Game System

Abstract

To provide a game system capable of heightening user interest in a utility pole by utilizing technique of gamification.SOLUTION: A game system 1 includes a utility pole information recording panel 3 provided on a utility pole 2, a portable communication terminal 4 and a game server 5. The portable communication terminal 4 transmits utility pole information acquired from the utility pole information recording panel 3 to the game server 5, and the game server 5 imparts a user U point based on the utility pole information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a game system that utilizes gamification techniques. [Background technology]

[0002] Utility pole advertising is the practice of attaching signs and other advertising materials to utility poles, which are installed in great numbers along public roads, and is widely recognized as an effective advertising method that is easily seen by many people. In order to achieve a more effective advertising effect with utility pole advertising, it is necessary to attract the attention of pedestrians to the utility pole advertisement or the utility pole itself.

[0003] Meanwhile, a method called gamification is known as one of the methods for changing the user's awareness. Gamification is a method for incorporating game elements into fields other than games, allowing users to have fun while working in those fields. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a game system in which a game event occurs according to the player's moving position, and a utility pole is used as one of the event occurrence positions where the event occurs. The invention described in Patent Document 1 is not related to gamification, but by using a utility pole as an event occurrence position, it is possible to guide the user close to the utility pole. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-108172 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the game system described in Patent Document 1 sets a detection range of 10 m or more in diameter around the event occurrence location, and when the user enters this detection range, it is determined that the user has moved to the event occurrence location. In other words, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, the utility pole is only used as the base point of the user's detection range, and therefore it is not possible to increase the user's interest in the utility pole.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game system that can increase a user's interest in utility poles by utilizing gamification techniques. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 1 is a game system that awards points to a user according to a utility pole acquired by the user, the game system comprising: a utility pole information recording means provided on a utility pole; a mobile communication terminal of the user; and a server capable of communicating with the mobile communication terminal, the mobile communication terminal comprising a utility pole acquisition means that acquires utility pole information regarding a utility pole from the utility pole information recording means and transmits utility pole acquisition information including the acquired utility pole information and user identification information of the user to the server, and the server comprises a point awarding means that receives the utility pole acquisition information from the mobile communication terminal, identifies the utility pole acquired by the user based on the received utility pole information, and awards points to the user according to the acquired utility pole based on the received user identification information.

[0008] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the game system described in claim 1, the point awarding means identifies an acquired area, which is the area of ​​a closed space formed by connecting multiple utility poles acquired by the user with lines, and awards points to the user according to the size of the acquired area.

[0009] The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the game system described in claim 1 or 2, when a utility pole acquired by a first user among multiple users participating in the game is acquired by a second user different from the first user, the point granting means cancels the points awarded to the first user and grants them to the second user.

[0010] The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the game system described in claim 2, the point awarding means, when a utility pole acquired by a first user among a plurality of users participating in the game is acquired by a second user different from the first user, re-identifies the acquired area of ​​the first user and the acquired area of ​​the second user, and adjusts the points of the first user and the points of the second user according to the size of the re-identified acquired area.

[0011] The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, in the game system described in claim 3 or 4, the server is provided with an acquired utility pole information transmitting means for transmitting acquired utility pole information regarding acquired utility poles to the mobile communication terminals of all users participating in the game.

[0012] The invention of claim 6 is characterized in that, in the game system described in any one of claims 1 to 5, the mobile communication terminal is equipped with a trap pole setting means for setting a trap pole for other users participating in the game, and the server is equipped with a penalty inflicting means for imposing a penalty on a user who has acquired the trap pole.

[0013] The invention of claim 7 is a game system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the mobile communication terminal includes a reporting means for transmitting, when a specific event occurs on a utility pole, report information including utility pole information acquired from the utility pole information recording means of the utility pole, an image or a comment related to the specific event, and the user identification information to the server, and the server receives the report information, By accessing a management system related to the power distribution equipment of the power company and confirming whether or not the specific event included in the report information has been confirmed by the power company,The system is characterized by comprising a specific event determination means for determining whether the occurrence of a specific event contained in the report information is true or false, and when it is determined that the specific event has occurred, for granting a game-related benefit to the user who transmitted the report information.

[0014] The invention of claim 8 is characterized in that, in the game system described in any one of claims 1 to 7, the server cooperates with another game system or another point system, and grants points of the other game system or the other point system to the user, or exchanges the user's points for points of the other game system or the other point system. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the invention of claim 1, utility pole information is acquired from a utility pole information recording means provided on the utility pole, and utility pole acquisition information including the acquired utility pole information is transmitted to a server, and the server awards points to the user who transmitted the utility pole acquisition information. This encourages users to closely observe utility poles in order to acquire utility pole information, thereby making it possible to increase users' interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements attached to utility poles.

[0016] In addition, according to the invention of claim 2, points are awarded according to the size of the area acquired by the user, so that the user does not simply acquire utility poles, but acquires utility poles in such a way that the acquired area is as large as possible, thereby making the game more interesting and increasing interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 3, when a plurality of users compete for a utility pole, the points change according to the fluctuation in the number of utility poles, which makes the game more interesting and increases interest in the utility poles and utility pole advertisements.

