Game program, game system, game method, information processing device, and generation method

Abstract

To provide a game program, a game system, a game method, an information processing device, and a generation method capable of ensuring a user's motivation to take appropriate sleep even when recognizing correction of sleep information without depending on information acquired by a sensor when a situation in which for example the user's sleep information cannot be measured appropriately occurs.SOLUTION: A game program allows a processor to execute: a sleep information acquisition step of acquiring a user's sleep information acquired by a sensor; a sleep information change step of generating changed sleep information without depending on the sensor on the basis of the user's operation input when sleep information is not acquired in the sleep information acquisition step; and a game control step of determining a first effect of a game on the basis of sleep information when the sleep information is acquired in the sleep information acquisition step, and determining a second effect different from the first effect on the basis of changed sleep information generated in the sleep information change step when sleep information is not acquired in the sleep information acquisition step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a game program, a game system, a game method, an information processing device, and a generation method, and more particularly to a game program, a game system, a game method, an information processing device, and a generation method in which a game progress process is executed using sleep information of a user. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a game system that executes a game using sleep information related to a user's sleep, the game system including a sleep information acquisition unit that acquires the user's sleep information, a sleep information modification unit that generates modified sleep information by modifying at least a part of the sleep information based on sleep information different from the sleep information, and a game control unit that determines a first effect of the game based on the sleep information when the modified sleep information has not been generated by the sleep information modification unit, and determines a second effect different from the first effect based on the modified sleep information when the modified sleep information has been generated by the sleep information modification unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the game system described in Patent Document 1, even if a situation occurs in which the user's sleep information cannot be measured appropriately, the sleep information can be appropriately acquired, and the game using the sleep information can be progressed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-161264 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the game system described in Patent Document 1, the applicant proposed a game that allows the user to proceed with the game using sleep information after properly acquiring the sleep information even if a situation occurs in which the user's sleep information cannot be properly measured. However, in a subsequent study of the game system, it was feared that if the correction of sleep information is permitted without being based on information acquired by a sensor, the user's motivation to acquire proper and healthy sleep may be weakened because the user can proceed with the game by self-reporting without sleeping. However, in a game using sleep information, most users sleep once a day, so the game result can be acquired only once a day. In this case, if some error occurs during sleep or the user forgets to measure sleep and a situation occurs in which the sleep information cannot be acquired, the game result cannot be acquired, and the user's disadvantage and dissatisfaction may be extremely large compared to a game that does not use sleep information.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game program, a game system, a game method, an information processing device, and a generation method that enable a user to be motivated to get adequate sleep, even in cases where a situation occurs in which the user's sleep information cannot be measured properly, and even if the sleep information is allowed to be corrected regardless of the information acquired by the sensor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a game program to be executed by a computer having a processor and a memory, which manages the execution of a game using sleep information related to a user's sleep, the game program causing the processor to execute a sleep information acquisition step of acquiring the user's sleep information acquired by a sensor, a sleep information modification step of generating modified sleep information without using a sensor based on the user's operation input when sleep information is not acquired in the sleep information acquisition step, and a game control step of determining a first effect of the game based on the sleep information when sleep information is acquired in the sleep information acquisition step, and determining a second effect different from the first effect based on the modified sleep information generated in the sleep information modification step when sleep information is not acquired in the sleep information acquisition step. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the game program, game system, game method, information processing device, and generation method of the present invention, it is possible to provide a game program, game system, game method, information processing device, and generation method that enable a user to be motivated to get adequate sleep, even in cases where a situation occurs in which the user's sleep information cannot be measured properly, and even if the sleep information is allowed to be corrected regardless of the information acquired by the sensor. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the game system according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a data configuration diagram of each storage section of the storage unit according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of processing in the game system according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a modified example of the processing in the game system according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a modified example of the processing in the game system according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a modified example of the processing in the game system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [Embodiment Mode] <Overview of Game System 1> Fig. 1 shows an overview of the game system according to this embodiment. Specifically, Fig. 1(a) shows an overview of the configuration of the game system 1 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 1(b) shows an example of the display flow of the terminal device 10 included in the game system 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1(b) shows the passage of time from left to right.

[0010] The game system 1 according to this embodiment is a system that executes a game using sleep information related to a user's sleep. As shown in FIG. 1(a), the game system 1 includes a user's terminal device 10, a sleep measurement unit 11 that measures the user's sleep state, and a server 20 that executes game processing. The terminal device 10 and the server 20 are connected to each other via a communication network 80 so as to be able to communicate with each other bidirectionally. In the game system 1, the server 20 accepts the user's sleep information and progresses the game. The game system 1 may be a server-client type game system. The sleep measurement unit 11 may be a device separate and independent from the terminal device 10, or may be built into the terminal device 10.

[0011] 1(a) shows an example in which one terminal device 10 is connected to the server 20 via a communication network 80, but multiple terminal devices 10 used by different users may each be connected to the server 20 via the communication network 80. In the following explanation, for the sake of simplicity, an example in which one terminal device 10 is connected to the server 20 via the communication network 80 will be explained.

[0012] The game system 1 acquires the sleep information (e.g., sleep time) of the user measured by the sleep measurement unit 11, determines the effect of the game based on the acquired sleep information, and generates game effect information according to the progress of the game. For example, the game system 1 accumulates the acquired sleep information, and stores a reward (e.g., experience points, in-game virtual currency, a predetermined character or item, etc.) determined based on the acquired sleep information as game effect information in association with the user information, thereby allowing the reward to be given to the user. The game system 1 can also accumulate the acquired sleep information, and generate a predetermined game event determined based on the sleep information as game effect information. Furthermore, the game system 1 accumulates the acquired sleep information, and generates game parameters based on the acquired sleep information as game effect information, and stores the game parameters in association with the user information. The user can progress through the game using the game parameters. The game system 1 can also accumulate the acquired sleep information, and output a history of the user's sleep state.

[0013] Specifically, when the user goes to sleep, the game system 1 detects the user's start to sleep via the terminal device 10 and starts acquiring the user's sleep information. The game system 1 may accept an instruction from the user to start sleeping via the terminal device 10 and start acquiring the user's sleep information. Next, when the game system 1 detects the user's wakeup via the terminal device 10, it stops acquiring the user's sleep information and determines the effect of the game based on the acquired sleep information. Then, the game system 1 outputs the game result to the terminal device 10.

[0014] For example, when the game system 1 detects that the user has woken up, it displays the acquired sleep information on the display unit 300 of the terminal device 10. As an example, as shown in Fig. 1(b), the game system 1 displays the amount of sleep the user has had in a predetermined display area 310 of the display unit 300 together with predetermined information such as the current time, date information, and the number of consecutive days for which sleep information has been acquired (in the example of Fig. 1(b), "Today's sleep time" is displayed as "3 hours and 3 minutes").

[0015] Here, the game system 1 can accept a user's operation input to accept a correction of the sleep information. For example, when the user determines that the sleep time displayed in the display area 310 is not a correct sleep time, the game system 1 accepts the user's operation input and enables the correction of the sleep time, which is a part of the sleep information. Then, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the game system 1 accepts a predetermined operation input from the user and displays a form for accepting a correction input of the sleep time in a predetermined display area 310a of the display unit 300. The game system 1 accepts the user's operation input (i.e., the user's manual input) to the form and corrects the sleep time. In the example of FIG. 1(b), as shown in the display area 310b of the display unit 300, the sleep time is corrected to "8 hours 0 minutes". The game system 1 determines the effect of the game based on the corrected sleep time. Then, the game system 1 outputs the game result according to the determined effect of the game to the terminal device 10.

