Gaming via peer-to-peer networks

• US 20080108437A1
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (Conversant Intellectual Property Management, Inc. (f/k/a MOSAID Technologies))
• Original Assignee: 2011 Intellectual Property Asset Trust (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaarela, Kari, Parkkinen, Jukka, Hyvarinen, Mikko A., Koistinen, Kirmo, Tervo, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1061 using node-based peer discovery mechanisms static access to replicated servers H04L67/1006; service discovery H04L67/51

Abstract

Providing a gaming service via an ad hoc peer-to-peer network involves configuring a device to offer a generic peer-to-peer gaming service that facilitates access to a plurality of specific networked games of the device. The device advertises the gaming service using a service discovery protocol of the network. Game play is facilitated via the gaming service. Accessing a gaming service via an ad hoc peer-to-peer network involves coupling a device to the network. The device discovers a generic peer-to-peer gaming service using a service discovery protocol of the network. The generic gaming service is offered by a peer device and facilitates access to a plurality of specific networked games of the peer device. The device selects a networked game from the plurality of specific networked games of the peer device, and play of the networked game occurs at least between the device and a peer device of the network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

configuring a device to offer a generic peer-to-peer gaming service that facilitates access to a plurality of specific networked games of the device;

advertising, via the device, the generic peer-to-peer gaming service using a service discovery protocol of an ad hoc peer-to-peer network; and

facilitating play of a networked game via the generic peer-to-peer gaming service, wherein the networked game is selected from the plurality of specific networked games, and wherein play of the networked game occurs at least between the device and a peer device of the network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising download of a program to at least one of the device and the peer device in response to a selection of the networked game, wherein the program is configured to execute the game on a processor of the respective device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein facilitating download of the program to at least one of the device and the peer device comprises downloading the program from the other of the device and the peer device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein facilitating download of the program to at least one of the device and the peer device comprises downloading the program from a third party computing arrangement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising exchanging game play data of the networked game via an out-of-band network mechanism.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising exchanging game play data of the networked game via control protocols of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device and the peer device both comprise mobile devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating play of the networked game comprises:

providing, via the ad hoc peer-to-peer network, a description of the plurality of specific networked games to the peer device from the device;

determining, via the peer device, a set of the specific networked games that are supported at the peer device; and

wherein the network game is selected from the set of supported specific networked games.

10. A method, comprising:

coupling a device to an ad hoc peer-to-peer network;

discovering, via the device, a generic peer-to-peer gaming service using a service discovery protocol of the ad hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the generic peer-to-peer gaming service is offered by a peer device and wherein the generic peer-to-peer gaming service facilitates access to a plurality of specific networked games of the peer device;

selecting, via the device, a networked game from the plurality of specific networked games of the peer device;

playing the networked game between at least the device and the peer device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising facilitating download of a program to at least one of the device and the peer device in response to selecting the networked game, wherein the program is configured to execute the networked game on a processor of the respective device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein facilitating download of the program to at least one of the device and the peer device comprises downloading the program from the other of the device and the peer device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein facilitating download of the program to at least one of the device and the peer device comprises downloading the program from a third party computing arrangement.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising exchanging game play data of the networked game via an out-of-band network mechanism.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising exchanging game play data of the networked game via control protocols of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the device and the peer device both comprise mobile devices.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting the networked game comprises:

providing, via the ad hoc peer-to-peer network, a description of the plurality of specific networked games to the device from the peer device;

determining, via the device, a set of the specific networked games that are supported at the device; and

wherein the network game is selected from the set of supported specific networked games.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface capable of communicating via an ad hoc peer-to-peer network;

a processor coupled to the network interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including a gaming client module having instructions that cause the processor to,

discover a generic peer-to-peer gaming service using a service discovery protocol of the ad hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the generic peer-to-peer gaming service is offered by a peer device and wherein the generic peer-to-peer gaming service facilitates access to a plurality of specific networked games of the peer device;

select a networked game from the plurality of specific networked games of the peer device;

play the networked game between at least the apparatus and the peer device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the memory further comprises a local plurality of specific networked game and a gaming server module having instructions that cause the processor to,

offer a locally provided generic peer-to-peer gaming service that facilitates access to the local plurality of specific networked games;

advertise, via the service discovery protocol, the locally provided generic peer-to-peer gaming service; and

facilitating play of a second networked game via the generic peer-to-peer gaming service, wherein the second networked game is selected from the plurality of local specific networked games by a second peer device of the network, and wherein play of the second networked game occurs at least between the apparatus and the second peer device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second networked game utilizes an out-of-band network mechanism to exchange gaming event data between the apparatus and the second peer device.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second networked game utilizes control protocols of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network to exchange gaming event data between the apparatus and the second peer device.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gaming server module facilitates downloading of a program to the second peer device in response to selecting the networked game by the second peer device, wherein the program facilitates play of the second networked game on the second peer device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the memory comprises the program, and wherein the program is uploaded from the apparatus to the second peer device.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gaming server module comprises a Universal Plug and Play device.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a user input interface, and wherein the memory further comprises a control point module having instructions that cause the processor to:

receive a list of the specific networked games of the peer device from the client module;

facilitate user selection of the selected networked game via the user input interface; and

cause the client module to facilitate play of the selected networked game in response to the user selection.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the control point module comprises a Universal Plug and Play device.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the networked game utilizes an out-of-band network mechanism to exchange gaming event data between the apparatus and the peer device.

29. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the networked game utilizes control protocols of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network to exchange gaming event data between the apparatus and the peer device.

30. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the gaming client module comprises a Universal Plug and Play device.

31. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by an apparatus capable of being coupled to an ad hoc peer-to-peer network for performing steps comprising:

discovering a generic peer-to-peer gaming service using a service discovery protocol of the ad hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the generic peer-to-peer gaming service is offered by a peer device and wherein the generic peer-to-peer gaming service facilitates access to a plurality of specific networked games of the peer device;

selecting a networked game from the plurality of specific networked games of the peer device; and

playing the networked game between at least the apparatus and the peer device.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the steps further comprise:

offering a locally provided generic peer-to-peer gaming service that facilitates access to a local plurality of specific networked games;

advertising, via the service discovery protocol, the locally provided generic peer-to-peer gaming service; and

facilitating play of a second networked game via the generic peer-to-peer gaming service, wherein the second networked game is selected from the plurality of local specific networked games by a second peer device of the network, and wherein play of the second networked game occurs at least between the apparatus and the second peer device.

33. A system comprising:

means for offering, via a first peer device, a generic peer-to-peer gaming service via a service discovery protocol of an ad hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the generic peer-to-peer gaming service facilitates access to a plurality of specific networked games;

means for discovering, via a second peer device of the network, the generic peer-to-peer gaming service; and

means for facilitating commencement of a selected specific networked game between the first and second peer via the generic peer-to-peer gaming service.