Secured cross platform networked multiplayer communication and game play

• US 20080227548A1
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sleeman, Martin J., Caiafa, Daniel, O'Neill, Vance, Sanfilippo, Robert, Choudhry, Kareem Ahmad, Moore, Brian Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/717,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20080227548A1
• 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 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A user of a software application (e.g., game or title) running at a gaming console may interact securely in real-time with a user of a compatible software application running at a general purpose computing device. Thus, a game player on the gaming console may play online over a secured communication channel with a game player on a PC, for example.

Claims

1. A cross-platform system, comprising:

a first computing device having a first platform running an application; and

a second computing device having a second platform running the application and in communication with the first computing device, the second platform being different from the first platform, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are both operable to interact online in real-time with the application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application is a game title.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is a gaming console and the second computing device is a general purpose computing device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the gaming console has a network stack protocol which is ported to the general purpose computing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device and the second communication device are in communication with each other directly via a network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device and the second communication device are in communication with each other directly via a clearinghouse.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the clearinghouse comprises a multiplayer gaming and content delivery service or system.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the clearinghouse is operable to verify the type of the first computing device and the type of the second computing device.

9. A method of cross-platform communication, comprising:

a first computing device having a first platform running an application connecting to a clearinghouse; and

a second computing device having a second platform running the application connecting to the clearinghouse, the second platform being different from the first platform, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are both operable to interact online in real-time with the application.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising authenticating the first computing device prior to connecting to the clearinghouse.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein authenticating the first computing device comprises:

the first computing device logging into an authentication server and a key server; and

providing a clearinghouse ticket and pointer to the first computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the connecting is performed responsive to the clearinghouse ticket and the pointer.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the application is a game title.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first computing device is a gaming console and the second computing device is a general purpose computing device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the clearinghouse comprises a multiplayer gaming and content delivery service or system.

16. A method of cross-platform communication, comprising:

broadcasting an availability request from a first computing device to a second computing device, the first computing device having a first platform and the second computing device having a second platform different from the first platform;

directly connecting the first computing device and the second computing device; and

running an application on the first computing device and the second computing device such that the first computing device and the second computing device are both operable to interact online in real-time with the application.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first computing device transmits a session key to the second computing device prior to connecting the first computing device and the second computing device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the application is a game title.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first computing device is a gaming console and the second computing device is a general purpose computing device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device unicast with each other.