WO2002057980A1

WO2002057980A1 - Method and apparatus for exact calculation of gambling game fee

Info

Publication number: WO2002057980A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/001301
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gi-Ju An
Original assignee: Gi-Ju An
Priority date: 2000-12-19
Filing date: 2001-07-31
Publication date: 2002-07-25

Abstract

The method for calculating a game fee depending on victory or defeat of a user in a gambling game played through at least two client PCs connected in one or more networks in which a plurality of client PCs are connected to one management server computer, includes the steps of opening a real account and a corresponding virtual account, processing game among gamers, calculating a game fee depending on victory or defeat of each gamer, transferring money from a virtual account of winner to a virtual account of loser, checking a breakdown of the real account with the balance of the virtual account, and instructing money transfer between the real accounts based on the breakdown.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXACT CALCULATION OF

GAMBLING GAME FEE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method of playing a game

through a network, and more particularly to a method of imposing

differential gambling game fees depending on victory or defeat of the

gambling game between at least two client PCs (personal computers) in

the circumstance that a plurality of client PCs are connected to the

same or different networks.

BACKGROUND ART

Together with development of various computer and network

techniques, computer games are activated for various age groups owing

to diversification of game software.

Particularly, with popularizing of computing environments such

as Internet game room (or, Internet cafe) in which a plurality of client

computers are connected to one management server computer through

a local network, the network game is more activated (hereinafter, the

place providing such computing environments for network games is

referred to as "Internet Cafe"), thus the game industry is developed

more and more. However, there is recognized a limit for the Internet Cafe to attract gamers because of lack improvement of Internet Cafe

managing manners.

The conventional Internet Cafe management adopts charging the

same rental fee regardless of the gamers' position. Thus, the gamers

have frequently played a game heartlessly, conscious of proceeding time

rather than win/lose of the game. Even in a game providing a chatting

service together, there are occasionally rampant abuse words, so

deteriorating the quality of game.

On the other hand, people tend to enjoy gambling games rather

than other games. However, since there is not yet provided a suitable

solution, it is inconveniently uneasy for gamers who are long way off,

not in the same Internet Cafe, to enjoy the gambling game.

Korean Patent Application No.2000- 1751 discloses apparatus

and method for transferring mileage points different depending on game

results, at an Internet Cafe management system including a plurality of

Internet Cafes having a plurality of computers and at least one manager

computer, the Internet Cafe management system being connected to the

Internet Cafes for data transmission and having a central computer

used as a data center. According to the above document, if at least two

members request to bet on a game, the manager computer checks

whether the members agree to the game, creates a game purse by using

a mileage point of each member stored in the central computer, and then arranges the game purses depending on game results to transfer a

mileage point to a winner of the game.

However, this prior art cannot achieve a true purpose of gambling

since the compensation according to the game results is solved with a

virtual mileage point. In addition, because each game bets a certain

point to the game purse, it may produce harmful side effects of stirring

up a speculative spirit.

Thus, the inventor of the present invention has been filed a

Korean Patent No.2000-78213 (which is a basis of domestic priority of

another application), disclosing a new gambling game method in which

a loser of a gambling game takes a charge of a game fee of a winner and

pays the fee to an Internet Cafe, instead of the conventional gambling

game based on a betting manner of a mileage point.

The present invention is more improved and developed from the

application and adopts a method of settling a game fee with use of a

virtual account of Internet Cafe and an actual account corresponding to

the virtual account in order to impose differential game fees on winner

and loser.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention is designed to overcome problems of the

prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of progressing a gambling game between different Internet cafe, and

imposing a game fee of a winner on a loser depending on win/ lose of the

game so that the loser pays the game fee of the winner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of

automatically settling unfair game fee profits caused in Internet Cafes

according to win/ lose of gamers belonging to the Internet Cafe.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention

provides a method of exact calculation of gambling game fee under the

network environment in which a plurality of gamer terminals are

connected through a local network to a first server computer, a plurality

of the first server computers are connected to a second server computer,

and the second server computer is connected to a banking computer,

which possesses actual accounts of service providers managing the

local network and is capable of transferring money between the actual

accounts on-line, the method including (a) opening actual accounts of a

plurality of the service providers with the banking server and creating a

virtual account corresponding to the actual account with the second

server computer; (b) at least two gamer inputting requests for gambling

at a specific game into the second server computer; (c) allowing at least

two gamers to compete each other in the specific game, deciding winner

and loser of the game when the game ends, and then calculating a game

fee based on hours that the game has proceeded; (d) drawing money corresponding to the game fee from a virtual account of a service

provider of the local network used by the winner and then transferring

the money to a virtual account of a service provider of the local network

used by the loser; (e) investigating the balances of all virtual accounts

when it comes to the time of settlement to calculate money transfer

details corresponding to each actual account; and (f) instructing the

banking computer to transfer money between the actual accounts based

on the money transfer details.

