Game machine, server system, information service method and recording medium

Abstract

When a PC (client) utilizes an information service such as an online game provided by a server group, a game server supplies a profile server with the game utilized by the PC along with a connection state. The profile server is a server system that notifies all the currently connected clients of the utilization states of the clients collected.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A server system which is connected to a group of game machines via a communications network, and includes a profile server for storing personal information on each user, and an information providing server for providing at least one information service, said server system comprising: 
 a registration system that selects and records at least one second user in said profile server to allow a first user to check personal information about the second user;    a notifying system that causes, when said game machine sends a request for providing an information service, said information providing server to notify said profile server of the request sent from said game machine;    an update system that updates personal information on the user of the game machine that issues the request in said profile server; and    a transmitter that transmits personal information on the second user to the game machine of the first user.    
     
     
         2 . A game machine connected to a server system that includes a profile server for storing personal information on each user, and an information providing server for providing at least one information service, wherein personal information that includes a utilization state of the information service by at least one second user selected by a first user in advance is recorded in said profile server, and the personal information recorded is updated at predetermined intervals and transmitted to said game machine regularly, and wherein said game machine comprises a display controller that displays the personal information transmitted.  
     
     
         3 . The game machine as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a setting system that sets a correspondence list used for displaying the utilization state of the information service by the second user in a predetermined format, wherein said display controller displays the utilization state of the information service by the second user in the predetermined format using the correspondence list.  
     
     
         4 . The game machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined format comprises icons.  
     
     
         5 . A recording medium that records a program executed by a game machine connected to a server system including a profile server for storing personal information of each user, and an information providing server for providing at least one information service, wherein personal information that includes a utilization state of the information service by at least one second user selected by a first user in advance is recorded in said profile server, and the personal information recorded is updated at predetermined intervals and transmitted to said game machine regularly, and wherein said program comprises display control step of displaying the personal information transmitted.