[0016] In this way, in the game system 1, by accepting an operation input from the user, the game can be progressed using sleep information based on the user's self-report, not based on information acquired by a predetermined sensor or the like. That is, it is assumed that a predetermined situation occurs, such as when the user forgets to start the game system 1 when going to bed, when the user forgets to stop sleep measurement when waking up, and / or when the game system 1 abnormally terminates. When this predetermined situation occurs and the game system 1 is unable to properly acquire the user's sleep information, the game system 1 accepts input of sleep information (specifically, information specifying the user's sleep time) by the user's operation, and progresses the game. That is, when a predetermined situation occurs, the game system 1 can progress the game based on sleep information that the user voluntarily inputs to the game system 1 of his / her own will, not based on information acquired from a sensor or the like. In the description of this embodiment, "input of sleep time by user's operation input" means "manual input" unless otherwise specified.

[0017] Here, if the game system 1 cannot recognize the timing of the user's sleep start and cannot obtain the sleep time because the user did not give the game system 1 an instruction to start sleeping when the user started to sleep or the sensor could not recognize the user's sleep start, the game system 1 accepts the input of the sleep time by the user's operation input and uses the sleep time input by the user for the progress of the game. Furthermore, even if the user gave the game system 1 an instruction to start sleeping when the user started to sleep, but the execution of the game system 1 was forcibly terminated during detection of the sleep state or the game system 1 was abnormally terminated (crashed), the game system 1 accepts the input of the sleep time by the user's operation input and uses the sleep time input by the user for the progress of the game if a predetermined condition is satisfied. The "predetermined condition" is, for example, a case where the measurement result of the sensor (motion sensor, etc.) of the game system 1 detects a predetermined sleep state of the user (for example, the time when deep sleep first appears, etc.) by the end of the measurement, and / or a case where the sleep time input by the user is equal to or less than the time from the time when the instruction to start sleeping by the user was received to the time when the user inputs the sleep time.

[0018] The game system 1 may display on the display unit 300 both the game effect determined based on the sleep information measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 and the game effect determined based on the sleep information corrected by accepting the user's operation input, so as to be comparable. The game system 1 may accept the user's operation input and determine the game effect based on either the sleep information measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 or the corrected sleep information. Furthermore, when the user inputs a sleep time when there is no instruction from the user to the game system 1 to start sleeping, the game system 1 generates a game effect different from the game effect determined based on the sleep information when the sleep measurement unit 11 measures a sleep time of the same length as the input sleep time. Furthermore, the game system 1 generates the same type of game effect as the game effect determined based on the sleep information when the sleep measurement unit 11 measures a sleep time of the same length as the input sleep time, based on the sleep time input by the user that is accepted when the game system 1 is forced to terminate or crashes and a predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0019] In this way, the game system 1 acquires sleep information from the time the user goes to sleep until the user wakes up, and allows the user to modify part of the sleep information after the user wakes up. When the sleep information is modified, the game system 1 can use the modified sleep information to determine the effect of the game. When the user forgets to instruct the game system 1 to start sleeping, or when the user gives the instruction to the game system 1 but the game system 1 is forced to close or crashes, the game system 1 can use the sleep time input by the user as sleep information to determine the effect of the game (however, the effect of the game is equal to or less than the effect when the user does not input the sleep time). As a result, even if there is a problem in acquiring the sleep information by the sleep measurement unit 11 or the sleep information cannot be properly acquired due to some error, the game system 1 allows the user to modify the sleep information and can execute the game process using the modified sleep information. Therefore, according to the game system 1, since the sleep information related to the sleep taken by the user can be modified to appropriate content, the user can maintain his / her motivation to continue playing the game even if the sleep information cannot be acquired due to some problem.

[0020] The terminal device 10 may be connected to one or more sleep measurement units 11 by wire or wirelessly. Although one sleep measurement unit 11 is shown in Fig. 1(a), multiple sleep measurement units 11 may be connected to the terminal device 10. Furthermore, one or more sleep measurement units 11 may be built into the terminal device 10.

[0021] The terminal device 10 is a device that can be operated by a user. The terminal device 10 may be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, or a tablet compatible with a mobile communication system. In addition, the terminal device 10 may be, for example, a stationary personal computer (PC), a laptop PC, a notebook PC, a portable game machine, and / or a home game machine or a dedicated game machine. The communication network 80 is a communication network such as a mobile phone network and / or the Internet. The communication network 80 may also include a communication network such as a wired LAN and a wireless LAN. The game system 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below, but the names and numerical values ​​in the above and following descriptions are merely examples, and it is noted that the present invention is not limited to these proper names and numerical values, and that these proper names and numerical values ​​do not necessarily relate to real proper names and numerical values.

[0022] <Details of Game System 1> Fig. 2 shows an example of the functional configuration of the game system according to this embodiment, and Fig. 3 shows an example of the data configuration of each storage section of a storage unit included in the game system according to this embodiment.

[0023] [Game System 1 Configuration Overview] The game system 1 according to this embodiment is a system for executing a game using sleep information related to the user's sleep. The game system 1 includes an output unit 100 for outputting various information, an input unit 102 for receiving input from the user, a sleep measurement unit 11 for measuring the user's sleep state, an input acquisition unit 200 for acquiring information related to the input received from the user, an output control unit 202 for controlling the output of information to the output unit 100, a sleep information acquisition unit 204 for acquiring the user's sleep information, a sleep information change unit 206 for changing / generating the sleep information, a sleep information determination unit 208 for determining the sleep information, a game control unit 210 for controlling various processes of the game progress including the determination of the game effect (i.e., the determination of the information on the game effect), and a storage unit 216 as a storage unit for storing various information. The storage unit 216 includes a user information storage unit 218 for storing information related to the user, and a game information storage unit 220 for storing information related to the game.

[0024] In the game system 1, for example, a game is executed on a terminal device 10 used by a user. In this case, the terminal device 10 is configured to have at least an output unit 100 and an input unit 102.

[0025] The game system 1 may have the above-mentioned multiple components in the same device or location, and some of the above-mentioned multiple components may be installed in physically separate locations. In this case, each component may be connected by a communication network such as the Internet. For example, the game system 1 may have an external server perform some of the functions of the components. The game system 1 may also be configured as one or more servers. In this case, the game system 1 is configured by combining a terminal device, components of one server, and components of another server. In this embodiment, each device (terminal device, server, etc.) can also be understood as an information processing device. That is, a collection of each device (a collection of predetermined components) can be understood as one "information processing device," and the game system 1 may be formed as a collection of multiple information processing devices. The method of allocating multiple functions required to realize the game system 1 according to this embodiment to one or multiple hardware devices can be appropriately determined in consideration of the processing capacity of each hardware device and / or the specifications required for the game system 1. In addition, the various information stored in the storage unit 216 may be updated based on user instructions or information received via the input unit 102, or may be updated at any time by obtaining specified information from a specified server located outside the game system 1.

[0026] [Gaming System 1 Configuration Details] In the following description, a case will be described in which a user mainly uses a terminal device 10 (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a PC, etc.) to execute a game provided by the game system 1. The server 20 manages user information in the game system 1 and executes game processing. Examples of user information include game characters, game items, and amounts of virtual currency held by the user (including virtual currency given to the user free of charge and virtual currency given to the user for a fee), and user sleep information measured by the sleep measurement unit 11.

[0027] (Game control unit 210) The game control unit 210 communicates between the terminal device 10 and the server 20, and progresses the user's game play based on the user's sleep information received from the terminal device 10. For example, the game control unit 210 determines game objects such as characters and items to be featured in the user's game play by drawing lots in order to progress the game play. The determined characters, items, etc. may appear in the game play, not as the user's possessions. This allows the user to have the experience of discovering a new game character based on the sleep information. In addition, the game control unit 210 may draw lots for game objects such as characters and items, and grant them to the user. For example, the game control unit 210 receives information on the sleep time and the sleep quality as the user's sleep information from the user's terminal device 10, and draws lots for items and grants them to the user based on the user's sleep information. Here, the game control unit 210 may change the lottery table used in the lottery and the number of lotteries according to the user's sleep information. This means that if the sleep information differs, the lottery algorithm will also differ, and the game progress will change when the user wakes up, providing the user with a variety of fun when they wake up.

