Join in-progress on-line game session

• US 20070173325A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bortnik, Michal, O'Kelley, Patrick, Shaw, David, Jen, James, Hansen, Johan, Proteau, Steve
• Application Number:
  US11/335,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20070173325A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• 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

Abstract

A computer-based, multi-player, on-line, game session is capable of being joined while the session is in progress without requiring an invitation from the host of the game session. A player can join the game session via a set of User Interfaces (UIs) provided by the gaming system. The player is not required to contact the host prior to joining the game session. A game session is joinable if slots are available for additional players, the host has not declared the game session private, the player requesting to join the game session is not currently in the game session, and parental controls have not be set preventing the player from joining the game session.

Claims

1. A method for joining an in-progress on-line game session, said method comprising:

determining if said in-progress on-line game session is one of joinable and not joinable;

choosing to join said game session if said game session is joinable; and

joining said game session without requiring an invitation from a host of said game session.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

a game session can be determined to be joinable without requiring a game disc to be inserted into a game console; and

a game session can be determined to be joinable without requiring a joining party to have previously launched said game.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said game session is determined to be not joinable if said host of said game session declares said game session private; and

said game session is determined to be joinable if said host of said game session declares said game session public.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said game session is determined to be not joinable if a player attempting to join said game session is in said game session; and

said game session is determined to be not joinable if said game session has no available slots.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said game session is determined to be not joinable if parental controls prevent joining said game session.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said game session is partially joinable.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said game session is joinable if at least one predetermined flag in an application programming interface for starting said game session is indicative of said game session being joinable.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein, if a game is not detected on a game console of a joining party, said game is automatically launched at said game console of said joining party.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the acts of:

determining if an in-progress on-line game session is one of joinable and not joinable;

providing means for choosing to join said game session if said game session is joinable; and

providing means for joining said game session without requiring an invitation from a host of said game session.

10. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

a game session can be determined to be joinable without requiring a game disc to be inserted into a game console; and

a game session can be determined to be joinable without requiring a game to be launched.

11. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 9, wherein said game session is not joinable if at least one of the following conditions is true:

said host of said game session declares said game session private;

a player attempting to join said game session is in said game session;

said game session has no available slots; and

parental controls prevent joining said game session.

12. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 9, said computer-readable medium having further computer-executable instructions for setting at least one predetermined flag in an application programming interface for starting said game session to be indicative of said game session being one of joinable and not joinable.

13. A system for joining an in-progress on-line game session, said system comprising:

a plurality of databases for storing information pertaining to whether said in-progress on-line game session is one of joinable and not joinable; and

a service for;

determining if said game session is one of joinable and not joinable, in accordance with said information;

providing means for choosing to join said game session if said game session is joinable; and

providing means for joining said game session without requiring an invitation from a host of said game session.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

a game session can be determined to be joinable without requiring a game disc to be inserted into a game console; and

a game session can be determined to be joinable without requiring a game to be launched.

15. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

said service determines said game session to be not joinable if said host of said game session declares said game session private; and

said service determines said game session to be joinable if said host of said game session declares said game session public.

16. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said service determines said game session to be not joinable if a player attempting to join said game session is in said game session.

17. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said service determines said game session to be not joinable if said game session has no available slots.

18. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said service determines said game session to be not joinable if parental controls prevent joining said game session.

19. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said service is further capable of setting at least one predetermined flag in an application programming interface for starting said game session to be indicative of said game session being one of joinable and not joinable.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein each predetermined flag is indicative of a respective portion of said game session being one of joinable and not joinable.