[0018] In addition, according to the invention of claim 4, when a plurality of users compete for a utility pole and the acquired area changes, the points change according to the change in the acquired area, which makes the game more interesting and increases interest in the utility pole and utility pole advertisements.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 5, information regarding the acquired utility poles is transmitted to all users participating in the game, allowing users to devise strategies such as stealing utility poles from other users to narrow the acquired area, thereby making the game more interesting and increasing interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 6, it is possible to set trap poles for other users participating in the game and to impose penalties on users who acquire the trap pole, which makes the game more interesting than a game in which players simply compete for the pole, and can increase interest in the poles and pole advertisements.

[0021] Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 7, when a specific event occurs on a utility pole, the specific event can be reported, and when it is determined that a specific event has occurred, a special benefit can be obtained, which increases the interest of the game more than a simple game of competing for the utility pole, and can increase interest in the utility pole and utility pole advertisements. Also, since a specific event can be detected and dealt with early, it is possible to maintain the utility pole and utility pole advertisements in an appropriate condition.

[0022] In addition, according to the invention of claim 8, it is possible to cooperate with other game systems, etc., and give users points from other game systems, etc., or exchange users' points for points from other game systems, etc., so that the points acquired can be used effectively, making the game more interesting and increasing interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a utility pole capturing game held by the game system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a portable communication terminal. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a report screen for a specific event. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a game server. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure of a utility pole information database. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data structure of a user information database. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data structure of a point information database. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an acquisition area when a dispute over a utility pole occurs between users. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an acquired area when a trap pole is set and acquired by another user. [Figure 11] 13 is a flowchart showing the procedure for proceeding with the utility pole capture game. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a state in which a game server is linked to another game system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiment.

[0025] 1 is a schematic diagram of a game system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The game system 1 of this embodiment is a game system capable of increasing a user's interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements by utilizing a gamification technique. The game system 1 increases a user's interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements through a utility pole acquisition game in which a user who participates in the game walks outdoors to acquire (obtain) utility poles and is awarded points according to the number of utility poles acquired.

[0026] The game system 1 is operated by, for example, an electric power company D whose business involves the installation of utility poles and the provision of utility pole advertisements. The game system 1 includes a utility pole information recording panel (utility pole information recording means) 3 provided on the outer periphery of a utility pole 2 and a plurality of users U (U1 to U n ) mobile communication terminal 4 (41-4 n ) and a game server 5 capable of communicating with the mobile communication terminal 4. The mobile communication terminal 4 communicates with the game server 5 via a communication line network NW. The communication line network NW is, for example, a public communication network such as a mobile phone communication network or the Internet.

[0027] Utility pole 2 is, for example, a utility pole installed by electric power company D, and utility pole advertisement 21 created by electric power company D at the request of an advertiser is attached to its outer periphery. Utility pole advertisements include sleeve advertisements that are installed so as to protrude from the side of utility pole 2, and wrap advertisements that are installed so as to be wrapped around the outer periphery of utility pole 2, and utility pole advertisement 21 represents a wrap advertisement.

[0028] The utility pole information recording panel 3 is a panel on which utility pole information about the utility pole 2 is displayed by a two-dimensional code (for example, a QR code (registered trademark)), and is installed by the electric power company D. The utility pole information displayed by the two-dimensional code includes, for example, the utility pole number and utility pole position information (latitude, longitude). The utility pole information recording panel 3 is smaller in size than the wrap-around utility pole advertisement 21, and therefore can be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the utility pole 2 using adhesive, double-sided tape, or the like.

[0029] The utility pole information recording panel 3 is attached to a utility pole for which it is desired to attract pedestrians' attention. The utility pole for which it is desired to attract attention is a utility pole on which the utility pole advertisement 21 is attached or a utility pole on which a specific event frequently occurs. Here, the specific event refers to an event that requires maintenance work on the utility pole advertisement 21 or the utility pole 2, such as damage to the utility pole advertisement 21, nesting of wild birds, or wrapping of vines. By attaching the utility pole information recording panel 3 to such a utility pole 2, the user U who participates in the utility pole acquisition game will be interested in the utility pole advertisement 21 and the utility pole 2 itself, thereby improving the publicity and advertising effect of the utility pole advertisement 21. Furthermore, in the utility pole acquisition game according to this embodiment, the user U who participates in the game can report a specific event occurring on the utility pole 2, so that it is possible to detect and deal with the specific event early.

[0030] The mobile communication terminal 4 is a so-called smartphone, and has installed thereon a utility pole acquisition game application program 421 (see FIG. 3) constituting the game system 1 of this embodiment. The user U starts up the utility pole acquisition game application program (hereinafter also referred to as utility pole acquisition game app or game app) 421 to access the game server 5 and participate in the utility pole acquisition game held by the game server 5.

[0031] The game server 5 is a so-called server-type computer device, and has installed thereon a utility pole capturing game management program 531 (see FIG. 5) constituting the game system 1 of this embodiment. The game server 5 plans and holds a utility pole capturing game in which multiple users U can participate, and manages the progress of the held game, by processing the utility pole capturing game management program (hereinafter also referred to as the management program) 531.

[0032] 2 shows an overview of the utility pole capturing game held in the game system 1. When the game server 5 receives participation request information from the mobile communication terminals 4 of a predetermined number or more of users U present in a predetermined area, the game server 5 determines the time when the game will be held, sets the game area, game time, etc. according to the number of participants, and holds the utility pole capturing game.

