#20150224409

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-25818, filed on Feb. 13, 2014, is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The technique described herein relates to sharing information.

BACKGROUND - Top of Page

SUMMARY - Top of Page

AND

There is known in the art a game device for communicating with other users such as friends or family members online.

According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided an information sharing system, including: an executing unit that executes an application program according to operations of one of a plurality of users; a recording unit that records replay data for replicating an execution process of the application program; a generating unit that generates shared information associated with the application program based on operations of the one of the plurality of users; and a sharing unit that shares the generated shared information and the recorded replay data with the plurality of users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS - Top of Page

FIG. 1 shows an example of a configuration of an information sharing system;

FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration of a server device;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a hardware configuration of a gaming system;

FIG. 4 shows an example of a game performed by a game program;

FIG. 5 shows an example of a display screen of shared information;

FIG. 6 shows an example of a display screen of a score ranking;

FIG. 7 shows an example of a data structure of the shared information;

FIG. 8 shows an example of a grouping of stages;

FIG. 9 shows an example of a functional configuration of the information sharing system;

FIG. 10 shows an example of a flowchart illustrating a recording process of evaluation data and replay data; and

FIG. 11 shows an example of a flowchart illustrating a transmitting process of the shared information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Top of Page

OF NON-LIMITING EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 1. Exemplary Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of information sharing system 10, which is an exemplary embodiment according to the present technique. Information sharing system 10 is a computer system for using an information sharing service. In the present technique, an information sharing service is a service for sharing information among plural users, such as a social networking service (SNS).

The plural users herein may be predetermined users (for example, registered users of the service), or unspecified users. Each user can create a relationship with a specific user in the service. Hereinafter, the user with whom the relationship is created will be referred to as “friend.” Each user can request a user, for example, who is an acquaintance in a real life or who becomes acquainted through the service, to be a friend.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the information sharing service is a service for sharing information posted with regard to a certain game (video game). The main intention of the information sharing service is to facilitate communication with users who play a certain game. In the present exemplary embodiment, a genre of the game is not limited. However, the game herein is a game whose result varies according to operations of a user and which evaluates the user according to the result. Hereinafter, a program (application program) for providing a game for a user will be referred to as a “game program.” The user can play the game while gaming system 100 executes the game program.

Information sharing system 10 includes plural gaming systems 100 and server device 200, which are connected to one another via network 300 such as the Internet. Server device 200 is a computer device that carries out main processing for providing the information sharing service to users. Gaming system 100 is an information-processing device (computer) for playing the game and accessing the information sharing service. Gaming system 100 corresponds to a client device of server device 200.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of server device 200. Sever device 200 includes control unit 210, storage unit 220, and interface 230. Control unit 210 is a unit for controlling behavior of server device 200. Specifically, control unit 210 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a main memory, and executes programs to control operations of components of server device 200. Storage unit 220 is a unit for storing data. Specifically, storage unit 220 includes a storage medium such as a hard disk, and stores shared information (described below) and other data. Interface 230 is a unit for exchanging data with gaming systems 100. Interface 230 exchanges data with each of gaming systems 100 by connecting to network 300.

It is to be noted that data using server device 200 may be stored in an external storage device, not in a memory included in server device 200 such as storage unit 220. In addition, functions of server device 200 can be realized by use of a single apparatus or by uses of multiple apparatuses (servers) co-operating with each other.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of gaming system 100. In the present exemplary embodiment, gaming system 100 is a home-use game console. Gaming system 100 includes control unit 110, storage unit 120, interface 130, output unit 140, and input unit 150.

Control unit 110 is a unit for controlling operations of components of gaming system 100. Specifically, control unit 110 includes a processor such as a CPU and a main memory, and executes programs to control operations of the components. In addition, control unit 110 enables its user to play a game and access to the information sharing service.

Storage unit 120 is a unit for storing data. Specifically, storage unit 120 includes a storage medium such as a flash memory, and stores the programs including the above game program and data necessary for executing the programs. Storage unit 120 may include a data reader/writer attached to a detachable storage medium (removable medium) such as a memory card. The game program may be provided in the form of such a removable medium.

Interface 130 is a unit for exchanging data with server device 200. Interface 130 exchanges data by connecting to network 300 by modulating and demodulating data. Interface 130 may be configured to communicate with external devices other than server device 200.

Output unit 140 is a unit for outputting information. In the present exemplary embodiment, the term “output” includes display of image and playback of audio. Therefore, output unit 140 includes a unit for displaying an image, such as a liquid crystal display, and a unit for playing back audio, such as a speaker. Typically, output unit 140 is a television set. Output unit 140 may include an interface(s) for connecting to an external liquid crystal display and/or an external speaker.