WO2006075825A1

WO2006075825A1 - Internet game service system capable of indicating bad users and method for indicating bad users in the same

Info

Publication number: WO2006075825A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/001019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won Seok Yoo
Original assignee: Nhn Corporation
Priority date: 2004-04-08
Filing date: 2005-04-08
Publication date: 2006-07-20
Also published as: KR100469610B1

Abstract

Disclosed is an Internet game service system capable of indicating a malicious user and a method for indicating the malicious user in the same system. The Internet game service system indicates users who stay in the same small region to be malicious users so that other compliant users may recognize them when they are progressing through the game, and includes a game database and a game server. The game database stores game logics for controlling users’ game execution and virtual IP address information corresponding to the users’ real IP addresses. The game server provides a game service to the users by using the game logic stored in the game database, converts the users’ real IP addresses into virtual IP addresses to determine and identify malicious users. This may prevent damage to the compliant users. This added security may increase the compliant users’ interests for the corresponding game.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[INVENTION TITLE]

INTERNET GAME SERVICE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF INDICATING BAD USERS AND METHOD FOR INDICATING BAD USERS IN THE SAME

[TECHNICAL FIELD]

The present invention relates to a game service for providing a game through the Internet. More specifically, the present invention relates to an Internet game service system and method for detecting and indicating malicious users from game service users and a method for indicating the malicious user status in the same system.

[BACKGROUND ART]

Various categories of services have been provided through the medium of the Internet as the use of the Internet has increased. In particular, many Internet users enjoy game services on the Internet, and hence, many service providers provide various games to the users. Games in which game points are given or taken between the gamers for the sake of winning or losing the game are currently being offered. For example, the Korean traditional Go-Stop game such as Mat-Go of 1 :1 match, and poker are popular Internet card games.

When attempting to perform a desired game through the game service, the user accesses a corresponding game service server and selects the desired game through web pages provided by the server. The corresponding server then displays a channel list for using the game to the user, and displays a list of game chambers belonging to the selected game when selecting a specific channel. The corresponding server displays a game screen so that the user may perform a game with another gamer in a game chamber selected or generated by the user when the user selects one of game chambers displayed on the user's computer or directly generates a new game chamber.

In general, the user must perform the above-descried process to enjoy the game on the Internet, and users sometimes provide user information to other users for various purposes when the users enter a specific game chamber and perform the game.

In this instance, user information may be hacked by a malicious user, and may be maliciously used to damage general users. For example, a malicious user may use another user's user information, in particular, an IP (Internet protocol) in an important situation such as the last bet in the poker game to seamlessly transmit a large volume of information to the other user. This causes the other user to fail to complete the last bet since the other user's system had to process the information. Thus, the malicious user obtains gains by causing the other user to be timed out or disconnected. In a different scenario a compliant user enters a specific game chamber to perform games on the Internet. Malicious users familiar with each other plot together to enter a specific game chamber and play the game in collusion thereby damaging the chances of the compliant user. [DISCLOSURE]

[TECHNICAL PROBLEM]

It is an advantage of the present invention to provide an Internet game service system capable of indicating malicious users by detecting users who stay within a small area. In addition, the system identifies malicious users so that gamers may recognize these malicious users. Further, the internet game service system does not provide IP addresses, but rather virtual IP addresses of users to the respective users. This system provides a method for indicating malicious users in the same system.

[TECHNICAL SOLUTION]

In one aspect of the present invention, an Internet game service system for providing a game service to a plurality of users via the Internet includes: a game database for storing game logics for controlling the users' game performance and virtual IP address information assigned to correspond to the users' real IP addresses; and a game server which provides a game service to the users by using game logic stored in the game database, converts the real IP addresses of the users who are accessed for execution of the game into corresponding virtual IP address information and stores the virtual IP address information in the game database, and determines and indicates a malicious user by using the stored virtual IP address information.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method for indicating a malicious user to a plurality of users accessed to the Internet in an Internet game service system comprises: a) assigning virtual IP addresses corresponding to real IP addresses of users who have participated in a game; b) determining a malicious user based on the assigned virtual IP addresses; and c) indicating the determined malicious user so that the users may recognize the malicious user.

[ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS]

A virtual IP address corresponding to a real IP address of a gamer is assigned in a simplified manner to identify a malicious user and prevent damage to a compliant user. This may increase the interest of the compliant user in the corresponding game since the compliant user becomes more confident in the system's security.

In addition, a virtual IP address of for each user is given to respective users to reduce the damage to compliant users caused by hacking.

[DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an Internet game service system for indicating malicious users according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a detailed block diagram of a game database shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows an exemplified virtual IP address database shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a detailed block diagram of a game server shown in FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a method for indicating a malicious user according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[BEST MODE]

An Internet game service system for indicating malicious users according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an Internet game service system for indicating malicious users according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the Internet game service system for indicating malicious users includes a web server 100, a channel database 200, a channel server 300, a game database 400, and a game server 500.

The web server 100 provides a plurality of services including a chat service and a shopping mall service in addition to various Internet games including a Mat-Go card game and poker to a plurality of user computers 700-1 to 700-n accessed through the Internet 800. As shown, the users utilize computers 700-1 to 700-n, and other types of terminals to access the web server 100 through the Internet 800 and play a game are available. Terminals may include mobile terminals and Internet TVs which may also be available to the users. The channel database 200 stores game chamber data set to each channel as well as game channel data.

The channel server 300 queries the channel database 200 and provides a selected game channel list and a per-channel game chamber list to the user when the user selects a game through the web server 100. Then, the user can select a channel for game performance and a specific game chamber belonging to the channel by using the channel list and the game chamber list provided by the channel server 300. When the user selects a game through the web server 100, the web server 100 initiates a user program for the game pre-installed in the user computer 700-1 to 700-n, and the user computer 700-1 to 700-n is accessed by the channel server 300 through the Internet 800 by the user program, and hence, it is not needed to directly couple the channel server 300 to the web server 100. Therefore, the web server 100 is coupled to other components if necessary by the user, which is depicted by dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Also, the channel server 300 allows new users to enter the corresponding game chamber while the users perform the game, and the new users are observers for the game.

The game database 400 stores game logic for controlling game progress and virtual IP address information assigned to the real IP addresses per game chamber.

The game server 500 provides a game service selected by the user through the channel server 300. That is, the game server 500 queries the game database 400 to execute the game according to game logic established for each game. For example, when the user selects poker, opens or selects a specific game chamber on a specific channel through the channel server 300, and at least two users enters the poker game, the game server 500 displays the game, executes the game, and settles game results so that the users may play poker.

The game logic represents specified rules for automatically performing the game according to a predefined rule. For example, poker has a rule for distributing cards, a rule for selecting one of three cards after distribution, a rule for having a bet, and a rule for achieved results on various games.

The game server 500 assigns virtual IP addresses corresponding to real IP addresses of users having entered the game chamber and stores the same in the game database 400. The game server 500 then provides the virtual IP addresses instead of the real IP addresses to users when providing information on the users who have entered the game chamber. Also, the game server 500 determines malicious users according to a predefined rule, and determines a user who does not belong to the predefined rule but is very close to the predefined rule to be a semi-compliant user. The game server 500 then identifies and displays the semi-compliant user so that users who are in the game chamber may recognize him, which will be described later.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed block diagram of the game database 400 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the game database 400 includes a game logic database 410 and a virtual IP address database 420, and the game database 400 is one embodiment and can be modified in various manners according to configurations of the game and the virtual IP addresses.

The game logic database 410 stores game logic information used to control the game. For example, the game logic database 410 may include a game logic for poker and for the Go-Stop card game. The game server 500 uses the game logic information to control the corresponding users to play the game.

Next, the virtual IP address database 420 stores the real IP addresses of the users who have entered the chamber for each game and information on the corresponding virtual IP addresses. In this instance, the real IP address stored in the virtual IP address database 420 have four bytes, that is, 32-bit information in the IPv4 address system, but the virtual IP address information does not have four bytes corresponding to the real IP address, that is, 32 bits, but has 1-byte information for identifying networks and 1-byte information for identifying hosts as shown in FIG. 3. In this instance, 1-byte information is stored for identifying the networks, and without being restricted to this, two or more-byte information can also be used.