[0028] Furthermore, the game control unit 210 executes various kinds of game processing in response to user operation input received via the input unit 102. For example, the game control unit 210 executes game processing such as processing for giving a predetermined item to a character, processing for a character's action in the in-game virtual space when the character is designated by the user, processing for the user to acquire items with or without payment or to acquire virtual currency, and processing for consuming items owned by the user.

[0029] (Output unit 100, output control unit 202) The output unit 100 is controlled by the output control unit 202 and outputs various information related to the execution of the game (for example, text information, image information of still images and moving images, audio information, etc.). The output unit 100 outputs various processing results and information stored in the storage unit 216 in a manner that allows the user to perceive them. Specifically, the output control unit 202 causes the output unit 100 to output various processing results in each component and information stored in the storage unit 216 as data in a predetermined format, still images, moving images, and / or text, etc. The output unit 100 may output information received from an external server. The output unit 100 may be configured to include a display unit that displays various information, an audio output unit such as a speaker that outputs audio, etc. The display unit may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0030] Furthermore, the output control unit 202 controls the output of predetermined information to the output unit 100. For example, the output control unit 202 causes the output unit 100 to output various types of information on the game, such as the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204, the sleep information changed in response to a user's operational input (hereinafter referred to as "changed sleep information"), and / or the game effect determined by the game control unit 210.

[0031] (Input unit 102, input surface 104, input control unit 106) The input unit 102 accepts inputs such as predetermined instructions and operations from a user. The input unit 102 supplies the instructions to predetermined components of the game system 1. Each component that accepts the instructions performs a predetermined function. The input unit 102 is an input device (for example, a touch panel, a touch pad, a pointing device such as a mouse, a keyboard, a motion sensor, etc.) for accepting operation inputs from a user. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the input unit 102 is a touch panel provided in the terminal device 10. Note that the touch panel may be capable of detecting multi-touch. Specifically, the touch panel as the input unit 102 has an input surface 104 to which operations and the like from a user are input, and an input control unit 106 that acquires information regarding the operations input to the input surface 104. The touch panel is arranged overlaid on the display unit that is the output unit 100, and the surface of the touch panel corresponds to the input surface 104.

[0032] For example, an area for accepting a predetermined instruction is displayed on the display unit, and the input surface 104 detects the predetermined instruction at a position designated by a user's operation (e.g., a touch operation, a tap operation, a slide operation, etc.) on that area of ​​the input surface 104. The input surface 104 supplies the detected information, i.e., information indicating the predetermined instruction at the detected position, to the input control unit 106. As an example, the display unit displays an area for accepting an instruction for the user to start sleeping, an area for accepting an instruction for the user to wake up, etc. The input control unit 106 obtains the information indicating the predetermined instruction from the input surface 104, and supplies the information to a predetermined component of the game system 1.

[0033] (Sleep measurement section 11) The sleep measurement unit 11 acquires information related to the sleep of the user of the terminal device 10. The sleep measurement unit 11 supplies the acquired information to the sleep information acquisition unit 204. When the terminal device 10 and the sleep measurement unit 11 are separate and independent devices, the terminal device 10 communicates with the sleep measurement unit 11 by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi, and receives the sensing result of the sleep measurement unit 11. The sleep measurement unit 11 may also be compatible with a communication standard of a mobile communication system such as 5G, and transmit the sensing result to the server 20 without using short-range wireless communication. In this case, the terminal device 10 may receive and store the sleep information acquired by the server 20 that has received the sensing result from the sleep measurement unit 11 from the server 20.

[0034] The sleep measurement unit 11 is realized by, for example, a sensor such as a motion sensor built into the terminal device 10. That is, the terminal device 10 and the sleep measurement unit 11 may be in the same device. In this case, the terminal device 10 also functions as the sleep measurement unit 11. The sleep measurement unit 11 may be, for example, a wearable device such as a wristwatch type, a ring type, or an eye mask type that is worn on the user's body, and may be configured to have a motion sensor such as a gyro sensor as a device independent of the terminal device 10. The sleep measurement unit 11 may also be a device placed on a mattress or pillow on which the user sleeps.

[0035] Here, the motion sensor may include an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, etc., and senses the movement of the terminal device 10 and outputs the sensing result. For example, by placing the terminal device 10 on the mattress of a bed on which the user sleeps, the motion sensor can detect the movement of the sleeping user when the sleeping user moves on the mattress. By using the sensing result of the motion sensor, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 described later can determine whether the user is asleep or awake, and whether the sleeping user is in light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep, or non-REM sleep, and acquire the sleep information.

[0036] In addition, the user may use two or more sleep measurement units 11 at the same time. For example, the user may wear two wristwatch-type sleep measurement units 11, or the user may wear a wristwatch-type sleep measurement unit 11 and use a smartphone as the sleep measurement unit 11. This allows the user's body movements during sleep to be detected by a gyro sensor or the like. By accumulating the sensing results sensed by various sensors while the user is sleeping, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 can determine whether the user is sleeping, in a light sleep state, in a deep sleep state, in REM sleep, in non-REM sleep, and the like, and acquire the results as sleep information. In this way, the quality of the user's sleep can be evaluated by, for example, distinguishing the waveforms of REM sleep and non-REM sleep. For example, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 has a preset cycle of REM sleep and non-REM sleep for good quality sleep, and can evaluate the quality of the user's sleep by comparing the waveforms of REM sleep and non-REM sleep during the user's sleep, and acquire the results as sleep information.

[0037] The sleep information acquiring unit 204 can also detect that the user has gone to bed (for example, lay down on the bed) and fallen asleep after going to bed, based on the output of a motion sensor of the sleep measuring unit 11 or the like. The sleep information acquiring unit 204 can also determine whether the user has performed an input operation on the terminal device 10 or whether the user has perceived information output to the output unit 100 of the terminal device 10 after going to bed and before falling asleep. That is, the sleep information acquiring unit 204 can determine whether a user who is about to go to sleep has operated the terminal device 10 before going to sleep.

[0038] Furthermore, the sleep measuring units 11 that are expected to be used in advance by the game system 1 may be managed in a whitelist format. When the sleep information acquiring unit 204 described below acquires sleep information from a sleep measuring unit 11 that is not managed by the game system 1, the server 20 may regard the sleep measuring unit 11 as an unidentifiable sleep measuring unit and not accept the sleep information, and may execute subsequent processing using parameters for the unidentifiable sleep measuring unit 11, etc.

[0039] In addition, the difference in the type of the sleep measurement unit 11 does not necessarily have to be a difference in the device. That is, even if the sleep measurement unit 11 has the same device configuration, it may be managed as a different sleep measurement unit 11 in the game system 1 depending on the type of software or application used before supplying the sleep information to the server 20. For example, even if the sleep information is detected using the same sleep measurement unit 11, it can be managed as a different "sleep measurement unit ID" when a sleep measurement application A is used to process the sleep information and when a sleep measurement application B different from the sleep measurement application A is used to process the sleep information. In this way, by managing as a different "sleep measurement unit ID" depending on the combination of the type of device as the device configuration and the application used, more flexible generation of sleep information is possible, and as a result, the interest of the game according to the sleep state can be fully demonstrated.

[0040] (Input Acquisition Unit 200) The input acquisition unit 200 acquires a user's operation input. That is, the input acquisition unit 200 acquires information indicating the user's operation input inputted to the input surface 104 via the input control unit 106. The input acquisition unit 200 supplies the information indicating the acquired operation input to other predetermined components.

[0041] (Sleep information acquisition unit 204) The sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires the user's sleep information and / or error information (information indicating the occurrence of an unexpected malfunction or a malfunction of the sleep measurement unit 11) acquired by the sensor. Specifically, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires information related to the user's sleep acquired by the sleep measurement unit 11, that is, sleep information, from the sleep measurement unit 11. The sleep information is, for example, information such as the user's awake / sleep state, date information, time of going to bed, time of falling asleep, time of going to bed, time of waking up, duration of sleep, and / or quality of sleep. For example, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires sleep information from the start of the user's sleep (or going to bed or starting to sleep) to waking up.

