Cheater detection in a multi-player gaming environment

• US 20040242321A1
• Filed: 05/28/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Overton, Adam J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,288,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/128 involving web programs, i.e. using technology especially used in internet, generally interacting with a web browser, e.g. hypertext markup language [HTML], applets, java
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems

Abstract

A first instance of a game application is executed on a first computing system. The first computing system is coupled to communicate with a second computing system executing a second instance of the game application. Execution of the second instance of the game application is monitored to identify suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

executing a first instance of a game application on a first computing system, wherein the first computing system is coupled to communicate with a second computing system executing a second instance of the game application;

monitoring execution of the second instance of the game application; and

identifying suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring execution of the first instance of the game application; and

identifying suspected cheating by the first instance of the game application.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein identifying suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application includes reporting the suspected cheating to an online gaming service.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein identifying suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application includes reporting the suspected cheating to cheater repository.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring execution of a third instance of the game application on a third computing system, wherein the third computing system is coupled to communicate with the first computing system; and

identifying suspected cheating by the third instance of the game application.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes detecting activities beyond the capability of the game application.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first computing system is a game console.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first computing system is a personal computer.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first computing system is a set top box.

10. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 1.

11. A method comprising:

executing a first instance of a game application on a first computing system, wherein the first computing system is coupled to communicate with a second computing system executing a second instance of the game application;

the first computing system monitoring execution of the second instance of the game application and identifying suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application; and

the second computing system monitoring execution of the first instance of the game application and identifying suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the first computing system reporting suspected cheating to a cheating analyzer.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the second computing system reporting suspected cheating to a cheating analyzer.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the first computing system and the second computing system reporting suspected cheating to a cheater repository.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the first computing system and the second computing system are game consoles.

16. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes detecting actions beyond the capability of the game application.

17. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein monitoring execution of the second instance of the game application and identifying suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application is performed without user interaction.

18. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein monitoring execution of the first instance of the game application and identifying suspected cheating by the first instance of the game application is performed without user interaction.

19. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 11.

20. A method comprising:

executing a first instance of a game application on a first game console, wherein the first game console is coupled to communicate with a second game console executing a second instance of the game application;

the first instance of the game application monitoring execution of the second instance of the game application; and

the first instance of the game application identifying suspected cheating by the second game console and reporting the suspected cheating by the second game console.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein the first instance of the game application is further monitoring execution of a third instance of the game application on a third game console and identifying suspected cheating by the second game console.

22. A method as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

the second instance of the game application monitoring execution of the first instance of the game application; and

the second instance of the game application identifying suspected cheating by the first game console and reporting the suspected cheating by the first game console.

23. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes detecting activities beyond the capability of the game application.

24. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes detecting movement of objects at a faster rate than permitted by the game application.

25. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes, detecting actions inconsistent with a typical performance of the game application.

26. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 20.

27. A method comprising:

executing a game application on a plurality of gaming systems, wherein the plurality of gaming systems are capable of communicating with one another;

each of the plurality of gaming systems monitoring execution of the other gaming systems; and

each of the plurality of gaming systems identifying suspected cheating by any of the other gaming systems.

28. A method as recited in claim 27 further comprising each of the plurality of gamins systems reporting suspected cheating to an online gaming service.

29. A method as recited in claim 28 wherein reporting suspected cheating includes identifying a gaming system suspected of cheating.

30. A method as recited in claim 28 wherein reporting suspected cheating includes identifying a cheat type.

31. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes detecting activities that are inconsistent with the capabilities of the game application.

32. A method comprising:

executing a monitoring application on a first computing system, the monitoring application associated with a game application;

the monitoring application monitoring execution of a first instance of the game application on a second computing system coupled to communicate with the first computing system; and

the monitoring application identifying suspected cheating by the first instance of the game application on the second computing system.

33. A method as recited in claim 32 further comprising the monitoring application monitoring execution of a second instance of the game application on a third computing system coupled to communicate with the first computing system.

34. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes detecting movement of objects at a faster rate than permitted by the game application.

35. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein identifying suspected cheating includes detecting actions inconsistent with a typical performance of the game application.

36. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 32.

37. A method comprising:

identifying data associated with reports of suspected cheating in a game application;

determining a typical rate of suspected cheating reports accusing a particular computing system executing the game application of cheating;

identifying computing systems that have been accused of cheating at a rate significantly in excess of the typical rate of suspected cheating reports for a computing system executing the game application; and

preventing identified computing systems from executing the game application.

38. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising preventing identified computing systems from executing any game application through an online gaming service.

39. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising deleting any suspected cheating reports generated by the identified computing systems.

40. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 37.

41. A method comprising:

identifying data associated with reports of suspected cheating submitted by a plurality of game consoles;

determining a rate of suspected cheating reports generated by a typical game console;

identifying any game consoles generating suspected cheating reports at a rate significantly greater than the rate at which a typical game console generates suspected cheating reports; and

preventing identified game consoles from participating in an online gaming service.

42. A method as recited in claim 41 wherein the reports of suspected cheating submitted by the plurality of game consoles are associated with a particular game application.

43. A method as recited in claim 41 wherein preventing identified game consoles from participating in an online gaming service prevents all users of the identified game consoles from participating in the online gaming service.

44. A method as recited in claim 41 further comprising deleting any suspected cheater reports generated by the identified game consoles.

45. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 41.

46. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device to store reports of suspected cheating received from a plurality of gaming systems, wherein the reports of suspected cheating are associated with a game application; and

a cheater analyzer coupled to the storage device, the cheater analyzer to collect suspected cheating reports from a plurality of gaming systems and analyze the reports to identify cheating gaming systems, the cheater analyzer further to prevent cheating gaming systems from participating in the game application.

47. An apparatus as recited in claim 46 wherein each of the gaming systems is a game console.

48. An apparatus as recited in claim 46 wherein the reports of suspected cheating identify a gaming system suspected of cheating.

49. An apparatus as recited in claim 46 wherein the reports of suspected cheating identify a type of cheating.

50. An apparatus comprising:

means for executing a first instance of a game application on a first computing system;

means for executing a second instance of the game application on a second computing system, wherein the second computing system is coupled to communicate with the first computing system;

means for identifying suspected cheating by the second computing system; and

means for reporting the suspected cheating by the second computing system to an online gaming service.

51. An apparatus as recited in claim 50 further comprising:

means for identifying suspected cheating by the first computing system; and

means for reporting the suspected cheating by the first computing system to an online gaming service.

52. An apparatus as recited in claim 50 further comprising means for storing reports of suspected cheating.

53. An apparatus as recited in claim 50 further comprising means for analyzing reports of suspected cheating.

54. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

execute a first instance of a game application on a first computing system, wherein the first computing system is coupled to communicate with a second computing system executing a second instance of the game application;

identify suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application; and

report any suspected cheating by the second instance of the game application to an online gaming service.

55. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 54 wherein the one or more processors further identify suspected cheating by the first instance of the game application.

56. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 54 wherein the one or more processors further identify suspected cheating by the first instance of the game application and report any suspected cheating by the first instance of the game application to the online gaming service.