Method and apparatus for quickly joining an online game being played by a friend
First Claim
1. A method for enabling a user who has signed onto an online gaming service over a network to immediately join play of an online game in which a friend is playing, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a control that is selectively activatable by the user to immediately couple the user in communication with an instance of the online game in which a friend is playing;
(b) providing a list of friends of the user, said list including an identification of each of the friends of the user and of a friend currently playing the online game; and
(c) in response to the user activating the control that was indicated, immediately connecting the user to the instance of the online game in which the friend is playing, so that the user can participate in playing said online game.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The user who has signed onto an online gaming service can be immediately joined in playing an instance of a game with a friend appearing in the user'"'"'s friends list. After signing onto the online service, the user has the option to select “Quick Join,” causing the online service to immediately join the user in an instance of the game having an opening for the user and also being played by the first player found in the friends list. Alternatively, the user may selectively display the friends list and select a specific friend who is online, before activating the Quick Join option to immediately join in playing within the friend'"'"'s game. Depending upon the type of game, the user will either be immediately placed into play or joined to a portion of the game that enables the user to select options, so that the user can participate in the next session of the game.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for enabling a user who has signed onto an online gaming service over a network to immediately join play of an online game in which a friend is playing, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a control that is selectively activatable by the user to immediately couple the user in communication with an instance of the online game in which a friend is playing;
(b) providing a list of friends of the user, said list including an identification of each of the friends of the user and of a friend currently playing the online game; and
(c) in response to the user activating the control that was indicated, immediately connecting the user to the instance of the online game in which the friend is playing, so that the user can participate in playing said online game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for enabling a user to selectively join an online game that is being played over a network by a friend of the user, comprising the steps of:
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(a) enabling the user to connect to a gaming service that facilitates joining a plurality of users in playing instances of online games;
(b) in response to the user connecting with and signing into the gaming service, providing a selectable control option that will immediately join the user to an instance of the online game in which a friend of the user is playing; and
(c) in response to the user selectively activating the control option, causing the gaming service to immediately join the user into the instance of the online game being played by the friend. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A game console that enables a user who has signed onto an online gaming service over a network, to immediately join play of an online game in which a friend is playing, comprising:
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(a) a network interface that is adapted to couple the gaming console to a network for communicating with the gaming service and with other game consoles;
(b) a display interface adapted to couple to a display for displaying graphic and textual data;
(c) a user input device for input and control of online games being played using the game console;
(d) a memory that stores machine instructions; and
(e) a processor that is coupled to the network interface, the display interface memory, the user input device, and the memory, said processor executing the machine instructions stored in the memory to carry out a plurality of functions, including;
(i) providing a control that is selectively activatable by the user using the user input device to immediately join the user in communication with an instance of the online game in which a friend is playing;
(ii) providing a list of friends of the user, said list identifying friends of the user who play online games and indicating a friend of the user on the list who is currently playing the online game; and
(iii) in response to the user activating the control that was provided, immediately connecting the user to the instance of the online game in which the friend is playing, so that the user can participate in playing said online game with the friend. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification