IP Library Granted Patent US 11,759,706
Granted Patent B2
US 11,759,706 · App. 17/564,312 · Granted Sep 19, 2023

Server, method of controlling a server, and program

Inventor: Takaya Matsui (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: GREE, Inc.
A63F13/35A63F13/335A63F13/537A63F2300/204A63F2300/8064
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,759,706
App. No.
17/564,312
Granted
Sep 19, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a server, a method of controlling a server, and a program that can increase the variations on methods for acquiring an item or the like and enhance interest in a game. Included are receiving, from a user, an item change request for changing first item data; displaying, to the user, a selection screen to display a plurality of options after receiving the item change request; and providing the user with second item data when a selected option on the selection screen is a correct answer.

Claims (49)

1. A game server comprising:

a controller;

a communication unit; and

a memory;

wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit, to a communication terminal of a user, “n” selection screens to provide, on a display of the communications terminal, display of, for each selection screen of the “n” selection screens, a plurality of options determined by the controller, wherein the game server is configured to receive from the communications terminal, “n” selected options from the “n” selection screens displayed on the display of the communications terminal, wherein “n” is greater than one;

wherein the controller of the game server is configured to count and store a number of times that the “n” selected options meet a predetermined condition based on a comparison of each of the “n” selected options to a plurality of values in an option table of the memory, determine at least whether the number of times is at least a first predetermined value, and cause the display of the communications terminal to display a visual effect on a corresponding selected option of the “n” selected options when the corresponding selected option met the predetermined condition;

wherein the communication unit is configured to provide the communications terminal with the first item data upon determination that the number of times is less than the first predetermined value;

wherein the communication unit is configured to provide the communications terminal with the second item data upon determination that the number of times is at least the first predetermined value; and

wherein the second item data has a higher rank in a ranking table in the memory than the first item data.

2. The game server according to claim 1 ,

wherein the game server is configured to receive, in the communication unit, from the user, a plurality of requests comprising at least a request for acquiring the first item data in the memory by an operation unit of the communication terminal of the user and a request for changing the first item data to the second item data;

wherein the controller is configured to change the first item data into a plurality of instances of item data including the second item data and a third item data; and

wherein the controller is configured to change the first item data into the second item data in a first item change step and into the third item data in a second item change step.

3. The game server according to claim 2 , wherein the second item data is selected based on the second item data having a higher rank in the ranking table than the first item data, and the third item data is selected based on the third item data having a higher rank in the tanking table than the second item data.

4. The game server according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the first item change step when the number of times reaches at least the first predetermined value and wherein the controller is configured to perform the second item change step when the number of times reaches at least a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value.

5. The game server according to claim 2 , wherein the communication unit is configured to, after the game server receives the request for acquiring the first item data, trigger display, on the display of the communication terminal, of the plurality of options.

6. The game server according to claim 1 , wherein the controller of the game server is configured to count and store the number of times that the plurality of selected options successively meet the predetermined condition and compare the number of times to the first predetermined value associated with the second item data, wherein the first predetermined value comprises a first number of successive selections.

7. The game server according to claim 6 , wherein the controller of the game server is further configured to compare the number of times to a second predetermined value associated with third item data, wherein the second predetermined value comprises a second number of successive selections greater than the first number of successive selections.

8. The game server according to claim 6 , wherein the controller of the game server is configured to reset the number of times the plurality of selected options meet the predetermined condition when a most recent selected option does not meet the predetermined condition.

9. The game server according to claim 1 , wherein ranks in the ranking table comprise an item rarity.

10. The game server according to claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is configured to provide the user with different item data upon determination that the number of times did not reach the first predetermined value and upon determination that a user input step has been concluded.

11. A method of controlling a game server, comprising:

providing, to a communication terminal of a user, display data comprising “n” selection screens to provide, on a display of the communications terminal, display of, for each selection screen of the “n” selection screens, a plurality of options generated by a controller of the game server;

receiving, on the game server, “n” selected options provided by the user from the “n” selection screens displayed on the display of the communications terminal, wherein “n” is greater than one;

causing the display of the communications terminal to display a visual effect on a corresponding selected option of the “n” selected options when the corresponding selected option met the predetermined condition;

counting and storing a number of times that the plurality of selected options meet a predetermined condition based on a comparison of each of the “n” selected options to a plurality of values in an option table stored on the game server;

determining whether the number of times is at least a first predetermined value;

providing the communication terminal with first item data in a case where second item data is not awarded; and

providing the communication terminal with the second item data upon determination that the number of times is at least the first predetermined value;

wherein the second item data has a higher rank in a ranking table in a memory of the game server than the first item data.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, from the user on an operation unit of the communication terminal, a plurality of requests comprising at least a request for acquiring the first item data provided on the game server by the operation unit of the communication terminal and a request for changing the first item data to the second item data; and

providing the user with third item data on the communication terminal, wherein providing the user with second item data is preceded by a first item change step and providing the user with third item data is preceded by a second item change step.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the second item data is selected based on the second item data having a higher rank in the ranking table than the first item data, and the third item data is selected based on the third item data having a higher rank in the ranking table than the second item data.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising performing the first item change step when the number of times reaches at least the first predetermined value and performing the second item change step when the number of times reaches at least a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising, after receiving the request for acquiring the first item data, triggering display, on the display of the communication terminal, of the plurality of options.

16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the controller of the game server is configured to count and store the number of times that the plurality of selected options successively meet the predetermined condition and compare the number of times to the first predetermined value associated with the second item data, wherein the first predetermined value comprises a first number of successive selections.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the controller of the game server is further configured to compare the number of times to a second predetermined value associated with third item data, wherein the second predetermined value comprises a second number of successive selections greater than the first number of successive selections.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising resetting, by the controller of the game server, the number of times the plurality of selected options meet the predetermined condition when a most recent selected option does not meet the predetermined condition.

19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the ranks in the ranking table comprise an item rarity.

20. A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium having recorded thereon instructions to be executed by a computer, the instructions causing the computer to execute steps of:

providing, to a communication terminal of a user, display data comprising “n” selection screens to provide, on a display of the communications terminal, display of, for each selection screen of the “n” selection screens, a plurality of options generated by a controller of the computer;

receiving, on the computer, “n” selected options provided by the user from the “n” selection screens displayed on the display of the communications terminal, wherein “n” is greater than one;

causing the display of the communications terminal to display a visual effect on a corresponding selected option of the “n” selected options when the corresponding selected option met the predetermined condition;

counting and storing a number of times that the plurality of selected options meet a predetermined condition based on a comparison of each of the “n” selected options to a plurality of values in an option table stored on the computer;

determining whether the number of times is at least a predetermined value;

providing the communication terminal with first item data in a case where second item data is not awarded; and

providing the communication terminal with the second item data upon determination that the number of times is at least the predetermined value;

wherein the second item data has a higher rank in a ranking table in a memory of the game server than the first item data.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY STREET ADDRESS AND ATTORNEY DOCKET NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 71308 FRAME: 765. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: GREE, INC.
To: GREE HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071611/0252 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 16, 2025
From: GREE, INC.
To: GREE HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071308/0765 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2021
From: MATSUI, TAKAYA
To: GREE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058503/0466 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-214713 · Sep 27, 2012 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16735942 · Jan 7, 2020
Continuation 15628998 · Jun 21, 2017
Continuation 14430986
Related Publication 20220118356A1 · Apr 21, 2022