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Method and system for distributing game contentRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), Credit/debit Monitoring Or Manipulation (e.g., Game Entry, Betting, Prize Level, Etc.)Method and system for distributing game content description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070021192, Method and system for distributing game content. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims priority to prior application JP 2004-350065, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a method and system for distributing game content, which allows a user at a remote location to participate in real-time in a game played on a real game machine, such as a roulette machine, via a communications network. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Game machines, such as a roulette machine, can be divided into computer-controlled game machines, which have been widely used in recent years, and game machines not controlled by a computer. In case of the computer-controlled game machines, the progress and result of a game are determined according to an algorithm in a software installed on a computer. Thus, the software may arbitrarily output the result of a game. Accordingly, a game player can feel concern as to whether the algorithm is providing a fraudulent result. In some cases, therefore, a game player psychologically believes that they will finally lose the game. Further, in a game against a computer, an image of a dealer is a repeatedly replayed digital image. Therefore, a game player cannot sense the dealer's expressions and habits. This is one of the reasons for the monotony that game players feel toward the computer-controlled game machines. [0006] Furthermore, in the case of a game played using a game software installed on a computer, the game is no more than a simulation and thus has a disadvantage in the lack of live aspects of a real game hall. On the other hand, in the case of a roulette machine not controlled by a computer, a dealer needs to be located near the roulette machine. To allow a multitude of game players to play roulette games, therefore, a relatively large space is required for arranging the roulette machines. Among existing remote roulette game systems, PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2004-520089 (hereinafter referred to as a Related Art 1), for example, describes a system allowing a game player at a remote location to watch and participate in a real game played at a place such as a casino (see Paragraphs 0010 and 0011 of the Related Art 1). According to the system, the game player can watch, via a communications network, a live image of a casino where a betting game is being held, and also the game player can participate in the betting game using cash or a credit card. [0007] According to the system described in the above Related Art 1, however, if a previously recorded image is deceptively distributed, a game player cannot check whether or not the image is truly a real-time image. Therefore, the game player can be concerned about the system being fraudulent. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for distributing game content, which allows a game player at a remote location to enjoy a game with the live aspects thereof without feeling concern about fraudulence, and which offers a game hall management an opportunity for increases in customer count and revenue. [0009] The present invention describes a method for distributing game content. According to one aspect of the invention, a method for distributing game content includes: displaying a currently broadcast image; receiving betting content information from a terminal used by a game participant (the betting content information designates, as a betting target, a result of a game randomly determined by a game machine, and includes information of a betting money amount); concurrently capturing the displayed currently broadcast image and a process of the game on the game machine, and sending the terminal a game image including the displayed currently broadcast image and the process of the game; calculating a collected/refunded money amount on the basis of the result of the game determined by the game machine and the betting content information (the collected/refunded money amount indicates a money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant); and sending the terminal information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount. Accordingly, the method can confirm for the game participant that the captured image truly shows the game in progress at the present moment. [0010] The method for distributing game content according to the one aspect of the invention may further include: displaying, on the terminal used by the game participant, the game image and the information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount sent to the terminal. [0011] The method for distributing game content according to the one aspect of the invention may further include: managing, for each individual game participant, a total amount of money collected from or refunded to the game participant; and receiving and relaying to the terminal used by the game participant the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount, and updating, upon receipt of the collected/refunded money amount, the total amount of money collected from or refunded to the game participant on the basis of the collected/refunded money amount. [0012] The method for distributing game content according to the one aspect of the invention may further include; determining, on the basis of an operation of setting a game available time during which the game participant can make a bet, whether or not a time of reception of the betting content information is within a game available time; and sending the terminal used by the game participant a notice that participation in the bet has been accepted, when the time of reception of the betting content information is within the game available time. [0013] The present invention further describes a system for distributing game content. According to one aspect of the invention, a system for distributing game content includes a betting content information receiving device, a collected/refunded money amount calculating device, a result sending device, a broadcast image displaying device, and a game image sending device. The betting content information receiving device receives betting content information from a terminal used by a game participant via a communications network. The betting content information designates, as a betting target, a result of a game randomly determined by a game machine, and includes information of a betting money amount. The collected/refunded money amount calculating device calculates a collected/refunded money amount on the basis of the result of the game determined by the game machine and the betting content information. The collected/refunded money amount indicates a money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant. The result sending device sends information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount to the terminal via the communications network. The broadcast image displaying device displays a currently broadcast image. The game image sending device concurrently captures the displayed currently broadcast image and a process of the game on the game machine, and sends the terminal a game image including the displayed currently broadcast image and the process of the game. [0014] In the system for distributing game content according to the one aspect of the invention, the terminal may display the game image sent from the game image sending device and the information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount sent from the result sending device. [0015] The system for distributing game content according to the one aspect of the invention may further include a managing device. The managing device may manage, for each individual game participant, a total money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant. The managing device may receive and relay to the terminal used by the game participant the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount sent from the result sending device, and may update, upon receipt of the collected/refunded money amount, the total money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant on the basis of the collected/refunded money amount. [0016] The system for distributing game content according to the one aspect of the invention may further include a game available time setting device, a game available time verifying device, and a betting acceptance notice sending device. The game available time setting device may perform an operation of setting a game available time during which the game participant can make a bet. The game available time verifying device may determine, on the basis of the operation of setting the game available time, whether or not a time of reception of the betting content information is within the game available time. The betting acceptance notice sending device may send the terminal used by the game participant a notice that participation in the bet has been accepted, when the time of reception of the betting content, information is within the game available time. [0017] According to the above aspects of the invention, a game player at a remote location can enjoy a game, such as a roulette game, in real-time via a network with the live aspects of the game, without feeling concern about fraudulence. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a system for delivering game content according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a roulette machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of money flow paths of data distribution fees according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of reception of a betting content by the roulette machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Continue reading about Method and system for distributing game content... Full patent description for Method and system for distributing game content Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method and system for distributing game content patent application. ###  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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