System and method for providing feedback on game players and enhancing social matchmaking

• US 20060247055A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lamb, Steven D., Bortnik, Michal, O'Kelley, Patrick W. II, Hansen, Johan Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,066,568 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A service that receives feedback from players in a game playing service. The service provides an aggregation of the feedback so that a reputation score can be determined by various players in the system. The service takes into account direct feedback from other players about positive and negative experiences with a particular player and expectations about appropriate conduct and type of game being played before a player joins the game session.

Claims

1. A system for playing a multi-player computer-based game, comprising:

a database having a plurality of user profiles, said user profiles comprising a plurality of attributes of a plurality of users; and

a service capable of receiving input from a select one of said plurality of users, said input capable of providing feedback about the reputation of another of the plurality of users, said service capable of maintaining an aggregation of feedback for the another of the plurality of users, wherein an indication of said aggregation is capable of being read by the other of the plurality of users.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said service maintains said another of the plurality of users in an affiliate list for said select one of said plurality of users when the feedback is positive or negative.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the service is maintained on a server and wherein said plurality of users connect to the service over a network connection.

4. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein the plurality of users connect to the server by way of a game console.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the aggregation is aggregated over a plurality of different games.

6. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein said game consoles locally execute at least a portion of the multi-player game.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the indication of feedback comprises at least one of an indication of the number of other ones of the plurality of users who provided positive feedback and the number of other ones of the plurality of users who provided negative feedback.

8. A method for playing a multi-player computer-based game, comprising:

providing a database having a plurality of user profiles, said user profiles comprising a plurality of attributes of a plurality of users;

receiving input from a select one of said plurality of users, said input providing feedback about the reputation of another of the plurality of users; and

maintaining in said database an aggregation of feedback for the another of the plurality of users, wherein an indication of said aggregation is readable by the other of the plurality of users.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 comprising maintaining said another of the plurality of users in an affiliate list for said select one of said plurality of users when the feedback is positive.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the database is maintained on a server and wherein said plurality of users connect to the service over a network connection.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the plurality of users connect to the server by way of a game console.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the aggregation is aggregated over a plurality of different games.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said game consoles locally execute at least a portion of the multi-player game.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the indication of feedback comprises at least one of an indication of the number of other ones of the plurality of users who provided positive feedback and the number of other ones of the plurality of users who provided negative feedback.

15. A computer-readable medium bearing computer-readable instructions for playing a multi-player computer-based game, comprising:

computer-readable instructions for accessing a database having a plurality of user profiles, said user profiles comprising a plurality of attributes of a plurality of users;

computer-readable instructions for receiving input from a select one of said plurality of users, said input providing feedback about the reputation of another of the plurality of users; and