METHOD, APPARATUS, SERVER, SYSTEM AND RECORDING MEDIUM FOR MUSIC GAME

Abstract

Disclosed is music game technology, and more particularly a method, apparatus, server, system, and recoding medium for a music game, by which the user can generate game play data after directly playing a music game, and can directly generate course data for a music game based on the game play data generated by the user.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0037627, filed on Apr. 22, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to music game technology, and more particularly to a method, apparatus, server, system, and recoding medium for a music game, by which the user can generate game play data after directly playing a music game, and can directly generate course data for a music game based on the game play data generated by the user.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In general, a music game apparatus, such as an arcade game machine or a portable game machine, provides a music game in such a manner as to display notes indicating play operation points in accordance with a musical flow (e.g. a musical score) on a screen of a music game apparatus, to let a timeline pass through the displayed notes while a music is being reproduced, to recognize a play action signal through a touch screen or input unit of a music game apparatus, and to determine whether or not the recognized play action signal is generated at the precise point where a note over which the timeline passes is displayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of enabling the user to generate game play data after the user directly plays a music game, and enabling the user to directly generate course data for a music game based on the game play data generated by the user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for enabling a user to enjoy a music game through the use of course data for a music game which has been generated by another user.

In order to accomplish this object, there is provided a music game apparatus including: a music game play unit for playing a music game; a game play data generator for generating game play data associated with play of the music game; a game play data transmitter for transmitting the generated game play data to a music game server; and a user course data generator for receiving a game play data list stored in the music game server, and generating user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected from the received game play data list, wherein the user course data is used by the music game play unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music game system including: a music game apparatus for generating and transmitting game play data associated with play of a music game, generating user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected from a received game play data list, and transmitting the generated user course data; and a music game server for receiving game play data from the music game apparatus, storing the received game play data, transmitting the game play data list to the music game apparatus, receiving the user course data, and storing the received user course data.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music game server including: a game play data management unit for receiving game play data associated with play of a music game from a music game apparatus corresponding to user information, and storing the received game play data in a database; and a user course data management unit for extracting a game play data list from the database in response to a game play data reading request of the music game apparatus, transmitting the extracted game play data list to the music game apparatus, receiving user course data, which is generated based on at least one piece of game play data selected from the game play data list, from the music game apparatus, and storing the received user course data in the database.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music game method including: generating game play data associated with play of a music game; transmitting the generated game play data to a music game server; receiving a game play data list stored in the music game server, and generating user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected from the game play data list; and using the user course data for play of a music game.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a music game provision method including: receiving game play data associated with play of a music game or user course data generated based on at least one piece of game play data from a music game apparatus corresponding to user information, and stores the received game play data or user course data in a database; extracting a game play data list or user course data from the database in response to a game play data reading request of the music game apparatus; and transmitting the extracted game play data list or user course data to the music game apparatus.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon a program and data to perform a method of generating user course data based on game play data, the program and data implementing the functions of: generating at least one piece of game play data, which includes at least one information among song information, user information, and game result information, associated with play of a music game; and rearranging the generated at least one piece of game play data according to inputted rearrangement information, thereby generating user course data.

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can generate game play data after directly playing a music game, and can directly generate course data for a music game based on the game play data generated by the user.

In addition, according to the present invention, a user can enjoy a music game through the use of course data for a music game which has been generated by another user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating the configuration of a music game system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a music game apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are views illustrating game play data and a game play data list;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating game option information included in game play data;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating user course data;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual view showing a case where a music game is played in a music game apparatus through the use of user course data;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a music game server according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a music game method according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a music game provision method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same elements will be designated by the same reference numerals although they are shown in different drawings. Further, in the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

In addition, terms, such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b) or the like may be used herein when describing components of the present invention. Each of these terminologies is not used to define an essence, order or sequence of a corresponding component but used merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other component(s). It should be noted that if it is described in the specification that one component is “connected,” “coupled” or “joined” to another component, a third component may be “connected,” “coupled,” and “joined” between the first and second components, although the first component may be directly connected, coupled or joined to the second component.

FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating a system (hereinafter referred to as a “music game system”) for a music game according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The term “music game” used in the present embodiment represents a game played, for example, in such a manner as to display notes indicating play operation points in accordance with a musical flow (e.g. a musical score) on a screen of a music game apparatus 110, to let a timeline pass through the displayed notes while a music is being reproduced, to recognize a play action signal through a touch screen or input unit of the music game apparatus 110, and to determine whether or not the recognized play action signal is generated at the precise point where a note over which the timeline passes is displayed. Such a music game is called a timeline movement type music game.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the music game system 100 for such a music game includes a music game apparatus 110 for playing the music game, and a music game server 120 for transmitting/receiving and storing various data in communication with the music game apparatus 110.

The music game apparatus 110 generates and transmits game play data relating to the operation of a music game to the music game server 120 so as to store the game play data in the music game server 120, transmits a game play data reading request to the music game server 120 so as to receive a game play data list, generates user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected by the user from the received game play data list, and transmits the generated user course data to the music game server 120.

The music game server 120 receives game play data generated by the music game apparatus 110 from the music game apparatus 110, stores the received game play data, receives a game play data reading request from the music game apparatus 110, transmits a corresponding game play data list to the music game apparatus 110, and receives and stores user course data, which is generated by the music game apparatus 110 through the use of the corresponding game play data list.

The aforementioned “game play data” represents data including various information which is generated after the user plays a music game associated with a specific music through the music game apparatus 110. Such game play data may include at least one piece of information among song information, user information, and game result information (including a mark and/or a decision), which are connected with a corresponding music game play. In addition, the game play data may further include play date/time information and/or game option information.

Such game play data is generated by the music game apparatus 110, and is stored in the music game server 120. A list of game play data collected based on user information or other criteria is called a “game play data list.”

In other words, the “game play data list” is a list of at least one piece of game play data, which is generated by the music game apparatus 110 after a user plays a music game of a specific music through the music game apparatus 110 and then is received and stored by the music game server 120. Each piece of game play data included in the game play data list may include at least one piece of information among song information, user information, and game result information (including a mark and/or a decision), which are connected with a corresponding music game play.

The music game apparatus 110 selects one or more pieces of game play data from the game play data list, and generates “user course data” through processing, such as rearrangement, of the selected one or more pieces of game play data. Therefore, the user course data may include song information, user information, and game result information (including a mark and/or a decision) on each selected piece of game play data, and may further include play data/time information and/or game option information.

The music game apparatus 110 may be an arcade game machine usable in an amusement arcade and so on, may be a portable terminal, such as a Play Station Portable (PSP), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Portable Media Player (PMP), a smart phone, a mobile terminal, etc., or may be a computer, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, etc. The music game apparatus 110 is not limited to the aforementioned terminals, and may be implemented by any type of electronic device, which includes a game handling unit, a display, such as a touch screen type display, etc.

Also, the music game server 120 has the same configuration as a usual Web server by hardware. However, by software, the music game server 120 includes a program module implemented to have several functions in languages, such as C, C++, Java, Visual Basic, Visual C, etc., which will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. 7.

The music game server 120 may be implemented in the form of a Web server. Here, the Web server represents a computer system, which is coupled with a plurality of unspecified clients and/or other servers through an open computer network, such as the Internet, receives a work performance request from a client or another Web server, and derives and provides a result of the requested work performance, and computer software (i.e. a Web server program) installed for performing the function of the computer system. The music game server 120 may be implemented in the form of a WAP server.

However, the music game server 120 should be understood in a wider sense, including a series of application programs operating in the Web server and various databases constructed therein as circumstances require, as well as the aforementioned computer software.

The music game server 120 may be implemented using various Web server programs which are provided according to operating systems, such as DOS, Windows, Linux, Unix, Macintosh, etc., with general hardware for servers, and representatively may be implemented using a website or Internet information Server (IIS) used in the window environment, or using CERN, NCSA, APPACH, etc., which are used in the Unix environment.