[0033] A user U who participates in the utility pole capture game walks within the game area planned by the game server 5 and acquires utility pole information from the utility pole information recording panel 3 by the game application 421. Specifically, the game application 421 takes an image of the utility pole information recording panel 3 using a camera that is standardly equipped in the mobile communication terminal 4, and reads the utility pole information from the two-dimensional code of the captured image. Utility pole capture information including the read utility pole information and the user ID (user identification information) of the user U is transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 4 to the game server 5.

[0034] The game server 5 receives the utility pole acquisition information transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 4, and identifies the utility pole 2 acquired by the user U based on the utility pole information included in the utility pole acquisition information. The game server 5 also grants points to the user U according to the acquired utility pole 2 based on the user ID included in the utility pole acquisition information. The game server 5 also specifies an acquired area, which is the area of ​​a closed space formed by connecting the multiple utility poles acquired by the user U with lines, and grants points to the user U according to the size of the acquired area.

[0035] Reference numeral 6 in Fig. 2 indicates an example of a game screen displayed on the mobile communication terminal 41 of a user U1 participating in the utility pole capture game. The user U1 plays the game while checking the game screen 6 that displays the progress of the game. The game screen 6 includes a map display section 61, a game status display section 62 arranged on the lower left side of the map display section 61, an operation section 63 arranged on the lower right side of the map display section 61, and a utility pole information display section 64 arranged on the upper part of the map display section 61.

[0036] The map display section 61 displays a map of the game area and its surroundings, and can be zoomed in or out as desired. The map also displays roads, railroad tracks, buildings, and utility poles 2 indicated by circles. In the figure, four utility poles 2 are shown with their interiors filled in. 1a ~2 1d indicates the poles acquired by user U1, and these poles 2 1a ~2 1dThe closed space connecting these represents the acquisition area A1 of the user U1. 2a ~2 2d indicates a pole acquired by another user U2, and this pole 2 2a ~2 2d The closed space connecting these indicates the acquired area A2 of the user U2. The utility poles and acquired areas acquired by each user U are updated as the game progresses.

[0037] A user mark 611 indicating the current location of the user U1 is also displayed on the map display section 61. Furthermore, a dashed frame 612 is displayed around the utility pole 23 about which the user U1 has obtained utility pole information, allowing the user U1 to confirm the location on the map.

[0038] The game progress status is displayed on the game status display section 62. For example, the game status display section 62 displays the number of utility poles acquired by the user U1, the area of ​​the acquired area, the number of points acquired, and the remaining game time. The user U1 plays the game while checking the game status display section 62, and acquires more utility poles than the other users and expands the acquired area.

[0039] The operation unit 63 is provided with an acquisition button 631 operated when acquiring a utility pole 2, a report button 632 operated when reporting a specific event such as damage to the utility pole advertisement 21, and a trap button 633 for setting a trap utility pole for other users U participating in the game. By using the trap button 633, a trap utility pole can be set without the other users U knowing, and a penalty can be imposed if the other users U acquire this trap utility pole.

[0040] The utility pole information display unit 64 displays the utility pole information of the utility pole 2 that was acquired in an attempt to be acquired. Fig. 2 shows a state in which the utility pole number is displayed among the acquired utility pole information. When the utility pole 2 displayed on the map display unit 61 is touched, the utility pole information of that utility pole 2 and information about the user U who acquired that utility pole 2 may be displayed on the utility pole information display unit 64.

[0041] 3 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the mobile communication terminal 4. The mobile communication terminal 4 mainly includes a touch panel display 41, a storage unit 42, a memory 43, a location information receiving unit 44, a camera 45, a communication unit 46, a main task 47, and a central processing unit 48 that controls these components.

[0042] Touch panel display 41 is a device in which a touch panel is superimposed on a display panel such as a liquid crystal display. Touch panel display 41 receives touch operations by user U to input information to mobile communication terminal 4, and displays the information input by the touch operations, processing results of mobile communication terminal 4, and the like.

[0043] The storage unit 42 is a storage area / storage device having a function of storing various information, programs, data, etc., and is configured by a flash ROM (Read Only Memory) capable of reading and writing data. The storage unit 42 stores an operating system for controlling the overall operation of the mobile communication terminal 4, as well as a game application 421. The game application 421 stores a user ID and a password that are set by accessing the game server 5 and performing user registration at the time of the first startup.

[0044] The memory 43 is a storage area / storage device having a function of serving as a working area for temporarily storing information and data generated when the central processing unit 48 executes various processes of the game application 421, and is composed of, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0045] The position information receiving unit 44 is a communication interface that receives position information from a positioning satellite constituting a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), such as a Global Positioning System (GPS). In this embodiment, the position information receiving unit 44 is used to obtain position information of the user U in the utility pole capturing game.

[0046] The camera 45 is a so-called digital camera that is composed of an imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS and an imaging lens. In this embodiment, the camera 45 is used when acquiring utility pole information from the utility pole information recording panel 3 and when photographing and reporting a specific event occurring on the utility pole 2.

[0047] The communication unit 46 is a communication interface having a function of transmitting / receiving / inputting / outputting signals and information transmitted via the communication line network NW. Although not shown in detail, the communication unit 46 includes a wide-area wireless communication unit, a wireless LAN communication unit, and a short-distance wireless communication unit. The wide-area wireless communication unit is a communication circuit that performs LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication or the like via a mobile phone communication network. The wireless LAN communication unit is a communication circuit that performs communication via wireless LAN installed in each home, public facility, accommodation facility, etc. Furthermore, the short-distance wireless communication unit is a communication circuit that performs communication at a short distance of about several meters using Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like.