[0042] Furthermore, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 judges whether the user has started to sleep and whether the user has woken up based on the sleep information. That is, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 judges the time when the user started to sleep and the time when the user started to wake up based on the sleep information acquired by the sleep measurement unit 11. The sleep information acquisition unit 204 supplies the acquired sleep information to the sleep information change unit 206 and the game control unit 210.

[0043] Furthermore, when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires an operation input of the user starting to sleep via the input unit 102, the sleep measurement unit 11 can start acquiring information related to the user's sleep. In this case, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines that the user has started to sleep in response to this operation input or based on the sleep information acquired by the sleep measurement unit 11 (for example, information such as the sensing result of the motion sensor). That is, the sleep measurement unit 11 starts acquiring sleep information when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires an instruction from the user to start to sleep. Then, when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires an operation input of the user to wake up via the input unit 102, the sleep measurement unit 11 stops acquiring the sleep information of the user. In this case, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines that the user has woken up in response to this operation input or based on the sleep information acquired by the sleep measurement unit 11. The sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires sleep information from the start of sleep to the wakeup of the user measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 in response to the judgment of the user's sleep start and the judgment of the wakeup of the user.

[0044] Furthermore, the sleep measurement unit 11 may constantly acquire information related to the user's sleep. In this case, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines that the user has started sleeping when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires an operation input from the user to start sleeping via the input unit 102, or based on the sleep information acquired by the sleep measurement unit 11. Then, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines that the user has woken up when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires an operation input from the user to wake up via the input unit 102, or based on the sleep information acquired by the sleep measurement unit 11. The sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires the sleep information of the user measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 from the time when it is determined that the user has started sleeping to the time when it is determined that the user has woken up.

[0045] (Sleep information change unit 206) The sleep information changing unit 206 generates sleep information (changed sleep information) that is different from the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204. Specifically, the sleep information changing unit 206 generates the changed sleep information without using the measurement results of the sensors constituting the sleep measurement unit 11, that is, without relying on the sensors. In other words, the sleep information changing unit 206 generates the changed sleep information based on information manually input by the user, without using sleep information based on the user's actual sleep.

[0046] The sleep information changing unit 206 may generate changed sleep information by changing at least a part of the sleep information. That is, the sleep information changing unit 206 may generate changed sleep information by changing at least a part of the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquiring unit 204. The sleep information changing unit 206 acquires sleep information with content different from the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquiring unit 204 through a user's operation input, and generates changed sleep information by changing at least a part of the sleep information using the acquired information.

[0047] Furthermore, when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 has not acquired sleep information (for example, when the input acquisition unit 200 has not acquired an instruction from the user to start sleeping and therefore the sleep information acquisition unit 204 has not acquired sleep information), the sleep information change unit 206 accepts an operation input from the user (for example, input of sleep information by the user) and generates modified sleep information. Note that the sleep information change unit 206 may accept an operation input from the user when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 has stopped acquiring sleep information and has accepted the operation input a predetermined time after the acquisition of sleep information has been stopped (for example, after 16 hours has passed) without restarting the acquisition of sleep information. That is, the sleep information change unit 206 can generate modified sleep information by changing at least a part of the sleep information not acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204. For example, when the user goes to bed and wakes up while forgetting to start the operation of the sleep measurement unit 11, the sleep time is not acquired. In this case, the sleep information change unit 206 acquires information on the sleep time by the operation input from the user and generates modified sleep information including the acquired information on the sleep time. In other words, when the sleep information change unit 206 acquires sleep time information through user operation input, such as when the user goes to bed and wakes up without starting the operation of the sleep measurement unit 11, the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information for the day on which the user forgot to measure the sleep time based on the acquired sleep time information. Here, if the user does not operate to input sleep time information, the sleep information change unit 206 proceeds with the game assuming that there is no sleep time information for the day without the input.

[0048] Furthermore, the game system 1 may progress the game based on sleep information on a future date even if the sleep information change unit 206 does not acquire sleep information (e.g., information on sleep hours) by the user's operation input, such as when the user goes to bed and wakes up without starting the operation of the sleep measurement unit 11. For example, assume that there is a day (hereinafter referred to as the "first day") when the user goes to bed and wakes up without starting the operation of the sleep measurement unit 11, and the sleep information change unit 206 does not acquire sleep information by the user's operation input. On the "first day", there is no sleep information of the user. Then, assume that on the next "second day", the sleep information change unit 206 acquires sleep information by the user's operation input. In this case, the sleep information change unit 206 may determine the game effect using information for progressing the game obtained based on the sleep information on the "second day" and predetermined parameters on the "second day" (e.g., parameters associated with the user and parameters of a character associated with the user). This allows the game to progress from that day onwards, even if the user forgets to instruct the sleep measurement unit 11 to start acquiring sleep information. Furthermore, if changed sleep information for the "first day" is obtained after determining the game effect for the "second day", the game effect may be determined using the changed sleep information for the "first day" and game progress information obtained based on predetermined parameters for the "first day". The sleep information change unit 206 supplies the changed sleep information to the game control unit 210. The game control unit 210 determines the game effect based on the changed sleep information and generates game effect information related to the effect.

[0049] Furthermore, it is assumed that the sleep information acquisition unit 204 starts acquiring sleep information when it determines that the user has started sleeping based on the measurement result of the sleep measurement unit 11, or when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires an instruction from the user to start sleeping, and the sleep information acquisition unit 204 starts acquiring sleep information. In this case, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 starts acquiring sleep information. After that, if the game system 1 is forcibly terminated or abnormally terminated, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 stops acquiring sleep information. In other words, after starting to acquire sleep information, the sleep information acquisition unit 206 suspends acquisition of sleep information because it cannot properly terminate acquisition of sleep information due to a forced termination or the like. In this case, the sleep information change unit 206 can accept an operation input from the user (for example, input of sleep information such as a sleeping time). Then, if a predetermined condition is satisfied during the time from the start of acquisition of sleep information by the sleep information acquisition unit 204 to the time of the user's operation input, the sleep information change unit 206 accepts the operation input and generates changed sleep information.

[0050] Here, the "predetermined condition" is, for example, the following condition a) and / or b). a) There is a period of time during which the measurement results of the sleep measurement unit 11 determine that the user has entered a sleep state (for example, when it is determined that deep sleep occurred before a forced termination or abnormal termination, etc.). b) If the sleep information and the changed sleep information are sleep hours, the time from when the user starts sleeping to when the user inputs an operation is equal to or longer than the time indicated by the changed sleep information (i.e., the time input and set by the user).

[0051] Specifically, when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines that the user has woken up, the output control unit 202 causes the output unit 100 to output the sleep information or error information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204. Thereafter, when the user determines that the sleep information needs to be changed, the input acquisition unit 200 accepts an input instruction (e.g., an instruction to correct or register) for at least a part of the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204, which is different from the acquired sleep information. The game control unit 210 can calculate the average value of the user's sleep time by referring to the user's past sleep information included in the user's sleep information stored in the user information storage unit 218. Then, the game control unit 210 compares the calculated average value (average sleep time) with the sleep time included in the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204. When the comparison result shows that the sleep time included in the sleep information is longer or shorter than the average sleep time by a predetermined time or more, the game control unit 210 may instruct the output control unit 202 to output information to prompt the user to correct the sleep time to the output unit 100, regardless of the presence or absence of an instruction from the user.

