Data Providing System, Game Machine Data Providing Method, Information Recording Medium and Program

Abstract

A data storage unit ( 130 ) of a parent machine ( 100 ) stores downloaded additional data ( 131 ). When the parent machine ( 100 ) and a child machine ( 200 ) wirelessly connect to each other and the child machine ( 200 ) sends child machine information to the parent machine ( 100 ), a process control unit ( 120 ) of the parent machine ( 100 ) searches out any additional data that can be provided from the data storage unit ( 130 ) based on the received child machine information. That is, the process control unit ( 120 ) searches out additional data that matches a progress status of a game in the child machine ( 200 ) from among the additional data ( 131 ). The parent machine ( 100 ) sends the searched-out additional data to the child machine ( 200 ). Hence, the child machine ( 200 ), which cannot connect to a server, can obtain additional data from the parent machine ( 100 ).

1 . A data providing system, comprising a plurality of wirelessly-communicable game machines ( 1 ), each of which is capable of being both a parent machine ( 100 ) and a child machine ( 200 ), the system allowing the game machine ( 1 ) that is being a parent machine ( 100 ) to provide data to the game machine ( 1 ) that is being a child machine ( 200 ),
 wherein the parent machine ( 100 ) includes:   a downloading unit ( 114 ) that downloads additional data that matches a progress status of a game from an external device ( 60 ) that manages plural kinds of additional data;   an additional data storage unit ( 130 ) that stores the downloaded additional data;   a child machine information receiving unit ( 112 ) that receives child machine information sent from the child machine ( 200 );   a searching unit ( 123 ) that searches out any additional data that can be provided from the additional data storage unit ( 130 ) based on the received child machine information; and   an additional data delivering unit ( 113 ) that delivers the searched-out additional data to the child machine ( 200 ), and   wherein the child machine ( 200 ) includes:   a child machine information generating unit ( 221 ) that generates child machine information that includes a progress status of a game;   a child machine information sending unit ( 212 ) that sends the generated child machine information to the parent machine ( 100 );   an additional data receiving unit ( 213 ) that receives the additional data that is delivered from the parent machine ( 100 ) in response to the sent child machine information; and   a data storage unit ( 230 ) that stores the received additional data.   
   
   
       2 . The data providing system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the searching unit ( 123 ) of the parent machine ( 100 ) searches out any additional data that matches a progress status of a game in the parent machine ( 200 ), and the additional data delivering unit ( 113 ) of the parent machine ( 100 ) delivers additional data to the child machine ( 200 ) only in a case where any additional data is searched out by the searching unit ( 123 ).   
   
   
       3 . The data providing system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the parent machine ( 100 ) and the child machine ( 200 ) further include:   an obtainment record managing unit ( 130 ,  230 ) that manages an obtainment record including a sender of obtained additional data; and   a game content changing unit ( 120 ,  220 ) that changes a content of a game based on whether the sender that is known from the managed obtainment record is the external device ( 60 ) or the parent machine ( 100 ).   
   
   
       4 . The data providing system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the game content changing unit ( 120 ,  220 ) changes a content of a game to a content that matches an environment in which Internet connection is available in a case where the sender that is known from the obtainment record is the external device ( 60 ), and changes a content of a game to a content that matches an environment in which Internet connection is not available in a case where the sender is the parent machine ( 100 ).   
   
   
       5 . The data providing system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the parent machine ( 100 ) further includes a delivery record managing unit ( 130 ) that manages a delivery record of additional data delivery executed to the child machine ( 200 ), and   the downloading unit ( 114 ) downloads privilege data based on the managed reception record.   
   
