System And Method For Managing A Multiplicity Of Text Messages In An Online Game

• US 20090253513A1
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ducheneaut, Nicolas B., Nickell, Eric S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,970 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video

Abstract

A system and method for providing text of interest to a player from text messages in an online game is provided. A player profile for a player participating in an online game is maintained. Text messages from sources in the online game are received substantially simultaneously within a buffer for a limited text area of a display during an online game session. A main conversation in which the player is involved with one of the sources from the text messages is identified and removed from the buffer. The text messages in the buffer not identified as the main conversation are analyzed for text of interest to the player included in the player profile. The text of interest is provided in the limited text area in the display interspersed with the main conversation concurrent to receipt of each text message within which the text of interest was included.

Claims

1. A system for managing a multiplicity of text messages in an online game, comprising:

a database configured to maintain a player profile of a player participating in an online game;

an user device, comprising;

a communication module configured to continuously receive a multiplicity of text messages substantially simultaneously within a limited text area of a display during an active session of the online game;

an analysis module to identify text of interest by analyzing each such text message against the player profile; and

a display module to provide the text of interest in the display approximately concurrent to receipt of each such text message within which the text of interest was comprised.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an identification module to identify a main conversation in which the player is involved from the text messages, wherein only those text messages not in the main conversation are analyzed.

3. A system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a conversation display module to provide only the main conversation in the limited text area of the display; and

a flash module to intersperse the text of interest within the main conversation.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the main conversation is identified from one of direct means and indirect means.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the main conversation is one of a primary conversation, a side bar conversation, and a selective attention mode.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a context module to display the text message within which the text of interest was comprised in the limited text are in response to a selection of the text of interest by the player.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the player profile comprises player details selected from the group comprising agenda, strategy, behavior, and time.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the player profile comprises character attributes selected from the group comprising name, gender, race, class, level, clan, and inventory.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a text type module to provide the text of interest as one or more of keywords, code words, and icons.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the text messages are received from the group comprising other players, non-player characters, moderators, automated, private, clan, group, spatial, and non-chat.

11. A method for managing a multiplicity of text messages in an online game, comprising:

maintaining a player profile of a player participating in an online game;

continuously receiving a multiplicity of text messages substantially simultaneously within a limited text area of a display during an active session of the online game;

identifying text of interest by analyzing each such text message against the player profile; and

providing the text of interest in the display approximately concurrent to receipt of each such text message within which the text of interest was comprised.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a main conversation in which the player is involved from the text messages, wherein only those text messages not in the main conversation are analyzed.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing only the main conversation in the limited text area of the display; and

interspersing the text of interest within the main conversation.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the main conversation is identified from one of direct means and indirect means.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the main conversation is one of a primary conversation, a side bar conversation, and a selective attention mode.

16. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the text message within which the text of interest was comprised in the limited text are in response to a selection of the text of interest by the player.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the player profile comprises player details selected from the group comprising agenda, strategy, behavior, and time

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the player profile comprises character attributes selected from the group comprising name, gender, race, class, level, clan, and inventory.

19. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing the text of interest as one or more of keywords, code words, and icons.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the text messages are received from the group comprising other players, non-player characters, moderators, automated, private, clan, group, spatial, and non-chat.

21. A system for providing text of interest to a player from a multiplicity of text messages in an online game, comprising:

a database configured to persistently maintain a player profile comprising information of interest to a player participating in an online game;

a user device, comprising;

a communication module configured to continuously receive a multiplicity of text messages from message sources in the online game substantially simultaneously to each other within a buffer for a limited text area of a display during an active session of the online game;

an identification module to identify a main conversation in which the player is involved with one of the sources from the text messages and remove the main conversation from the buffer;

an analysis module to analyze the text messages in the buffer not identified as the main conversation for text of interest to the player comprising the information of interest in the player profile; and

a display module to provide the text of interest in the limited text area in the display interspersed with the main conversation approximately concurrent to receipt of each such text message within which the text of interest was comprised.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the online game is selected from the group comprising massively multiplayer online games comprising a player-controlled character that advances in level through completion of missions and virtual worlds comprising an avatar socializing within a computer-simulated environment.

23. A method for providing text of interest to a player from a multiplicity of text messages in an online game, comprising:

persistently maintaining a player profile comprising information about a player participating in an online game;

continuously receiving a multiplicity of text messages from message sources in the online game substantially simultaneously to each other within a buffer for a limited text area of a display during an active session of the online game;

identifying a main conversation in which the player is involved with one of the sources from the text messages and removing the main conversation from the buffer;

analyzing the text messages in the buffer not identified as the main conversation for text of interest to the player comprising the information in the player profile; and

providing the text of interest in the limited text area in the display interspersed with the main conversation approximately concurrent to receipt of each such text message within which the text of interest was comprised.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the online game is selected from the group comprising massively multiplayer online games comprising a player-controlled character that advances in level through completion of missions and virtual worlds comprising an avatar socializing within a computer-simulated environment.