Also, the music game server 120 may cooperate with an authentication system and/or a payment system for payment for music game services.

In addition, the music game server 120 classifies and stores users' member subscription information and information on music games in a database, and manages the stored information, wherein the database may be implemented inside or outside the music game server 120.

The aforementioned music game apparatus 110 and music game server 120 can be connected and communicated with each other through a wired/wireless communication network, such as the wired or wireless-based Internet, a mobile communication network, etc.

In the above description, the music game system 100, and the music game apparatus 110 and music game server 120, included in the music game system 100 have been briefly explained. Hereinafter, the music game apparatus 110 and music game server 120 will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the music game apparatus 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the music game apparatus 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a music game play unit 210, a game play data generator 220, a game play data transmitter 230, a user course data generator 240, and a user course data transmitter 250.

The music game play unit 210 plays a music game of a specific music selected by a user. The game play data generator 220 generates game play data which relates to the play of a music game of the music game play unit 210. The game play data transmitter 230 transmits the game play data, which has been generated by the game play data generator 220, to the music game server 120. The user course data generator 240 receives a game play data list stored in the music game server 120, and generates user course data based on one or more pieces of game play data selected from the received game play data list. The user course data transmitter 250 transmits the user course data, which has been generated by the user course data generator 240, to the music game server 120.

The music game play unit 210 displays notes indicating play operation points on a screen of the music game apparatus 110, allows a timeline, which moves according to the flow of a music, to pass over the displayed notes, recognizes a play operation signal through a touch screen or input unit of the music game apparatus 110, and determines whether or not the recognized play operation signal is generated at the precise point where a note over which the timeline passes is displayed, so that it is possible to play a music game. Such a music game may be called a timeline movement type music game.

The game play data generated by the game play data generator 220 may include at least one piece of information among song information, user information, and game result information in association with play of a music game. In addition, such game play data may further include play data/time information and/or game option information in association with the play of the music game.

The aforementioned game option information may include game option identification information for notes, which indicate play operation points and are displayed according to the flow of a music, and/or game option identification information for a timeline passing through the notes. The game option identification information for notes may include identification information for at least one game option of a game option associated with location control of the notes and a game option associated with display control of the notes. The game option identification information for a timeline may include identification information for at least one game option of a game option associated with movement control of the timeline and a game option associated with display control of the timeline.

The game play data transmitter 230 transmits game play data, which has been generated by the game play data generator 220, to the music game server 120. Therefore, the music game apparatus 110 does not need to store more than one piece of game play data, which may be a large amount of data, in order to generate user course data.

The user course data generator 240 selects at least one piece of game play data from a game play data list, which has been received from the music game server 120 and can be displayed on a screen, rearranges the selected at least one piece of game play data according to rearrangement input information of the user, and generates the rearranged at least one piece of game play data as user course data.

The user course data generator 240 can access the music game server 120 through a corresponding music game site or specific program, perform a log-in process to the music game server 120 through the use of user information, receive a game play data list stored in the music game server 120, and display the received game play data list on a screen.

Also, the user course data generator 240 may receive a game play data list including at least one piece of game play data, which contains the same user information as the user information on the user of the music game apparatus 110, from the music game server 120. It goes without saying that the entire or a part of the game play data list may include user information different from the user information on the user of the music game apparatus 110.

Meanwhile, the music game play unit 210 of the music game apparatus 110 may receive user course data, which contains user information different from the user information on the user of the music game apparatus 110, from the music game server 120, and play a music game associated with the received user course data.

Since users can exchange user course data between each other and play music games, as described above, each user can enjoy a music game with user course data generated by another user. Through this, each user generates and provides user course data including a game result, such as a mark and/or a decision, obtained through his/her own play with respect to a plurality of music games to other users. Therefore, each user generating and providing such user course data to other users can make a display of his/her own ability in the game, and another user makes an effort to surpass a game result of a music game achieved by a still another user, thereby contributing to the enhancement of the music games, and increasing users' interest in music games.

