Systems and methods for providing self-compiling, peer-to-peer on-line gaming

• US 20050096133A1
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoefelmeyer, Ralph S., Wiederin, Shawn E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A device includes a memory and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive a gaming package. The gaming package may include an operating system, a script for detecting a hardware configuration of the device, software for accessing a network, and peering software. The processor may be further configured to establish a peer-to-peer gaming session with another device over the network.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a gaming session between a first network device that includes an operating system and at least one second network device in a communications network, the method comprising:

modifying the first network device for the gaming session, the modifying including loading a new operating system;

connecting the first network device to the communications network; and

establishing a peer-to-peer gaming session with the at least one second network device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the modifying further includes:

booting the first network device up in the new operating system,

detecting a hardware configuration of the first network device,

generating a configuration file based on the detecting,

installing network access software and peering software using the configuration file.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

installing gaming software using the configuration file.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the detecting includes:

determining a video capability and a configuration of one or more of a hard disk drive, monitor, memory, processor, communications interface, and network interface of the first network device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

connecting, prior to establishing the peer-to-peer gaming session, to a server.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the connecting includes:

connecting to the communications network using Virtual Private Network (VPN) security.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing information relating to the peer-to-peer gaming session.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an ability to boot the first network device up in the operating system or the new operating system.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the modifying includes:

removing the operating system after loading the new operating system.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the loading a new operating system causes the first network device to be tuned for communications and peer-to-peer gaming.

6. The method of claim 6 wherein the server includes an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server.

12. A device comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

receive a gaming package, the gaming package including an operating system, a script for detecting a hardware configuration of the device, software for accessing a network, and peering software, and

establish a peer-to-peer gaming session with another device over the network.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the operating system includes an open-source operating system.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the gaming package further includes-gaming software.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the processor receives the gaming package from one of a compact disk and a digital video disc.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein, when receiving the gaming package, the processor is configured to:

download the gaming package from the network.

17. The device of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to

load the operating system in response to receiving the gaming package,

detect the hardware configuration of the device using the script,

install the software for accessing the network and the peering software based on the detected hardware configuration of the device.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein, when detecting the hardware configuration, the processor is configured to:

determining a video capability and a configuration of one or more of a hard disk drive, monitor, memory, processor, communications interface, and network interface of the device.

19. The device of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to:

store information relating to the peer-to-peer gaming session.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the information relating to the peer-to-peer gaming session includes information identifying a game being played in the peer-to-peer gaming session.

21. The device of claim 12 wherein, when establishing the peer-to-peer gaming session, the processor is configured to:

establish a connection to the network, and

establish a connection to a server, the server being configured to identify possible gaming sessions.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the processor establishes the peer-to-peer gaming session in response to a selection of one of the identified possible gaming sessions.

23. The device of claim 21 wherein the processor is configured to establish the connection to the network using Virtual Private Network security.

24. A network comprising:

a server configured to;

provide a list of games; and

a plurality of network devices, each of the plurality of network devices being configured to;

select one game in the list of games, and

establish a peer-to-peer gaming session with at least one other network device of the plurality of network devices in response to selecting the one game.

25. The network of claim 24 wherein the server is further configured to:

store information relating to the established peer-to-peer gaming sessions.

26. The network of claim 25 wherein the stored information includes:

information identifying the selected games,

information identifying the users associated with the plurality of network devices.

27. The network of claim 26 wherein the stored information is used for targeted marketing.

28. The network of claim 26 wherein the stored information is used for providing fee-based services to the plurality of network devices.

29. The network of claim 25 wherein the server includes a plurality of geographically distributed servers.

30. The server of claim 29 further comprising:

a warehouse configured to store the information relating to the established peer-to-peer gaming sessions from each of the plurality of geographically distributed servers.

31. A network device comprising:

means for receiving a gaming package, the gaming package including an operating system, a script for detecting a hardware configuration of the network device, software for accessing a network, peering software, and gaming software;

means for installing the operating system, software for accessing the network, the peering software, and the gaming software; and

means for establishing a peer-to-peer gaming session with at least one other network device using the software for accessing the network, the peering software, and the gaming software.