[0048] The main task 47 is a group of tasks that execute various processes of the utility pole capturing game, which are realized by the central processing unit 48 executing the game application 421 stored in the storage unit 42.

[0049] The central processing unit 48 has a function of integrating and controlling each unit constituting the mobile communication terminal 4, and is configured to include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU: abbreviation for Central Processing Unit). The central processing unit 48 realizes each function in accordance with an operation system and a game application 421 stored in the storage unit 42.

[0050] The mobile communication terminal 4 executes various processes for the user U to acquire the utility pole 2 in the utility pole capturing game. This process is performed by a main task 47 configured by the central processing unit 48 executing the game application 421 stored in the storage unit 42. The main task 47 includes a start-up task 471, a game participation request task 472, a game screen display task 473, a utility pole capturing task (utility pole capturing means) 474, a trap utility pole setting task (trap utility pole setting means) 475, and a report task (report means) 476.

[0051] The start-up task 471 is a task for starting the game application 421 and automatically logging in to the game server 5. When an operation for starting the game application 421 is performed on the mobile communication terminal 4, the start-up task 471 starts the game application 421 and transmits a user ID and a password to the game server 5 to perform automatic logging in. The start-up task 471 also displays an initial screen on the touch panel display 41. On the initial screen, for example, the accumulated number of points acquired in games previously participated in, a participation button for requesting the game server 5 to participate in the utility pole capturing game, a logout button for logging out from the game server 5, and the like are displayed.

[0052] The game participation request task 472 is a task for requesting participation in the utility pole capturing game to the game server 5. When the participation button is operated on the initial screen, the game participation request task 472 transmits participation request information including the user ID and the position information acquired by the position information receiving unit 44 to the game server 5.

[0053] The game screen display task 473 is a task for displaying a game screen 6 on the touch panel display 41 of the mobile communication terminal 4 participating in the utility pole capturing game. As shown in Fig. 2, the game screen 6 is a screen for displaying the progress of the utility pole capturing game. The game screen display task 473 updates the game screen 6 from time to time according to the progress of the utility pole capturing game.

[0054] The utility pole acquisition task 474 is a task for acquiring the utility pole 2 in the utility pole acquisition game. When the acquisition button 631 is operated on the game screen 6, the utility pole acquisition task 474 starts the camera 45 and captures an image of the utility pole information recording panel 3 of the utility pole 2 in response to the operation of the user U. The utility pole acquisition task 474 also reads the utility pole information of the utility pole 2 from the two-dimensional code of the captured image. The utility pole acquisition task 474 transmits the utility pole acquisition information including the read utility pole information and the user ID to the game server 5.

[0055] The trap pole setting task 475 is a task for setting a trap pole without being known to other users U participating in the game. When the trap button 633 is operated on the game screen 6, the trap pole setting task 475 acquires pole information, similar to the pole acquisition task 474, and transmits trap pole setting information including the pole information and the user ID to the game server 5. Note that the number of times trap poles can be set for each user U is predetermined, and trap poles cannot be set more than the predetermined number of times. Therefore, trap poles are not used too frequently to cause a halt in the progress of the game.

[0056] The report task 476 is a task for reporting the utility pole on which a specific event is occurring to the game server 5 when a utility pole 2 on which a specific event is occurring is found while playing the utility pole capture game. When the report button 632 is operated on the game screen 6, the report task 476 starts the camera 45 and captures an image of the utility pole information recording panel 3 of the utility pole 2 in response to the operation of the user U. The report task 476 also reads the utility pole information of the utility pole 2 from the two-dimensional code of the captured image. When the report task 476 acquires the utility pole information, it displays a report screen 7 shown in FIG. 4 on the touch panel display 41 instead of the game screen 6.

[0057] The report screen 7 is provided with a registration button 72 for registering an image 71 of a specific event captured by the camera 45, a comment input section 73, and a send button 74. When the send button 74 is operated on the report screen 7, the report task 476 transmits report information including the pole information of the utility pole 2 on which the specific event is occurring, the image 71 capturing the specific event, a comment, and a user ID to the game server 5.

[0058] In addition, when reporting a specific event of an acquired utility pole 2, the acquired utility pole 2 may be touched on the map display section 61 of the game screen 6, and then the report button 632 may be operated to display the report screen 7.

[0059] 5 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the game server 5. The game server 5 mainly includes an input unit 51, a display unit 52, a storage unit 53, a memory 54, a communication unit 55, a main task 56, and a central processing unit 57 that controls these components.

[0060] The input unit 51 is an interface having a function of inputting information to the game server 5 upon receiving commands from a server administrator, and is configured by, for example, a keyboard and a mouse.

[0061] The display unit 52 has a function of displaying information input via the input unit 51, displaying the processing results of the game server 5, and the like, and is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0062] The storage unit 53 is a storage area / storage device having a function of storing various information, programs, data, etc., and is configured by, for example, a hard disk. The storage unit 53 stores an operating system for controlling the overall operation of the game server 5, as well as a management program 531. The storage unit 53 also stores a utility pole information database 532, a user information database 533, and a point information database 534.