A general IP address has 4-byte digits for representing a network and a local host or a node of the network, and is given as combination of decimal numbers with "." such as "210.65.240.163" and "213.235.53.165."

In the exemplified embodiment, first three bytes corresponding to the network address in Class C of the IPv4 address system are used as information for identifying the network from among the 4-byte IP address, and the last fourth byte corresponding to a host in Class C is used as information for identifying the host. Therefore, same network identification information is assigned to users belonging to the same network, that is, the same users who have the same first three bytes in the real IP address, and the fourth byte information is used to identify the host.

For example, referring to FIG. 3, when the real IP address of a first user is given as "210.65.240.163," the number of "1" is given as network identification information, and the number of "163" is given as host identification information. When the real IP address of a second user is given as "213.235.53.165," the number of "2" is given as network identification information since the number of "1" is already given, and the number of "165" is given as host identification information. When the real IP address of a third user is given as "213.235.53.166," the number of "2" is also given as network identification information since the third user belongs to the same network as that of the second user to whom the number of "2" is given as network identification information, and the number of "166" is given as host identification information. In a like manner of the third user, the number of "2" is given as network identification information, and the numbers of "175" and "186" are given as host identification information for a fourth user and a fifth user. Therefore, network information of the second to fifth users is the same, and host information thereof is different. When the real IP address of a sixth user is given as "213.235.54.123," no users have the same network, and hence, the number of "3" is given as network identification information, and the number of "123" is given as host identification information. As described above, the game server 500 assigns virtual IP address information to the real IP addresses of users who have entered each game chamber according to identification of networks and hosts, and stores the same in the virtual IP address database 420. When network identification information and host identification information stored in the virtual IP address database 420 are used as virtual IP addresses by the game server 500, network identification information is extended and used as the same three bytes, and host identification information is used as the last byte. For example, since network identification information which is virtual IP address information of the first user is given as "1" and host identification information is given as "163" in the above noted example, the virtual IP address of "1.1.1.163" is used in the game server 500, and the virtual IP addresses of "2.2.2.165," "2.2.2.166," "2.2.2.175," "2.2.2.186," and "3.3.3.123" are used for the second to sixth users in a like manner.

In above-noted embodiment, it is very probable that users who use the same network identification information, that is, the second to fifth users may stay in the same region, and therefore, the above-noted users can be malicious users, through which the malicious users are identified. The numbers of "1 ," "2," and "3" have been described to be sequentially generated and assigned as network identification information, and without being restricted to this, the numbers can also be generated and assigned randomly. For example, it has been described to assign the number of "1" and then the number of "2," and it is also possible to assign a random number of "71" as network identification information, another random number of "29," and then the other random number of "140." In this instance, the virtual IP addresses of the six users shown in FIG. 6 are given as "71.71.71.163," "229.229.229.165," "229.229.229.166," "229.229.229.175," "229.229.229.176," and "140.140.140.123."

Further, the first three bytes corresponding to the network address in Class C of the IPv4 address system have been described to be used as information for identifying the network from among the 4-byte IP address. The fourth byte corresponds to a host in Class C and has been described to be used as information for identifying the host in the exemplified embodiment. The exemplary embodiment is also applicable to address systems of Class A and Class B in the IPv4 address system. For example, it is allowed in Class A to use the first byte corresponding to a network address as information for identifying the network and the second to fourth bytes corresponding to a host address as information for identifying the host, and it is possible in Class B to use the first and second bytes corresponding to a network address as information for identifying the network and the third and fourth bytes corresponding to a host address as information for identifying the host. When Class A and Class B are applied as described, the virtual IP address database 420 is to be designed depending on the Class A and Class B, as known to a person skilled in the art.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed block diagram of the game server 500 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the game server 500 includes a virtual IP address converter 510, a malicious user determiner 520, and a malicious user indicator 530.

