enter is visually highlighted, allowing the player to immediately understand which court they should enter. For example, the notification control unit 44 highlights and displays the court to which a player holding a mobile device should next enter as a specific court T (see Figure 7).

[0064] The notification control unit 44 displays the names of specific players from among the multiple player names included in the layout information in a manner different from the names of other players. In this way, the player's own name is visually highlighted, allowing the player to immediately understand which court they should be on. For example, if the name of a player carrying a mobile device is "Yamada," the notification control unit 44 highlights and displays that player's name as a specific name M (see Figure 7).

[0065] The layout information includes reference indicators that show at least one of the following: a reference position within the venue or a reference court. In this way, players can instantly recognize which court they should play on by understanding the relative positional relationship between the reference indicator and the specific court assigned to them. For example, the notification control unit 44 highlights and displays the court that serves as the reference indicator as reference court K (see Figure 7). Note that the reference indicator does not have to be a court. For example, the reference indicator could be the stage, the main entrance, a large clock, the largest window, the tallest pillar, or the location of the organizer within the venue.

[0066] The reference time is the scheduled end time for the match for the players assigned to the court, and the elapsed time (duration) is the scheduled match time for the players assigned to the court. In this way, the end of the match can be automatically notified to the players when the scheduled end time arrives or when the match time has elapsed.

[0067] The notification control unit 44 displays all of the multiple courts used in sports on a single, non-scrollable screen. This way, the court situation is immediately clear to the player without having to scroll, allowing them to easily grasp the situation.

[0068] (Example hardware configuration) The computer-based match management server 10, organizer terminal 11, and participant terminal 12 may have the configuration shown in Figure 4. These include a bus 1010, a processor 1020, memory 1030, a storage device 1040, an input / output interface 1050, and a network interface 1060.

[0069] Bus 1010 is a data transmission path for the processor 1020, memory 1030, storage device 1040, input / output interface 1050, and network interface 1060 to send and receive data to and from each other. However, the method of connecting the processor 1020 and the other components to each other is not limited to bus connection.

[0070] Processor 1020 is a circuit that includes arithmetic units such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

[0071] Memory 1030 is a main memory device implemented using RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.

[0072] The storage device 1040 is a removable media such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, or memory card, or an auxiliary storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and has a recording medium. The recording medium of the storage device 1040 stores programs that implement the functions of the match management server 10, the organizer terminal 11, and the participant terminal 12.

[0073] The processor 1020 reads this program into memory 1030 and executes it. This causes the processor 1020 to perform the function corresponding to this program. In other words, the program stored in memory 1030 causes the match management server 10, the organizer terminal 11, and the participant terminal 12 to perform predetermined functions.

[0074] The input / output interface 1050 connects the match management server 10, the organizer terminal 11, the participant terminal 12, and predetermined input / output devices. The input / output devices are, for example, input devices such as keyboards, output devices such as displays, or input / output devices in which a touch panel is superimposed on a display.

[0075] The network interface 1060 is an interface for connecting the match management server 10, the organizer terminal 11, and the participant terminals 12 to a predetermined communication network. This communication network may be, for example, the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), or a WAN (Wide Area Network). The network interface 1060 may connect to the communication network via a wireless connection or a wired connection.

[0076] The above describes the match management server 10, the organizer terminal 11, and the participant terminal 12. In addition to the above configuration, these may have information input devices for users to input various information through user operation. Examples of information input devices include keyboards, mice, or touch panels. Furthermore, the match management server 10, the organizer terminal 11, and the participant terminal 12 may have displays, speakers, vibration motors, or LEDs (light-emitting diodes) to show various information to the user.

[0077] The configuration of the battle management system 1 does not necessarily need to be installed on multiple computers. For example, one battle management system 1 may be implemented on a single computer. For example, one battle management system 1 may consist only of a battle management server 10, or only of an organizer terminal 11, or only of a participant terminal 12. Furthermore, the battle management server 10 may have the configuration shown in the block diagram of the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12.

[0078] (Examples of court layouts in a gymnasium) Next, we will describe an example of court arrangement in a gymnasium. Figure 5 is a floor plan showing a gymnasium with multiple courts. Figure 5 is an example of court arrangement, and other court configurations are also possible. Furthermore, this embodiment can be applied not only to gymnasiums but also to outdoor courts.

[0079] In Figure 5, we will assume that the top of the page is north, the bottom is south, the left is west, and the right is east. There are four courts, C1 to C4, in one gymnasium. Here, we will refer to the upper left of the page as Court 1 C1, the upper right as Court 2 C2, the lower left as Court 3 C3, and the lower right as Court 4 C4.

[0080] Four courts, C1 to C4, are arranged in a grid pattern in the center of the gymnasium, with waiting areas W for players (participants) on all four sides of these courts. For example, the organizer may be in the south waiting area W, while players (participants) taking a break may be in the north, east, and west waiting areas W.