[0063] The utility pole information database 532 stores utility pole information for a plurality of utility poles 2. As shown in Fig. 6, the utility pole information database 532 stores, for each utility pole 2, a utility pole number, utility pole position information, advertisement information, and points in association with each other. The advertisement information indicates the presence or absence of a utility pole advertisement. Furthermore, the points indicate the number of points to be given to the user U when the utility pole 2 is acquired.

[0064] The number of points given when a utility pole 2 is acquired may be the same for all utility poles, or different points may be given for each utility pole 2. For example, the points given may be set to be high for utility poles on which utility pole advertisements are provided, utility poles on which a specific event frequently occurs, utility poles in locations that are difficult for the user U to find, etc. Conversely, the points given may be set to be low for utility poles on which utility pole advertisements are not provided, utility poles on which a specific event frequently occurs, utility poles in locations that are easy for the user U to find, etc.

[0065] In addition, the utility pole information database 532 may be configured to exclude specific utility poles from those that can be acquired in the utility pole acquisition game. This allows, for example, utility poles installed on private property to be excluded from the game, making it possible to prevent the user U from trespassing on private property and causing trouble.

[0066] The user information database 533 stores information about a plurality of users U. As shown in Fig. 7, the user information database 533 stores, for each user U, a user ID, a password, a name, and an email address in association with each other.

[0067] The point information database 534 stores points given to the user U. As shown in Fig. 8, the point information database 534 stores a user ID, the number of points given, and the date and time when the points were given for each user U. The point information database 534 also stores the number of accumulated points for each user U. The point information database 534 is updated whenever a user U participates in the utility pole capturing game and points are given or cancelled.

[0068] The memory 54 is a storage area / storage device, which is configured by, for example, a RAM, and has a function of serving as a working area for temporarily storing information and data generated when the central processing unit 57 executes various processes of the management program 531. The communication unit 55 is a communication interface having a function of transmitting / receiving / inputting / outputting signals and information transmitted via the communication line network NW.

[0069] The main task 56 is a group of tasks that execute various processes of the utility pole capturing game, which are realized by the central processing unit 57 executing the management program 531 stored in the memory unit 53.

[0070] The central processing unit 57 has a function of integrating and controlling each unit constituting the game server 5, and is configured to include, for example, a CPU. The central processing unit 57 realizes each function in accordance with an operation system and a management program 531 stored in the storage unit 53.

[0071] The game server 5 executes various processes for holding and progressing the utility pole acquisition game and for granting points to the user U according to the acquired utility poles 2. This process is performed by a main task 56 configured by executing a management program 531 stored in the memory unit 53 by a central processing unit 57. The main task 56 includes an authentication task 561, a game holding task 562, a point granting task (point granting means) 563, an acquired utility pole information transmission task (acquired utility pole information transmission means) 564, a penalty granting task (penalty granting means) 565, and a specific event determination task (specific event determination means) 566.

[0072] The authentication task 561 is a task for receiving the user ID and password transmitted by the start-up task 471 of the portable communication terminal 4, and for verifying them with the user information database 533 to perform authentication processing.

[0073] The game holding task 562 is a task for holding the utility pole capturing game in response to participation request information transmitted by the game participation request task 472 of the mobile communication terminal 4 and managing the progress. When the game holding task 562 receives participation request information from the mobile communication terminals 4 of a predetermined number or more of users U present in a predetermined area, it identifies these users U as participating users of the game. In addition, the game holding task 562 determines the time when the game is held, and sets the game area, game time, and the like according to the number of participants as game conditions. The game area indicates the area where the utility pole capturing game is held, and the game time is the play time of the utility pole capturing game.

[0074] Furthermore, the game holding task 562 transmits the set game conditions to the mobile communication terminal 4 of the user U who transmitted the participation request information, and accepts the final intention to participate in the game. The game holding task 562 holds the utility pole capturing game when the game holding time comes, and ends the utility pole capturing game after the game time has elapsed. Note that the game area and game time set as the game conditions may be set so that the game area is wide and the game time is long when there are many participants, and so that the game area is narrow and the game time is short when there are few participants.

[0075] The point giving task 563 is a task for receiving utility pole acquisition information transmitted by the utility pole acquisition task 474 of the mobile communication terminal 4 and giving points to the user U. When the point giving task 563 receives utility pole acquisition information from the mobile communication terminal 4, it collates the utility pole information included in the utility pole acquisition information with the utility pole information database 532 and identifies the utility pole 2 acquired by the user U. In addition, the point giving task 563 gives points to the user U according to the acquired utility pole 2, based on the user ID included in the utility pole acquisition information. Specifically, the point giving task 563 gives points to the user U by storing the given points in the point information database 534.

[0076] Furthermore, the point-granting task 563 specifies an acquired area, which is the area of ​​a closed space formed by connecting multiple utility poles acquired by the user U with lines, and grants points according to the size of the acquired area to the user U. The points granted according to the acquired area are, for example, a predetermined number of points per square meter, and points are granted according to the size of the acquired area.