The virtual IP address converter 510 queries the virtual IP address database 420, assigns corresponding virtual IP addresses to the real IP addresses of users who have entered each game chamber, and stores the same in the virtual IP address database 420. The method for the virtual IP address converter 510 to assign the virtual IP address to the real IP address is the same as described in reference to FIG. 3.

The malicious user determiner 520 determines malicious users through virtual IP addresses of the users having entered the game chamber, stored in the virtual IP address database 420. In this instance, the malicious user determiner 520 can determine the users having the same network identification information as malicious users from among virtual IP address information of users. In this case, the malicious user determiner 520 determines the users who have the same network identification information and have a difference between host identification information within a predetermined range as malicious users since the identification range can be very wide because the users have the same host identification information or other users are determined to be malicious users. The predetermined range can be specified by a range, and can be measured by statistics or experiments of the Internet game service. Also, the malicious user determiner 520 can determine the users who have the same network identification information and have a difference between host identification information out of a predetermined range as malicious users since it is very probable that the user may stay in the same region because of the same network identification information. For example, referring to FIG. 3, when the predetermined range for determining the malicious users is defined to be "10" and the users who are out of "10" are determined to be semi-compliant users, the malicious user determiner 520 determines the second to fourth users who have host identification information of "165," "166," and "175" the difference of which are included in the predetermined range of "10" as malicious users from among the second to fifth users. Next, the malicious user determiner 520 determines the fifth user as a semi-compliant user since the difference between host identification information of the fifth user and any host identification information of the second to fifth users is out of the predetermined range of "10."

The terms "a malicious user" and "a semi-compliant user" can be replaced with other language. In addition, the determination point of the malicious user and the semi-compliant user is not restricted to the scope of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For example, it is possible to indicate all the users who have the same network identification information to be semi-compliant users who are to be watched.

Also, the users who have the same network identification information and have a difference between host identification information out of a predetermined range have been defined as malicious users, and the scope of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is not restricted to this. For example, it is possible to determine the user who has a difference of host identification information out of a predetermined range for determination of malicious user but within a second predetermined range greater than the predetermined range as a semi-compliant user.

Next, the malicious user indicator 530 indicates the malicious user determined by the malicious user determiner 520 so that compliant users having entered the corresponding game chamber may identify the malicious user. For example, the malicious user indicator 530 can turn on a red light on the corresponding user side on the game displayed on the monitor or can directly display a character or an image so that the malicious user may be watched. Also, the malicious user indicator 530 can indicate the semi- compliant user determined by the malicious user determiner 520 so that other compliant users having entered the corresponding game chamber may recognize the semi-compliant user. For example, the malicious user indicator 530 can turn on a yellow light for a less intensive warning for the semi- compliant user which differs from the warning used for a malicious user or can display a character of "semi-compliant user."

Next, the game controller 540 refers to the game logic database 410 and controls execution of the game according to game rules so that the users may play the game. In this instance, the game controller 540 controls the virtual IP address converter 510, the malicious user determiner 520, and the malicious user indicator 530 to determine the malicious user and the semi-compliant user through the virtual IP addresses assigned corresponding to the real IP addresses of the users who have entered the game chamber. Then the system identifies the malicious user and the semi- compliant user to allow the compliant users to recognize them. This may reduce potential damage to compliant users caused by the malicious user or the semi-compliant user. Further, the game controller 540 provides virtual IP addresses corresponding to the real IP addresses to prevent the damage caused by hacking when providing information on other users to the respective users who have entered the game chamber. In this instance, the game controller 540 can include an encoding module for encoding information including virtual IP addresses and transmitting the encoded information to the respective users.

A method for indicating the malicious user in the Internet game system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5.

A plurality of users utilize their computers 700-1 to 700-n to execute a user program provided by the web server 100 and access the channel server 300 or directly access the web server 100 through a web browser and select a desired game in step S100. In this instance, the user program is assumed to be pre-installed, and in another case, the web server 100 or the channel server 300 determines the installation status and controls installation of the user program for a corresponding game at an appropriate time.

