Game server and game system

Abstract

[Problem] To further promote digital data transactions. [Solution] The present invention comprises: a virtual space generation unit that generates a virtual space, an area object corresponding to an area existing in the real space, and a user object to be displayed in the virtual space; an owner information management unit that manages owner information of the area object; an owner information registration unit that registers the owner information of the area object as the user when an occupancy condition including the positional relationship between the user and the area is satisfied in the real space; and an incentive-granting unit that grants an area incentive associated with the area object to a visiting user who visits the area from outside a prescribed range of the area, and grants a visiting user incentive to the owner of the area object in accordance with the number of the visiting users.

Description

Game server and game system

[0001] The present invention relates to a content providing device, a content providing method, a content providing program, and a content providing system.

[0002] In recent years, technologies have been proposed for trading and circulating digital data such as image data as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The following documents disclose technologies related to such NFTs, and their entire contents are incorporated herein by reference:

[0003] Patent No. 6710401 Patent No. 6656628 Patent No. 6572493 Patent No. 6640320 Patent No. 6538996 Patent No. 6404435 Patent No. 6710401 Patent No. 6391128

[0004] The NFT technologies mentioned above are merely for trading digital data and are insufficient to actively promote trading.

[0005] The present invention aims to further promote trading of digital data.

[0006] According to the present invention, a content providing device is obtained, comprising: a storage unit that stores a virtual space generated based on geographic information of a real space, an area object corresponding to an area existing in the real space, owner information certified as the owner of the area object, and content information associated with the owner information; an object providing unit that associates the virtual space, the area object, and the user object with location information of a user terminal in the real space and provides the virtual space, the area object, and the user object so that they can be displayed on a display unit of the user terminal; a content providing unit that, in the real space, when the location information of the user terminal indicates that the user terminal has visited within a predetermined range of the area and a request for the content is made from the user terminal, provides the content so that it can be used on the user terminal; and an incentive granting unit that grants a predetermined incentive to the owner of the corresponding area object depending on the number of user terminals that have visited within the predetermined range of the area.

[0007] According to the present invention, the use of entertainment can further promote trading of digital data.

[0008] It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a content providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a diagram showing a schematic representation of the correspondence between a virtual space provided by the content providing device of Figure 1 and a real space. It is a diagram showing the positional relationship with a user located within a predetermined range from an area in the real space of Figure 2. It is an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the user terminal of Figure 1. It is a functional block diagram of a game server of the present system. It is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the game server of the present system.

[0009] <Details of the embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <Summary> The problem that this invention aims to solve is the limited means of encouraging users to visit specific areas while providing them with new experiences by linking real and virtual spaces. The effect of the invention is that by generating a virtual space based on geographic information of the real space and managing owner information of objects corresponding to the area, it becomes possible to provide occupancy conditions and incentives for visits. This increases the frequency of visits to areas in the real space and confers new value on owners of area objects.

[0011] In one embodiment, the game server comprises a virtual space generation unit, an owner information management unit, an owner information registration unit, and an incentive granting unit. In particular, the incentive granting unit can change the content of incentives depending on the behavior of visiting users, and further comprises an area incentive change receiving unit that receives changes to the content of area incentives from the owner. Furthermore, by comprising a visiting user recording unit that records information about visiting users, more detailed user behavior analysis and incentive optimization are possible.

[0012] 1, a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this system") includes a game server, user terminals, and an owner terminal. The game server, user terminals, and owner terminals are connected to each other via a network so that they can communicate with each other.

[0013] The system includes a recording medium from which a program for executing the system can be read. The program is read into a processor (controller) of a computer terminal or the like, and physically and / or logically cooperates with hardware resources to implement the system and method.

[0014] <System Overview> As shown in Figures 2 to 4, this system allows a user to use a user terminal to experience a virtual space generated based on geographic information of the real space. That is, as shown clearly in Figure 2, the virtual space 200 is generated by directly reproducing the real space 100. The position information (x ｎ , y ｎ) and the position information (X ｎ , Y ｎ ) exists.

[0015] Note that the position information in the real space can be measured by a GPS (Global Positioning System) or the like, but the position information may be specified by other methods.