[0077] As described above, the utility pole capturing game according to this embodiment is held with the participation of multiple users U. Therefore, there may be a case where different users compete for the utility poles 2. For example, FIG. 9(A) shows four utility poles 2 captured by user U1. 1a ~2 1d and the acquired area A1 and the four utility poles 2 acquired by user U2. 2a~2 2d From this state, as shown in FIG. 1B, the user U1 selects the utility pole 2 of the user U2. 2c is acquired, the point-granting task 563 assigns the utility pole 2 to the user U2. 2c The points are cancelled and given to user U1.

[0078] In addition, the point giving task 563 re-specifies the acquired area A1 of the user U1 and the acquired area A2 of the user U2, and adjusts the points of the user U1 and the points of the user U2 according to the size of the re-specified acquired areas A1 and A2. 2c Since the acquired area A2 of user U2 has become smaller as a result of user U1 having acquired the utility pole 2, points are subtracted by the amount of the narrowed area. Conversely, since the acquired area A1 of user U1 has become larger, points are added by the amount of the widened area. In this way, users U can compete with each other for the acquired utility pole 2 and acquire points, which makes the game more interesting and increases interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements.

[0079] The acquired utility pole information transmission task 564 is a task for transmitting acquired utility pole information about the acquired utility pole 2 to the mobile communication terminals 4 of all users U participating in the game when utility pole acquisition information is received from the mobile communication terminal 4. The acquired utility pole information includes the utility pole information and the user ID of the user U who acquired it, and this acquired utility pole information is displayed on the game screen 6.

[0080] The game screen 6 shown in FIG. 2 is a game screen of the user U1, but the utility pole 2 acquired by the user U2 is not displayed based on the acquired utility pole information. 2a ~2 2dand the acquired area A2 are displayed. This allows the user U participating in the game to know which utility poles the other users U have acquired, and allows the user U to plan a strategy such as taking utility poles 2 from the other users U to narrow the acquired area. This increases the interest of the game and increases interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements.

[0081] When the penalty giving task 565 receives trap utility pole setting information from the trap utility pole setting task 475 of the mobile communication terminal 4, it identifies the utility pole 2 set as a trap utility pole based on the utility pole information included in the trap utility pole setting information, and sets the identified utility pole as a trap utility pole. In addition, when the trap utility pole is acquired by another user U, the penalty giving task 565 imposes a penalty on that user U.

[0082] For example, as shown in FIG. 10(A), five utility poles 2 1a ~2 1e The acquisition area A1 is acquired, and three utility poles 2 are acquired by user U2. 2a ~2 2c In addition, when the acquisition area A2 has been acquired, the user U1 1f In this state, user U2 may be unaware that utility pole 2 is a trap utility pole. 1f When you acquire it, as shown in (B) of the same figure, the utility pole 2 1f As shown in FIG. 1C, the penalty task 565 makes it public that the user U2 who has acquired the trap pole has already acquired a pole that is randomly selected from the poles that have already been acquired, for example, pole 2. 2a and gives it to user U1. As a result, user U1 can acquire seven utility poles and the expanded acquired area A1. In contrast, user U2, who is penalized, acquires only two utility poles, and his acquired area disappears. In this way, a trap utility pole can be set and a penalty can be imposed on user U who acquires the trap utility pole, which can increase the interest of the game and raise interest in the utility poles and utility pole advertisements.

[0083] When a trap utility pole causes a scramble for the utility pole between users U, the point information database 534 is updated by the point allocating task 563, and the number of points of each user U is adjusted.

[0084] The specific event determination task 566 is a task for receiving report information transmitted by the report task 476 of the mobile communication terminal 4 and determining whether the occurrence of the specific event reported in the report information is true or false. When the specific event determination task 566 receives the report information, it accesses, for example, a management system related to the power distribution equipment of the electric power company D and confirms whether the specific event reported by the report information has been confirmed by the electric power company D. For example, if the specific event reported by the report information is damage to the utility pole advertisement 21 and the damage to the utility pole advertisement 21 has been confirmed by the electric power company D, the specific event determination task 566 determines that the reported specific event is true. Conversely, if the damage to the utility pole advertisement 21 has not been confirmed by the electric power company D, it determines that the reported specific event is false.

[0085] When the specific event determination task 566 determines that the specific event reported by the report information is correct, it gives a game-related benefit to the user U who sent the report information. As this benefit, points may be given to the user U, or the number of times trap poles can be set may be increased.

[0086] Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 11. The user U operates the mobile communication terminal 4 to start the game application 421 (step S1). The start-up task 471 transmits the user ID and password to the game server 5 to perform automatic login (step S2).

[0087] The authentication task 561 of the game server 5 performs authentication processing by checking the received user ID and password against the user information database 533 (step S3).

[0088] When the user U operates a participation button displayed on the initial screen of the portable communication terminal 4 (step S4), the game participation request task 472 transmits game participation request information including the user ID and position information to the game server 5 (step S5).

[0089] When the game holding task 562 of the game server 5 receives participation request information from the mobile communication terminals 4 of a predetermined number or more of users U present in a predetermined area, it identifies those users U as participating users of the game. The game holding task 562 also determines the time when the game is to be held, and sets the game area, game time, and the like according to the number of participants as game conditions (step S6). The game holding task 562 also transmits the set game conditions to the mobile communication terminals 4 of the users U who transmitted the participation request information, and accepts their final intention to participate in the game (step S7).

[0090] The game screen display task 473 of the portable communication terminal 4 displays the game screen 6 on the touch panel display 41 (step S8). Furthermore, the game screen display task 473 updates the game screen 6 as needed in accordance with the progress of the utility pole capturing game.