When the user selects the desired game, the channel server 300 displays a channel list of the corresponding game stored in the channel database 200 to the user computer 700-1 to 700-n through the web server 100, and the user selects a channel for playing the game from among the channels displayed on the computer 700-1 to 700-n. For example, the user can select a channel suitable for the user's grade when the channel list is displayed in grades.

As described, when the user selects the channel, the channel server

300 displays a game chamber list generated to the corresponding channel, stored in the channel database 200 to the user computer 700-1 to 700-n in step S 120, and the user selects one of the game chambers displayed on the computer 700-1 to 700-n and enters the same in step S310.

When user selects the game chamber and enters the same, the virtual IP address converter 510 of the game server 500 distinguishes the real IP address of the users having entered the game chamber into networks and hosts, converts them into virtual IP addresses, and stores the same into the virtual IP address database 420 using the game controller 540 in step S140.

The malicious user determiner 520 uses the virtual IP addresses of users converted and stored by the virtual IP address converter 510 to determine malicious users belonging to the same small region using the game controller 540. In other words, the malicious user determiner 520 determines whether the first to third bytes of virtual IP addresses (the network identification information for indicating virtual IP address information) are the same, determines whether the difference of information of the fourth byte of the virtual IP addresses (the host identification information) is within a predetermined range from among the users who have the same network identification information, determines the user to be a malicious user when the information difference is within a predetermined range, and determines the user to be a semi-compliant user in another case in step S150. Next, the game controller 540 determines whether a malicious user determined by the malicious user determiner 520 exists in step S160, and indicates the malicious user through the malicious user indicator 530 so that other users may recognize the malicious user when the malicious user is found in step S170.

Also, the game controller 540 determines whether a semi-compliant user determined by the malicious user determiner 520 exists in step S 180, and identifies the semi-compliant user through the malicious user indicator 530. This allows users to recognize the semi-compliant user, when the semi- compliant user is found in step S190.

As described, when the malicious user or the semi-compliant is found in the game chamber, the game controller 540 identifies them so that compliant users may recognize them, and controls the users' execution of the corresponding game in step S200. The channel server 300 can allow a new user to enter the game chamber in which the users play the game. In this instance, the game server 500 transmits screens of the game in progress to the users and observers, and generates an additional observation window to the users playing the game to notify existence of observers. The game server 500 converts the real IP address of the observers into corresponding virtual IP addresses and provides the same to the users playing the game, and generates an indicator to the observers when the virtual IP address of an observer is compared to the virtual IP addresses of other users and is found to be that of a malicious user or a semi-compliant user. While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

1. An Internet game service system for providing a game service to a plurality of users via Internet access, comprising: a game database for storing game logics for controlling the users' game performance and virtual IP address information assigned to correspond to the users' real IP addresses; and a game server for providing a game service to the users by using a game logic stored in the game database, for converting the real IP addresses of the users who are accessed for execution of the game into corresponding virtual IP address information and storing the virtual IP address information in the game database, and for determining and indicating a malicious user by using the stored virtual IP address information.

2. The Internet game service system of claim 1 , further comprising: a channel database for storing a list of game channels and data of game chambers generated at the channels; a channel server for providing game channels and data of game chambers generated at the channel to the user by referring to the channel database, and controlling the user to perform a game through the game server in a selected specific game chamber when the user selects the game chamber at a specific channel; and a web server, coupled between the user and the channel server, for providing a web service so that the user may use the game service.

3. The Internet game service system of claim 1 , wherein the game database comprises: a game logic database for storing game logics for controlling the user's execution of games for each game; and a virtual IP address database for storing the real IP addresses of the users who have entered each game chamber and corresponding virtual IP address information.

4. The Internet game service system of claim 3, wherein the virtual IP address database stores the real IP addresses of the users and the corresponding virtual IP address information, and the virtual IP address information includes information for identifying a network of the real IP address and information for identifying a host of the real IP address.

