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Game systemGame system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070218999, Game system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-072106. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-072106 is hereby incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]The present invention relates to a game system to be installed in a casino or similar facility and a server device that can be used in such system. [0004]2. Background Information [0005]A known example of this type of game system is the system described in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,602. This system comprises a server and a plurality of clients, and the server can execute a plurality of game programs. Each client can access a plurality of game programs to be executed by the server, and a game screen formed by an accessed game program is displayed on a display unit of the relevant client. A player can play the game program being executed by the server by performing game operations at the client. In this kind of game system, a player performs game selection operations using a client operation unit to select the game the player wants to play. In this way, when the game program selected in the game selection operation is executed by the server, the game progresses on the client, and the player can play the game. [0006]However, with this kind of game system, various processing or controls that the server executes at each game terminal are the same for every game terminal. Therefore, the server cannot perform individualized processing or controls for each game terminal or cause game terminals to perform individualized processing or control. Consequently, a problem arises in which a manager or operator of this game system cannot manage, on an individual game terminal basis, the various processing and various controls that the server performs for the game terminals. This problem may hinder the smooth or appropriate management and operation of the game system. Further, from the perspective of the player, there is a problem in which because game play is the same on all game terminals, the player is denied the pleasure of selecting a game terminal to play. [0007]Besides the game system described in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,602, another example of a game system is a download-type game system. In download-type game systems, a plurality of game programs is stored on a server, and the game program that a player selects at a client is downloaded from the server, and the game program is executed at the client. With these game systems as well, a problem arises in which unless the various processing or various controls that each game terminal performs for any game terminal are the same, a manager or operator of the game system cannot manage on an individual game terminal basis the various processing or various controls that each game terminal performs. This problem may also hinder smooth or appropriate management or operation of the game system. Further, from the perspective of the player, the player is denied the pleasure of selecting a game terminal to play. [0008]In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved game system for performing appropriate management or operation of each game terminal on an individual game terminal basis. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009]A first aspect of the invention provides a game system in which a server device that executes at least one game program, and a plurality of game terminals that communicate with the server device and provide a player with game data of the game program, are connected in a manner enabling two-way communication. [0010]Each game terminal comprises an operation accepting unit configured to accept game selection operations and game operations for a game in progress from a player; a terminal communication processing unit configured to receive game data provided by execution of a game program by the server device, and transmit to the server device game selection operation information that identifies the game program specified by the game selection operation, and game operation information that specifies the game operations; and a display unit configured to display a game image based on image information included in game data that the terminal communication processing unit has received. [0011]The server device comprises a storage unit configured to store at least one game program; a server communication processing unit configured to receive game selection operation information and game operation information sent from each game terminal; a setting information storage unit configured to associate terminal-specifying information for specifying each game terminal with action-setting information of each game terminal and store the same; an instruction input accepting unit configured to accept the input of change instructions for the action-setting information stored in the setting information storage unit; a setting change unit configured to change the action-setting information stored in the setting information storage unit in accordance with change instructions accepted by the instruction input accepting unit; and a control unit configured to read, from the storage unit, a game program corresponding to the game selection operation information received from any given game terminal, execute the game program that was read, and control the game executed by the game program in accordance with the game operation information. [0012]In the first aspect, before or during execution of the game program, the control unit reads, from the setting information storage unit, the action-setting information based on the terminal-specifying information corresponding to the game terminal, and executes the game program according to the action-setting information that was read. In addition, the server communication processing unit transmits to the game terminal game data based on the game program and control data in accordance with the game operation information. [0013]This game system (hereinafter "thin-client type game system") enables games based on game programs executed by a server device to be played on game terminals. [0014]In this game system, action-setting information for each game terminal is stored in the setting information storage unit of the server device associated with the respective terminal-specifying information. When the server communication processing unit receives game selection operation information, the control unit of the server device reads from the setting information storage unit action-setting information associated with the terminal-specifying information of the game terminal that transmitted the game selection operation information. Further, the control unit acts in accordance with the read action-setting information before or during execution of the game program specified by the game selection operation information. In this way, the actions of the control unit of the server device before or during execution of the game program on any game terminal are performed in accordance with action-setting information for each game terminal. Therefore, it is possible to have the control unit of the server device control the various processing and various controls related to game progress on each terminal in an individualized manner for each game terminal. [0015]Further, in accordance with this game system, action-setting information stored in the setting information storage unit can be changed in accordance with inputted change instructions that the instruction input accepting unit has accepted. Thus, a manager or operator of this game system can input change instructions to the instruction input accepting unit and change the action-setting information relating to game progress for each terminal as appropriate. It is thereby possible to change, on an individual game terminal basis, what processing or control the control unit of the server device will perform when a game is progressing. [0016]Even though action-setting information is changed on an individual game terminal basis, the system may be configured so that a plurality of groups comprising two or more game terminals are formed, and action-setting information is changed in units of groups. In such a case, the same action-setting information may be associated with two or more game terminals belonging to the same group. As a result, while the various processing and controls relating to game progress carried out by the control unit of a server device with respect to two or more game terminals belonging to the same group may change uniformly, the various processing and controls will differ from group to group. [0017]According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the action-setting information corresponding to terminal-specifying information includes information indicating a rule for a game to progress on the game terminal specified by terminal-specifying information. [0018]In this game system, game rules can be made to differ on an individual game terminal basis. A manager or operator of the present game system can change the rules on an individual game terminal basis by inputting change instructions into the instruction input accepting unit. The kinds of rules to be made to differ can be appropriately decided from a variety of perspectives, such as achieving smooth or suitable management or operation of the game system or making the game more enjoyable for a player. How to change the rules on an individual game terminal basis can be decided appropriately by a manager or operator of the game system. Change instructions can be input into the instruction input accepting unit to change rule information on an individual game terminal basis in accordance with such decision. The kinds of rule to be made to differ on an individual game terminal basis and the details of such change may be applied uniformly regardless of type of game or may be applied just to a specific game type. [0019]Further, with this game system, because game rules can be made to differ on an individual game terminal basis, depending on which game terminal a player plays on, he/she can play games with different rules. Consequently, the player is given the pleasure of selecting a game terminal to play. [0020]According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the at least one program is a program that runs a game that commences on the condition that a bet of at least a prescribed amount is accepted from a player, and the payout amount is determined according to the amount of the accepted bet. In addition, each game terminal further comprises a bet processing unit configured such that, when the operation accepting unit accepts bet operations from a player; bet processing for accepting a bet amount corresponding to such bet operations is performed thereby; and a payout processing unit configured to perform payout in accordance with the game results of the player; [0021]Here, the action-setting information corresponding to terminal-specifying information contains information on a prescribed bet amount set so as to differ for each game terminal as specified by terminal-specifying information. In addition, a game rule contained in the action-setting information is a rule to commence a game when the prescribed bet amount, which is different for each game terminal, is accepted from a player. Continue reading about Game system... 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The server-client download throttling system enables the downloading of ... 20090280907 - Server client network throttling system for download content - A server-client download throttling system is disclosed in which the download speed is varied when transferring a download package from a gaming server to a gaming machine in a background process, while the gaming machine is still playable by a player. The server-client download throttling system enables the downloading of ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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