Distributed network architecture for introducing dynamic content into a synthetic environment

• US 20080287192A1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trion World ABC LLC
• Original Assignee: Trion Worlds, Incorporated (Samarion SE)
• Inventors: Farina, Bryan Joseph, Lee, Robert Ernest, Van Caneghem, Jon Edward, Aldridge, David M., Maltzen, Jason A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,005,027 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 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer-based simulations and synthetic environment generation, and more particularly, to a system, a computer-readable medium, a method and an apparatus for generating synthetic environments in a distributed architecture to, among other things, introduce dynamic content.

Claims

1. A method to introduce content into synthetic environments, the method comprising:

maintaining data representing an event in an event library database, the event associated with a plug object configured to interact with object code executing to create a synthetic environment;

detecting a condition that triggers introduction of dynamic content into the synthetic environment; and

introducing the dynamic content into the synthetic environment during the execution of the object code.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a time during which the dynamic content persists in association with at least a portion of the synthetic environment.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating data configured to display a representation of the time during which the dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

storing data representing another event in the event library database;

scheduling another plug object of the another event to interact with the object code; and

generating additional data configured to display a representation of another time during which additional dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprises:

displaying the representation of the another time in association with an event server guide.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating the event to include the plug object without modifying the object code.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

developing source code with the plug object; and

compiling the source code to form the object code.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

developing another plug object in association with another event;

testing the another plug object in association with the object code; and

determining whether the another plug object meets one or more quality assurance (“

QA”

) specifications.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

storing plug data associated with the another plug object in the event library database if the one or more quality assurance specifications are met.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initializing a plug insertion process by which the plug object interacts with the object code.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

fetching plug data of the plug object from the event library database; and

incorporating the plug data with socket code of the object code.

12. A method to introduce content into synthetic environments, the method comprising:

executing object code to generate a synthetic environment;

monitoring times at which data from property class objects are to be inserted into socket code of the object code;

detecting a scheduled time for one of the property class objects; and

inserting the data into the socket code to associate content with the synthetic environment.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

accessing one or more data arrangements that comport with the property class objects to fetch the data.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining an asset representation for an item that is associated with the data; and

rendering the item in relation to the synthetic environment.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining a procedural action list for an item that is associated with the data; and

implementing actions for the item as a function of the procedural action list in the context of the synthetic environment.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein inserting the data into the socket code comprises:

generating a universal message including at least a portion of the data; and

transmitting the universal message from an event server to a game management server.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein transmitting the universal message comprises:

transmitting the universal message as an XML-formatted message.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein transmitting the universal message comprises:

transmitting the universal message as a binary-formatted message.

19. A computer readable medium to facilitate massively multiplayer online games, the computer readable medium comprising executable instructions to:

maintain data representing an event in an event library database, the event associated with a plug object configured to interact with object code;

determine a time during which dynamic content is scheduled to persist in association with a synthetic environment;

display a representation of the time during which the dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment;

detect a condition that triggers introduction of the dynamic content into the synthetic environment; and

introduce the dynamic content into the synthetic environment during the execution of the object code.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 further comprising executable instructions to:

generate the event to include the plug object without modifying the object code.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19 further comprising executable instructions to:

develop another plug object in association with another event;

test the another plug object in association with the object code; and

determine whether the another plug object meets one or more quality assurance (“

QA”

) specifications.