# US 2021/0077902 A1 · Program, method, and system of transmitting or receiving message

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2021/0077902 A1
- Document ID: US20210077902A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/104,882
- Filed: 2020-11-25
- Published: 2021-03-18
- Earliest claimed: 2013-07-30
- Assignees: GREE, Inc.
- Applicants: Gree, Inc.
- Inventors: Yusaku KAMEKAWA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210077902A1

## CPC

- A63F 13/50: Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
- A63F 13/795: for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
- A63F 13/87: Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
- A63F 13/88: Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
- H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services
- A63F 2300/572: Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
- 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)

## Abstract

A controller receives a message from a first user terminal of user terminals belonging to a chat group. In a case where the type of the message is of a normal message, the controller transmits the message to each of the user terminals. In a case where the type of the message is selection of the game icon, the controller generates a game message according to logic corresponding to the game icon and transmits the game message to each of the user terminals.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-12. (canceled)

### Claim 13

A game control method comprising:
transmitting, to terminals of a plurality of users, first data for displaying at least one game icon for entry to a game;
receiving second data from a terminal of a first user, the second data indicating selection of the at least one game icon;
in response to receiving the second data from the terminal of the first user, transmitting, to a terminal of at least one second user other than the first user, third data for displaying information in a chat screen to indicate game information according to the at least one game icon selected by the first user and to indicate that the entry to the game is possible;
receiving fourth data from the terminal of the at least one second user, the fourth data indicating the entry to the game;
in response to receiving the fourth data from the terminal of the at least one second user, conducting the game among the first user and the at least one second user according to the game icon selected by the first user; and
transmitting, to the terminals of the first user and the at least one second user, fifth data for displaying information of a content of the game, a result of the game, and information of users that joined the game.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The game control method according to claim 13, further comprising:
allowing the entry to the game of the plurality of users other than the first user until an end of an entry period; and
closing the entry to the game if the entry period has ended.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The game control method according to claim 13, further comprising:
allowing the entry to the game of the plurality of users other than the first user until a predetermined number of users enter the game; and
closing the entry to the game if the predetermined number of users enter the game.

### Claim 16

A game server comprising:
control circuitry configured to:
transmit, to terminals of a plurality of users, first data for displaying at least one game icon for entry to a game;
receive second data from a terminal of a first user, the second data indicating selection of the at least one game icon;
in response to receiving the second data from the terminal of the first user, transmit, to a terminal of at least one second user other than the first user, third data for displaying information in a chat screen to indicate game information according to the at least one game icon selected by the first user and to indicate that the entry to the game is possible;
receive fourth data from the terminal of the at least one second user, the fourth data indicating the entry to the game;
in response to receiving the fourth data from the terminal of the at least one second user, conduct the game among the first user and the at least one second user according to the game icon selected by the first user; and
transmit, to the terminals of the first user and the at least one second user, fifth data for displaying information of a content of the game, a result of the game, and information of users that joined the game.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The game server according to claim 16, wherein the controller circuitry is further configured to:
allow the entry to the game of the plurality of users other than the first user until an end of an entry period; and
close the entry to the game if the entry period has ended.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The game server according to claim 16, wherein the controller circuitry is further configured to:
allowing the entry to the game of the plurality of users other than the first user until a predetermined number of users enter the game; and
closing the entry to the game if the predetermined number of users enter the game.

### Claim 19

A game system comprising:
a plurality of terminals corresponding to a plurality of users; and
a server connected to the plurality of terminals, the server including controller circuitry configured to:
transmit, to the plurality of terminals of the plurality of users, first data for displaying at least one game icon for entry to a game;
receive second data from a terminal of a first user, the second data indicating selection of the at least one game icon;
in response to receiving the second data from the terminal of the first user, transmit, to a terminal of at least one second user other than the first user, third data for displaying information in a chat screen to indicate game information according to the at least one game icon selected by the first user and to indicate that the entry to the game is possible;
receive fourth data from the terminal of the at least one second user, the fourth data indicating the entry to the game;
in response to receiving the fourth data from the terminal of the at least one second user, conduct the game among the first user and the at least one second user according to the game icon selected by the first user; and
transmit, to the terminals of the first user and the at least one second user, fifth data for displaying information of a content of the game, a result of the game, and information of users that joined the game.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The game system according to claim 19,
wherein the plurality of terminals of the plurality of users is configured to receive the first data from the server; and
wherein each of the plurality of terminals of the plurality of users is configured to display the at least one game icon in a chat screen thereof in response to receiving the first data.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The game system according to claim 19,
wherein the terminals of the first user and the at least one second user are configured to receive the fifth data from the server; and
wherein the terminals of the first user and the at least one second user are configured to display the information of the content of the game, the result of the game, and the information of the users that joined the game in respective chat screens thereof in response to receiving the fifth data.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The game system according to claim 19,
wherein the first user and the at least one second user are members of a chat group;
wherein the server is configured to transmit the fifth data to at least one terminal of at least one third user who is one of the members of the chat group and did not join the game;
wherein the terminals of the first user, the at least one second user and the at least one third user are configured to receive the fifth data from the server; and
wherein the terminals of the first user, the at least one second user and the at least one third user are configured to display the information of the content of the game, the result of the game, and the information of the users that joined the game in respective chat screens thereof in response to receiving the fifth data.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The game system according to claim 19, wherein the controller circuitry of the server is configured to:
allow the entry to the game of the plurality of users other than the first user until an end of an entry period; and
close the entry to the game if the entry period has ended.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The game system according to claim 19, wherein the controller circuitry of the server is configured to:
allow the entry to the game of the plurality of users other than the first user until a predetermined number of users enter the game; and
close the entry to the game if the predetermined number of users enter the game.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The system according to claim 19,
wherein the terminal of the at least one second user is configured to receive the third data from the server;
wherein the terminal of the at least one second user is configured to display an icon for requesting the entry to the game in the chat screen in response to receiving the third data;
wherein the terminal of the at least one second user is configured to transmit the fourth data to the server if the terminal of the at least one second user receives a selection of the icon for requesting the entry to the game; and
wherein the server is configured to record the entry to the game in association with information of the at least one second user in response to receiving the fourth data from the terminal of the at least one second user.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The game system according to claim 25,
wherein the plurality of terminals of the plurality of users is configured to receive the first data from the server; and
wherein each of the plurality of terminals of the plurality of users is configured to display the at least one game icon in a chat screen thereof in response to receiving the first data.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The game system according to claim 26,
wherein the first user and the at least one second user are members of a chat group;
wherein the server is configured to transmit the fifth data to at least one terminal of at least one third user who is one of the members of the chat group and did not join the game;
wherein the terminals of the first user, the at least one second user and the at least one third user are configured to receive the fifth data from the server; and
wherein the terminals of the first user, the at least one second user and the at least one third user are configured to display the information of the content of the game, the result of the game, and the information of the users that joined the game in respective chat screens thereof in response to receiving the fifth data.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The game system according to claim 27, wherein the controller circuitry of the server is configured to:
allow the entry to the game of the plurality of users other than the first user until an end of an entry period, and
close the entry to the game if the entry period has ended.