[0081] (Example of the display format on the organizer's terminal 11 screen) Figure 6 is a screenshot showing the players entering the court displayed on the organizer's terminal 11, which is held by the organizer. The organizer, who is in the waiting area W in the south, sets the layout of courts C1 to C4 from the perspective of their own waiting area W. The organizer's terminal 11 displays all of courts C1 through C4 on a single screen. In other words, all of the multiple courts C1 through C4 are displayed on a single, non-scrollable screen.

[0082] Even if the actual courts C1 to C4 are not assigned numbers, the organizer can assign numbers to each court. For example, if the organizer assigns the number "1" to court 1 C1, the organizer's terminal 11 screen will display the court number "1" along with a rectangle representing the court.

[0083] On the screen of the organizer's terminal 11, one of the four courts C1 to C4 is highlighted as the reference court K. For example, the first court C1 is displayed as the reference court K in a different manner from the other courts C2 to C4. For example, the reference court K may be displayed in a different color from the other courts C2 to C4, or it may be displayed with a thick line, a dotted line, or it may blink.

[0084] The organizer's terminal 11 displays a layout map showing courts C1-C4, along with a "round" indicating the number of matches played. Each court C1-C4 display shows the names and genders of the players (participants) competing on that court. These names are displayed inside the rectangles representing courts C1-C4. Additionally, the names and genders of players in the waiting area W are displayed outside the court C1-C4 displays, for example, in the lower area.

[0085] Player gender will be indicated in a way that makes each player identifiable, such as by using a symbol. For example, male players will have a black circle "●" displayed near their name, and female players will have a black triangle "▲" displayed near their name. Player gender may also be color-coded. For example, male players' names may be displayed in blue, and female players' names in red. This would allow players to quickly identify each other's gender at a glance.

[0086] The organizer's terminal 11 also displays the remaining time or end time of the match. The organizer's terminal 11 also displays a schedule button 51, a court layout button 52, a rules button 53, a join / leave button 54, a settings button 55, and a match history button 56.

[0087] When the organizer touches the schedule button 51, the schedule for matches will be displayed. When the organizer touches the court layout button 52, the screen will switch to a screen for inputting the court layout. When the organizer touches the rules button 53, the screen will switch to a screen where the rules to be applied when pairing players can be set.

[0088] Furthermore, when the organizer touches the join / leave button 54, the screen switches to one where participants can be registered or removed. Participants can apply to participate or cancel their participation using the organizer's terminal 11, even if they do not possess the participant terminal 12.

[0089] Furthermore, when the organizer touches the settings button 55, the screen switches to a screen where various other settings can be made. For example, the organizer can set the benchmark indicators. The organizer can also set the overall end time of the matches. Additionally, when the organizer touches the match history button 56, past match results are displayed. Furthermore, the organizer can input the match results, and these results are sent to the match management server 10.

[0090] (Example of the display mode on participant terminal 12's screen) Figure 7 is a screenshot showing the players entering the court on a participant terminal 12 held by a participant. Similar to the organizer terminal 11 mentioned above, the participant terminal 12 displays all of courts C1 through C4 on a single screen. In other words, all of the multiple courts C1 through C4 are displayed on a single, non-scrollable screen.

[0091] Of the four courts, one designated court is highlighted as the reference court K. Additionally, the participant terminal 12 highlights a specific court T that the player (participant) possessing it should enter. For example, specific court T may be displayed in a different color from the other courts, with a thick line, with a dotted line, or by flashing.

[0092] Furthermore, when the participant terminal 12 displays the names of the players (participants) it is holding, it highlights (emphasizes) the name of the player (participant) holding the terminal as a specific name M. For example, the name of the player holding the participant terminal 12 may be displayed in a different color from other names, or it may be displayed with a thick line, a dotted line, or it may blink. In the example in Figure 7, the name of the player holding the participant terminal 12 is "Yamada," and the specific name M of "Yamada" is displayed in a conspicuous manner.

[0093] In addition, the participant terminal 12 displays the remaining time or end time of the match, a schedule button 61, and a join / leave button 62, similar to the organizer terminal 11 mentioned above.

[0094] Furthermore, the participant terminal 12 displays a break reservation button 63, a switch button 64, a pair lock button 65, and a rotation button 66.

[0095] When a participant touches the break reservation button 63, the screen switches to one where they can reserve a break. Also, when a participant touches the substitution button 64, the screen switches to one where they can substitute players who are currently playing or scheduled to play in a match.

[0096] When a participant touches the pair lock button 65, they can lock their pairing with a player they are already paired with. For example, if a player named "Yamada" is teamed with a player named "Kaneko," this pairing of "Yamada" and "Kaneko" will be maintained for subsequent matches.

[0097] When a participant touches the rotate button 66, the court layout displayed on the screen rotates. Figure 8 is a screenshot showing the state after the court display has been rotated on the participant's terminal 12.