[0016] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, in a real space 100, an area 102 where buildings exist is represented by position information (x １ , y １ The area 104 where the stadium is located is indicated by the location information (x ２ , y ２ ) The user position information that changes as the user 110 moves is stored in (x ０ , y ０ On the other hand, in the virtual space 200 generated by the game server, the area 102 in the real space is represented as an area object 202 with position information (X １ , Y １ The area 104 is displayed as an area object 204 with position information (X ２ , Y ２ The user 110 is displayed as a user object 210 with position information (X ０ , Y ０ ) The relative positional relationship between the area and topography in the real space and the user is maintained in the virtual space. The virtual space 200 of the present invention is expressed as if the real space were faithfully represented as an object or symbol. When the user moves in the real space 100, the user object in the virtual space is also displayed moving a distance and in a direction corresponding to the movement.

[0017] 3 , when a user is located within region L of area 102 in real space 100, the game server recognizes that the user has visited (checked in to) area 102. The method of recognizing a visit to area 102 is not limited to this, and the user may be detected, for example, by connection to a network of a beacon or the like installed in area 102.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows an example of a screen displayed on a user terminal. A user can use the game system by using the user terminal. The hardware configuration of the user terminal will be described later. As shown in the figure, the area object 202 and user object 210 that existed in the virtual space 200 shown in FIG. 2 are displayed as 3D objects or 3D images on the display unit (display, etc.) of the user terminal. In the example screen, an owner object 220 is written alongside the area object 220.

[0019] <Functional Configuration> The functional blocks of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. The virtual space generation unit generates a virtual space based on geographic information of the real space. At the same time, area objects corresponding to specific areas (e.g., parks, buildings, stations, etc.) existing in the real space are created and displayed in the virtual space. The virtual space generation unit generates and displays a user object 210 at a corresponding position in the virtual space based on the user's position in the real space (position information acquired from the user terminal). As a result, the user object is displayed in the virtual space at the same position based on the user's position in the real world.

[0020] The owner information management unit manages area object owner (occupant) information. Specifically, it stores, queries, and updates information about which users or groups occupy each area object in a database or other appropriate data storage. This unit works in conjunction with the owner information registration unit and owner information update unit to register and update owner information when occupancy conditions are met. The owner information management unit can also maintain a history of changes in the owner of an area object. This makes it possible to track the occupancy history of a specific area object and the transition of ownership among multiple users. This function is useful for in-game events, promotions, and promoting competition among users. Furthermore, the owner information management unit can be linked to APIs and other systems, allowing for flexible reference of owner information in external systems and the setting of occupancy conditions outside the game server. This allows for scalability and diverse operation.

[0021] The owner information registration unit registers a user as the owner of a specific area object when the user satisfies occupancy conditions for that area (e.g., staying in that location for a certain period of time). When a new owner is assigned to an area object in the virtual space, the owner information registration unit registers the information in the database and the owner information management unit. Specifically, when a user satisfies certain occupancy conditions for a specific area object, the owner information registration unit recognizes the user as the new owner and updates the owner information. This unit has logic to acquire the user's location information in the real world using GPS information and other sensor data and determine whether it matches or is close to a specific area object. The occupancy conditions can be set, for example, by the user staying in a specific location for a certain period of time or using a specific item. When the owner information registration unit confirms that the conditions have been met, it works with the owner information management unit to update the owner information in the database. This enables ownership changes in real time. Furthermore, when the owner information is changed, the corresponding user can be notified via a notification function. In this way, the owner information registration unit enhances competitive and cooperative elements in the game and improves user engagement.

[0022] The owner information update unit updates the owner information of an area object when another user meets the occupancy conditions. The owner information update unit has a mechanism for updating the information when a new user occupies the location of an existing owner based on specific occupancy conditions. For example, if a new user performs an action that meets the occupancy conditions (e.g., staying in a specific location for a certain amount of time, completing a specific task, etc.), the owner information update unit updates the corresponding record in the database. To detect whether the occupancy conditions have been met, the owner information update unit references real-world location information, item usage history, time data, etc. This information is provided by the owner information management unit or obtained directly from sensors, GPS, user input, etc. Once the new owner is confirmed, the information is sent to the owner information management unit, and the owner information of the corresponding area object is updated. In addition, when the owner changes, a function is typically provided to notify both the existing owner and the new owner. This stimulates competition among users and increases engagement in games and services. Through these functions, the owner information update unit efficiently and fairly manages the transfer of ownership in the virtual space, promoting interaction between users.

[0023] The incentive granting unit links real-world geographic information with the virtual space and rewards user behavior in a specific area. Specifically, when a user visits a specific area in the real space, that information is reflected in the corresponding area object in the virtual space. Owner information may already be set for this area object, in which case the owner is also granted some kind of incentive. The incentive granting unit first detects when a visiting user enters the area from outside the specified area. It then references the area incentive information set in the area object and grants the corresponding area incentive to the visiting user. This area incentive is realized, for example, in the form of items or points that can be used in the virtual space. Furthermore, incentives are also granted to the owner of the area object based on the increase in visiting users. Specifically, the quantity and quality of the incentives granted to the owner are adjusted depending on the number and activity level of visiting users. In this way, a system is completed that promotes area revitalization and provides rewards to both the owner of the area object and visiting users. This is expected to increase engagement in both the virtual space and the real space.

[0024] The incentive granting unit may have a more complex reward structure. Specifically, rather than simply granting incentives to users who visit an area, the visiting user incentive may vary depending on the user's actions within the area. For example, the quantity and quality of the incentive granted may differ depending on the user's actions, such as completing a specific activity or staying for a certain amount of time within the area. This function can encourage more engaging behavior, not just simple visits. For area object owners, this also increases the likelihood that more users will be active within the area, potentially increasing the incentives they receive. Furthermore, such a flexible incentive mechanism is expected to improve overall engagement by rewarding users for various actions in both virtual and real spaces. This will likely encourage activity in both virtual and real spaces.

[0025] The actions of visiting users may include the following: Time spent in the area: If a user stays in the area for more than a certain amount of time, their incentives will increase to reflect their loyalty. Interaction: When they interact with virtual objects in the area or with other users (e.g., chatting, exchanging items, etc.). Task completion: When they complete a specific task in the area (e.g., answering a quiz, searching for items, etc.). Sharing and invitation: When they share the area or its contents on social media or invite other users to the area. Event participation: When they participate in special events that are occasionally held in the area (e.g., concerts, quiz competitions, etc.). Purchasing behavior: When they purchase virtual goods or services in the area. Review and rating: When they leave a review or rating for the area or a specific activity in the area.

[0026] In this game system, each user may register a home area. A "home area" is a virtual space area corresponding to the user's primary activity area or the registered or associated real space. This area is often determined based on the user's location information when the user first logs into the application, or by the user's own settings. Because the home area is the most easily accessible location for a user, it is often a location where basic activities and tasks are assigned, and special incentives and rewards are often fewer. Home area-specific objects, activities, and events may be assigned, which may encourage users to feel a sense of belonging and attachment to their home area. Meanwhile, the newly added "home area-based incentive system" may encourage users to actively participate in activities outside the home area. Thus, the "home area" is the center of each user's activities, and its characteristics and reward structure are important factors that significantly influence user behavior.

[0027] Depending on the relationship with the "home area," the "incentive granting unit" may adopt a more sophisticated reward mechanism. Specifically, the incentive granted varies depending on how far the visiting user travels from the "home area" to which the visiting user is normally associated. For example, if the user visits an area very far from the home area, a larger incentive may be granted to reward the user's adventurous and inquisitive spirit. Conversely, if the area is closer to the home area, the incentive may be more modest. This mechanism increases users' motivation to explore new areas, while area object owners are also incentivized to increase the attractiveness and popularity of their areas by offering larger rewards to users visiting from far away. In this way, granting incentives based on the distance from the home area will stimulate users' inquisitive spirit and become a new element that promotes overall area revitalization.

[0028] The system also includes a visiting user recording unit that records information about visiting users. The visiting user recording unit records detailed information about each visiting user. This unit collects and stores a wide range of data, including the areas visited by visiting users, their length of stay, their behavioral history, and the types and amounts of incentives they have earned. This information not only provides valuable analytical data to area object owners, but also serves as basic data for future incentive design, area improvements, and increasing user engagement. In particular, information on which areas each user frequently visits and their behavioral patterns provides important indicators for area object owners to develop more effective incentive strategies. Furthermore, these records may increase the likelihood of providing personalized incentives and services to users themselves. In this way, the visiting user recording unit can be considered an important element for improving the overall functionality of the game server.