Preferably, the present invention may include the step of checking

the service provider of the local network used by the gamer and the

virtual account of the corresponding service provider on the basis of

location information of the gamer terminal requesting the gambling

game.

The present invention may also additionally include the steps of

transmitting game win/ lose information, proceeded game hour

information and game fee information to the first server of the local

network used by the winner and the loser; and calculating rental fees of

the local network and each gamer terminal belonging to the local

network on the basis of the game win/ lose information, the proceeded

game hour information and the game fee information.

Preferably, a total fee of the winner is calculated by subtracting

the game fee from the rental fee, while a final fee of the loser is calculated by adding the game fee to the rental fee.

In addition, it is preferred that the virtual account initially has a

zero balance, the balance becomes minus when money is transferred to

another virtual account, and the balance is reset to zero after the time

of settlement.

In the (vi) step, the money transfer details of the actual account

can be created based on the virtual account, thereby, if the balance of

the virtual account is plus at the time of settlement, instructing the

back computer to draw an amount of money, equal to the plus amount,

from the corresponding actual account to be distributably transferred to

at least one other actual account, while, if the balance of the virtual

account is minus at the time of settlement, instructing the bank

computer to distributably draw an amount of money, equal to the

minus amount, from at least one other actual account to be received to

the corresponding actual account.

In addition, the present invention may further include the steps of

searching the balances of the actual accounts for all service providers in

the banking computer; comparing the searched balances with a

standard balance; and outputting an electronic notification note for

notifying the server computer of the service provider, whose the actual

account has a balance less than the standard balance, to deposit money

as much as the difference with the standard balance in the actual account.

The present invention may additionally include the steps of

extracting an actual account having a balance less than the standard

balance after a term of the electronic notification note; and interrupting

the gambling game service of a gamer terminal connected to a local

network of the service provider corresponding the extracted account.

At this time, it is preferred that the actual account is capable of

having minus balance up to a predetermined limit.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present

invention, there is provided an apparatus for arranging a gambling

game between at least two gamer and settling gambling game fees

depending on win or lose of the gambling game under the network

environment in which a plurality of gamer terminals are connected

through a local network to a first server computer, a plurality of the first

server computers are connected to a second server computer, and the

second server computer is connected to a banking computer, which

possesses actual accounts of service providers managing the local

network and is capable of transferring money between the actual

accounts on-line, the apparatus including a storage unit; and a

processing unit connected to the storage unit, in which the storage unit

stores program to control the processing unit, and in which the

processing unit performs creating a virtual account corresponding to each actual account of a plurality of service providers opened with the

banking server; receiving requests for gambling at a specific game from

at least two gamer; allowing at least two gamers to compete each other

in the specific game, deciding winner and loser of the game when the

game ends, and then calculating a game fee based on hours that the

game has progressed; drawing money corresponding to the game fee

from a virtual account of a service provider of the local network used by

the winner and then transferring the money to a virtual account of a

service provider of the local network used by the ioser; investigating the

balances of all virtual accounts when it comes to the time of settlement

to calculate money transfer details corresponding to each actual

account; and instructing the banking computer to transfer money

between the actual accounts based on the money transfer details.

In addition, the processing unit preferably checks the service

provider of the local network used by the gamer and the virtual account

of the corresponding service provider on the basis of location

information of the gamer terminal requesting the gambling game.

Preferably, the processing unit transmits game win/ lose

information, proceeded game hour information and game fee

information to the first server of the local network used by the winner

and the loser, and calculates rental fees of the local network and each

gamer terminal belonging to the local network on the basis of the game win/ lose information, the proceeded game hour information and the

game fee information.

The processing unit may, either if the balance of the virtual

account is plus at the time of settlement, instruct the back computer to

draw an amount of money, equal to the plus amount, from the

corresponding actual account to be distributably transferred to at least

one other actual account, or if the balance of the virtual account is

minus at the time of settlement, instruct the bank computer to

distributably draw an amount of money, equal to the minus amount,

from at least one other actual account to be received to the

corresponding actual account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will

be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 shows system configuration for realizing a method of

imposing differential gambling game fees depending on victory or defeat

of the gambling game. As shown in the figure, the system adopted in

the present invention preferably includes a Internet Cafe server 20 for

managing at least one gamer terminal 5 through LAN, a service server 30 for allowing a gambling game among gamers on network 25 and

imposing and settling game fees based on a gambling result, a game

server 60 for providing game contents and game programs, and a

banking server 50 connected to the service server 30 for automatic

account-to-account money transfer between Internet Cafes.