[0052] For example, the game control unit 210 instructs the output control unit 202 to output a form in which sleep information can be input to the output unit 100. Then, the input acquisition unit 200 acquires information about the user's operation input to the form via the input unit 102. As an example, the input acquisition unit 200 acquires sleep information from the user via the input unit 102, the sleep information being different from the sleep information output by the output unit 100 for at least a part of the sleep information (e.g., sleeping hours). Then, the input acquisition unit 200 supplies the acquired information to the sleep information change unit 206. The sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information based on the information acquired by the input acquisition unit 200. For example, the sleep information change unit 206 changes the sleeping hours acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204 by replacing them with the sleeping hours according to the user's input instruction acquired by the input acquisition unit 200, and generates changed sleep information.

[0053] Here, the sleep information changing unit 206 can generate changed sleep information by changing information that the user can be aware of among the sleep information. Examples of the sleep information that the user can be aware of include the time related to sleep and the quality of sleep. As an example, the sleep information changing unit 206 can generate changed sleep information by changing the time related to sleep as the sleep information. The time related to sleep may be the sleeping time, the time when the user goes to bed, the time when he / she goes to bed, the time when he / she falls asleep, and / or the time when he / she wakes up.

[0054] Furthermore, the sleep information changing unit 206 may generate changed sleep information in which information on sleep quality is changed as the sleep information. That is, when information on sleep quality is output to the output unit 100 as the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquiring unit 204, the sleep quality indicated by the information may differ from the sleep quality recognized by the user. In this case, the game control unit 210 instructs the output control unit 202 to output a form in which information on sleep quality can be input to the output unit 100. Then, the input acquiring unit 200 acquires information on the user's operation input to the form via the input unit 102. The input acquiring unit 200 supplies information on the acquired operation input to the sleep information changing unit 206. The sleep information changing unit 206 generates changed sleep information including the sleep quality indicated by the information.

[0055] When the input acquiring unit 200 receives an input instruction to change the user's sleeping time as sleep information, it is preferable that the sleep information changing unit 206 receives a change to the sleeping time by the input instruction to a predetermined upper limit of the sleep time that can be changed and generates the changed sleep information. This can prevent the sleep time as sleep information from being extended indefinitely. The sleep information changing unit 206 may set an upper limit on the number of times changed sleep information is generated. For example, the sleep information changing unit 206 may set an upper limit on the number of times changed sleep information can be generated within a predetermined period (one week, as an example).

[0056] (Determining the game's effects) The game control unit 210 determines the game effect based on the sleep information or the changed sleep information, and generates game effect information. For example, the game control unit 210 determines the reward content to be given to the user, and generates game effect information related to the reward content (unless otherwise specified in this embodiment, when the game control unit 210 determines a predetermined effect, the game control unit 210 also generates predetermined game effect information related to the predetermined effect, but for the sake of simplicity, a description of the generation of game effect information may be omitted).

[0057] As an example, assume that the user's original sleep time is "8 hours," but the sleep time included in the sleep information is "3 hours," so the user operates to correct the sleep time to "8 hours," and modified sleep information with the sleep time being "8 hours" is generated. In this case, if the game effect is the same for the case where the sleep time included in the sleep information is "8 hours" and the case where the sleep time included in the modified sleep information is "8 hours," this is not desirable because it would remove the motivation to obtain correct sleep information.

[0058] Therefore, the game control unit 210 may, for example, determine the effect of the game for each of the following three cases. <Case 1: When sleep measurement is performed normally (without measurement errors or omissions)> When the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires sleep information normally, the game control unit 210 determines a first effect and a second effect of the game based on the acquired sleep information. Specifically, as the first effect of the game, the game control unit 210 determines a game object to be stored in association with the user information so that the user can own it based on the acquired sleep information. Similarly, as the second effect of the game, the game control unit 210 determines game parameters based on the acquired sleep information and executes an addition process to the game parameters up to the previous day. That is, in case 1, the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204 is used as it is to determine the effect of the game.

[0059] <Case 2: When the user forgets to measure sleep> Case 2 is a case where the sleep information acquisition unit 204 has not started acquiring sleep information because the input acquisition unit 200 has not acquired an instruction from the user to start sleeping (i.e., the user has forgotten to measure sleep). In this case, the game control unit 210 determines only the first effect of the game based on the changed sleep information generated by the sleep information change unit 206. Specifically, as the first effect of the game, a game object to be stored in association with the user information for the user to possess is determined based on the acquired sleep information. That is, in case 2, the changed sleep information is used to determine a minimum effect of the game (at least an effect that is less advantageous to the user than case 1).

[0060] <Case 3: When the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires information indicating that the sleep measurement has started and the user has entered deep sleep, but the game system 1 is forcibly terminated or abnormally terminated due to a crash of the game system 1, etc.> In this case, the game control unit 210 determines only the first effect of the game based on the changed sleep information generated by the sleep information change unit 206, similar to case 2. However, in case 3, the game control unit 210 sets the first effect in case 3 to an effect that is less advantageous to the user than the first effect in case 1, and sets the first effect in case 3 to an effect that is more advantageous to the user than the first effect in case 2.

[0061] It should be noted that, when the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information based on a predetermined condition, the game control unit 210 may determine an effect different from the first effect and the second effect.

[0062] An example of how the game control unit 210 determines the effect of the game will be described below.

[0063] (Example 1 of determining game effects) When the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires sleep information, the game control unit 210 may provisionally determine an effect of the game (first effect) based on the sleep information, and when the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information, the game control unit 210 may provisionally determine an effect of the game (second effect) based on the changed sleep information. Then, the game control unit 210 may instruct the output control unit 202 to output the first effect and the second effect to the output unit 100 so as to be comparable. When the input acquisition unit 200 acquires a user's selection instruction to select either the first effect or the second effect via the input unit 102, the game control unit 210 may officially determine the effect selected by the user as the effect of the game, and proceed with the game.

[0064] (Game Effect Determination Example 2) When the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires the sleep information and the sleep information change unit 206 generates the changed sleep information, the game control unit 210 may instruct the output control unit 202 to output the sleep information and the changed sleep information to the output unit 100. Then, when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires a user's selection instruction to select either the sleep information or the changed sleep information via the input unit 102, the game control unit 210 may determine the effect of the game using the information selected by the user.

[0065] (Game Effect Determination Example 3) The sleep information change unit 206 may generate modified sleep information when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The predetermined condition may be, for example, detection of a pre-determined error or an unexpected error, receipt of an instruction from the user to consume a predetermined item, etc. In this way, even if data that would not be possible on the game system 1 is detected due to a predetermined cause, or an obvious error occurs and the sleep information acquisition unit 204 is unable to acquire appropriate sleep information, the game control unit 210 can use the modified sleep information as appropriate sleep information and determine the effect of the game.

[0066] In addition, when the sleep information changing unit 206 enables the generation of changed sleep information upon receiving a request from the user to consume a predetermined item, the predetermined item is an item (including in-game virtual currency) owned by the user. This limits the number of times that changed sleep information can be generated. For example, the sleep information changing unit 206 may enable the generation of changed sleep information in exchange for consumption of a predetermined amount of the user's owned items and / or in-game virtual currency, etc., stored in the user information storage unit 218. As an example, the sleep information changing unit 206 instructs the output control unit 202 to output a button or the like that accepts an operation input from the user regarding whether or not the user wishes to generate changed sleep information in exchange for consumption of the predetermined item or the like, to the output unit 100. Then, when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires an operation input to the button via the input unit 102, the sleep information changing unit 206 enables the generation of changed sleep information.

[0067] (Game Effect Determination Example 4) The game control unit 210 can determine the effect based on the changed sleep information as an effect with content different from the effect based on the sleep information (i.e., the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204). For example, the game control unit 210 can determine a reward for the user as the effect to be determined. In this case, the game control unit 210 may reduce the reward determined based on the changed sleep information compared to the reward determined based on the sleep information. Alternatively, the game control unit 210 can set the effect determined based on the changed sleep information to a constant effect regardless of the content of the changed sleep information (for example, a reward determined according to the length of sleep time as sleep information may be set to a constant reward regardless of the length of sleep time).