[0098] For example, let's assume the organizer is in waiting area W on the south side of the gymnasium (see Figure 5), and that "Yamada" is in waiting area W on the west side of the gymnasium (see Figure 5) as a player (participant).

[0099] First, the organizer sets the court layout as it appears from their perspective, with Court 4 C4 positioned in the lower right (see Figure 6). The participant terminal 12 held by player "Yamada" also displays Court 4 C4 positioned in the lower right (see Figure 7). When player "Yamada" touches the rotate button 66, the court layout displayed on the screen rotates. Player "Yamada" can then rotate the court layout on the screen to match the layout as it appears from the waiting area W on the west side where they are located. For example, Court 4 C4, where player "Yamada" should be, is displayed positioned in the upper right (see Figure 8).

[0100] For example, each time a participant touches the rotation button 66, the court layout rotates clockwise. Participants are instructed to repeatedly touch the rotation button 66 until the layout matches the view from their waiting area W.

[0101] Figure 9 is a screen diagram showing other display modes on the participant terminal 12. For example, if there is only one court to be used for the match, only that one court will be displayed on the screen of the participant terminal 12.

[0102] Figure 10 is a screen diagram showing the display of three courts on the participant terminal 12. For example, if there are three courts used in the match, each court will be displayed on the screen of the participant terminal 12 arranged in a strip-like pattern. This is not limited to cases with three courts; even if there are four or more courts, each court may be displayed arranged in a strip-like pattern.

[0103] Figure 11 is a screenshot of the participant terminal 12 showing the player pairings. For example, the participant terminal 12 may display only the player pairings without showing the court layout. If there are many courts in the gymnasium, the court layout may be omitted, and only the names of the players paired up may be displayed.

[0104] (Example of the implementation phase) Next, the introduction of the participant terminal 12 and profile registration will be described. It is desirable that all players (participants) using the battle management system 1 of this embodiment install a dedicated application on their own participant terminal 12. During the initial setup after installation, players enter their profile information, such as last name, first name, phonetic spelling, gender, skill level, etc. This information is transmitted from the participant terminal 12 to the battle management server 10 via the network N and stored in the player database 31.

[0105] For example, gender information is an essential parameter in combination calculations such as "mixed doubles" and "male / female pairings." Furthermore, skill level information is an essential parameter in combination calculations such as "singles by skill level" and "doubles by skill level."

[0106] Next, the formation of teams will be explained. The organizer of the match creates a team using the organizer terminal 11. The match management server 10 generates a unique "team ID" for this team and stores it in the player database 31.

[0107] The organizers will share the issued team ID with participating players in the form of text, numbers, or two-dimensional codes such as QR codes (registered trademark) that can be read by a camera.

[0108] Players (participants) can register to the team's member list by reading or entering this team ID using participant terminal 12. For security and fraud prevention purposes, an approval flow may be adopted where the organizer must approve the player's registration request using organizer terminal 11 before the registration becomes official.

[0109] (Example of the match setup (event creation) and participant registration phase) Next, we will explain how to set detailed match parameters. Once the decision to hold a match is made, the organizer uses the organizer terminal 11 to set detailed parameters in the event setting database 32 and the rule setting database 33. For example, the organizer sets the basic information, match format, layout information, match rules, and timer.

[0110] Basic information includes details such as the date, match start time, end time, capacity, and number of courts used. Match format includes singles, doubles, triples, etc.

[0111] The layout information includes map data that virtually represents the physical arrangement of the courts at the actual venue. In addition to grid information such as "2x2 arrangement," "1x4 arrangement," and "3x2 arrangement," the layout information also specifies the orientation of the central net (vertical or horizontal) and a court ID that identifies each court.

[0112] The matchmaking rules include setting priorities and attributes. Priorities can be set to either "prioritize equal match-ups" or "prioritize freshness of match-ups (previously unmatched)." Attributes can be set to include constraints such as "no rules," "mixed gender," "separated by gender," or "by skill level."

[0113] The timer allows you to set the three components of a single cycle—"preparation time," "game time," and "break time"—in seconds or minutes.

[0114] To reduce the burden on organizers of having to enter this information each time, the system can store venue layout information and recall and duplicate it for future use. Furthermore, by duplicating settings other than the date, such as time slots and rules, organizers can complete preparations for regular activities with a single tap.

[0115] Next, the autonomous participant registration process will be explained. Once the above settings are complete, the match management server 10 will publish the match information to the participant terminals 12 of all players (participants) registered in the member list.

[0116] Each participant's terminal 12 displays a button 62 (see Figure 7) for joining or leaving a match. When a player touches this button 62 at their convenience, that information is sent to the match management server 10, and the "Participant List" and "Dynamic Status" in the player database 31 are updated. This participation procedure can be accepted not only before the match but also at any time from the start of the match until just before its end.