[0091] When the acquisition button 631 is operated on the game screen 6, the utility pole acquisition task 474 of the mobile communication terminal 4 starts the camera 45 and captures an image of the utility pole information recording panel 3 of the utility pole 2 in response to the operation of the user U. The utility pole acquisition task 474 also reads the utility pole information of the utility pole 2 from the two-dimensional code of the captured image (step S9). The utility pole acquisition task 474 transmits the utility pole acquisition information including the read utility pole information and the user ID to the game server 5 (step S10).

[0092] When the point-giving task 563 of the game server 5 receives the utility pole acquisition information from the mobile communication terminal 4, it collates the utility pole information included in the utility pole acquisition information with the utility pole information database 532 and identifies the utility pole 2 acquired by the user U. In addition, the point-giving task 563 grants points to the user U according to the acquired utility pole 2, based on the user ID included in the utility pole acquisition information.

[0093] Furthermore, the point-granting task 563 identifies the acquired area of ​​the user U, and grants points to the user U according to the size of the acquired area. Furthermore, when the number of acquired utility poles 2 or the area of ​​the acquired area changes due to a scramble for utility poles 2 among the users U, the point-granting task 563 adjusts the points of each user U according to the number of utility poles 2 and the acquired area after the change (step S11).

[0094] When the acquired utility pole information transmission task 564 of the game server 5 receives utility pole acquisition information from the mobile communication terminal 4 (step S12), it transmits the acquired utility pole information regarding the acquired utility pole 2 to the mobile communication terminals 4 of all users U participating in the game (step S13).

[0095] The user U operates the trap button 633 on the game screen 6 to set a trap utility pole (step S14), and transmits the trap utility pole information to the game server 5 (step S15). Upon receiving the trap utility pole setting information from the mobile communication terminal 4, the penalty giving task 565 of the game server 5 identifies the utility pole 2 that has been set as the trap utility pole, and sets the identified utility pole as the trap utility pole. In addition, if the trap utility pole is acquired by another user U, the penalty giving task 565 imposes a penalty on that user U (step S16).

[0096] When the user U finds a utility pole 2 on which a specific event is occurring while playing the utility pole capturing game, the user U operates the report button 632 on the game screen 6. The report task 476 generates report information including utility pole information of the utility pole 2 on which the specific event is occurring, an image 71 capturing the specific event, a comment, and a user ID (step S17), and transmits the generated report information to the game server 5 (step S18).

[0097] The specific event determination task 566 of the game server 5 receives the report information transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 4, and determines whether the occurrence of the specific event reported in the report information is true or false (step S19). If the specific event determination task 566 determines that the reported specific event is true, it grants a game-related benefit to the user U who transmitted the report information (step S20).

[0098] As described above, according to the game system 1 of this embodiment, utility pole information is acquired from the utility pole information recording panel 3 provided on the utility pole 2, and utility pole acquisition information including the acquired utility pole information is transmitted to the game server 5. The game server 5 then awards points to the user U who transmitted the utility pole acquisition information. This causes the user U to closely observe the utility pole 2 in order to acquire the utility pole information, thereby making it possible to increase the user U's interest in the utility pole 2 and the utility pole advertisements 21 attached to the utility pole 2.

[0099] Furthermore, according to the game system 1 of this embodiment, points are awarded according to the size of the acquired area acquired by the user U, so that the user U does not simply acquire utility poles 2, but acquires utility poles 2 in such a way that the acquired area is as large as possible, which increases the interest in the game and increases interest in the utility poles 2 and the utility pole advertisements 21.

[0100] Furthermore, according to the game system 1 of this embodiment, when a plurality of users U compete for the utility pole 2, the points change according to the fluctuation in the number of utility poles 2, which increases the interest of the game and increases interest in the utility poles 2 and the utility pole advertisements 21.

[0101] Furthermore, according to the game system 1 of this embodiment, when a plurality of users U compete for the utility pole and the acquired area changes, the points change according to the change in the acquired area, which increases the interest of the game and increases interest in the utility pole 2 and the utility pole advertisement 21.

[0102] Furthermore, according to the game system 1 of this embodiment, information regarding the acquired utility pole 2 is transmitted to all users U participating in the game, allowing users U to devise strategies such as stealing utility poles 2 from other users U to narrow the acquired area, thereby making the game more interesting and increasing interest in the utility pole 2 and the utility pole advertisement 21.

[0103] Furthermore, according to the game system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to set trap poles for other users U participating in the game and to impose a penalty on any user U who acquires a trap pole, which makes the game more interesting than a game in which players simply compete for the utility pole 2 and can increase interest in the utility pole 2 and the utility pole advertisement 21.

[0104] Furthermore, according to the game system 1 of this embodiment, when a specific event occurs on the utility pole 2, the specific event can be reported, and a special benefit can be obtained when it is determined that the specific event has occurred, which makes the game more interesting than a game in which players simply compete for the utility pole 2, and can increase interest in the utility pole 2 and the utility pole advertisement 21. Also, since a specific event can be detected and dealt with early, the utility pole 2 and the utility pole advertisement 21 can be maintained in an appropriate state.

