Network game terminal, game server, method for handling network games, and recording medium

1. A network game terminal which is accessible to a game server through a predetermined network, comprising:

first communication control means which is adapted to receive data from the game server over the predetermined network;

means for generating user group data which is adapted to group the network game terminal and one or more other network game terminal(s) as a user group in order to play out a network game using data received from the game server through said first communication control means, means for generating user group data also generates

user group data, the user group data including group information with which the game server can recognize the grouped network game terminals as one user group, and

representative terminal information with which other network game terminal(s) in the user group can recognize the network game terminal as a representative terminal having representative rights with regard to distribution of data received from the game server, wherein the representative rights are transferred to one of the one or more other network game terminal(s) when the network game terminal is no longer recognized as the representative terminal;

second communication control means which is adapted to send the data received from the game server and the user group data to other network game terminal(s) in the user group; and

means for selecting one of the one or more other network game terminals as a new representative terminal for the user group when the network game terminal is serving as the representative terminal, and either when the network game terminal attempts to log out the game server or when the network game terminal attempts to withdraw from the user group, the selection of the new representative terminal is based on a predetermined priority order such that if the user group comprises only one other network game terminal in addition to the network game terminal, the means for selecting automatically selects the one other network game terminal as the new representative terminal for the user group.

2. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the network game terminal serves as the representative terminal and receives data from the game server;

the network game terminal further comprising first recording means on which the user group data are recorded.

3. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the user group data include information representing a status of the user group in the network game.

4. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising second recording means on which data received from the game server through said first communication control means are recorded, the received data including data that are shared by all network game terminals including the network game terminal in the user group.

5. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the data that are shared by all network game terminals in the user group include graphic data to be used in the network game.

6. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising:

means for sending the data that were received through said first communication control means and recorded on said second recording means, to the new representative terminal when the network game terminal is serving as the representative terminal, and either when the network game terminal attempts to log out the game server or when the network game terminal attempts to withdraw from the user group, the new representative terminal being selected from the other network game terminals that are in communication with the network game terminal in the user group which the network game terminal belongs to.

7. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said first communication control means is for allowing the network game terminal to communicate bi-directionally with the game server and said second communication control means is for allowing the network game terminal to communicate bi-directionally with anyone of other network game terminals in the user group, the network game terminal further comprising:

terminal data recording means which is adapted to record, on said first recording means, terminal data of the network game terminal as well as terminal data of individual network game terminal(s) that are received from the other network game terminal(s) in the user group, the terminal data being data indicating a status relating to the individual network game terminal(s);

means for determining whether the user group which the network game terminal belongs to includes other network game terminals in communication with the network game terminal; and

means for sending the group information recorded on said first recording means and the terminal data for each network game terminal, to the game server, if said determination means determines that no network game terminal is in communication with the network game terminal when the network game terminal is serving as the representative terminal, and either when the network game terminal attempts to log out the game server or when the network game terminal attempts to withdraw from the user group.

8. A game server to which the network game terminal as claimed in claim 7 has access, the game server comprising:

means for recording the group information and the terminal data on third recording means, the group information and the terminal data being supplied from the network game terminal(s), the third recording means being provided on the game server; and

means for sending the group information and the terminal data that are recorded on the third recording means to another representative terminal when the representative terminal is abnormally disconnected from the network, the another representative terminal being selected from available network game terminals in the user group which the representative terminal had belonged to.

9. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second communication control means allows the network game terminal to communicate bi-directionally with anyone of the other network game terminals in the user group, in a peer-to-peer fashion.

10. The network game terminal as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising:

terminal data recording means which is adapted to record a set of terminal data on said first recording means, the terminal data indicating a status of each network game terminal, the set of terminal data including the terminal data of the network game terminal and the terminal data received from other network game terminal(s) in the user group; and

means for (i) changing a status of an in-game character in response to a predetermined event that affects the status of the in-game character and updating all of the set of the terminal data, the in-game character being a character in a game corresponding to a network game terminal in the user group that is in the logged out state, this changing being made by said changing means when the network game terminal is serving as the representative terminal, and (ii) sending the updated terminal data to the network game terminal in the user group that was in the offline state and has logging-in again.