[0117] Furthermore, if the organizer sets a capacity limit (maximum number of participants), the match management server 10 monitors the number of participants in real time and automatically changes the display on the participant terminal 12 to "waiting list" or similar when the limit is reached. In this way, all administrative tasks that were previously performed by the organizer, such as "entering names," "assigning numbers," and "managing capacity," are eliminated and replaced with autonomous actions by each player.

[0118] (Examples of combined execution and visual interfaces) Next, we will explain the preconditions and combination logic. For example, as shown in Figure 5, we will consider a scenario with four courts (capacity of 16 people), 20 participants (12 men and 8 women), and a doubles match format.

[0119] When the organizer touches the match button (not shown) displayed on the organizer terminal 11 screen at the start time of the match, the match determination unit 26 of the match management server 10 performs the following processing.

[0120] First, the 20 participants whose status is "participating" are ranked according to the rules (for example, prioritizing equal number of appearances). For the first match, 16 participants are randomly selected, and the remaining 4 are placed on "rest."

[0121] The pairing determination unit 26 applies the set rules (e.g., no rules, mixed, men and women) to the 16 selected players to determine their pairs and opponents, and assigns them to courts 1 C1 through 4 C4. This finalizes the pairings for the first match.

[0122] Next, we will explain how to guide players to the court using a single reference indicator and relative position. Simultaneously with the confirmation of the pairings, the match management server 10 distributes layout information, including a map of the court, to the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12. In this case, guidance may be provided using court numbers to identify the courts, but if it is not possible to use physical court number tags, the following unique screen user interface can be adopted.

[0123] The notification control unit 44 displays the reference court K. For example, the notification control unit 44 highlights one of the four courts displayed on the organizer terminal 11 and participant terminal 12 as the reference court K (see Figure 7). In the actual venue, the organizer may place their own belongings (for example, a towel, clear file, or other marker) at the location of the reference court K to establish a physical reference position.

[0124] Players (participants) can visually perceive the positional relationship (for example, diagonally opposite, to the right, etc.) between the highlighted reference court K on the participant terminal 12 screen and their specific court T (see Figure 7) where their specific name M is displayed, which is also highlighted. In this way, players can intuitively determine their destination without having to check the court number.

[0125] Depending on the shape of the gymnasium or the location of the entrance, players (participants) may view the court from the back, for example, from the side opposite the organizer's position. Therefore, rotating the court map to match the participants' orientation can help avoid player confusion.

[0126] Next, we will explain the optimization of the display for wearable devices. Participant devices 12 with limited screen size, such as smartwatches, will display the following symbols with information reduced to the absolute minimum.

[0127] The notification control unit 44, for example, represents the reference court K with a red circle. It also represents the specific court T that the player (participant) possessing the participant terminal 12 should enter with a yellow circle. Furthermore, the notification control unit 44 represents the other courts with white circles. Finally, the notification control unit 44 displays only the names of players who will be entering the same court as the player themselves.

[0128] For example, if the reference court K and the specific court T where the player is supposed to play overlap, the notification control unit 44 will alternately display (flashing) a red circle and a yellow circle. Also, if the reference court K and the specific court T where the player is supposed to play are different, the notification control unit 44 will display only the relative positions of the courts using text or symbols.

[0129] In this way, players (participants) can recognize their specific court T without needing to display a detailed overall map. Furthermore, when the placement is finalized, the haptic (vibration) function of the participant terminal 12 may be activated so that players can understand the court assignment without looking at the screen.

[0130] (Fully automated progress control during the battle phase) Next, the automation of the cycle progression will be explained. After the organizer touches the match start button (not shown) displayed on the organizer terminal 11, the progress management unit 42 automatically repeats the following status transitions based on the set time. As a prerequisite, it is assumed that the preparation time is set to 30 seconds, the match time to 7 minutes, and the break time to 60 seconds.

[0131] During the preparation time (30 seconds), the status display on the organizer terminal 11 and participant terminal 12 switches to "Ready," and a countdown is displayed. Simultaneously, an automated announcement prompting action, "Players, please enter the court," is output from the organizer terminal 11 or a designated external speaker (not shown). In particular, in large venues, the output of smartphone speakers is insufficient, so it is recommended to provide voice guidance from an external speaker connected to the organizer terminal 11.

[0132] During the match (7 minutes), when the remaining preparation time reaches zero, an automatic "Match Start" signal is played from an external speaker, and the status display on the organizer terminal 11 and participant terminal 12 switches to "Match in Progress (Playing)".

[0133] If any players (participants) arrive late to the venue, when they perform the "Join" operation on their own participant terminal 12, their status is immediately registered as "Participating (but currently waiting)" and displayed in the list of the rest area.

[0134] During a 7-minute match, the following matchups will generally not be displayed, allowing players (participants) to concentrate on the match in front of them.

