Peering system for gamming service providers

• US 20070010332A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Godse, Dhananjay, Willis, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,598 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers

Abstract

A distributed loosely coupled unified on-line gaming system comprises a central service provider, gaming service customers providing gaming service customer located equipment connected to the central service provider through a broadband network, and gaming service providers connected to the central service provider through the broadband network. The different gaming service costumers are connected to different gaming service providers. A method for providing a distributed loosely coupled unified on-line gaming service comprises the steps of connecting a plurality of gaming service customers and a central service provider through at least a broadband access network, connecting gaming service providers and the central service provider through a broadband access network, establishing a connection between gaming service customers and the plurality of gaming service providers through the central service provider, and establishing multi-customer interactions between the gaming service customers through the central service provider.

Claims

1. A method for providing a distributed loosely coupled unified on-line gaming service system, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a plurality of gaming service customers and a central service provider other than an Internet Service Provider through at least a broadband access network,

connecting a plurality of gaming service providers and the central service provider through the at least a broadband access network;

establishing a connection between the plurality of gaming service customers and the plurality of gaming service providers through the central service provider; and

establishing multi-customer interactions between the plurality of gaming service customers through the central service provider;

wherein different gaming service customers out of the plurality of gaming service customers are connected to different gaming service providers out of the plurality of gaming service providers.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the central service provider is uniquely associated with one of a hardware platform and a provider of a hardware platform.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein gaming service customers subscribe to the central service provider.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein communication between the gaming service customers and the central service provider is secured.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the central service provider is uniquely associated with one of a hardware platform and a provider of a hardware platform.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the central service provider comprises a master gaming service provider.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the central service provider provides connectivity and registration services between the gaming service customer and a gaming service provider.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the functions of a gaming service provider are limited by the central service provider.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the communications of a gaming service customer are converted into communications for a gaming service provider different from the communications from the gaming service customer to the central service provider.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the difference comprises at least a difference in security.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the central service provider acts to broker gaming requests of the gaming service customers to the gaming service providers.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a group of gaming service customers out of the plurality of gaming service customers; and

playing a game between gaming service customers belonging to the group of gaming service customers;

wherein the group of gaming service customers is established by a selection made by different gaming service customers, the selection based on a list of gaming service customers connected to the plurality of gaming service providers through the central service provider, the list provided by the central service provider.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the game is played according to gaming data provided to the group of gaming service customers by the plurality of gaming service providers, the gaming data provided from the plurality of gaming service providers to the group of gaming service customers through the central service provider.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of gaming service providers send gaming data in a same data format to the central service provider;

the central service provider sending the gaming data to each gaming service customer out of the group of gaming service customers.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of gaming service providers send gaming data in a different data format to the central service provider, the central service provider performing data conversion and sending converted gaming data to each gamming service customer out of the group of gaming service customers, the data conversion performed according to specifications provided by each customer out of the group of gaming service customers.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selection made by different gaming service customers is filtered by the central service provider according to at least a predefined criterion.

17. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of

providing a gaming service customer located gaming console, the gaming console comprising a flat memory space for storing gaming data, a restricted kernel for executing the gaming data, and random access memory in contact with the restricted kernel;

storing an ultra-thin client in random access memory of the gaming service customer located equipment;

establishing a connection between the gaming console and the central service provider through the ultra-thin client; and

controlling events taking place on the gaming console according to messages sent to and received from the plurality of gaming service providers through the central service provider.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the messages are filtered at the central service provider according to at least a predefined criterion.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the messages are filtered according to a personal profile provided by a gaming service customer to the central service system.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the messages include gaming requests for gaming data to be executed on the gaming console.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the messages include gaming data to be executed on the gaming console.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of connecting a plurality of gaming service customers and a central service provider comprises the step of connecting a plurality of service customers and a real central service provider, the real central service provider for supporting communication between the gaming service customers and the gaming service providers.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein a gaming service provider out of the plurality of gaming service providers serves as the real central service provider.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of connecting a plurality of gaming service customers and a central service provider comprises the step of connecting a plurality of service customers and a virtual central service provider.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the virtual central service provider is established in a process of portal peering.

27. A distributed loosely coupled unified on-line gaming system according to claim 16, wherein the gaming service customer located equipment includes a gaming console, the gaming console comprising a flat memory space for storing gaming data, a restricted kernel for executing the gaming data, and random access memory in contact with the restricted kernel for storing an ultra-thin client.

28. A distributed loosely coupled unified on-line gaming system according to claim 17, wherein the ultra-thin client establishes a connection between the gaming console and the central service provider, and controls events taking place on the gaming console according to messages sent to and received from the plurality of gaming service providers through the central service provider.

29. A distributed loosely coupled unified on-line gaming system according to claim 16, wherein the gaming service customer located equipment includes a gaming console, and wherein the central service provider is associated with at least one of the gaming console and a provider of the gaming console.

26. A distributed loosely coupled unified on-line gaming system comprising:

a central service provider other than an Internet Service Provider;

a plurality of gaming service customers providing gaming service customer located equipment connected to the central service provider through at least a broadband network; and

a plurality of gaming service providers connected to the central service provider through the at least one broadband network;

wherein different gaming service costumers out of the plurality of gaming service customers are connected to different gaming service providers out of the plurality of gaming service providers.