The above description has been given on the music game apparatus 110. Hereinafter, game play data which is generated by the music game apparatus 110 and is transmitted to and stored in the music game server 120, and a game play data list which is a list of the game play data will be illustratively described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. In addition, user course data which the music game apparatus 110 generates using a game play data list will be illustratively described with reference to FIG. 5.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are views illustrating game play data 310 and a game play data list 320.

Referring to FIG. 3A, the game play data 310 has fields for a game play ID, user information, song information, game result information, play date/time, and game option information, etc., and includes corresponding information in each field.

In the game play data 310 illustrated in FIG. 3A, a game play ID field, a user information field, a song information field, a game result information field, a play date/time field, and a game option information field include values of GP01, U01, M01, 10000 points, 2010-04-10, and Note Location Random 2, respectively. That is, referring to the game play data 310, it can be understood that a user named “U01” has played a music game with a music called “M01” and has acquired 10000 points.

The game play data 310 illustrated in FIG. 3A and three other pieces of game play data are collected to produce a game play data list 320, which is illustrated in FIG. 3B.

The game option information field included in the game play data 310 contains identification information of at least one game option applied in the play of a corresponding music game, and such game option information can be confirmed through a table illustrated in FIG. 4. Each piece of game option information (Note Location Random 2, Note Fade Out 1, Timeline Blind, and Timeline RR Movement) mentioned in game option information fields in FIGS. 3A and 3B is explained in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 4, game option information 400 included in the game play data 310 may include identification information of a game option for at least one of a note and a timeline, wherein the note indicates a play operation point and is displayed according to the flow of a music, and the timeline passes through the note while moving according to the flow of the music.

The identification information of a game option for a note may include identification information of at least one option of a game option associated with location control of the note and a game option associated with display control of the note. The identification information of a game option for a timeline may include identification information of at least one option of a game option associated with movement control of the timeline and a game option associated with display control of the timeline.

Referring to the table illustrated in FIG. 4, the identification information of a game option for a note may include identification information of a game option associated with location control of the note, which contains “Note Location Random 1 (RANDOM)” which is a game option to once make random rearrangement of note location, “Note Location Random 2 (MAX RANDOM)” which is a game option to make random rearrangement of note location every time, and so on.

In addition, the identification information of a game option for a note may include identification information of a game option associated with display control of the note, which contains “Note Fade Out 1 (FADE OUT 1)” which is a game option to make a note disappear when the note approaches a timeline by a pre-defined first fade-out distance; “Note Fade Out 2 (FADE OUT 2)” which is a game option to make a note disappear when the note approaches a timeline by a second fade-out distance, pre-defined to have a value larger than the first fade-out distance; “Note Fade In 1 (FADE IN 1)” which is a game option to allow an unseen note to suddenly appear when the unseen note approaches a time line by a pre-defined first fade-in distance; “Note Fade In 2 (FADE IN 2)” which is a game option to allow an unseen note to suddenly appear when the unseen note approaches a time line by a second fade-in distance, pre-defined to have a value less than the first fade-in distance; and so on.

Referring to the table illustrated in FIG. 4, the identification information of a game option for a timeline may include identification information of a game option associated with display control of the timeline, which contains “Timeline Blink 1 (BLINK 1)” which is a game option to blink the timeline at short intervals, “Timeline Blink 2 (BLINK 2)” which is a game option to blink the timeline at long intervals, “Timeline Blind (BLIND)” which is a game option to hide the timeline, and so on.

In addition, the identification information of a game option for a timeline may include identification information of a game option associated with movement control of the timeline, which contains “Timeline RR Movement” which is a game option to move the timeline in a double right direction (i.e. in a right direction two times), “Timeline LL Movement” which is a game option to move the timeline in a double left direction (i.e. in a left direction two times), “Timeline LR Movement” which is a game option to move the timeline in a left right direction (i.e. in a left and right direction), and so on.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating user course data 500, which the music game apparatus 110 generates with three pieces of game play data selected according to selection information of a user when receiving the game play data list 320 shown in FIG. 3B from the music game server 120 and displaying the received game play data list 320.