[0029] Furthermore, information about visiting users can provide the following benefits: For area object owners, detailed records of visiting user information allow for the development of more sophisticated marketing strategies and incentive plans. For example, area object owners can offer specialized incentives to specific target demographics based on the length of visit, frequency, and behavioral history of visiting users. This allows area object owners to increase user engagement and foster interest and participation in the area. Economic benefits also accrue to the area in real space. Incentives in virtual space can have a positive impact on real-world consumption and visit frequency. For example, if specific incentives offered in virtual space are linked to discounts or special offers at real stores, this can contribute to increased foot traffic and sales at the stores. Furthermore, if activities in virtual space become a hot topic, the brand value of the area itself can increase, potentially leading to tourism and regional revitalization. Thus, recording information about visiting users is expected to bring numerous benefits not only to area object owners but also to the corresponding real-world areas.

[0030] <Hardware Configuration> This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a game server of the present invention. The illustrated configuration is an example, and other configurations may be included, or elements having similar functions may be substituted. Furthermore, although the illustrated game server is represented as a single device, it may also be configured as a single device by combining multiple devices. Each functional block can be configured, for example, by hardware provided in the server device, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or software. For example, when configured by software, each functional block is actually configured with a computer's CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and is realized by the operation of a program stored in a recording medium such as RAM, ROM, a hard disk, or semiconductor memory.

[0031] Area object information is information necessary for displaying area objects placed in virtual space. Area objects are objects that represent areas that exist in real space. Areas that exist in real space include, for example, areas defined by municipalities, cities, and regions, commercial facilities (shopping malls, department stores), parks and plazas, tourist destinations, famous places, school and university campuses, areas around train stations, areas around bus stops, residential areas, art galleries and museums, restaurants, cafes, bars, and other eating and drinking establishments, sports facilities (gyms, stadiums, swimming pools), airports, ports, government facilities, expressways, toll roads, national highways, major regional roads, prefectural roads, rivers, lakes, and other locations with a certain area.

[0032] <Processing Flow> As shown in FIG. 6 , this embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: Acquire real space data (step S1): The virtual space generation unit acquires geographic information of the real space. Generate virtual space (step S2): Based on the acquired geographic information of the real space, a virtual space and its corresponding area object are generated. Acquire user location information (step S3): Acquires user location information in the real space. Display user object (step S4): Based on the acquired user location information, a corresponding user object is displayed in the virtual space. Determine owner information (step S5): The owner information management unit determines whether the area object the user is approaching already has an owner. Check occupancy conditions (step S6): The owner information registration unit evaluates occupancy conditions, such as the positional relationship between the user and the area object. Update owner information (step S7): If the occupancy conditions are met, the owner information is updated to reflect the user. Grant incentives (step S8): The incentive granting unit grants set incentives to users and owners who visit the area object.

[0033] Other Embodiments The present invention may have the following configurations: Area User Count Monitoring Unit: In this improved invention, a new area user count monitoring unit is added. This unit monitors the number of users in a specific area in real time and stores the number in a storage unit. Enhanced Real-Time Capability: The frequency of monitoring is increased to further enhance real-time capability. User Attribute Aggregation: User attributes such as age, gender, and interests are also monitored. Consideration of Stay Time: The amount of time users spend in the area is also monitored and incentives are adjusted based on this. Incentive Calculation Unit: Based on data obtained from the area user count monitoring unit, the incentive calculation unit dynamically adjusts the amount of incentives granted to owners and users. Specifically, the more users in the area, the higher the incentive amount. Stepped Incentive: The incentive is increased each time the number of users exceeds a certain threshold. Time-of-Day Adjustment: The incentive is set higher during certain time periods of the day. Special Event: Special incentives are set when an event occurs that causes a sudden increase in the number of users. Dynamic Content Provision: Furthermore, if an area attracts many users, the owner of that area is also encouraged to provide higher quality content. This will be improved so that the content provider can adjust the quality of content according to the number of users in the area. Content rotation: The type of content provided will be automatically changed according to the number of users in the area. User-participatory content: When there are a large number of users, interactive content will be provided to encourage participation. AI optimization: AI will automatically select the most suitable content based on the number of users and other indicators. User experience optimization: In areas with a large number of users, a more attractive experience will be achieved by providing each user with a high incentive. Gamification elements: When there are a large number of users, the experience will be enhanced through gamification that incorporates elements of competition and cooperation. Localization: The user experience will be optimized to suit the region and culture. Premium options: Premium options will be provided to users who have received high incentives.