[0068] (Game Effect Determination Example 5) The game control unit 210 can store the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204 in the user information storage unit 218 in association with the date on which the sleep information was acquired. The game control unit 210 may refer to the information stored in the user information storage unit 218, and when the sleep information is acquired continuously, may provide the user with a predetermined reward according to information indicating the continuity (typically, the number of consecutive days). The sleep information modification unit 206 may enable the generation of modified sleep information on the condition that the provision of the predetermined reward granted according to the number of consecutive days on which the sleep information is acquired is stopped or reset, or the reward is reduced.

[0069] (Game Effect Determination Example 6) When the sleep information or the changed sleep information includes information on the quality of sleep, the game control unit 210 may determine different game effects according to the quality of sleep. For example, the game control unit 210 may give different rewards (e.g., characters, items, in-game virtual currency, etc.) to the user when the information on the quality of sleep includes information indicating that the user has had a deep sleep compared to a predetermined standard and when the information includes information indicating that the user has had a light sleep compared to a predetermined standard. In this way, the game system 1 can give different rewards to the user depending on whether the user has had a deep sleep or a light sleep, thereby enriching the variety of game developments.

[0070] (Game Effect Determination Example 7) When the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information including at least a part of the sleep information not acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204, the effect of the game determined based on the sleep information when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 has acquired the sleep information may be made different from the effect of the game determined based on the changed sleep information. For example, when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 has not acquired the sleeping time, the sleep information change unit 206 acquires information on the sleeping time (for example, x hours) through a user's operation input and generates changed sleep information including the acquired information on the sleeping time. In this case, the game control unit 210 can make the effect of the game (third effect) determined based on the sleep information acquired when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 measures the user's sleep for "x hours" different from the effect of the game (fourth effect) determined based on the changed sleep information including the information on "x hours" acquired through a user's operation input. For example, the reward to be granted to the user determined based on the fourth effect can be increased or decreased relative to the reward to be granted to the user determined based on the third effect (typically, the reward determined based on the fourth effect can be reduced).

[0071] (Game Effect Determination Example 8) When the sleep information acquisition unit 204 fails to acquire sleep information (for example, when the user does not provide the game system 1 with an instruction to start sleeping), and the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information based on an operation input from the user, the game control unit 210 generates an effect (second effect) different from the first effect when the sleep information is acquired. The first effect may be, for example, an effect of giving a predetermined character to the user, and the second effect is an effect different from the first effect. For example, the second effect may be an effect of changing a predetermined parameter of a predetermined character. As an example, a "health" parameter indicating the character's vitality is associated with a character, and the "health" parameter is a parameter that gradually decreases with the passage of time, etc. The second effect may be an effect of recovering a part or all of this "health" parameter.

[0072] (Game Effect Determination Example 9) If the sleep information acquisition unit 204 starts acquiring sleep information (for example, when the user supplies an instruction to start sleeping to the game system 1, etc.), but the game system 1 is forcibly terminated or abnormally terminated, and the above-mentioned predetermined condition is satisfied, the game control unit 210 determines an effect different from the first effect and the second effect (for example, the effect in the above-mentioned "Example 8 of Determining the Game Effect"). The effect may be the same as the first effect and / or the second effect, or an effect with content less than the first effect and / or the second effect.

[0073] (Sleep information confirmation section 208) After the effect of the game is officially determined, the sleep information determination unit 208 determines the content of the sleep information or the changed sleep information. That is, after the effect of the game is officially determined by the game control unit 210 (i.e., after the effect of the game is confirmed), the sleep information determination unit 208 receives information from the game control unit 210 that the effect of the game has been officially determined. Then, the sleep information determination unit 208 instructs the sleep information change unit 206 to prohibit further modification and / or registration of part or all of the sleep information or the changed sleep information used in determining the effect of the game. The sleep information determination unit 208 continues this prohibition process until the sleep information acquisition unit 204 next determines that the user has started sleeping.

[0074] The sleep information determination unit 208 may stop the prohibition process when a predetermined release condition is met after the effect of the game is officially determined. The predetermined release condition may be, for example, a condition that places a greater burden on the user than a predetermined condition for enabling the sleep information change unit 206 to generate changed sleep information. For example, if the condition for enabling the generation of changed sleep information requires consumption of a predetermined amount (first amount) of a predetermined item, the sleep information determination unit 208 stops the prohibition process when the user instructs consumption of an amount (second amount) of an item that is greater than the first amount.

[0075] (Storage Unit 216) The storage unit 216 stores various information related to the game system 1. Each storage section included in the storage unit 216 supplies predetermined information to other components of the game system 1 in response to a request from the other components.

[0076] (Storage unit 216: User information storage section 218) The user information storage unit 218 stores user information, game history information, information on owned items, information on owned characters, and / or sleep information, etc., in association with a user ID for identifying a user. Examples of the user information include a user name, which is a name set by the user, a login ID, a password, and / or information on in-game virtual currency held by the user. The user information may include information on the time of an alarm set by the user. Examples of the game history information include information on an operation input performed by the user in the game (typically, an operation input in a non-acquired mode). Examples of the information on owned items include information on game items held by the user. The game items are, for example, items that the game control unit 210 has awarded to the user by drawing lots based on the user's sleep information. The information on owned items includes information on the type and number of each game item. Examples of the information on owned characters include information on characters acquired by the user in the game. Examples of the sleep information include sleep information on the user's sleep measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 (including the number of consecutive measurement days on which the sleep information was acquired). The sleep information may be associated with the date and time when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquired the sleep information. For example, the user information storage section 218 can store the user's sleeping hours as sleep history in association with the date and time as sleep information.

[0077] (Storage unit 216: Game information storage section 220) The game information storage unit 220 stores game information in association with a game information ID. Examples of game information include information on characters appearing in a game, information on items, information on item lotteries, information on in-game virtual currency, and / or predetermined sound or music information. For example, when the game information storage unit 220 stores information on characters as game information, it stores the character information as game information in association with a character ID as a game information ID. Similarly, various other pieces of information are stored in association with the IDs of the various pieces of information.

[0078] [Processing flow of game system 1] FIG. 4 shows an example of the flow of processing in the game system according to this embodiment.

[0079] First, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 judges whether or not the user has started to sleep based on the measurement by the sleep measurement unit 11 or the instruction of the user to start sleeping received via the input unit 102 (step 10. Hereinafter, step is represented as "S"). If the sleep information acquisition unit 204 judges that the user has not started to sleep (No in S10), the sleep information acquisition unit 204 waits to acquire the sleep information until the user starts to sleep. On the other hand, if the sleep information acquisition unit 204 judges that the user has started to sleep (Yes in S10), the sleep information acquisition unit 204 starts acquiring the sleep information of the user measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 (S12). Note that, if the sleep measurement unit 11 is not performing measurement, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 starts measurement by the sleep measurement unit 11, and if the sleep measurement unit 11 is constantly measuring, starts acquiring the sleep information measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 from the start of the user's sleep.

[0080] Then, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines whether the user has woken up based on the measurement by the sleep measurement unit 11 or the user's wake-up instruction received via the input unit 102 (S14). If the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines that the user has not woken up (No in S14), the sleep information acquisition unit 204 continues acquiring sleep information. On the other hand, if the sleep information acquisition unit 204 determines that the user has woken up (Yes in S14), the sleep information acquisition unit 204 stops acquiring the user's sleep information measured by the sleep measurement unit 11 (S16). The sleep information acquisition unit 204 supplies the acquired sleep information to the output control unit 202 and the game control unit 210.

