Patents by Inventor Kazuhiro Namba

Kazuhiro Namba has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7113975
    Abstract: A server device for net game is provided with a party organizing section 101 for organizing a plurality of members participating in a virtual party, a question preparing section 102 for preparing a specified number of questions to be presented to organized mobile communication terminals, a matching section 104 for selecting two members from those participating in the party based on answers to the prepared questions and a congeniality evaluation parameter value, a question drafting section 105 for letting the selected two members to draft a specified number of questions and possible answers corresponding to the questions, an access setting section 106 for enabling an access time and an imaginary access place to be set based on answers to the drafted questions and the congeniality evaluation parameter value, and an access judging section 107 for judging whether the two selected members have accessed at the set time and imaginary place and giving mailboxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Norio Nakayama, Katsuhiro Goto, Hiromoto Yotsugi, Kazuhiro Namba, Masatoshi Yamaoka, Satoko Naito
  • Patent number: 7033269
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to realize a baseball game in an environment that is difficult to achieve in the case of game-dedicated devices and the joysticks used in such devices. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region A, a straight ball is selected as the ball type. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region C, a screwball is selected. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region D, a sinker is selected. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region E, a split-fingered ball is selected. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region G, a slider is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Namba, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Hidehisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7022014
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to realize a baseball game in an environment that is difficult to achieve with game-dedicated devices and the joystick used in such devices. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region A, the position (height) of the bat character is raised from the current position. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region B, the position (height) of the bat character is lowered from the current position. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region C, the direction of the bunt is moved toward the left side from the current direction. When the mouse 22 is moved toward region D, the direction of the bunt is moved toward the right side from the current direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Namba, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Hidehisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6884163
    Abstract: Using terminal apparatuses 1A to 1E connected to a server 3 by a network 2, original characters are trained by the game players executing a character training game, and data relating to those original characters are stored in a database 31 in the server 3. When two or more game players directly contest the same game in real time via the network 2, data relating to the original characters of the game players stored in the database 31 are downloaded to the terminal apparatuses 1A to 1E and used as character data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Studios, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Namba, Norio Nakayama
  • Patent number: 6884164
    Abstract: The present invention provides a network game progress control system which is capable of causing a network game between users to progress smoothly without being subject to effects caused by a data transfer rate disparity and/or a difference in hardware capacity. The pitcher-side client computer 2a transmits ball-type information and course information to the batter-side client computer 2b, causes a pitching action of the pitcher character to be temporarily suspended, and, after receiving batting information transmitted from the batter-side client computer 2b, restarts the pitching action of the pitcher character, and causes a baseball game to progress in accordance with a batting action determined by the batting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Patent number: 6881148
    Abstract: Network game system for playing a game with the aim of a achieving a predetermined goal. The game is played, via data terminals operated by member players, in a game space provided on a game server, while communicating with the game server on the network. The game server includes a recruiting information generating section for generating, upon receipt from a member player of referral information specifying the mail address of the data terminal of a non-member player, recruiting information including information specifying the member player, an enrollment processing section for performing enrollment processing upon receiving application information in response to recruiting information sent to the mail address of the non-member, and an advantage conferring section for conferring to the referring member player advantages useful in achieving the goal of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Studios, Inc.
    Inventors: Hirotomo Yotsugi, Masatoshi Yamaoka, Satoko Naito, Norio Nakayama, Katsuhiro Goto, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20050070357
    Abstract: A manipulation suppression program, a manipulation suppression method and a video game machine are provided which are capable of suppressing an inhibited act that is conducted by a user. A main-game execution section executes a main game; while the main game is executed, an inhibited-act detection section detects a manipulation by a user being a preset inhibited act; and if the inhibited act is detected by the inhibited-act detection section, a suppression-information presentation section displays, in a display section, a suppression picture which prompts the user to suppress the inhibited act.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Namba, Norio Nakayama
  • Patent number: 6855057
    Abstract: A network game having bi-directional characteristics by means of a network, wherein prescribed data corresponding to a game result is transmitted to a game-player and the game result is provided with general applicability and future development possibilities. The character training game system consists of a web (WWW) server 1 located on the Internet and a mobile telephone device 20. The server 1 comprises a character training-type game device 10. This game device 10 comprises internal hardware and software for a character training game, for example, at the least, a training processing section 100, and a transmission and reception control section 112 for controlling data reception and transmission processing with respect to the Internet. The network center 30 mediates the connection between the mobile telephone device 20 and the Internet. Game images from the game device 10 are displayed on the monitor of the mobile telephone device 20, and a game is developed by sending back response data by operating keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: KCEO Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Namba, Masatoshi Yamaoka, Satoko Naito, Katsuhiro Goto, Hirotomo Yotsugi
  • Patent number: 6821205
    Abstract: The present invention provides a server device for net games which can increase the acquaintances of the user through net games, give sufficient excitement to the user, and can run net games smoothly by improving the enthusiasm of users to participate in these games. A lobby server 13 stores profile information for each member when each member accesses using a client computer 2, and at the end of the encounter league, in which profile information is invariably exchanged, the lobby server 13 enables the stored profile information of one member to be read at the client computer 2 of the other member, and enables the stored profile information of the other member to be read at the client computer 2 of the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Patent number: 6607444
