# US 11,992,753 B2 · Information processing device, data synchronization program, data synchronization method, data synchronization system, and terminal device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,753 B2 - Document ID: US11992753B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/450,427 - Filed: 2023-08-16 - Published: 2023-12-07 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-14 - Assignees: Softgear Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Softgear Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kengo Aoki; Naoki Miyanaga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992753B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/31: Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range - H04L 67/1095: Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes - A63F 13/35: Details of game servers - G06T 17/00: Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics - A63F 2300/5533: using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game - A63F 2300/5593: involving scheduling aspects - H04L 69/164: Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A server device is connected through a network to a plurality of clients configured to participate in a virtual space, a synchronization target object in the virtual space being synchronized between clients of a synchronization group including a client that has ownership of the object and a client that does not have ownership of the object, and the server device includes: data reception means configured to receive a difference of the synchronization target object from the client that has ownership of the object; data update means configured to update replicas obtained by replicating the synchronization target object by using the difference; and data transmission means configured to transmit the difference to a client other than the client that has ownership among the plurality of clients. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing device that is connected through a network to a plurality of clients configured to participate in one or more virtual spaces, and is capable of synchronizing a synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces between at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients in a synchronization group comprising a first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object and a second client that does not have the ownership of the synchronization target, the information processing device comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to: receive change content information of the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces from the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group; update, by referring to management information that is managed for each synchronization target object and defines the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object, a replicated synchronization target object obtained by replicating the synchronization target object by using the change content information in a case where a transmission source client is defined as the first client that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the management information; and transmit the change content information to the second client other than the first client that has the ownership in the synchronization group, thereby the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces is synchronized between the first and the second clients in the synchronization group. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients are capable of belonging to one or more of the synchronization groups. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization group includes the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients configured to synchronize user information among the synchronization target objects with each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization group includes the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients configured to synchronize terrain information for reproducing content constituting the one or more virtual spaces among the synchronization target objects. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the first client that has ownership of a synchronization target object corresponding to the terrain information among the synchronization target objects is a dummy client on a server. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to edit the terrain information on a basis of operation content from any of the plurality of clients that has an edit right of the terrain information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The information processing device according to claim 6, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to issue an identifier corresponding to an object including the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces, thereby manage the terrain information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The information processing device according to claim 7, wherein the identifier is used by the any of the plurality of clients to access content of the one or more virtual spaces. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein the access to the content of the one or more virtual spaces is configured to trigger participation of the any of the plurality of clients in the one or more of the virtual spaces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein the access to the content of the one or more virtual spaces is configured to trigger editing of the content by the any of the plurality of clients in the one or more virtual spaces. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The information processing device according to claim 9, wherein the access to the content of the one or more virtual spaces starts up a program in the any of the plurality of clients for participating in the one or more virtual spaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The information processing device according to claim 10, wherein the access to the content of the one or more virtual spaces is configured to trigger access to a web site for editing the content by the any of the plurality of clients, and starts up a web browser for accessing the web site. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein when one of the plurality of clients newly participates in the synchronization group in which the at least two or more of clients participate, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to receive and replicate the synchronization target object owned by the one of the plurality of clients, and store the synchronization target object as the replicated synchronization target object in a recording medium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where one of the plurality of clients has an editing right of the terrain information for reproducing content constituting one or more virtual spaces when the one of the plurality of clients newly participates in the synchronization group in which the at least two or more clients participate, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to transmit the replicated synchronization target object to the one of the plurality of clients as the synchronization target object of the one of the plurality of clients and further transfer ownership to the one of the plurality of clients. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein when the first client generates a new object as the synchronization target object, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to replicate the newly generated object and store the replicated newly generated object as the replicated synchronization target object in a recording medium. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The information processing device according to claim 13, wherein when the one of the plurality of clients newly participates in the synchronization group in which the at least two or more of clients participate, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to transmit the replicated synchronization target object or the synchronization target object stored in the recording medium to the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The information processing device according to claim 13, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The information processing device according to claim 13, wherein in a case where the computer to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to update the replicated synchronization target object. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The information processing device according to claim 13, wherein in a case where the computer to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to transmit the change content information to the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The information processing device according to claim 13, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to receive a difference from the synchronization target object before change as the change content information of the synchronization target object, and to update the replicated synchronization target object. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The information processing device according to claim 13, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to transfer ownership of the replicated synchronization target object corresponding to the synchronization target object owned by the one of plurality of clients to a different client other than the one of plurality of clients in the synchronization group based on a predetermined rule in a case where the transfer of the ownership of the replicated synchronization target object is permitted when the one of the plurality of clients exits from the synchronization group in which the at least two or more clients in the plurality of clients participate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The information processing device according to claim 13, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to delete the replicated synchronization target object in a case where transfer of ownership of the replicated synchronization target object corresponding to the synchronization target object owned by the one of the plurality of clients is not permitted when the one of the plurality of clients exits from the synchronization group in which the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients participate, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of the computer, causes the computer to instruct a different client other than the one of plurality of clients in the synchronization group to delete an object corresponding to the replicated synchronization target object held by the different client. ### Claim 23 A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer connected through a network to a plurality of clients configured to participate in one or more virtual spaces and synchronize a synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces, wherein the synchronization target object in the virtual space being synchronized between clients in a synchronization group including a client that has ownership of the object and a client that does not have the ownership, causes the computer to perform operation comprising: receiving change content information of the synchronization target object from each client of the plurality of clients that has ownership of the synchronization target object; updating, by referring to management information that is managed for each synchronization target object and defining a first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object, a replicated synchronization target object obtained by replicating the synchronization target object by using the change content information in a case where a client that transmits the change content information is defined as the first client that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the management information; and transmitting the change content information to one or more clients other than the first client that has the ownership among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group, thereby the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces is synchronized among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group. ### Claim 24 A data synchronization system comprising: a plurality of clients configured to participate in one or more virtual spaces; and an information processing device connected through a network to the plurality of clients, a synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces being synchronized among the plurality of clients in a synchronization group including a first client that has ownership of the object and one of more of clients that do not have the ownership, the information processing device comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to: receive change content information of the synchronization target object from first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object; update, by referring to management information that is managed for each synchronization target object and defining the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object, a replicated synchronization target object obtained by replicating the synchronization target object by using the change content information in a case where a client that transmits the change content information is defined as the first client that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the management information; and transmit the change content information to the one or more clients other than the first client that has the ownership among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group, thereby the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces is synchronized among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The data synchronization system according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of clients transmit, to the information processing device, a difference from the synchronization target object before change as the change content information of the synchronization target object. ### Claim 26 A terminal device serving as a first client configured to participate in one or more virtual spaces and connected through a network to another terminal device serving as one or more clients via an information processing device, a synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces being synchronized among a plurality of clients in a synchronization group including the first client that has ownership of the object and the one or more clients that do not have the ownership, the terminal device comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to: receive via the information processing device, by referring to management information that is managed for each synchronization target object and defining the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object, change content information of the synchronization target object from the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object only in a case where a client that transmits the change content information is defined as the first client that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the management information; update a replicated synchronization target object obtained by replicating the synchronization target object by using the change content information; and transmit the change content information to the one or more clients other than the first client that has the ownership among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group, wherein each terminal device is communicably connected to the information processing device through the network, thereby the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces is synchronized among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group. ### Claim 27 A terminal device serving as a first client configured to participate in one or more virtual spaces and connected through a network to another terminal device serving as one or more second clients via an information processing device, a synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces being synchronized among a plurality of clients in a synchronization group including the first client that has ownership of the object and the one or more clients that do not have the ownership, the terminal device comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to: transmit, by referring to management information that is managed for each synchronization target object and defining the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object, the change content information which is a differential information between a replicated synchronization target object obtained by replicating the synchronization target object and updated replicated synchronization target object in an own client to the information processing device only in a case where the own client is defined as the first client that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the management information, when the replicated synchronization target object obtained by replicating the synchronization target object is updated in the own client, wherein each terminal device is communicably connected to the information processing device through the network, thereby the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces is synchronized among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The terminal device serving as a client according to claim 26, wherein a difference from the synchronization target object before change is transmitted to the information processing device as the change content information of the synchronization target object. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The terminal device according to claim 26, wherein an identifier issued by the information processing device is used to access the one or more virtual spaces and access an editing web site of terrain information for reproducing content constituting the one or more virtual spaces. ### Claim 30 A virtual space management provider that is connected through a network to a plurality of clients configured to participate in one or more virtual spaces, a synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces being synchronized among a plurality of clients in a synchronization group including a first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object and one or more clients that do not have the ownership, the virtual space management provider comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to: receive change content information of the synchronization target object from the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group; update, by referring to management information that is managed for each synchronization target object and defining the first client that has ownership of the synchronization target object, a replicated synchronization target object obtained by replicating the synchronization target object by using the change content information in a case where a client that transmits the change content information is defined as the first client that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the management information; and transmit the change content information to one or more clients other than the first client that has the ownership among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group, thereby the synchronization target object in the one or more virtual spaces is synchronized among the plurality of clients in the synchronization group. ### Claim 31 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein when the one of the plurality of clients newly participates in the synchronization group in which the at least two or more of clients participate, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to transmit the replicated synchronization target object or the synchronization target object stored in the recording medium to the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group. ### Claim 32 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group. ### Claim 33 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein in a case where the computer to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to update the replicated synchronization target object. ### Claim 34 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein in a case where the computer to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to transmit the change content information to the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership. ### Claim 35 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to receive a difference from the synchronization target object before change as the change content information of the synchronization target object, and to update the replicated synchronization target object. ### Claim 36 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to transfer ownership of the replicated synchronization target object corresponding to the synchronization target object owned by the one of plurality of clients to a different client other than the one of plurality of clients in the synchronization group based on a predetermined rule in a case where the transfer of the ownership of the replicated synchronization target object is permitted when the one of the plurality of clients exits from the synchronization group in which the at least two or more clients in the plurality of clients participate. ### Claim 37 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to delete the replicated synchronization target object in a case where transfer of ownership of the replicated synchronization target object corresponding to the synchronization target object owned by the one of the plurality of clients is not permitted when the one of the plurality of clients exits from the synchronization group in which the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients participate, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of the computer, causes the computer to instruct a different client other than the one of plurality of clients in the synchronization group to delete an object corresponding to the replicated synchronization target object held by the different client. ### Claim 38 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein when the one of the plurality of clients newly generates an object, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to transmit the replicated synchronization target object or the synchronization target object stored in the recording medium to the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group. ### Claim 39 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group. ### Claim 40 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein in a case where the computer to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to update the replicated synchronization target object. ### Claim 41 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein in a case where the computer to receive the change content information of the synchronization target object from the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients other than the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership of the synchronization target object in the synchronization group, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer not to transmit the change content information to the one of the plurality of clients that has the ownership. ### Claim 42 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to receive a difference from the synchronization target object before change as the change content information of the synchronization target object, and to update the replicated synchronization target object. ### Claim 43 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to transfer ownership of the replicated synchronization target object corresponding to the synchronization target object owned by the one of plurality of clients to a different client other than the one of plurality of clients in the synchronization group based on a predetermined rule in a case where the transfer of the ownership of the replicated synchronization target object is permitted when the one of the plurality of clients exits from the synchronization group in which the at least two or more clients in the plurality of clients participate. ### Claim 44 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer, further causes the computer to delete the replicated synchronization target object in a case where transfer of ownership of the replicated synchronization target object corresponding to the synchronization target object owned by the one of the plurality of clients is not permitted when the one of the plurality of clients exits from the synchronization group in which the at least two or more clients of the plurality of clients participate, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of the computer, causes the computer to instruct a different client other than the one of plurality of clients in the synchronization group to delete an object corresponding to the replicated synchronization target object held by the different client.