[0081] The output control unit 202 causes the output unit 100 to output at least a part of the received sleep information (S18). For example, the output control unit 202 causes the output unit 100 to output the user's sleeping hours as sleep information. Then, the sleep information changing unit 206 instructs the output control unit 202 to output a predetermined operator for accepting a request / unnecessity of correcting or registering at least a part of the sleep information to the output unit 100. When the input acquisition unit 200 accepts an operation input for the operator (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "manual input") corresponding to a request for correcting or registering at least a part of the sleep information via the input unit 102 (Yes in S20), the sleep information changing unit 206 instructs the output control unit 202 to output a form for accepting the contents of the correction or registration to the output unit 100. Then, when the input acquisition unit 200 acquires the user's input contents for the form (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "manual input form") via the input unit 102, the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information based on the input contents (S22). Next, the game control unit 210 officially determines the effect of the game based on the changed sleep information (S24).

[0082] Here, the sleep information change unit 206 accepts only the latest sleep information as the user's input. For example, the sleep information change unit 206 accepts the sleep start time and / or wake-up time manually from the user and generates changed sleep information based on the accepted input. In this case, the sleep information change unit 206 uses the time when the manual input is accepted via the input unit 102 as a reference and accepts a date and time within a predetermined time from the reference as the sleep start time and / or wake-up time. In other words, the sleep information change unit 206 does not accept a date and time in the past that exceeds the predetermined time as the sleep start time and / or wake-up time. In addition, the sleep information change unit 206 does not accept the manual input when the manually input sleep start time and / or wake-up time overlaps with the user's past sleep start time and / or wake-up time. Thus, even when using information related to sleep (such as the date and time of sleep start and / or the date and time of wake-up) manually input by the user, the sleep information changing unit 206 can prevent overwriting of already acquired sleep information of the user with new information by disabling the specification of a date and time that overlaps with the date and time of already acquired sleep information of the user. Furthermore, in terms of game progression, only the user's sleep start time and wake-up time at the latest date and time can be manually input and accepted.

[0083] The predetermined time from the time when the manual input is accepted may be a length that allows the user to input the changed sleep information with ample time even if the timing when the user realizes that he or she forgot to start sleep measurement on a certain day is later than the timing when the user goes to bed the next day of the certain day. For example, the predetermined time may be within 30 hours.

[0084] The sleep information changing unit 206 may also restrict the date and time that the user can input in the manual input form output by the output unit 100. Specifically, the sleep information changing unit 206 permits the user to input a date and time up to a predetermined period back in the manual input form, and restricts the date and time that can be input so that the user cannot set a date and time that is older than the predetermined period. For example, the manual input form output by the output unit 100 allows the user to select only from the date at the time when the manual input is accepted (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "today"), one day before today, and two days before today (however, only when the time when the manual input is accepted is around 4:00 a.m., the option of two days before is displayed) as the sleep start date. In addition, the manual input form allows the user to select only a wake-up time that is more than 90 minutes and within 12 hours after the sleep start time after the selection of the sleep start time.

[0085] Then, if the manually input information is information that cannot be accepted, the sleep information changing unit 206 instructs the output control unit 202 to output error information to the output unit 100. Examples of the error information include the following error information. a) An example of error information when the sleep start time and / or wake-up time to be manually input overlaps with the user's past sleep start time and / or wake-up time. - "Your sleep data is not up to date." "This sleep data cannot be entered because it specifies a time period that precedes existing sleep data." "Please review your bedtime settings." - "There is overlap with previous sleep data." "This sleep data cannot be entered because it overlaps with previous sleep data that already exists." "Please review your bedtime and wake-up time settings." b) Examples of error information when the sleep start time to be manually input exceeds a specified time from the time the manual input is accepted, or when the time between the sleep start time to be manually input and the wake-up time is less than a specified time. - "This sleep data is more than 30 hours old." - "You can only enter sleep data from sleep sessions within the past 30 hours." "Please review your bedtime settings." "I need at least 90 minutes of sleep."

[0086] After the sleep information changing unit 206 generates the changed sleep information, the game control unit 210 officially determines the effects of the game based on the changed sleep information, for example, the following effects. The effect of adjusting certain parameters (such as the "energy" parameter) of a character owned by the user. For example, the effect of restoring the "energy" parameter that gradually decreases over time. This allows the character owned by the user to be more active in the game. The effect of outputting manually input sleep information to the output unit 100 in response to an input instruction from the user at any time (i.e., the effect of treating the sleep information obtained when the user actually sleeps as equivalent to the manually input sleep information). This allows the user to check what effect will occur in the game in relation to the manually input sleep information. Granting a user a specific item (for example, an item that increases a parameter related to the intimacy between the user and a character), which allows the user to use the granted item in the game. The effect of preventing loss of user's sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204. In other words, even if the sleep information cannot be measured properly, appropriate sleep information can be input, so that the user's sleep information is acquired every day and the continuity of the game, which generates a predetermined game effect, can be ensured.

[0087] On the other hand, when the input acquisition unit 200 receives an operation input for the relevant operator that corresponds to the fact that at least a part of the sleep information does not need to be corrected or registered via the input unit 102 (No in S20), the game control unit 210 officially determines the effect of the game based on the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204 (S24). After the effect of the game is officially determined based on the sleep information or the changed sleep information, the sleep information determination unit 208 determines the content of the sleep information or the changed sleep information used to determine the effect of the game, and prohibits partial or whole modification and / or registration of the sleep information or the changed sleep information until the user starts sleeping again next time (S26). In other words, after the effect of the game on the day the user wakes up is determined once, the sleep information determination unit 208 prohibits the sleep information change unit 206 from generating changed sleep information by again correcting the sleep information or the changed sleep information used to determine the effect. This makes it possible to prevent the user from rewriting the sleep information to appropriate content again after obtaining a reward by determining the effect of the game based on the changed sleep information using inappropriate sleep information. Thereafter, the process from S10 onwards is repeated.

[0088] The sleep information acquisition unit 204 can also evaluate the quality of the user's sleep. When the input acquisition unit 200 receives an operation input for an operator that indicates that at least a part of the sleep information does not need to be corrected or registered, the game control unit 210 may determine the effect of the game using the quality of the sleep. On the other hand, when the input acquisition unit 200 receives a manual input, the game control unit 210 may determine the effect of the game without taking the quality of the sleep into consideration or assuming that the quality of the sleep has no characteristics, since the evaluation of the quality of the sleep has not been performed.

[0089] [Modification of the processing flow of the game system 1] Fig. 5 shows an example of a modified processing flow in the game system according to the present embodiment. Note that in Fig. 5, steps with the same numbers as those in Fig. 4 are substantially the same as those in Fig. 4, and therefore detailed explanations will be omitted except for the differences.

[0090] Steps S10 to S22 are the same as the process flow described in FIG. 4. In the modification of FIG. 5, after the sleep information changing unit 206 generates changed sleep information, the effect of the game determined based on the sleep information and the effect of the game determined based on the changed sleep information are output in a comparable manner (S30). That is, the game control unit 210 provisionally determines the effect of the game (first effect) based on the sleep information acquired by the sleep information acquisition unit 204, and provisionally determines the effect of the game (second effect) based on the changed sleep information generated by the sleep information changing unit 206. Then, the game control unit 210 instructs the output control unit 202 to output the first effect and the second effect to the output unit 100 in a comparable manner. For example, the first effect and the second effect are displayed side by side on the display unit serving as the output unit 100 of the terminal device 10.

[0091] When the input acquisition unit 200 acquires a user's selection instruction to select either the first effect or the second effect via the input unit 102 (S32), the game control unit 210 officially determines the effect selected by the user as the effect of the game and proceeds with the game (S34). After the effect of the game is officially determined based on the sleep information or the changed sleep information, the sleep information determination unit 208 determines the content of the sleep information or the changed sleep information used to determine the effect of the game, and prohibits any modification and / or registration of part or all of the sleep information or the changed sleep information until the user next starts sleeping again (S36). Then, the process from S10 onwards is repeated again.

[0092] [Variation 2 of the processing flow of the game system 1] Fig. 6 shows an example of a modified processing flow in the game system according to this embodiment. Note that in Fig. 6, steps with the same numbers as those in Fig. 4 are substantially similar to those in Fig. 4, and therefore detailed explanations will be omitted except for the differences.