    Abstract: The present invention provides a server device for net games, which can sufficiently give users a sense of accomplishment as a winner and higher excitement without greatly diminishing the advantages of net games. A server system 1 designates league members from a plurality of members who register to a normal pennant using a client computer 2, sequentially creates normal leagues consisting of the designated league members, and decides the game schedule of each created normal league.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20030022707
    Abstract: A key reception processing unit 203 receives a key-designated area designated by means of a tenkey 211, a timing detector 205 detects a timing at which the key-designated area was received, a meet section detector 204 detects a meet section where the center position of a ball object 402 displayed to move on a display screen of a monitor 22 passes, and a game progress processing unit 206 proceeds a game in accordance with a batting result obtained by combining a batting result corresponded beforehand to the detected timing and a batting result corresponded beforehand to the detected meet section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Namba, Masatoshi Yamaoka, Katsuhiro Goto, Hirotomo Yotsugi, Norio Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20030017863
    Abstract: Realization of a game with good operating properties using a personal computer is made possible. Because the home position of a catcher's mitt character determining a pitch course can be determined, and movement to the home position performed, by a single key operation of the keyboard, return to the home position can be performed with ease similar to that possible when a player removes a hand from a joystick or similar in dedicated game equipment to cause return to a home position, so that operating properties are improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20030008710
    Abstract: In order to enable a user to play a game continuously and to facilitate acquisition of valuable data by the user, the present invention provides a network game server device 1 that conducts a game in which a user is enabled to acquire valuable data having a prescribed value while performing transmission/reception of data with a terminal device employed by the user through a network 2 enables the user to play a single game of a plurality of games; awards prescribed points to this user in accordance with the results of the game played by the user; and provides to this user valuable data having a prescribed value in accordance with the points awarded to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yamaoka, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20030003977
    Abstract: The present invention provides a network game progress control system which is capable of causing a network game between users to progress smoothly without being subject to effects caused by a data transfer rate disparity and/or a difference in hardware capacity. The pitcher-side client computer 2a transmits ball-type information and course information to the batter-side client computer 2b, causes a pitching action of the pitcher character to be temporarily suspended, and, after receiving batting information transmitted from the batter-side client computer 2b, restarts the pitching action of the pitcher character, and causes a baseball game to progress in accordance with a batting action determined by the batting information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20020198053
    Abstract: To enable the interest of the game itself to be improved and to give the user a feeling of anticipation of acquiring desired value data in accordance with the degree of progress of the game, a network game server performs exchange of data with a terminal device employed by a user through a network. Prediction data made by a user in respect of predicted content regarding some actual phenomenon that will occur in the future is received from the terminal device. The received prediction data is registered in association with this user. The phenomenon that actually occurs in regard to the prediction data is acquired as result data and, if the result data and the prediction data satisfy a predetermined condition, prescribed points are awarded to the user who created the prediction data in question and the user is provided with value data having a prescribed value in accordance with these points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yamaoka, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Patent number: 6494783
    Abstract: A baseball game is made realizable in an environment difficult to achieve with a dedicated game apparatus and a joy stick for such an apparatus. When a player team is at bat, the positioning point of the bat of a batter character relative to a ball character and the batting action of the batter character are determined by manipulating a mouse 22, while, when the player team is in the field, the pitching action and the pitch course for the ball character displayed moving from a pitcher character toward the batter character are determined by manipulating the mouse 22, and upon the end of the game, the particulars of the game results and the particulars of the batting results and pitching results of the player team are uploaded to a recording unit 42 in a server system 16 connected via a network 12 to computers 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Namba, Norio Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20020187835
    Abstract: In a data delivery system utilizing a network 400, a data delivery server 100 receives a recording medium specifying information stored in a recording medium 300 from a video game device 200, generates and administers an authentication information and a password used to permit the delivery of an event information to the video game device 200 while relating them to the video game device 200, transmits the generated authentication information and password to the video game device 200, and delivers the event information to the video game device 200 upon receiving the password as a response from the video game device 200. The video game device 200 includes a password storage means for receiving the authentication information and the password from the data delivery server 100 and saving the password.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Norio Nakayama, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20020183116
    Abstract: The present invention provides a server device for net games which can decide a winner out of a large number of users in a short time without wasting the time of the users. The lobby server 13 detects the winners of the normal pennant who are accessing using the client computers 2, decides the pairing in the games for the winners of the normal pennant whose access was detected, and sequentially decides the pairing in the following games for the winners of the normal pennant who won the games which were played according to the decided pairing in the games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20020183114
    Abstract: The present invention provides a server device for net games which can give the user sufficient excitement based on the characteristic of net games that can be played with an actual person. The lobby server 13 stores the messages to be presented at game start/during game, which each member has set using the client computer 2, for each member, and at the game start and/or batting/fielding change time, the stored message at game start/during game of one member is presented to the client computer 2 of the other member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba
  • Publication number: 20020183115
    Abstract: The present invention provides a server device for net games which can improve the excitement of watching net games. The lobby server 13 transmits the game watching information to watch a game which a user to be a player plays using the client computer 2A to the client computer 2B of another member to be a spectator of this game, and receives a message transmitted from the client computer 2B of one spectator, and transmits the received message to the client computer 2B of the other spectator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Konami Conputer Entertainment Osaka, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Namba