SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING COMPATIBLE USERS

• US 20090075738A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Online Entertainment LLC (Enad Global 7 AB)
• Inventors: Pearce, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3274 wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for an automatic user or friend recommendation system that matches players that have compatible play styles, play schedules, or the like. Behavioral data is collected or entered from players, and a profile of each player is created and compared to calculate a compatibility score. If the compatibility score exceeds a predetermined threshold, then the players are marked as compatible, or a degree of compatibility may be calculated and displayed as well. Users can edit their profile, e.g., on a web application or in-game. Users may also interact with optional and incremental demographic survey questions as they log in. A notification of compatible players may be provided via the web application or via an in-game indication. For example, a glow may appear around a compatible player, or compatible players may be displayed in a list, such as an instant messaging client.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors disposed in a computing device, perform a method of providing a subject user with notifications about compatible users on a network, the method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving information about users on a network, and creating a profile for each user based on the received information;

b. comparing the created profile of a subject user with the created profiles of other users on the network and calculating a compatibility score for each set of compared profiles; and

c. if the compatibility score between the subject user profile and an other user profile is greater than a predetermined threshold, then flagging the other user profile as a compatible user relative to the subject user.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the network is a network of players of online multiplayer games.

3. The medium of claim 2, wherein the network of players are disposed on a single game server.

4. The medium of claim 2, further comprising a game console, and wherein at least one of the network of players accesses the network using the game console.

5. The medium of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the creating step for a given user, receiving an opt-in indication or not receiving an opt-out indication for the given user on the network.

6. The medium of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication from the subject user that one or more of the users with flagged profiles is to be invited to join a friends list of the subject user.

7. The medium of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication from the subject user that one or more of the users with flagged profiles is to be invited to join a group with the subject user.

8. The medium of claim 1, wherein the calculating a compatibility score includes determining whether the subject user and the other users are within the same LAN or within the same geographic locale.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the network is a network of players of online multiplayer games, and wherein if the determination is made that the subject user and an other user are within the same LAN or within the same geographic locale, then transmitting a notifier to the subject user about the other user, wherein the notifier is selected from the group consisting of:

a text message, an instant message, an in-game notification, an indicator placed on a map at a location corresponding to a player character associated with the flagged other user, an indicator rendered on or near a player character associated with the flagged other user, a notifier on a list rendered on a user interface of the game or on a web application, a notifier on an instant message group listing, and an email.

10. The medium of claim 1, further comprising sending a signal to a computing device of the subject user, the signal causing the computing device of the subject user to render an indication of the flagged other user profile.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the causing step includes causing the computing device of the subject user to render an indication of a degree of compatibility between the subject user profile and the flagged other user profile, the degree of compatibility in proportion to the calculated compatibility score.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein the network is a network of players of online multiplayer games, and wherein the indication is selected from the group consisting of:

an instant message, an in-game notification, an indicator placed on a map at a location corresponding to a player character associated with the flagged other user, an indicator rendered on or near a player character associated with the flagged other user, a list rendered on a user interface of the game or on a web application, an instant message group listing.

13. The medium of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication from the subject user that one or more of the users with flagged profiles is to be invited to enter a chat channel with the subject user.

14. The medium of claim 1, wherein the receiving information includes collecting data about a user'"'"'s network usage or stored demographic data.

15. The medium of claim 1, wherein the receiving information includes receiving data entered by a user.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the receiving data entered by a user includes, upon the user login to the network, rendering a question to a user and receiving a response to the question.

17. The medium of claim 1, further comprising:

a. receiving a search query from a user;

b. conducting a search of the created profiles based on the search query; and

c. returning an indication of the stored user profiles that match the search query.

18. The medium of claim 2, wherein the calculating includes:

determining an overlap in play schedules, determining an overlap in play styles, determining an overlap in language spoken, or determining an overlap in games owned.

19. A method of finding compatible players in an online multiplayer game, comprising the steps of:

a. comparing data stored about the players to determine which pairs of players have a compatibility score meeting or exceeding a predetermined threshold;

b. for any given player, marking as compatible each other player for which the compatibility score between the given player and the other player meet or exceed the predetermined threshold; and

c. for any given player, communicating information about which other players have been marked as compatible.

20. A computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a computing device to implement the method of claim 19.

21. A system for providing a subject user with notifications about compatible users on a network, comprising:

a. a collection and reception module, for collecting or receiving data about users on a network;

b. a profile creation module, for creating a profile for each of at least two users on the network;

c. a comparison and calculation module, for comparing sets of profiles to determine a compatibility score between a set of two profiles;

d. a marking and flagging module, for marking or flagging sets of profiles for which the determined compatibility score is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

e. a notification module, for notifying one or both of the users associated with each marked or flagged set of profiles.