5. The Internet game service system of claim 4, wherein the network identification information of the real IP address represents a first byte corresponding to a network address in Class A from among a total of four bytes when the real IP address has the IPv4 address system, and the host identification information of the real IP address represents residual three bytes corresponding to the host in Class A.

6. The Internet game service system of claim 4, wherein the network identification information of the real IP address represents first two bytes corresponding to a network address in Class B from among a total of four bytes when the real IP address has the IPv4 address system, and the host identification information of the real IP address represents residual two bytes corresponding to the host in Class B.

7. The Internet game service system of claim 4, wherein the network identification information of the real IP address represents first three bytes corresponding to a network address in Class C from among a total of four bytes when the real IP address has the IPv4 address system, and the host identification information of the real IP address represents a residual one byte corresponding to the host in Class C.

8. The Internet game service system of one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the game server determines the users who have the same network identification information to be malicious users.

9. The Internet game service system of one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the game server determines the users who have the same network identification information and have a difference of the host identification information within a predetermined range to be malicious users.

10. The Internet game service system of claim 9, wherein the game server determines the users who have the same network identification information and have a difference of the host identification information out of the predetermined range to be semi-compliant users.

11. The Internet game service system of claim 9, wherein the game server determines the users who have the same network identification information and have a difference of the host identification information out of the predetermined range and within a second predetermined range which is greater than the predetermined range to be semi-compliant users.

12. The Internet game service system of claim 1 , wherein the game server comprises: a virtual IP address converter for providing virtual IP addresses corresponding to the real IP addresses of users who have entered each game chamber, and storing the virtual IP addresses in the game database ; a malicious user determiner for determining a malicious user according to the virtual IP addresses of the users having entered the game chamber, provided by the virtual IP address converter; a malicious user indicator for indicating the malicious user determined by the malicious user determiner so that other users having entered the game chamber may recognize the malicious user; and a game controller for controlling a progress of game so that the users may perform the game according to a game rule established for each game selected by the user, and indicating a malicious user determined based on the virtual IP addresses assigned corresponding to the real IP addresses of the users having entered the game chamber to other users by controlling the virtual IP address converter, the malicious user determiner, and the malicious user indicator, and progressing the game.

13. The Internet game service system of claim 12, wherein the malicious user indicator indicates the malicious user on a game screen by using at least one of light, a character, and an image.

14. The Internet game service system of one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the game server determines the users who stay in a same small region to be malicious users according to the virtual IP addresses corresponding to the real IP addresses of the users.

15. The Internet game service system of one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the game server provides virtual IP addresses corresponding to the real IP addresses of the users when providing information on the users to other users.

16. The Internet game service system of claim 15, wherein the game server encodes the virtual IP addresses and provides the encoded virtual IP addresses to the other users.

17. A method for indicating a malicious user to a plurality of users accessed to the Internet in an Internet game service system, comprising: a) assigning virtual IP addresses corresponding to real IP addresses of users who have participated in a game; b) determining a malicious user based on the assigned virtual IP addresses; and c) indicating the determined malicious user so that the users may recognize the malicious user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the virtual IP address is given with network identification information for identifying a predetermined part of the real IP address and host identification information for identifying residual part of the real IP address in a).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein b) comprises: i) determining whether users having the same network identification information exist; ii) determining whether a difference of host identification information of the users is given to be within a predetermined range when the users having the same network identification information are found; and iii) determining the users having the difference of host identification information within the predetermined range in ii) to be malicious users.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises after iii): iv) determining whether the difference of the host identification information is out of the predetermined range in ii) and is within a second predetermined range which is greater than the predetermined range; and v) determining the users to be semi-compliant users when the users who have the difference within the second predetermined range are found in iv).

21. A method for indicating a malicious user to a plurality of users accessed to the Internet in an Internet game service system, comprising: a) assigning virtual IP addresses corresponding to real IP addresses of users who have participated in a game; b) determining a malicious user based on the assigned virtual IP addresses; and c) indicating the determined malicious user so that the users may recognize the malicious user, wherein the virtual IP addresses given in a) are provided to the users when information on the users is provided to users.