Method and apparatus for providing enhanced features to multicast content services and multiplayer gaming services

• US 20060221857A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wood, James C., DeVito, Nicholas M., Bushnell, William J.
• Application Number:
  US11/094,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20060221857A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 : Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing enhanced features to multicast users is provided. More particularly, this invention describes a mechanism by which the online content or gaming services can invoke full feature VoIP services offered by a third party VoIP telephony service provider and/or initiate related packet communication services such as instant messaging. This simplifies the complexity of the online content or gaming system and provides the end users with a more feature-rich experience.

Claims

1. A method for providing multicast sessions to a plurality of users, the:

method comprising;

initiating a multicast session by a first user, the multicast session comprising a plurality of available services including communication services;

determining whether other users are active relative to the plurality of available services; and

, providing the first user with information on the other users and whether the other users are active relative to the plurality of available services.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein initiating a multicast session by first user includes initiating content-based functionality and initiating a packet-based communication service.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the packet-based communication service comprises a voice-over-IP communication session.

5. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the packet-based communication service comprises an instant messaging session.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the determining comprises determining contact information for the other users.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the determining comprises determining presence of the users.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the determining comprises accessing an active phonebook.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the providing comprises providing a display list to the first user.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the display list comprises a listing of the other users and indications as to whether the other users are active in the available services.

2. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising selectively initiating a communication session by the first user with selected ones of the other users.

11. A system for providing multicast sessions to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a first client device operative to initiate a multicast session by a first user, the multicast session comprising a plurality of available services including communication services;

a network device operative to determine whether other users are active relative to the plurality of available services and provide the first user with information on the other users and whether the other users are active relative to the plurality of available services; and

, a second client device operative to conduct a communication session by the first user with selective ones of the other users.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein initiating a multicast session by first user includes initiating content-based functionality and initiating a packet-based communication service.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the packet-based communication service comprises a voice-over-IP communication session.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the packet-based communication service comprises an instant messaging session.

15. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the determining comprises determining contact information for the other users.

16. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the determining comprises determining presence of the users.

17. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the determining comprises accessing an active phonebook.

18. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the providing comprises providing a display list to the first user.

19. The system as set forth in claim 18 wherein the display list comprises a listing of the other users and indications as to whether the other users are active in the available services.

20. A system for providing interactive sessions to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

an end user device operative to initiate a session by a first user, the session comprising a plurality of available services including communication services, selectively initiate a communication session by the first user with selective ones of other users, and conduct the communication session; and

,

a network architecture operative to determine whether the other users are active relative to the plurality of available services and provide the first user with information on the other users and whether the users are active relative to the plurality of available services.

21. The system as set forth in claim 20 wherein initiating a session by first user includes initiating content-based functionality and initiating a packet-based communication service.

22. The system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the packet-based communication service comprises a voice-over-IP communication session.

23. The system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the packet-based communication service comprises an instant messaging session.

24. The system as set forth in claim 20 wherein the determining comprises determining contact information for the other users.

25. The system as set forth in claim 20 wherein the determining comprises determining presence of the users.

26. The system as set forth in claim 20 wherein the determining comprises accessing an active phonebook.

27. The system as set forth in claim 20 wherein the providing comprises providing a display list to the first user.

28. The system as set forth in claim 27 wherein the display list comprises a listing of the other users and indications as to whether the other users are active in the available services.

29. A system for providing gaming sessions to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a first client device operative to initiate a gaming session by a first user;

a network device operative to determine whether other users are active relative to gaming services and provide the first user with information on the other users and whether the other users are active relative to the plurality of gaming services; and

,

a second client device operative to conduct a communication session by the first user with selective ones of the other users through a communication client.