The gamer terminal 5 is a personal computer connected to the

Internet Cafe server 20 through a local network 10. This gamer

terminal 5 includes a communication module for data transmission,

operating system and web browser. And, the gamer terminal 5 sends

data such as proceeded game hour, required for management of the

Internet Cafe, to the Internet Cafe server 20 by command of a

management program in the Internet Cafe server 20.

The Internet Cafe server 20 is a computer system for managing a

plurality of gamer terminals 5 connected to a local network. The

Internet Cafe server 20 includes means for mutually interfacing the

gamer terminals with the service server, and a program for exactly

calculating final fees of a gamer on the basis of proceeded game hour,

game win/lose, game fee, etc. transmitted from the service server.

The computing environment in which the Internet Cafe server is

connected through a local network to a plurality of gamer terminals is

not limited to an Internet game room (or, Internet cafe), but should be

understood to include all network environments in which, a plurality of client terminals are connected to one server computer so as to enjoy

gambling games with other remote client terminals.

The network 25 generally means Internet. But, not limited to

Internet, it should be understood that the network 25 means including

Intranet, Extranet and Dedicated line.

The banking server 50 can be a server computer existing in a

banking agency (particularly, a bank), or it is also possible for a

provider of the service server (or, a service provider) to separately install

the banking server 50. This banking server 50 manages actual

accounts of a plurality of Internet Cafes in concert with the service

provider by franchise. The banking server also has a program module

for automatically transferring money between actual accounts according

to a command from a manager of the Internet Cafe as well as a server of

the service provider. Such a banking server is well known to a person

skilled in the art, and not described in detail.

The game server 60 is a computer system, which has a plurality

of game programs and allocates a communication port to a client

terminal by request of the service server so that a specific game

program may be enjoyed in the designated client terminal. Though Fig.

1 shows that only one game server contains many game programs, it is

also possible that there are many game servers to support one game

program in connection with the service server through a network. The service server 30 is a computer system, which allows gamers,

accessed through each Internet Cafe, to compete each other in a specific

gambling game, transmits game fee information based on win/ lose of

the gambling game to the Internet Cafe server and manages virtual

accounts corresponding to the actual account in the banking server for

transfer and settlement of fees.

This service server 30 is a large capacity computer system

equipped with central processing unit, RAM, ROM, network interface,

data storage unit and so on. A traditional personal computer or a

workstation having a memory with a significant storage and

considerable processing capacity can be used as the service server. As

an example, the service server acts as a web server for data

transmission in order that games may enjoy gambling game.

The service server may have great processing ability, so enabling

to execute an immense amount of mathematical calculation in

information processing or database searching. Pentium

Microprocessor manufactured by Intel can be mainly used as a central

processing unit.

Fig. 2 shows program modules loaded in ROM of the service

server and a plurality of databases constituting the data storage unit.

The service server 30 is not described in detail.

The service server 30 is composed with program modules including a server engine 31, a communication module 33 for data

transmission, a Internet Cafe identification module 34, a virtual

account managing module 35, a game environment setting module 36,

a gambling game module 37, a fee calculation module 38, a gambling

game information notice module 39, a money transfer instruction

module 40, a settlement module 41 and a service interruption module

42, and a database system including an account DB 43a, a standard

balance DB 43b, a Internet Cafe DB 43c, a gamer DB 43d, a fee DB 43e,

a gambling DB 43f, a charging DB 43g and a log information DB 43h.

The server engine 31 is in charge of system operation.

Particularly, the server engine 31 is a firmware program for providing

web pages 32 to client systems such as the gamer terminals 5 or the

Internet Cafe server 20 in request of HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer

Protocol) for the purpose of accessing the web page 32 recognized by

URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

The Internet Cafe server identification module 34 is a program

module to identify a belonging Internet Cafe on the basis of location

information of the connected gamer terminal 5. In other words, if a

specific gamer terminal 5 connects to the service server 30, the Internet

Cafe server identification module 34 of the service server finds out an IP

address of the corresponding gamer terminal 4 and then discriminates

the Internet Cafe (or a member store), to which the client terminal having the IP address belongs, by searching the Internet Cafe DB 43c

described later.

