Silent sign-in for offline games

• US 20050202875A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Murphy, Andrew M., Asmi, Yasser B., Steinglass, Alice P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed to silently sign-in a user of an offline game title onto an online service. The user is afforded access to select online services to facilitate future online gaming. In a described implementation, a method is disclosed. The method silently signs in a user of an offline game title onto an online gaming service. As a result, the signed-in user may receive one or more online services such as an in-game notification, a friend request (e.g., inviting a user to become a friend), a cross-title game invitation, and/or data corresponding to a friends list.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

silently signing in a user of an offline game title onto an online gaming service; and

providing the signed in user with one or more online services.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the online services are selected from a group comprising an in-game notification, a cross-title invitation, a friend request, and data corresponding to a friends list.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the signing in is through a public network.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the signing in utilizes information corresponding to a specific input controller.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein if the signing in fails, the user has an option to initiate an interactive sign-in process.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the silently signing in is performed manually.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the silently signing in is performed without user interaction.

8. One or more computer-readable media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 1.

9. A method comprising:

determining if at least one user account is present on a gaming device;

if the at least one user account is present, determining if automatic sign-in is enabled; and

if automatic sign-in is enabled, signing in a most recently signed in user account onto an online service.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the signing in was successful; and

if the signing in was successful, registering an online presence of the signed in user.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the signing in was successful; and

if the signing in was unsuccessful, reporting an error.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the error is selected from a group comprising passcode required and sign-in failed.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the error is displayed in a user interface.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the signing in was successful; and

if the signing in was unsuccessful, initiating an interactive sign-in.

15. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising returning a status message selected from a group comprising no user account present, automatic sign-in disabled, signing in, not signed in, and signed in.

16. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein after the signing in, the user has access to one or more items selected from a group comprising a friends list and a notification.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the notification is selected from a group comprising a friend request and a cross-title game invitation.

18. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising coupling a controller to the gaming device, the controller corresponding to a specific user account to sign in the specific user account onto the online service instead of the most recently signed in user account.

19. One or more computer-readable media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 9.

20. An apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to communicate with an online game service via a public network; and

a processor coupled to the interface, the processor configured to silently sign in a most recently signed-in user of the apparatus,

wherein after the signing in, the user is capable of receiving online services.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the online services are selected from a group comprising an in-game notification, a cross-title invitation, a friend request, and data corresponding to a friends list.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the apparatus is an Xbox game console.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the interface is provided by an offline game title.

24. An apparatus comprising:

means for silently signing in a user of an offline game title onto an online gaming service; and

means for providing the signed in user with one or more online services.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 24, further including means for signing in through a public network.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein if the signing in fails, the user is provided with means for an interactive sign-in process.

27. One or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, direct a machine to perform acts comprising:

silently signing in a user of an offline game title onto an online gaming service; and

providing the signed in user with one or more online services.

28. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 27, wherein the online services are selected from a group comprising an in-game notification, a cross-title invitation, a friend request, and data corresponding to a friends list.

29. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 27, wherein the signing in is through a public network.

30. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 27, wherein the signing in utilizes information corresponding to a specific input controller.

31. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 27, wherein if the signing in fails, the user is provided with an interactive sign-in process.

32. One or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, direct a machine to perform acts comprising:

determining if at least one user account is present on a gaming device;

if the at least one user account is present, determining if automatic sign-in is enabled; and

if automatic sign-in is enabled, signing in a most recently signed in user account onto an online service.

33. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 32, wherein the acts further comprise:

determining whether the signing in was successful; and

if the signing in was successful, registering an online presence of the signed in user.

34. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 32, wherein the acts further comprise:

determining whether the signing in was successful; and

if the signing in was unsuccessful, reporting an error.

35. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 34, wherein the error is selected from a group comprising passcode required and sign-in failed.

36. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 32, wherein the acts further comprise:

determining whether the signing in was successful; and

if the signing in was unsuccessful, initiating an interactive sign-in.

37. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 32, wherein the acts further comprise returning a status message selected from a group comprising no user account present, automatic sign-in disabled, signing in, not signed in, and signed in.

38. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 32, wherein after the signing in, the user has access to one or more items selected from a group comprising a friends list and a notification.

39. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein the notification is selected from a group comprising a friend request and a cross-title game invitation.

40. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 32, wherein the acts further comprise coupling a controller to the gaming device, the controller corresponding to a specific user account to sign in the specific user account onto the online service instead of the most recently signed in user account.