Referring to FIG. 5, three pieces of game play data having game play ID “GP01,” “GP02,” and “GP04,” respectively, among four pieces of game play data (i.e. four pieces of game play data having game play ID “GP01,” “GP02,” “GP03,” and “GP04,” respectively) contained in the game play data list 320 of FIG. 3B are selected by a user, and then the selected three pieces of game play data are rearranged in order of game play data having game play ID “GP01,” game play data having game play ID “GP04,” and game play data having game play ID “GP02” according to a sequence or a specific criterion (e.g. mark, play date/time, a level of difficulty in game option information, or the like) desired by the user, so that the user course data 500 is generated.

When the user course data 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 is generated by the music game apparatus 110, and is transmitted to and is stored in the music game server 120, another user can search (read) pieces of user course data 500, stored in the music game server 120 by a plurality of users, through his/her own music game apparatus 110, select and download one piece of user course data 500 to his/her own music game apparatus 110, and play a music game corresponding to the downloaded user course data 500.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual view showing a case where a certain user stores the user course data 500, which has been stored in the music game server 120, in his/her own music game apparatus 110, and plays a music game. The certain user plays a music game of a music having song information “M01,” a music game of a music having song information “M04,” and a music game of a music having song information “M02” in regular sequence, as shown in the user course data 500. In this case, the certain user can enjoyably play the music game with a goal to surpass the marks (10000 points, 12000 points, and 15000 points), which the user, the generator of the user course data 500, has acquired through music games of the same music of “M01,” “M04,” and “M02.” In addition, when the certain user surpasses the marks (10000 points, 12000 points, and 15000 points), which the user who generated the user course data 500 has acquired through music games of the same music of “M01,” “M04,” and “M02,” the certain user can feel a great sense of accomplishment.

A program and data to perform a method for allowing the aforementioned music game apparatus 110 to generate game play data and to generate user course data based on the game play data can be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium.

A program to perform a method for generating game play data and generating user course data based on the game play data implements a function of generating at least one piece of game play data which contains one or more pieces of information among song information, user information, and game result information, associated with the play of a music game, and also implements a function of generating user course data by rearranging one of more pieces of game play data according to inputted rearrangement information.

Also, in the recording medium, in which a program and data to perform a method for generating game play data and generating user course data based on the game play data are recorded, program installation data for a specific program used to generate user course data, control data for installation of a specific program, and/or control data for generation of user course data can be recorded.

The computer-readable recording medium may be a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, or an optical data recording medium, or also can be realized in the form of a carrier wave (e.g. transmission through the Internet). Also, the computer-readable recording medium is distributed to the computer systems connected by a network, and can store and perform the computer-readable code in a distributed way.

In addition, a functional program, a code, and code segments for realizing the present invention can be easily detected by those skilled in the art.

In the above description, the game play data 310 and the user course data 500, generated by the music game apparatus 110, and the music game apparatus 110 are illustrated and explained. Hereinafter, the music game server 120 will be described in detail.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the music game server 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, the music game server 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a game play data management unit 710 for receiving game play data associated with the play of a music game from a music game apparatus 110 corresponding to user information and storing the received game play data in a database; and a user course data management unit 720 for extracting a game play data list from a database in response to a game play data reading request of a music game apparatus 110, transmitting the extracted game play data list to the music game apparatus 110, receiving user course data, which is generated based on one or more pieces of game play data selected from the game play data list, from the music game apparatus 110, and storing the received user course data in a database.

The aforementioned game play data list corresponds to a list of one or more pieces of game play data including the same user information, and may include at least one piece of information among song information, the user information, and game result information, which are associated with the play of a corresponding music game.

As shown in FIG. 7, the music game server 120 may further include a user information storage unit 730 for storing a user information list in a database through a user joining process; and a log-in processing unit 740 for performing a log-in process using user information by making reference to the stored user information list with respect to a music game apparatus 110, which has accessed the music game server 120 through a corresponding music game site or specific program for the sake of generation of user course data, and approving the game play data reading request transmitted from the music game apparatus 110 according to a result of the performed log-in process.