[0135] Regarding the break time (60 seconds) and result recording, when the remaining time in the match reaches zero, an automatic "match over" signal is sounded from the external speaker, and the status display on the organizer terminal 11 and participant terminals 12 switches to "break." At this point, the match management server 10 records "match count + 1" and the "match history" for each of the 16 users who participated in the first match, associating it with their respective user IDs.

[0136] (Continued by background calculation and loop processing) Next, we will explain the pre-calculation (background processing) during the match. Just before the end of the match, the match-determining unit 26 of the match management server 10 starts calculating the pairings for the second match. In this calculation, the match-determining unit 26 selects players in the following order of priority: The highest priority is given to players who were resting during the first match and have zero match counts. The next highest priority is given to players who registered to participate late during the match and have zero match counts. The remaining 11 players are selected from the players of the first match based on their registration order. In this way, the number of matches played can be equalized (match count equalization).

[0137] The pairing determination unit 26 performs an optimization calculation for these 16 players, taking into account the rules (e.g., mixed doubles) and history (e.g., avoiding duplicate pairs). This calculation may take several seconds, but it is performed in the background just before the end of the match, for example, 5 seconds before, so it does not disrupt the progress of the match.

[0138] Next, we will explain the notification of the next match and the continuation of the loop. Once the pairing determination unit 26 completes its calculations and the pairings for the second match are finalized, the layout information for the second match is distributed to the organizer terminal 11 and participant terminals 12 at the start of the break. It is desirable that this is accompanied by haptic notification. When the remaining time for the break reaches zero, the status switches back to "Preparation" and an automated announcement "Please enter the court" is played. From then on, this cycle is automatically repeated for the third match, fourth match, and so on, until the end time or the organizer stops it.

[0139] Next, we will explain the loop of multiple combination rules. Furthermore, the match management system 1 has the function of setting not just one, but multiple combination rules to be applied in each match, and cycling through them in a predetermined order. For example, when setting up an event, three rules, such as free play, mixed doubles, and men's and women's matches, are registered in order.

[0140] In this case, the pairing determination unit 26 applies "Free" to the first match, "Mixed" to the second match, and "Men's and Women's" to the third match to determine the pairings. For the subsequent fourth match, the pairing determination unit 26 returns to the top of the rule order list and applies "Free," making the fifth match "Mixed." In this way, by registering multiple different rule definitions as a single cycle, even if the organizer requests to "insert a mixed match in the middle," they do not need to change the settings each time during a match, and fully automated progress is maintained.

[0141] The organizer does not need to operate the screen again after touching the start button (not shown in the diagram) for the first match. Similarly, participants only need to move and play according to the notifications, unless they change their minds about whether they are "participating" or "taking a break," without performing any further operations. In this way, the organizer can manage the sport hands-free.

[0142] In the example above, the organizer manually touches the match start button (not shown), but this is not the only way. For example, it is conceivable that the event settings include a "start time (e.g., 9:00)" and an "end time (e.g., 12:00)". In this case, the match management system 1 automatically starts the timer for the first match as soon as 9:00 arrives, and automatically stops the timer and loop processing when the maximum number of matches that can be completed by 12:00 has finished.

[0143] This approach eliminates the need for organizers to perform any actions other than participation (registration as a player), completely eliminating the time lost in "gathering," "roll call," "input," and "communication" that occurred with conventional technology, and maximizing the number of matches played within the tournament time.

[0144] (Example of server processing flow) Next, the battle management process performed by the battle management server 10 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 12. Note that the previously mentioned diagram may be referenced. The following steps represent at least some of the processes included in the battle management process; other steps may also be included.

[0145] First, in step S1, the court reception unit 20 receives input from the organizer terminal 11 indicating the status of the courts located at the venue for the sport.

[0146] In the next step S2, the competition registration unit 21 receives input from the organizer terminal 11 indicating the competition to be held on the court.

[0147] In the next step S3, the participant registration unit 22 receives the input of predetermined registration information, such as the name of the participant who will become a player, from the organizer terminal 11 or the participant terminal 12.

[0148] In the next step S4, the time setting reception unit 23 accepts the setting of at least one of the reference time or elapsed time on the court when multiple players are playing a sport using at least one court.

[0149] In the next step S5, the rule setting reception unit 24 accepts the setting of match generation rules to be applied to each of the multiple matches that will take place in the future, either before the start or during the match, when multiple players are playing a sporting match using at least one court.

[0150] In the next step S6, the rule switching unit 25 sets the rules to switch the match generation rule applied when the match being played on the court moves from the Nth match to the N+1th match.

[0151] In the next step S7, the pairing determination unit 26 determines the combination of players who should enter the court from among multiple players.

[0152] In the next step S8, the status management unit 27 receives input from the participant terminal 12 regarding the participant's current status and manages the schedule.