[0105] In the above embodiment, when determining whether or not the specific event is true, a management system related to the power distribution equipment of the electric power company D is accessed to confirm whether or not the reported specific event has been confirmed by the electric power company D, but an image attached to the report information may be subjected to image analysis to determine whether or not a specific event has occurred. As an image analysis method, an image attached to the report information may be subjected to image analysis using a trained model machine-learned using images of past specific events as training data to determine whether or not a specific event has occurred.

[0106] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the utility pole information is shown by a two-dimensional code displayed on the utility pole information recording panel 3, but a one-dimensional code, a three-dimensional code, etc. may also be used. Also, a short-range wireless device that transmits utility pole information may be installed on the utility pole 2, and the short-range wireless communication function of the mobile communication terminal 4 may be used to receive the utility pole information.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the utility pole capture game in which each user captures a utility pole has been described as an example, but a plurality of teams each made up of a plurality of users may be formed, and utility poles may be captured between the teams. In this case, communication within the team may be enabled using chat or e-mail. Furthermore, the game may be configured such that each user captures a utility pole without competing with other users. This allows users to enjoy the game at their own pace while taking a walk, without worrying about the presence of other users.

[0108] In the above embodiment, an example in which unique points are awarded by the game system 1 has been described, but for example, as shown in Fig. 12, the game server 5 may be linked to another game system or another point system 8, and points from the other game system or another point system 8 may be awarded to the user U. In addition, the user's points may be exchangeable with points from the other game system or another point system 8.

[0109] For example, if the power provider D operates a point system that awards power usage points according to the amount of electricity used as another game system or another point system 8, the power usage points may be awarded to the user U of the game of this embodiment, or the user U may be able to exchange points. This can increase the user's interest not only in the utility poles 2 and utility pole advertisements 21, but also in the power provider D. In addition, the points acquired can be effectively utilized, which increases the interest of the game and increases the interest in utility poles and utility pole advertisements. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 1. Game System 2. Electric pole 21 Utility pole advertising 3. Utility pole information recording panel (utility pole information recording means) 4. Mobile communication devices 421 Utility Pole Acquisition Game Application Program 471 Startup Task 472 Game participation request task (game participation request means) 473 Game screen display task (game screen display means) 474 Utility pole acquisition task (Method of acquiring utility pole) 475 Trap pole setting task (trap pole setting method) 476 Reporting Task (Means of Reporting) 5 Game Server (Server) 531 Utility Pole Acquisition Game Management Program 561 Authentication Tasks 562 Game hosting task (game hosting means) 563 Point Granting Task (Point Granting Means) 564 Acquired utility pole information transmission task (acquired utility pole information transmission means) 565 Penalty infliction task (Penalty infliction means) 566 Specific event judgment task (specific event judgment means) 6 Game Screen 7 Report screen 8 Other Game Systems

Claims

1. A game system that gives points to a user according to the utility poles the user acquires, The game system includes a utility pole information recording means provided on a utility pole, a mobile communication terminal of the user, and a server capable of communicating with the mobile communication terminal; The mobile communication terminal includes: Obtaining utility pole information relating to utility poles from the utility pole information recording means; a utility pole acquisition means for transmitting utility pole acquisition information including the acquired utility pole information and user identification information of the user to the server; The server, receiving the utility pole acquisition information from the mobile communication terminal; Identifying a utility pole acquired by the user based on the received utility pole information; A point giving means is provided for giving points to the user according to the acquired utility pole based on the received user identification information. A game system characterized by:

2. The point allocating means identifies an acquired area, which is an area of ​​a closed space formed by connecting the plurality of utility poles acquired by the user with lines, and allocates points to the user according to the size of the acquired area.

2. The game system according to claim 1 .

3. When a utility pole acquired by a first user among a plurality of users participating in the game is acquired by a second user different from the first user, the point granting means cancels the points granted to the first user and grants the points to the second user.

3. The game system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the point giving means, when a utility pole acquired by a first user among a plurality of users participating in a game is acquired by a second user different from the first user, re-specifies an acquired area of ​​the first user and an acquired area of ​​the second user, and adjusts the points of the first user and the points of the second user according to the size of the re-specified acquired area; 3. The game system according to claim 2.

5. the server includes an acquired utility pole information transmitting means for transmitting acquired utility pole information regarding the acquired utility pole to the mobile communication terminals of all users participating in the game; 5. The game system according to claim 3 or 4.

6. the mobile communication terminal includes a trap pole setting means for setting a trap pole for other users participating in the game; The server includes a penalty imposing means for imposing a penalty on a user who has acquired the trap utility pole.

6. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second game units are connected to each other.

7. The mobile communication terminal includes: a reporting means for transmitting, when a specific event occurs on a utility pole, report information including utility pole information of the utility pole acquired from the utility pole information recording means, an image or a comment related to the specific event, and the user identification information to the server; The server, receiving the report information; accessing a management system relating to the power distribution equipment of the electric power company and confirming whether the specific event included in the report information has been confirmed by the electric power company, thereby determining whether the occurrence of the specific event included in the report information is true or false; a specific event determination means for granting a game-related benefit to the user who transmitted the report information when it is determined that the specific event has occurred; 7. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second game units are connected to each other.

8. The server cooperates with other game systems or other point systems, Granting points in the other game system or the other point system to the user; Alternatively, exchanging the user's points with points in the other game system or the other point system; 8. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second game units are connected to each other.

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