The user course data management unit 720 may install the specific program used for the generation of user course data in the music game apparatus 110 through the use of an Active X scheme or the like.

In response to a game play data reading request transmitted from a music game apparatus 110, the user course data management unit 720 can extract at least one piece of game play data, which includes the same user information as corresponding user information, from a database, and can transmit a game play data list including the extracted at least one piece of game play data to the music game apparatus 110.

In response to a user course data reading request of a music game apparatus 110, the user course data management unit 720 may extract user course data including user information different from corresponding user information from a database, and transmit the extracted user course data to the music game apparatus 110.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a music game method provided by a music game apparatus 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, a music game method provided by a music game apparatus 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes step 800 of generating game play data associated with the play of a music game, step 802 of transmitting the generated game play data to a music game server 120, step 804 of receiving a game play data list stored in the music game server 120 and generating user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected from the received game play data list, and step 806 of using the user course data for play of a music game.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a music game provision method provided by a music game server 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, the music game provision method provided by the music game server 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: step 900 of receiving game play data associated with the play of a music game or user course data generated based on at least one piece of game play data from a music game apparatus 110 corresponding to user information, and stores the received game play data or user course data in a database; step 902 of extracting a game play data list or user course data from the database in response to a game play data reading request of the music game apparatus 110; and step 904 of transmitting the extracted game play data list or user course data to the music game apparatus 110.

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can generate game play data after directly playing a music game, and can directly generate course data for a music game based on the game play data generated by the user.

In addition, according to the present invention, a user can enjoy a music game through the use of course data for a music game which has been generated by another user.

Even if it was described above that all of the components of an embodiment of the present invention are coupled as a single unit or coupled to be operated as a single unit, the present invention is not necessarily limited to such an embodiment. That is, among the components, one or more components may be selectively coupled to be operated as one or more units. In addition, although each of the components may be implemented as an independent hardware, some or all of the components may be selectively combined with each other, so that they can be implemented as a computer program having one or more program modules for executing some or all of the functions combined in one or more hardware. Codes and code segments forming the computer program can be easily conceived by an ordinarily skilled person in the technical field of the present invention. Such a computer program may implement the embodiments of the present invention by being stored in a computer readable storage medium, and being read and executed by a computer. A magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, a carrier wave medium, or the like may be employed as the storage medium.

In addition, since terms, such as “including,” “comprising,” and “having” mean that one or more corresponding components may exist unless they are specifically described to the contrary, it shall be construed that one or more other components can be included. All of the terminologies containing one or more technical or scientific terminologies have the same meanings that persons skilled in the art understand ordinarily unless they are not defined otherwise. A term ordinarily used like that defined by a dictionary shall be construed that it has a meaning equal to that in the context of a related description, and shall not be construed in an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless it is clearly defined in the present specification.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the embodiment. The scope of the present invention shall be construed on the basis of the accompanying claims in such a manner that all of the technical ideas included within the scope equivalent to the claims belong to the present invention.

Claims

1. A music game apparatus comprising:

a music game play unit for playing a music game;

a game play data generator for generating game play data associated with play of the music game;

a game play data transmitter for transmitting the generated game play data to a music game server; and

a user course data generator for receiving a game play data list stored in the music game server, and generating user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected from the received game play data list,

wherein the user course data is used by the music game play unit.

2. The music game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the music game play unit displays a note indicating a play operation point on a screen according to flow of a music, allows a timeline to pass over the displayed note, recognizes a play operation signal through a touch screen or input unit, and determines if the recognized play operation signal is generated at a point where a note over which the timeline is passing is displayed, thereby playing the music game.

3. The music game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generated game play data comprises at least one piece of information among song information, user information, and game result information in association with play of the music game.

4. The music game apparatus of claim 3, wherein the generated game play data further comprises at least one piece of information of play data/time information and game option information in association with play of the music game.