The virtual account managing module 35 is a program module for

creating a virtual account corresponding to each actual account existing

in the banking server 50, transferring money between the virtual

accounts according to win/lose results of the gambling game, and

automatically resetting a balance to zero at the time of settlement.

The game environment setting module 36 is a program module for

allowing gamers, who desire a gambling game, to compete each other,

setting a gambling game room (or, gambling game software) for the

gamers to enjoy the game with opponent(s), and allocating a

communication port to the game server for the corresponding gambling

game room.

The gambling game module 37 is a program module for detecting

an end of the game, which has been progressed in the gambling game

room, determining winner and loser after the game is over, and

calculating a game fee on the basis of proceeded hours of the gambling

game.

The fee calculation module 38 is a program module for checking

whether it comes to the time of settlement, extracting money transfer

details between the virtual accounts of the Internet Cafes at the time of

settlement, and transmitting the money transfer details to the money transfer instruction module 40 described below.

The gambling game information notice module 40 is a program

module for searching the gambling DB 43f and the fee DB 43e to extract

game win/lose information, proceeded game hour information, game fee

information and gamer information when a specific gambling game is

over, and then transmitting such information to the Internet Cafe server

20.

The money transfer instruction module 40 is a program module

for receiving the money transfer details between the virtual accounts

from the fee calculation module 38 and instructing the banking server

50 to transfer money between the actual accounts. In other words,

though there are needed ID and password to draw or transfer a certain

amount of money from an actual account with the banking server as a

rule, the present invention additionally endows specific ID and

password to a service provider so that the service provider may freely

transfer money between the actual accounts of the affiliated Internet

Cafes.

The settlement module 41 is a program module for executing the

settlement process shown in Fig. 5. In other words, this settlement

module 41 extracts delinquent Internet Cafes by inquiring a balance of

the actual account of each Internet Cafe, and providing delinquent

Internet Cafe information to the service interruption module 42 described below.

The service interruption module 42 is a program module for

interrupting a gamer to access the service server through a specific

Internet Cafe.

The account DB 43a stores and manages virtual accounts of

respective Internet Cafes, actual accounts corresponding to respective

virtual accounts, depositors, peculiar Ids required for Internet banking,

passwords required for money transfer and so on. Preferably, the

virtual account has an initial balance of zero, which balance becomes

plus or minus when money is deposited or drawn through money

transfer between virtual accounts, and which balance is reset to zero

after settlement.

Additionally, the actual account existing in the banking server 50

is preferably capable of having minus balance, which is allowed to a

manager of each Internet Cafe by a banking agency managing the

banking server based on security stood by a service provider through

^• agreements among the banking agency, the service provider and the

Internet Cafe manager. The actual account has not to be capable of

having a minus balance in the present invention, of course. The actual

account should be understood to include all kinds of bank products

capable of freely transferring money at a regular period on line, if it does

not cause any problem to realize of the present invention. In addition, it is preferably that the service provider affiliates with

the Internet Cafe managers by, for example, franchising with the object

of providing the gambling game service.

The standard balance DB 43b stores and manages information

related to the lowest limit of balance for actual accounts, which should

be basically observed by each Internet Cafe manager for smoothly

progressing the gambling game. This standard balance information

can be changed depending on agreements between the service provider

and the Internet Cafe.

The Internet Cafe DB 43c stores and manages all information

related to Internet Cafes, Internet Cafe managers, Internet Cafe servers

and personal computers connected to each Internet Cafe server through

a local network. Such information includes names of Internet Cafes,

personal information of Internet Cafe managers, IP addresses of

Internet Cafe servers and IP addresses of personal computers in each

Internet Cafe.

The gamer DB 43d stores and manages gamer information such

as resident registration number, address, name etc. of gamers

participating in a gambling game, certification/ identification

information such as ID and password endowed for use of service, gamer

history information such as gambling game history (for example, 1 win

& 2 loses in Lineage, 3 wins in Fortress, 3 loses in Starcraft), ability level of a gamer (for example, 1^st class in Lineage, 3^rd class in Fortress)

and so on.

The charging DB 43g stores a table related to game fees for

proceeded hours of a specific game. For example, the charging DB 43g

stores the game fee information for each proceeded game hour as

follows: 20 won per minute is charged for Starcraft, 15 won per minute

is charged for Lineage.