   
       6 . A game machine that is capable of being both a parent machine ( 100 ) and a child machine ( 200 ), and when being a parent machine ( 100 ), provides data to another game machine ( 1 ) that is being a child machine ( 200 ), comprising:
 a downloading unit ( 114 ) that downloads additional data that matches a progress status of a game from an external device ( 60 ) that manages plural kinds of additional data;   an additional data storage unit ( 130 ) that stores the downloaded additional data;   a child machine information receiving unit ( 112 ) that receives child machine information sent from the child machine ( 200 );   a searching unit ( 123 ) that searches out any additional data that can be provided from the additional data storage unit ( 130 ) based on the received child machine information; and   an additional data delivering unit ( 113 ) that delivers the searched-out additional data to the child machine ( 200 ).   
   
   
       7 . The game machine according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein when the game machine is being a child machine ( 200 ), the game machine further includes:   a child machine information generating unit ( 221 ) that generates child machine information including a progress status of a game;   a child machine information sending unit ( 212 ) that sends the generated child machine information to the parent machine;   an additional data receiving unit ( 213 ) that receives additional data delivered from the parent machine in response to the sent child machine information; and   a data storage unit ( 230 ) that stores the received additional data.   
   
   
       8 . A data providing method of a system that is constituted by a plurality of wirelessly-communicable game machines ( 1 ), each of which is capable of being both a parent machine ( 100 ) and a child machine ( 200 ), the system allowing the game machine ( 1 ) that is being a parent machine ( 100 ) to provide data to the game machine ( 1 ) that is being a child machine ( 200 ), the method comprising:
 a downloading step, performed by the parent machine ( 100 ), of downloading additional data that matches a progress status of a game from an external device ( 60 ) that manages plural kinds of additional data;   an additional data storing step, performed by the parent machine ( 100 ), of storing the downloaded additional data in a predetermined storage unit ( 130 );   a child machine information generating step, performed by the child machine ( 200 ), of generating child machine information including a progress status of a game;   a child machine information sending step, performed by the child machine ( 200 ), of sending the generated child machine information to the parent machine ( 100 );   a child machine information receiving step, performed by the parent machine ( 100 ), of receiving the child machine information sent from the child machine ( 200 );   a searching step, performed by the parent machine ( 100 ), of searching out any additional data that can be provided from the storage unit ( 130 ) based on the received child machine information;   an additional data delivering step, performed by the parent machine ( 100 ), of delivering the searched-out additional data to the child machine ( 200 ); and   an additional data receiving step, performed by the child machine ( 200 ), of receiving the additional data delivered from the parent machine ( 100 ).   
   
   
       9 . An information recording medium storing a program that controls a computer that is capable of being both a parent machine ( 100 ) and a child machine ( 200 ), and when being a parent machine ( 100 ), provides data to another game machine ( 1 ) that is being a child machine ( 200 ), the program controlling the computer to function as:
 a downloading unit ( 114 ) that downloads additional data that matches a progress status of a game from an external device ( 60 ) that manages plural kinds of additional data;   an additional data storage unit ( 130 ) that stores the downloaded additional data;   a child machine information receiving unit ( 112 ) that receives child machine information sent from the child machine ( 200 );   a searching unit ( 123 ) that searches out any additional data that can be provided from the additional data storage unit ( 130 ) based on the received child machine information; and   an additional data delivering unit ( 130 ) that delivers the searched-out additional data to the child machine ( 200 ).   
   
   
       10 . A program that controls a computer that is capable of being both a parent machine ( 100 ) and a child machine ( 200 ), and when being a parent machine ( 100 ), provides data to another game machine ( 1 ) that is being a child machine ( 200 ), the program controlling the computer to function as:
 a downloading unit ( 114 ) that downloads additional data that matches a progress status of a game from an external device ( 60 ) that manages plural kinds of additional data;   an additional data storage unit ( 130 ) that stores the downloaded additional data;   a child machine information receiving unit ( 112 ) that receives child machine information sent from the child machine ( 200 );   a searching unit ( 123 ) that searches out any additional data that can be provided from the additional data storage unit ( 130 ) based on the received child machine information; and   an additional data delivering unit ( 130 ) that delivers the searched-out additional data to the child machine ( 200 ).