Apparatus and method for providing agent-based game service

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for providing an agent-based game service. The apparatus for providing an agent-based game service includes an input data management unit for collecting pieces of input data from a terminal device of at least one user. A data mining unit analyzes patterns of the pieces of input data and then generates and updates mined data according to the result of the pattern analysis. A game agent processing unit creates, using the mined data, a game agent which will replace the user and play a game instead of the user, and evolves the game agent to correspond to the updated mined data.

1 . An apparatus for providing an agent-based game service, comprising:
 an input data management unit for collecting pieces of input data from a terminal device of at least one user;   a data mining unit for analyzing patterns of the pieces of input data and then generating and updating mined data according to the result of the pattern analysis; and   a game agent processing unit for creating, using the mined data, a game agent which will replace the user and play a game instead of the user, and evolving the game agent to correspond to the updated mined data.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a management unit for managing game agents while classifying the game agents into user-based game agents which respectively correspond to a plurality of users and pattern-based game agents which are created by analyzing patterns of the user-based game agents and sorting the user-based game agents according to pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the management unit allows a game agent to be created in a relevant game and to replace a relevant user and play the game instead of the user in response to a game agent replacement request received from the user, and allows the game agent to be deleted from the game in response to a game resumption request received from the user. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the management unit plays the game using any one of a user-based game agent and a pattern-based game agent according to selection of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the management unit updates state information of the game agent with progress of the game. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a control unit for controlling the game agent using the state information. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit comprises:
 a movement control unit for performing spatial movement of the game agent using a maximum speed threshold for movement of the game agent, and a maximum conversion speed and an acceleration vector for animation;   an animation control unit for generating motions of the game agent; and   a situation sensing control unit for sensing a situation of the game agent using a discrimination of visibility.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the game agent processing unit comprises:
 a movement prediction processing unit for predicting a subsequent location of the game agent based on a location, directionality and acceleration of the game agent;   a learning processing unit for causing the game agent to learn methods of coping with respective situations using state information of the game agent and historical information of the game agent in the game; and   an evolution processing unit for adding state information different from that of the game agent, updating the methods of coping with the respective situations, and then evolving the game agent   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a display unit for displaying a situation of progress of the game. 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing an agent-based game service, comprising:
 collecting pieces of input data from a terminal device of at least one user;   analyzing patterns of the pieces of input data and then generating and updating mined data according to the result of the pattern analysis;   creating, using the mined data, a game agent which will replace the user and play a game instead of the user; and   evolving the game agent to correspond to the updated mined data.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising managing game agents while classifying the game agents into user-based game agents which respectively correspond to a plurality of users and pattern-based game agents which are created by analyzing patterns of the user-based game agents and sorting the user-based game agents according to pattern. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the managing comprises:
 allowing a game agent to be created in a relevant game and to replace a relevant user and play the game instead of the user in response to a game agent replacement request received from the user; and   allowing the game agent to be deleted from the game in response to a game resumption request received from the user.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the managing further comprises playing the game using any one of a user-based game agent and a pattern-based game agent according to selection of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the managing further comprises updating state information of the game agent with progress of the game. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising controlling the game agent using the state information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying a situation of progress of the game.