The fee DB 43e stores and manages a proceeded hour of a specific

gambling game, game win/ lose information, a fee of a winner, a fee of a

loser and so on.

The gambling DB 43f stores and manages a title of a gambling

game, identification information of participated gamers, a game start

time, a game end time, game win /lose information an so on.

The log information DB 43g stores and manages log files created

whenever a gamer terminal accesses the service server. This log file is

composed of data fields such as an access location, an IP address of an

accessed terminal, an access time and an access path.

Now, the processes of imposing differential fees at Internet Cafes

depending on win/lose of a game according to the present invention,

implemented by the system described above, are described with

reference to Figs. 3 to 6.

First, the process of creating a virtual account and an actual account, executed as a pre-process before the gambling game progresss,

is explained with reference to Fig. 3.

The service provider and the Internet Cafe manager conclude

cooperation agreements required for the gambling game service (which

is possible either on-line or off-line) and open an actual account (for

example, capable of having minus balance) for the Internet Cafe agreed

with the cooperation agreements (SI 00).

If an actual account is opened with the banking server, the virtual

account managing module 35 creates a virtual account corresponding

to the actual account (SI 10), and then builds the account DB 43a with

an account number of the actual account, an ID for Internet banking

and a password for money transfer (SI 20).

Now, the process of setting game environments of the gambling

game is described in detail with reference to Fig. 4a.

After completing the pre-process for progressing the gambling

game, if a gamer, belonging to a specific Internet Cafe, accesses the

service server 30 through a personal computer (S210), the service server

30 outputs a web page containing a gambling game selection menu to a

corresponding client system 5.

At this time, the gamer inputs a gambling game request command

by clicking the gambling game selection menu displayed on a browser

screen (S215). The steps (S210-S215) can also be realized by selecting a specific ,

icon existing on an OS screen of the client system.

If the gamer selects a gambling game as described above, the

Internet Cafe server identification module 34 accesses the log

information DB 43h to analyze a log file related to the accessed client

system and check location information of the accessed PC (S220).

By searching the Internet Cafe DB 43c based on this location

information, the Internet Cafe to which the client system is belonging

can be checked (S225).

After checking the Internet Cafe to which the gamer belongs, the

service server outputs to the client system a web page for the gamer to

select a desired game and input his/her history. At this time, the

gamer selects a desired one among possible gambling games and inputs

personal information, gambling game history and ability level of the

selected game (S230).

If building a separate member DB and operating the service in the

membership system, the step S230 can be curtained into just inputting

ID and password.

If the gamer selects a desired gambling game, the game

environment setting module 36 of the service server searches the gamer

DB 43d to determine whether there exists any opponent to compete

with the gamer (S235). If there is no opponent, the service server inquires of the gamer whether or not to stand by until an opponent

appears (S240).

If the gamer chooses to wait for appearance of an opponent, the

game environment setting module 36 admits the corresponding gamer

to enter a waiting room (S241). In this waiting room, various contents

such as chatting, e-mail and electronic commerce are provided so that

the gamer may spend useful time while standing by. After the gamer

enters the waiting room, the game environment setting module 36

returns to the step S235 to keep searching another opponent (S243).

On the other hand, if the gamer refuses to enter the waiting room

in the step S240, the game environment setting module 36 guides the

gamer to the step S230 to select another game.

Meanwhile, if there is an opponent(s) in the step S235, the game

environment setting module 36 admits the gamer and the opponent to

enter the gambling game room (S245).

If at least two gamers enter the gambling game room, the game

environment setting module 36 outputs a profile of the opponent on a

^• browser screen of each gamer (S250). This profile includes records

such as win /lose information of the corresponding gambling game and

an objective ability level for the corresponding gambling game.

After checking the profile of the opponent, each gamer is asked

whether to progress the gambling game (S255). If any of the gamers disagrees, each gamer returns to the step S241 to enter the waiting

room (S260).

Or, if all gamers agree to join the gambling game in the step S255,

the game environment setting module 36 enables the gamers to enjoy

the gambling game by allocating a communication port to the game

server 60 and builds a gambling game platform for gamers. If the

gambling game platform is built, the game environment setting module

36 records a game start time in the gambling DB 43f (S265).

The term "gambling" means not only one-to-one competing game

but also all kinds of games, which can classify the gamers into winner

and loser regardless of the number of gamers.

Now, the process of progressing the gambling game and the

process of calculating a game fee are described with reference to Fig. 4b.

If the gambling game environments are set and the game is

progressed among gamers (S270), the gambling game module 37 keeps

checking whether the game ends or not from the game server 60 (S275).