11. A method to be performed on a network game terminal which is accessible to a game server through a predetermined network, the network game terminal being adapted to receive data from the game server, the method comprising,

by a control unit provided in the network game terminal, the step of grouping the network game terminal and one or more other network game terminal(s) as a user group in order to play out a network game in cooperation between the network game terminal and other network game terminal(s) using data received from the game server,

generating user group data, the user group data including group information with which the game server can recognize the grouped network game terminals as one user group, and representative terminal information with which other network game terminal(s) in the user group can recognize the network game terminal as a representative terminal having representative rights with regard to distribution of data received from the game server, wherein the representative rights are transferred to one of the one or more other network game terminal(s) when the network game terminal is no longer recognized as the representative terminal;

sending, by the control unit, the data received from the game server and the user group data to other network game terminal(s) in the user group,

selecting, by the network game terminal, a new representative terminal for the user group from the one or more other network game terminals in accordance with a predetermined order when the network game terminal is the representative terminal and the network game terminal attempts to logoff the game server or withdraw from the user group; and

automatically selecting a connected network game terminal from the user group as the representative terminal for the user group upon determination that the connected network game terminal is a sole member of the user group that will be connected to the game server upon the log off or the withdrawal of the network game terminal.

12. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded that is used to allow a computer to function as:

first communication control means which is adapted to receive data from a game server over a predetermined network;

means for generating user group data which is adapted to group the computer functioning as a network game terminal and one or more other network game terminals as a user group in order to play out a network game in cooperation between the network game terminal and other network game terminals using data received from the game server through said first communication control means, means for generating user group data being also adapted to generate user group data, the user group data including group information with which the game server can recognize the grouped network game terminals as one user group, and representative terminal information with which other network game terminals in the user group can recognize the network game terminal as a representative terminal having representative rights with regard to the distribution of data received from the game server, wherein the representative rights are transferred to one of the one or more other network game terminals when the local network game terminal is no longer recognized as the representative terminal;

second communication control means which is adapted to send the data received from the game server and the user group data to other network game terminals in the user group; and

means for selecting one of the one or more other network game terminals as a new representative terminal for the user group when the network game terminal is serving as the representative terminal, and either when the network game terminal attempts to log out the game server or when the network game terminal attempts to withdraw from the user group, the selection of the new representative terminal is based on a predetermined priority order such that if the user group comprises only one other network game terminal in addition to the network game terminal, the means for selecting automatically selects the one other network game terminal as the new representative terminal for the user group.

13. The computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the server is accessible from a plurality of network game terminals through the predetermined network, in such a manner that said program is allowed to be downloaded by said network game terminals.

14. A game server accessible from a plurality of network game terminals through a predetermined network, each of the network game terminals comprising:

first communication control means for bi-directional communication with the game server over the predetermined network; and

means which is adapted to group a local network game terminal and one or more other network game terminal(s) as a user group in order to play out a network game in cooperation between the local network game terminal and other network game terminal(s) using data received from the game server through said first communication control means, said means being also adapted to generate group information with which the game server can recognize the grouped network game terminals as one user group, and representative terminal information with which the network game terminal(s) in the user group can recognize a particular one of the network game terminals as a representative terminal having representative rights with regard to distribution of data received from the game server, wherein the representative rights are transferrable to another one of the network game terminal(s) when the particular network game terminal is no longer recognized as the representative terminal;

means for selecting one of the one or more other network game terminals as a new representative terminal for the user group when the local network game terminal is serving as the representative terminal, and either when the local network game terminal attempts to log out the game server or when the local network game terminal attempts to withdraw from the user group, the selection of the new representative terminal is based on a predetermined priority order such that if the user group comprises only one other network game terminal in addition to the local network game terminal, the means for selecting automatically selects the one other network game terminal as the new representative terminal for the user group;

said game server comprising:

first recording means on which the group information supplied from the network game terminal(s) are recorded; and

means for identifying, in response to a request for logging-in from a network game terminal which is in the user group and is not in the logged in state, the user group which the requesting network game terminal belongs to, based on the group information and for reading the group information corresponding to the identified user group from said first recording means to send the group information to the requesting network game terminal.

15. The game server as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the network game terminal(s) comprise(s) means for sending terminal data to said game server, the terminal data indicating a status associated with the network game terminal(s), said game server comprising:

second recording means on which the terminal data supplied from the network game terminal(s) are recorded;

when a predetermined event occurs that affects the status associated with the network game terminal(s) in the progress of the network game reflecting the effect of the event to a status associated with a network game terminal in an offline state updating the terminal data recorded on said second recording means.