[0034] The inventions described in the embodiments of the present application are not limited to those described in the present application, and may be applied to various examples within the scope of the technical concept. For example, the system of each embodiment may be configured so that information displayed on the screen of an information processing device in the embodiments of the present application can be transmitted to another information processing device so that the information can be displayed on the screen of the other information processing device.

[0035] Furthermore, the processes and procedures described in this application document may be realized not only by those explicitly described in the embodiments, but also by software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the processes and procedures described in this application document may be implemented as computer programs and executed by various computers. Furthermore, these computer programs may be stored in storage media. Furthermore, these programs may be stored in non-transitory or temporary storage media.

[0036] The configurations included in the present invention are as follows: (Configuration 1) A game server comprising: a virtual space generation unit that generates a virtual space generated based on geographic information of a real space; an area object corresponding to an area existing in the real space; and a user object that is displayed at a corresponding position in the virtual space based on the user's position in the real space; an owner information management unit that manages owner information of the area object; an owner information registration unit that registers the owner information of the area object as the user when an occupancy condition including a positional relationship between the user and the area in the real space is satisfied; and an incentive granting unit that grants an area incentive associated with the area object to visiting users who visit the area from outside a predetermined range of the area, and grants a visiting user incentive to the owner of the area object in accordance with the number of visiting users. (Configuration 2) The game server according to Configuration 1, wherein the incentive granting unit grants the visiting user incentive in accordance with the behavior of the visiting users. (Configuration 3) The game server according to configuration 1, wherein each of the visiting users is associated with a predetermined home area, and the incentive granting unit grants the visiting user incentive according to the distance between the home area and the area. (Configuration 4) The game server according to configuration 1, further comprising a visiting user recording unit that records information about the visiting users.(Configuration 5) A game system including a user terminal and a game server, wherein the game server comprises: a virtual space generation unit that generates a virtual space generated based on geographic information of a real space; an area object corresponding to an area existing in the real space; and a user object that is displayed at a corresponding position in the virtual space based on the position of the user terminal in the real space; an owner information management unit that manages owner information of the area object; an owner information registration unit that registers the owner information of the area object as the user terminal when an occupancy condition including a positional relationship between the user terminal and the area in the real space is satisfied; and an incentive granting unit that grants an area incentive associated with the area object to visiting users who visit the area from outside a specified range of the area, and grants visiting user incentives to the owner of the area object in accordance with the number of visiting users.

[0037] 100 Real space 102, 104 Area 106 Road 110 User 200 Virtual space 202, 204 Area object 206 Road object

Claims

1. A game server comprising: a virtual space generation unit that generates a virtual space generated based on geographic information of a real space; an area object corresponding to an area existing in the real space; and a user object to be displayed at a corresponding position in the virtual space based on the user's position in the real space; an owner information management unit that manages owner information of the area object; an owner information registration unit that registers the owner information of the area object as the user when an occupancy condition including a positional relationship between the user and the area in the real space is satisfied; and an incentive granting unit that grants an area incentive associated with the area object to visiting users who visit the area from outside a specified range of the area, and grants a visiting user incentive to the owner of the area object in accordance with the number of visiting users.

2. A game server according to claim 1, wherein the incentive granting unit grants the visiting user incentive in accordance with the action of the visiting user.

3. A game server as described in claim 1, wherein each of the visiting users is associated with a specified home area, and the incentive granting unit grants the visiting user incentive according to the distance between the home area and the area in question.

4. A game server according to claim 1, further comprising a visiting user recording unit that records information relating to said visiting user.

5. A game system including a user terminal and a game server, wherein the game server comprises: a virtual space generation unit that generates a virtual space generated based on geographic information of a real space; an area object corresponding to an area existing in the real space; and a user object to be displayed at a corresponding position in the virtual space based on the position of the user terminal in the real space; an owner information management unit that manages owner information of the area object; an owner information registration unit that registers the owner information of the area object as the user terminal when an occupancy condition including a positional relationship between the user terminal and the area in the real space is satisfied; and an incentive granting unit that grants an area incentive associated with the area object to a visiting user who visits the area from outside a specified range of the area, and grants a visiting user incentive to the owner of the area object in accordance with the number of visiting users.

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