If checking that the game is over, the gambling game module 37

receives win/ lose results from the game server 60, classifies the gamers

into winner and loser based on the win/ lose results and stores the fact

in the gambling DB 43f (S280) .

Additionally, the gambling game module 37 stores the time that

the time that the game ends, or a game end time, in the gambling DB 43f (S285).

With the game end time and the game win/ lose information store,

the gambling game module 37 calculates proceeded game hours from

the game start time and the game end time, then calculates a game fee

corresponding to the proceeded game hours by searching the charging

DB 43g (S290).

Such a calculated game fee is recorded in the fee DB 43e (S292),

and then the game fee settlement process is executed (S290).

Now, the process of settling a game fee is described in detail with

reference to Fig. 4e.

The fee calculation module 38 of the service server accesses the

fee DB 43e to check a game fee for a corresponding gambling game,

extracts information related to winner and loser from the gambling DB

43f, checks Internet Cafes to which the winner and the loser are

belonging by searching the Internet Cafe DB 43c, and then checks a

virtual account number of each belonging Internet Cafe from the

account DB 43a (S300).

If information required for fee settlement is extracted, the fee

calculation module 38 draws money as much as the game fee from the

virtual account of the winner in the account DB 43a (S310).

The money drawn from the virtual account of the winner is then

deposited in the virtual account of the loser by the fee calculation module 38 (S320).

If the money is transferred between the virtual accounts as

described above, the gambling game information notice module 39

informs the Internet Cafes, to which the winner and the loser are

belonging, of information such as money transfer details, game win/ lose

information, proceeded game hours, game fee and so on (S330) .

The Internet Cafe server informed of information such as game fee

related to a gambling game then calculates a total fee of each

corresponding gamer on the basis of a gambling game fee information.

Thus, the winner is exempted from the game fee among a rental fee

(including the game fee), while the loser should pay to the Internet Cafe

a charge in which the game fee of the winner is added to a rental fee.

The rental fee means a fee charged for using a personal computer

belonging to a Internet Cafe, added to the game fee.

As an example for better understanding, assuming that a game

fee of a gambling game is 1,000 won, a rental fee (including the game

fee) of a winner of the gambling game is 3,000 won and a rental fee

(including the game fee) of a loser of the gambling game is 2,500 won,

the winner just pays 2,000 won as a total fee, which is an amount

subtracting the gambling game fee 1,000 won from his/her rental fee,

and the loser should pay 3,500 won as a total fee, which is an amount

adding the gambling game fee 1,000 won of the winner to his/her rental fee.

Thus, the Internet Cafe to which the winner belongs suffers a loss

of 1,000 won and the Internet Cafe to which the loser belongs gains

1,000 won, unfairly.

To solve such a problem, the process of settling fees is performed

through the steps S350-S360.

If the money transfer between virtual accounts is completed, the

fee calculation module 38 checks whether it comes to the time of

settlement for actual accounts (S340).

At this time, the time of settlement can performed at a specific

time a day, one time a week, one time a month etc.

If it comes to the time of settlement in the step S340, the fee

calculation module 38 calculates money transfer details in actual

accounts on the basis of current balances of all virtual accounts in the

account DB 43a (S350).

For example, assuming that a balance of a virtual account A is

-1,000 won, a balance of a virtual account B is -300won, a balance of a

virtual account C is +500 won, a balance of a virtual account D is +800

won and a balance of a virtual account E is zero, it is required to

transfer 300 won from an actual account D corresponding to the virtual

account to an actual account B, transfer 500 won from an actual

account C to an actual account A, and transfer 500 won from an actual account D to an actual account A.

In other words, since an initial balance of a virtual account is zero,

minus balance of a virtual account means that there are relatively more

winners among gamers belonging to a Internet Cafe corresponding to

the virtual account and thus the Internet Cafe suffers a loss in the

rental fees. Similarly, plus balance means that there are relatively more

losers among gamers, thus the corresponding Internet Cafe gains more

profit in the rental fees.

Therefore, the money as much as unfair profit is drawn from the

actual account of the Internet Cafe, which gains the unfair profit, and

then transferred to the actual account of the Internet Cafe, which

suffers the unfair loss, thus preventing managers of the Internet Cafes

from unfairly losing money due to the gambling game.

If the actual account is capable of having a minus balance, the

unfair profit can be retrieved rapidly with changing a balance of an

actual account of a Internet Cafe gaining the unfair profit into minus.