[0153] In the next step S9, the results receiving unit 28 receives and stores information regarding the match results from the organizer terminal 11 or the participant terminal 12.

[0154] In the next step S10, the distribution processing unit 29 performs the process of distributing information including the match schedule and match pairings to the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminals 12. Then the match management process is completed. This match management process is repeated at regular intervals.

[0155] (Example of processing flow for organizer terminal 11 and participant terminal 12) Next, the notification control process performed by the organizer terminal 11 and the participant terminal 12 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 13. Note that the previously mentioned diagram may be referenced. The following steps represent at least some of the processes included in the notification control process; other steps may also be included.

[0156] First, in step S11, the schedule acquisition unit 41 determines whether or not it is the timing to access the match management server 10. If it is the timing to access (YES in step S11), the unit proceeds to step S12. On the other hand, if it is not the timing to access (NO in step S11), the unit proceeds to step S13.

[0157] In step S12, the schedule acquisition unit 41 acquires data including the schedule of matches to be played on the court from the match management server 10 and stores it in a storage unit such as memory.

[0158] In step S13, the progress management unit 42 manages the progress of the stored match schedule. For example, the progress management unit 42 measures whether the current time has reached a reference time or whether the elapsed time has elapsed, based on at least one of a real-time clock, timer, or counter.

[0159] In the next step S14, the detection unit 43 determines (detects) whether a notification condition has been met, which includes at least one of the following: the current time has reached the reference time, or the elapsed time has elapsed. If the notification condition is met (YES in step S14), the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the notification condition is not met (NO in step S14), the notification control process is completed.

[0160] In step S15, the notification control unit 44 outputs action instruction information to the opposing player, informing them to enter the court, using a portable terminal such as the participant terminal 12 held by the opposing player. The notification control process is then completed. This notification control process is repeated at regular intervals.

[0161] Furthermore, if the rule switching unit 25 switches the rule, the notification control unit 44 may output information indicating the new rule along with the action instruction information.

[0162] Furthermore, the notification control process includes processes executed by the input processing unit 40 in addition to the steps described above. For example, when the organizer or participant performs an input operation indicating the end of a match or inputting the match result (score), that information is sent to the match management server 10. The match management server 10 accepts input operations for information indicating the end of a match or the match result during the "break time (e.g., 60 seconds)". The rule switching unit 25 then performs the process of switching the rules, and the distribution processing unit 29 may distribute the switched rules to the organizer terminal 11 and participant terminals 12 during the "preparation time (e.g., 30 seconds)".

[0163] (modified version) Next, a modified example will be described. Note that components identical to those shown in the previously described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. The configuration applied in this modified example may also be applied to the previously described embodiment, or it may be combined with the configuration of the previously described embodiment as appropriate.

[0164] The battle management system 1 can further enhance the automation of battles and event operations by utilizing the sensing functions of wearable devices (participant devices 12) and large-screen display devices.

[0165] The match management system 1 may have safety management functions for automating breaks based on biometric information. Wearable devices such as smartwatches can measure biometric information such as participants' heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and body temperature.

[0166] For example, participant terminal 12 monitors the heart rate of players during a match. When the match management system 1 detects that a pre-set threshold has been exceeded, it determines that the player is accumulating fatigue and automatically changes their status to "rest" without waiting for the player's input. The threshold can be set to a value such as when the heart rate exceeds 90% of the maximum heart rate for several minutes. In this way, the system can prevent accidents caused by heatstroke or excessive fatigue, and ensure safe operation.

[0167] The battle management system 1, as an advanced safety management system, detects players' fatigue levels based on biometric information acquired through wearable devices and automatically switches them to a "rest" status. This prevents accidents caused by players failing to report their fatigue levels or overexertion (such as heatstroke), and also supports the organizer's safety management responsibility from a system perspective.

[0168] Furthermore, the match management system 1 may perform status-linked swing analysis. The match management system 1 can analyze racket swings by using the accelerometer and gyroscope of a wearable device.

[0169] Conventional analysis apps require users to manually start practice sessions. However, in this embodiment, the match management system 1, the match management server 10, the organizer terminal 11, and the participant terminal 12 manage accurate time information indicating that a match is currently in progress. Therefore, by automatically extracting and analyzing only the sensor data from the time period when the status is "in progress," it is possible to prevent misidentification of movements during movement or rest as swings, enabling highly accurate form analysis and automatic calculation of movement volume.

[0170] Furthermore, the match management system 1 may have a scoring mode that uses gesture input. For example, in racket sports, especially in self-judged (no referee) matches, remembering and recording scores is a burden on the players. Therefore, when the status of the participant terminal 12 (wearable terminal) switches to "In Match," the screen user interface automatically transitions to "Scoring Mode." In this mode, the terminal's touch panel and accelerometer accept specific gesture inputs. For example, intuitive gesture inputs such as "swiping towards the fingertip" to add points to the opposing pair and "swiping towards the wrist" to add points to one's own pair allow scores to be recorded without interrupting the match. The recorded scores are transmitted to the match management server 10 in real time and are finalized as win / loss data at the end of the match.