5. The music game apparatus of claim 4, wherein the game option information comprises at least one piece of information of game option identification information for a note, which indicates a play operation point and is displayed according to flow of a music, and game option identification information for a timeline passing through the note,

wherein the game option identification information for the note comprises identification information for at least one game option of a game option associated with location control of the note and a game option associated with display control of the note, and

the game option identification information for the timeline comprises identification information for at least one game option of a game option associated with movement control of the timeline and a game option associated with display control of the timeline.

6. The music game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user course data generator rearranges the selected at least one piece of game play data, and generates the rearranged at least one piece of game play data as the user course data.

7. The music game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user course data generator accesses the music game server through a corresponding music game site or specific program, performs a log-in process to the music game server using user information, receives the game play data list stored in the music game server, and displays the received game play data list on a screen.

8. The music game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user course data generator receives the game play data list containing at least one piece of game play data, which includes user information equal to user information on a user of the music game apparatus, from the music game server.

9. The music game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the music game play unit receives user course data, which includes user information different from user information on a user of the music game apparatus, from the music game server, and plays a music game associated with the received user course data.

10. The music game apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user course data transmitter for transmitting the generated user course data to the music game server.

11. A music game system comprising:

a music game apparatus for generating and transmitting game play data associated with play of a music game, generating user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected from a received game play data list, and transmitting the generated user course data; and

a music game server for receiving game play data from the music game apparatus, storing the received game play data, transmitting the game play data list to the music game apparatus, receiving the user course data, and storing the received user course data.

12. A music game server comprising:

a game play data management unit for receiving game play data associated with play of a music game from a music game apparatus corresponding to user information, and storing the received game play data in a database; and

a user course data management unit for extracting a game play data list from the database in response to a game play data reading request of the music game apparatus, transmitting the extracted game play data list to the music game apparatus, receiving user course data, which is generated based on at least one piece of game play data selected from the game play data list, from the music game apparatus, and storing the received user course data in the database.

13. The music game server of claim 12, wherein the game play data list corresponds to a list of at least one piece of game play data identically including the user information, and comprises at least one piece of information among song information, the user information, and game result information, which are associated with play of a corresponding music game.

14. The music game server of claim 12, further comprising:

a user information storage unit for storing a user information list in the database through a user joining process; and

a log-in processing unit for performing a log-in process using the user information by making reference to the stored user information list with respect to the music game apparatus, which is accessed through a corresponding music game site or specific program for generation of the user course data, and approving the game play data reading request according to a result of the performed log-in process.

15. The music game server of claim 14, wherein the user course data management unit installs the specific program used for generation of the user course data in the music game apparatus.

16. The music game server of claim 12, wherein the user course data management unit extracts at least one piece of game play data, which includes user information equal to the user information, from the database in response to the game play data reading request, and transmits the game play data list including the extracted at least one piece of game play data.

17. The music game server of claim 12, wherein the user course data management unit extracts user course data including user information different from the user information from a database in response to a user course data reading request of the music game apparatus, and transmits the extracted user course data to the music game apparatus.

18. A music game method comprising:

generating game play data associated with play of a music game;

transmitting the generated game play data to a music game server;

receiving a game play data list stored in the music game server, and generating user course data based on at least one piece of game play data selected from the game play data list; and

using the user course data for play of a music game.

19. A music game provision method comprising:

receiving game play data associated with play of a music game or user course data generated based on at least one piece of game play data from a music game apparatus corresponding to user information, and stores the received game play data or user course data in a database;

extracting a game play data list or user course data from the database in response to a game play data reading request of the music game apparatus; and

transmitting the extracted game play data list or user course data to the music game apparatus.

20. A computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon a program and data to perform a method of generating user course data based on game play data, the program and data implementing the functions of:

generating at least one piece of game play data, which includes at least one information among song information, user information, and game result information, associated with play of a music game; and

rearranging the generated at least one piece of game play data according to inputted rearrangement information, thereby generating user course data.