If the money transfer details for the actual accounts are

calculated in the step S350, these money transfer details are

temporarily stored and the money transfer instruction module 40

instructs the banking server 59 to transfer money between the actual

accounts and resets balances of all virtual accounts to zero (S360).

The money transfer of the actual accounts conducted by the money transfer instruction module 40 is performed based on the IDs for

Internet banking and the passwords for money transfer of each

depositor existing in the account DB 43a.

Through the process routine through Figs. 3 to 4c, a gamer visits

a specific Internet Cafe and enjoys a gambling game as usual. Then,

the gamer is exempted from a gambling game fee when winning the

game, while in charge of additional game fee of a winner when losing

the game. Thus, the gamers may have a feeling as if he/she plays a

game at the risk of his/her own money.

However, a Internet Cafe to which a winner is belonging suffers a

loss because of obtaining less money than a rental fee (including the

game fee), while a Internet Cafe to which a loser is belonging gains more

money because of obtaining more money than a rental fee (including the

game fee). Thus, the present invention solves the unfair transactions

by money transfer between the virtual accounts and settlement between

the actual accounts based on the balances of the virtual accounts, as

shown in Fig. 6.

On the other hand, the present invention adopts a settlement

procedure as shown in Fig. 5 to smoothly settle the actual accounts of

the Internet Cafe servers.

In other words, the settlement module 41 determines whether it

comes to the time of settlement (S400). If it comes to the time of settlement, the settlement module 41 requests the banking server 50 to

inquire a balance of an actual account for each Internet Cafe server 30

(S410), and then stores in the account DB 43a the actual account

• balance information transmitted from the banking servers50 (S420).

After that, the settlement module 41 compares the actual, account

balances with the standard balance data stored in the standard balance

DB 43b (S430), extracts an actual account(s) having a balance less than

the standard balance (S440), and then checks a Internet Cafe

corresponding to the extracted actual account from the account DB 43a

(S450).

After checking the Internet Cafe information, the settlement

module 41 performs a procedure of notifying the corresponding Internet

Cafe to deposit the difference between the balance of the actual account

and the standard balance (S460). Then, the settlement module 41

checks whether it comes to a closing time of deposit (S470). If it comes

to the closing time of deposit, the settlement module 41 extracts a

Internet Cafe(s) having a balance less than the standard balance again

(S480). If there is any Internet Cafe having insufficient balance, the

service interruption module 42 prohibits PCs in the corresponding

Internet Cafe from accessing the gambling games related to the service

of the present invention. At this time, an arrearage charge can be

imposed on the Internet Cafe depending on days in arrears, of course. The present invention materializes the service so that a loser

bears the game fee of a winner through the processes described above.

Fig. 6 schematically shows the process of imposing and settling game

fees depending on win/lose of the game. As shown in the figure, if the

game is over, a game fee is transferred from a virtual account (al) of a

winner-side Internet Cafe server to a virtual account (bl) of a loser-side

Internet Cafe server. Thus, the winner (a) is exempted from the game

fee since there is no game fee to be charged, while the loser (b) should

bear the game fee of the winner as well as his/her own game fee. In

addition, money corresponding to the money transfer details is

transferred from an actual account (b2) of the loser-side Internet Cafe

server to an actual account (a2) of the winner-side Internet Cafe server,

so settling the actual accounts of the Internet Cafe servers.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been

described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed

description and specific examples, while indicating preferred

embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only,

since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of

the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this

detailed description.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, the Internet Cafe rental fee is

differentially imposed to each gamer depending on win/loser of the

game, which promotes more persons to join the game and use the

Internet Cafe.

If joining the game is activated, on-line game industry can be

developed at the request for diversification of game software, thus

makes it possible to create benefit models.

In addition, participants in the game can be improved in quality

since the gamers show good faith to the game. Furthermore, because

the game can be smoothly progressed in earnest, the gamers will not

prolong the game or conduct unnecessary activity during game, thus

solving the bottleneck phenomenon on network.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee under

the network environment in which a plurality of gamer terminals are

connected through a local network to a first server computer, a plurality

of the first server computers are connected to a second server computer,

and the second server computer is connected to a banking computer,

which possesses actual accounts of service providers managing the

local network and is capable of transferring money between the actual

accounts on-line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) opening actual accounts of a plurality of the service providers

with the banking server and creating a virtual account corresponding to

the actual account with the second server computer;

(b) at least two gamer inputting requests for gambling at a specific

game into the second server computer;

(c) allowing at least two gamers to compete each other in the

specific game, deciding winner and loser of the game when the game

ends, and then calculating a game fee based on hours that the game

has proceeded;

(d) drawing money corresponding to the game fee from a virtual

account of a service provider of the local network used by the winner

and then transferring the money to a virtual account of a service provider of the local network used by the loser;

(e) investigating the balances of all virtual accounts when it comes

to the time of settlement to calculate money transfer details

corresponding to each actual account; and

(f) instructing the banking computer to transfer money between

the actual accounts based on the money transfer details.

2. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of checking the service

provider of the local network used by the gamer and the virtual account

of the corresponding service provider on the basis of location

information of the gamer terminal requesting the gambling game.

3. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting game win/ lose information, proceeded game hour

information and game fee information to the first server of the local

network used by the winner and the loser; and

calculating rental fees of the local network and each gamer

terminal belonging to the local network on the basis of the game

win /lose information, the proceeded game hour information and the

game fee information.

4. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 3,

wherein a total fee of the winner is calculated by subtracting the

game fee from the rental fee, while a final fee of the loser is calculated

by adding the game fee to the rental fee.

5. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 1,

wherein the virtual account initially has a zero balance,

wherein the balance becomes minus when money is transferred

to another virtual account, and

wherein the balance is reset to zero after the time of settlement.

6. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 5, in the (vi) step,

wherein the money transfer details of the actual account are

created based on the virtual account,

thereby, if the balance of the virtual account is plus at the time of

settlement, instructing the back computer to draw an amount of money,

equal to the plus amount, from the corresponding actual account to be

distributably transferred to at least one other actual account, or, if the balance of the virtual account is minus at the time of

settlement, instructing the bank computer to distributably draw an

amount of money, equal to the minus amount, from at least one other

actual account to be received to the corresponding actual account.

7. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

searching the balances of the actual accounts for all service

providers in the banking computer;

comparing the searched balances with a standard balance; and

outputting an electronic notification note for notifying the server

computer of the service provider, whose the actual account has a

balance less than the standard balance, to deposit money as much as

the difference with the standard balance in the actual account.

8. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

extracting an actual account having a balance less than the

standard balance after a term of the electronic notification note; and

interrupting the gambling game service of a gamer terminal

connected to a local network of the service provider corresponding the

extracted account.

9. A method of exact calculation of gambling game fee

according to claim 6,

wherein the actual account is capable of having minus balance

up to a predetermined limit.

12. An apparatus for arranging a gambling game between at

least two gamer and settling gambling game fees depending on win or

lose of the gambling game under the network environment in which a

plurality of gamer terminals are connected through a local network to a

first server computer, a plurality of the first server computers are

connected to a second server computer, and the second server

computer is connected to a banking computer, which possesses actual

accounts of service providers managing the local network and is capable

of transferring money between the actual accounts on-line, the

apparatus comprising:

a storage unit; and

a processing unit connected to the storage unit,

wherein the storage unit stores program to control the processing

unit, and

wherein the processing unit performs:

creating a virtual account corresponding to each actual account of a plurality of service providers opened with the banking server;

receiving requests for gambling at a specific game from at least

two gamer;

allowing at least two gamers to compete each other in the specific

game, deciding winner and loser of the game when the game ends, and

• then calculating a game fee based on hours that the game has

progressed;

drawing money corresponding to the game fee from a virtual

account of a service provider of the local network used by the winner

and then transferring the money to a virtual account of a service

provider of the local network used by the loser;

investigating the balances of all virtual accounts when it comes to

the time of settlement to calculate money transfer details corresponding

to each actual account; and

instructing the banking computer to transfer money between the

actual accounts based on the money transfer details.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the processing unit checks the service provider of the

local network used by the gamer and the virtual account of the

corresponding service provider on the basis of location information of

the gamer terminal requesting the gambling game.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processing

unit:

transmits game win/ lose information, proceeded game hour

information and game fee information to the first server of the local

network used by the winner and the loser; and

calculates rental fees of the local network and each gamer

terminal belonging to the local network on the basis of the game

win /lose information, the proceeded game hour information and the

game fee information.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processing

unit:

if the balance of the virtual account is plus at the time of

settlement, instructs the back computer to draw an amount of money,

equal to the plus amount, from the corresponding actual account to be

distributably transferred to at least one other actual account,

or, if the balance of the virtual account is minus at the time of

settlement, instructs the bank computer to distributably draw an

amount of money, equal to the minus amount, from at least one other

actual account to be received to the corresponding actual account.