[0171] Furthermore, the match management system 1 may be linked with signage to enable the use of external display devices. In the above embodiment, notifications were mainly sent to individual smartphones carried by participants, but in addition to this, the screen information of the organizer's terminal 11 may be mirrored and displayed on tablet terminals, large displays installed at the venue, and projectors (digital signage). In this way, even "non-system participants" who do not have smartphones can check their court and match pairings by looking at a large screen. In addition, the organizer can smoothly manage the mixed operation of non-system participants and system participants by changing their status to "participating" or "taking a break" on their behalf.

[0172] Furthermore, the battle management system 1 may also handle the display changes when there are duplicate player names, such as when multiple participants share the same last name.

[0173] For example, in the embodiment described above, when the organizer terminal 11 is used as signage, in order to maximize the font size and improve visibility within the limited screen space of the display, it is set to display only the participant's "surname." However, if there are duplicates (conflicts) among the participants that make individual identification difficult, the match management system 1 automatically detects this and dynamically switches the display format.

[0174] For example, the match management system 1 performs a process to change the display when it finds a player with a surname that matches as a string (for example, someone with the same surname as "Sato"), that is, in the case of identical surnames.

[0175] Furthermore, if there are players with the same pronunciation (furigana) but similar or different spellings of their surnames (for example, "Watanabe" and "Watanabe," or "Saito" and "Saito"), that is, in cases of homophones with different spellings (including variant characters), the system will change the display accordingly.

[0176] When these conflicts are detected, the match management system 1 automatically switches the display of these players from normal mode (last name only) to identification mode ("last name + difference information (first initial of given name, etc.)" (see Figure 9) or "full name"). In this way, display controls such as not reducing the font size are maintained to maximize screen visibility, while ensuring that players with the same or confusing last names can be reliably identified.

[0177] (effect) In summary, according to this embodiment, when multiple players compete in a predetermined sport using a court, it is possible to support the progress of the match.

[0178] Furthermore, it allows for "time creation" through the complete automation of administrative tasks. For example, administrative tasks that were previously performed manually by the organizer during the activity, such as "monitoring participant status (attendance, lateness, breaks)," "creating pairings," "court assignment," and "calling out participants (announcements)," are all systematized and executed automatically. In this way, the organizer only needs to initiate the activity and is freed from operational tasks during the activity. As a result, the organizer can concentrate on the competition as a player themselves or dedicate time to communicating with participants, dramatically improving the quality and efficiency of community management.

[0179] Furthermore, this embodiment eliminates player waiting times and provides intuitive guidance for player actions. For example, information about the next court to enter is instantly delivered to each player's mobile device via push notification and vibration (haptic feedback), eliminating the "communication lag" associated with conventional analog bulletin boards or roll calls. In particular, the intuitive user interface using relative positions and symbols, along with the simple display on wearable devices, allows players to instinctively understand where to move to without the cognitive burden of checking and remembering court numbers. This maximizes the number of matches played within a limited activity time, i.e., the match turnover rate.

[0180] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, flexible and fair matching quality is ensured, and dynamic status changes such as participants joining midway, leaving early, or requesting a break are instantly recalculated in the background. Therefore, the optimal combination at that moment can always be provided. In addition, by controlling the loop of multiple rules (e.g., mixed doubles, level-based matches, etc.), monotonous combinations are prevented, increasing participant satisfaction, and a fair and diverse competitive experience can be provided without increasing the operational burden.

[0181] In the flowchart of the embodiment described above, the steps are shown as being executed in series, but the order of the steps is not necessarily fixed, and the order of some steps may be reversed. Also, some steps may be executed in parallel with other steps. Furthermore, the steps included in the flowchart described above are at least some of the steps, and other steps may be included in the flowchart described above.

[0182] Each of the aforementioned components of the system may be implemented with dedicated hardware. Furthermore, some or all of each component may be implemented by general-purpose or dedicated circuits, processors, or combinations thereof. These may be comprised of a single chip or multiple chips connected via a bus. Some or all of each component may be implemented by a combination of the aforementioned circuits and programs. Additionally, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc., can be used as the processor. Moreover, at least some of the functions of this embodiment may be provided in the form of IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or SaaS (Software as a Service).

[0183] The aforementioned program, when loaded into a computer, includes a set of instructions (or software code) for causing the computer to perform one or more of the functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored on a non-temporary computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium. Examples, but not limited to, include computer-readable mediums or physical storage mediums such as RAM (random-access memory), ROM (read-only memory), flash memory, SSD (solid-state drive), or other memory technologies. Examples, but not limited to, include CD-ROMs, DVDs (digital versatile discs), Blu-ray discs, or other optical disc storage. Examples, but not limited to, include magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices. The program may be transmitted over a temporary computer-readable medium or a communication medium. Examples, but not limited to, include temporary computer-readable mediums or communication mediums such as electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagating signals.