[0093] First, when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 does not acquire the sleep information, for example, because the input acquisition unit 200 does not acquire the sleep start instruction by the user, the sleep information change unit 206 determines that there is no instruction to start sleeping by the user (S40). Then, the sleep information change unit 206 determines whether a predetermined time has passed since the user's previous wake-up time (S42). This predetermined time may be, for example, the time from when the user wakes up to when the user goes to bed next time, and may be set appropriately, or may be the average time from the wake-up time to the bedtime calculated from the user's previous wake-up times and bedtimes. When the sleep information change unit 206 determines that the predetermined time has not passed (No in S42), it waits for processing. On the other hand, when the sleep information change unit 206 determines that the predetermined time has passed (Yes in S42), it uses the sleep information obtained by the input operation by the user acquired by the input acquisition unit 200 via the input unit 102 (Yes in S44) to generate changed sleep information (S22). On the other hand, if the sleep information changing unit 206 determines that there is no instruction to input sleep information (No in S44), the process proceeds to S24. The game control unit 210 determines the effect of the game based on the sleep information input by the user, or determines the effect of the game based on the absence of sleep information (S24). The effect of the game determined by the game control unit 210 based on the sleep information input by the user may be a lower effect in the game than the effect of the game when the sleep information acquisition unit 204 acquires the sleep information.

[0094] [Variation 3 of the processing flow of the game system 1] Fig. 7 shows an example of a modified processing flow in the game system according to the present embodiment. Note that in Fig. 7, steps with the same numbers as those in Fig. 4 are substantially similar to those in Fig. 4, and therefore detailed explanations will be omitted except for the differences.

[0095] Steps S10 to S12 are the same as the process flow described in FIG. 4. In the modified example of FIG. 7, if the game system 1 is forcibly terminated or abnormally terminated (Yes in S50) after the sleep information acquisition unit 204 starts acquiring the sleep information, the sleep information acquisition unit 204 stops acquiring the sleep information (S52). On the other hand, if the game system 1 is not forcibly terminated or abnormally terminated, the steps from S14 in FIG. 4 are executed. Then, if a predetermined condition is satisfied (Yes in S54) and there is an instruction to change the sleep information from the user (Yes in S20), the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information (S22). On the other hand, if the predetermined condition is not satisfied (No in S54), the sleep information change unit 206 proceeds to S24. Note that, if the sleep information change unit 206 generates changed sleep information based on the predetermined condition (S22), the game control unit 210 can determine an effect different from the first effect and the second effect (S24).

[0096] [Game Program] Each of the components of the game system 1 according to this embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7 can be realized by having a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) execute a program (i.e., a game program), that is, by software processing. Also, each of the components can be realized by writing a program in advance into hardware such as an integrated circuit (IC) or other electronic component. Note that software and hardware can also be used in combination.

[0097] The game program according to this embodiment can be incorporated in advance, for example, in an IC or a ROM. The game program can also be provided as a computer program by recording it in an installable or executable file format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, or a semiconductor recording medium. The recording medium storing the program may be a non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD. Furthermore, the game program can be stored in advance in a computer connected to a communication network such as the Internet, and provided by downloading it via the communication network.

[0098] The game program of this embodiment acts on the CPU and the like to cause the game program to function as the sleep measurement unit 11, output unit 100, input unit 102, input surface 104, input control unit 106, input acquisition unit 200, output control unit 202, sleep information acquisition unit 204, sleep information change unit 206, sleep information confirmation unit 208, game control unit 210, storage unit 216, user information storage unit 218, and game information storage unit 220, which are described in Figures 1 to 7.

[0099] [Effects of the embodiment] The game system 1 according to the present embodiment can change at least a part of the sleep information to appropriate information after the user wakes up, even if the sleep information of the user cannot be acquired due to an error in the sleep measurement unit 11 or the like, or the user is careless, such as forgetting to start the sleep measurement unit 11 that acquires the sleep information, and can acquire appropriate sleep information and determine the effect of the game based on the acquired sleep information. Furthermore, the game system 1 can determine the effect of the game based on the sleep information input by the user, even if the user does not give an instruction to start sleeping to the game system 1 or if the game system 1 is forcibly terminated or abnormally terminated. Therefore, according to the game system 1, even if the sleep information cannot be measured appropriately, appropriate sleep information can be input or registered, and therefore the user's satisfaction with the game can be improved.

[0100] Furthermore, even if the user forgets to measure the sleep information or the game system 1 is forcibly terminated, the game system 1 can generate modified sleep information by manual input, and can generate game effects such as restoring a predetermined parameter of a character owned by the user or giving a predetermined item to the user based on the modified sleep information. Here, the game system 1 can set different effects for the effect (effect 1) when the user's sleep information is measured normally, the game effect (effect 2) determined by the user's manual input when the user forgets to measure the sleep, and the game effect (effect 3) determined by the user's manual input when the game system 1 crashes or is forcibly terminated despite the user entering deep sleep. For example, effect 2 is set to an effect that is less advantageous to the user in game play than effect 1, and effect 3 is set to an effect that is less advantageous to the user than effect 1 and is more advantageous to the user than effect 2.

[0101] As a result, according to the game system 1, for example, a user who forgot to obtain sleep information the previous day can maintain and improve the motivation to obtain sleep information the next day. In addition, even if the game is forcibly terminated or abnormally terminated, the motivation to continue obtaining sleep information can be maintained. Furthermore, if the user forgets to measure sleep, the game effect based on manual input is smaller than the game effect based on normal game execution and is only a minimum game effect, so that execution of the game based only on manual input can be suppressed. And, although the game effect based on manual input when the game is forcibly terminated, etc. is smaller than the game effect based on normal game execution, it is larger than when the user forgets to measure sleep, so that the disappointment of the user due to the forcible termination of the game, etc. can be suppressed.

[0102] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. It should be noted that not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention. Furthermore, the technical elements of the above-described embodiments may be applied alone, or may be divided into multiple parts such as program parts and hardware parts and applied.

[0103] The game program, game system, game method, game server, and method for generating game effect information according to the present embodiment may also be referred to in the following appended claims, which should not be confused with the claims.

[0104] (Additional note 1) A game system that executes a game using sleep information related to a user's sleep, A sleep information acquisition unit that acquires sleep information of the user acquired by a sensor; a sleep information change unit that generates changed sleep information different from the sleep information based on an operation input by the user when the sleep information acquisition unit has not acquired the sleep information; a game control unit that determines a first effect of the game based on the sleep information when the sleep information acquisition unit has acquired the sleep information, and that determines a second effect different from the first effect based on the changed sleep information generated by the sleep information change unit when the sleep information acquisition unit has not acquired the sleep information; A game system comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 1. Game System 10 Terminal Equipment 11 Sleep measurement section 20 Servers 80 Communication Networks 100 Output section 102 Input section 104 Input Surface 106 Input control section 200 Input acquisition unit 202 Output control section 204 Sleep information acquisition unit 206 Sleep Information Change Section 208 Sleep information confirmation section 210 Game control unit 216 Storage Unit 218 User information storage section 220 Game information storage unit 300 Display 310, 310a, 310b display area

Claims

[Claim 1] A game program to be run on a computer that manages the execution of a game using sleep information about a user's sleep, which includes a processor and memory, The game program is provided to the processor, A sleep information acquisition step involves acquiring the user's sleep information obtained by a sensor, If sleep information has not been acquired in the sleep information acquisition step, a sleep information modification step is provided in which modified sleep information is generated based on the user's input without relying on the sensor. A game control step which, if sleep information is acquired in the sleep information acquisition step, determines a first effect of the game based on the sleep information, and if sleep information is not acquired in the sleep information acquisition step, determines a second effect different from the first effect based on the modified sleep information generated in the sleep information modification step. A game program that executes the game.

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