[0184] The embodiments have been described above, but the configurations of the embodiments described above may be combined with each other, or some of the configurations may be replaced with other configurations. Furthermore, the configurations of the embodiments described above may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0185] Each drawing is merely illustrative to illustrate one or more embodiments. Each drawing may be associated with one or more other embodiments rather than with only one specific embodiment. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing may be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create embodiments not explicitly illustrated or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing to illustrate an exemplary embodiment are necessarily required, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps shown in any of the drawings may be changed as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0186] 1. Battle Management System 10 Match Management Server 11 Organizer's terminal 12 Participant terminals 20 Court Reception Desk 21 Competition Registration Department 22 Registration Department 23-hour setting reception desk 24 Rule Setting Reception Department 25 Rule switching section 26 Union Decision-Making Department 27 Status Management Department 28 Results Reception Department 29 Distribution Processing Unit 30 database groups 31 Player Database 32 Event Configuration Database 33 Rule Setting Database 34. Historical Database 40 Input Processing Unit 41 Schedule Acquisition Section 42 Progress Management Department 43 Detection unit 44. Notification Control Unit 51 Schedule button 52 Court Layout Buttons 53 Rule Button 54 Join / Leave Buttons 55 Settings button 56 Match History Button 61 Schedule button 62 Join / Leave buttons 63. Break Reservation Button 64. Switch button 65 Pair Lock Buttons 66 rotation buttons 1010 Bus 1020 processor 1030 memory 1040 Storage Devices 1050 Input / Output Interface 1060 Network Interfaces C1 Court 1 C2 Court 2 C3 Court 3 C4 Court 4 K Standard Coat M specific name N Network T Specific Coat W Waiting Area

Claims

1. When multiple players compete in a sport using at least one court, a time setting reception unit accepts the setting of a reference time on the court, or the elapsed time measured from the start time or end time of the match, A detection unit that detects when notification conditions are met, including when the current time reaches the reference time, or when the elapsed time measured from the start time or end time of the match has elapsed. A combination determination unit that determines the combination of opposing players who should enter the court from among the aforementioned multiple players, A notification control unit, which, upon detecting that the notification conditions have been met, outputs action instruction information to the opposing player to notify the opposing player to enter the court using a mobile terminal held by the opposing player, A battle management system equipped with the following features.

2. In the battle management system according to claim 1, The action instruction information includes a layout diagram showing the physical arrangement of multiple courts used in the sport, The aforementioned notification control unit is a battle management system that displays the layout information on the screen of the mobile terminal.

3. In the battle management system described in claim 2, The notification control unit individually identifies the mobile terminal held by each of the players and changes the display mode in accordance with each mobile terminal, and displays the specific court to which the player holding the mobile terminal is next assigned from among the multiple courts included in the layout diagram information in a different manner from the other courts, in a match management system.

4. In the battle management system described in claim 2, The aforementioned notification control unit individually identifies the mobile terminal possessed by each of the aforementioned players and changes the display manner corresponding to each of the aforementioned mobile terminals, and displays the name of the player possessing the mobile terminal in a manner different from the names of the other players among the names of the multiple players included in the layout diagram information, in a battle management system.

5. In the battle management system described in claim 2, The aforementioned layout information includes a reference indicator that shows at least one of a reference position within the venue or a reference court, in a match management system.

6. In the battle management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, Match management system, wherein the reference time is the scheduled end time of the match for the players assigned to the court, and the elapsed time is the scheduled match time for the players assigned to the court.

7. One or more computers that implement a battle management system, A process for receiving the setting of a reference time on the court, or the elapsed time measured from the start time or end time of the match, when multiple players compete in a sport using at least one court, A process for detecting when notification conditions are met, including the current time reaching the aforementioned reference time, or the elapsed time measured from the start time or end time of the aforementioned match has elapsed, A process for determining the combination of players who should enter the court from among the aforementioned multiple players, When the aforementioned notification condition is detected, the process involves outputting action instruction information to the opposing player, informing them to enter the court, using a mobile device held by the opposing player. A method for managing matches.

8. One or more computers to implement the battle management system, A process for receiving the setting of a reference time on the court, or the elapsed time measured from the start time or end time of the match, when multiple players compete in a sport using at least one court, A process for detecting when notification conditions are met, including the current time reaching the aforementioned reference time, or the elapsed time measured from the start time or end time of the aforementioned match has elapsed, A process for determining the combination of players who should enter the court from among the aforementioned multiple players, When the aforementioned notification condition is detected, the process involves outputting action instruction information to the opposing player, informing them to enter the court, using a mobile device held by the opposing player. A match management program that executes the game.

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