Method and system for determining a frustration profile of a player on an online game and using the frustration profile to enhance the online experience of the player

• US 20090280909A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: McEniry, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US12/151,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20090280909A1
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/88 Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5593 involving scheduling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6036 for offering a minigame in combination with a main game

Abstract

An online gaming website monitors indicators that a player waiting to play an online game is becoming frustrated, and generates a frustration profile for the player based on the indicators. The frustration profile is utilized to decrease the time that the player waits to play an online game, such as by changing the player'"'"'s position on a queue for play of the game, or by offering an alternative game compatible with the player'"'"'s gaming interests, which if selected by the player would decrease the player'"'"'s waiting time.

Claims

1. A method for hosting online gaming:

monitoring at least one indicator of frustration of a player waiting to play an online game;

generating a frustration profile for the player based on the monitored indicator; and

displaying an alternative online game to the player while the player is waiting to play an online game, wherein the alternative game is based on the frustration profile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative game is available for substantially immediate start of play.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator includes at least one of a text entry and audio data the player supplies while in a chat room of a website hosting the online gaming.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the profile includes determining whether the text entry or the audio data includes a predetermined word or formative of the word.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator includes sensor data generated at a gaming peripheral.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor data includes data representative of a player depressing a button on the peripheral.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the frustration profile includes a patience value based on a maximum waiting time before the player becomes frustrated.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting targeted advertising to the player based on the frustration profile.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative game is playable with relaxed criteria in relation to gaming criteria supplied by the player.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the relaxed criteria provides that the alternative game is playable with less players than a number of players for game play the player supplies as the gaming criteria.

8. The method of claim 8, wherein the patience value is associated with a characteristic of an online game.

12. A system for hosting an online gaming comprising:

a monitoring module for monitoring at least one indicator of frustration of a player waiting to play an online game;

a frustration profile module for generating a frustration profile for the player based on the monitored indicator; and

a website interface for displaying an alternative online game to the player while the player is waiting to play an online game, wherein the alternative game is based on the frustration profile.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the alternative game is available for substantially immediate start of play.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the indicator includes at least one of a text entry and audio data the player supplies while in a chat room of the website interface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the profile is generated by determining whether the text entry or the audio data includes a predetermined word or formative of the word.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the indicator includes sensor data generated at a gaming peripheral coupled to the website interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor data includes data representative of a player depressing a button on the peripheral.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the frustration profile includes a patience value based on a maximum waiting time before the player becomes frustrated.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the patience value is associated with a characteristic of an online game.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the website interface transmits targeted advertising to the player based on the frustration profile of the player.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the alternative game is playable with relaxed criteria in relation to gaming criteria supplied by the player

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the relaxed criteria provides that the alternative game is playable with less players than a number of players for game play that the player supplies as the gaming criteria.

23. A method for hosting online gaming:

monitoring at least one indicator of frustration of a player waiting to play an online game, wherein the player is on a queue waiting for play of the game;

generating a frustration profile for the player based on the monitored indicator; and

changing the position of the player on the queue based on the frustration profile.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the frustration profile includes a patience value based on a maximum waiting time before the player becomes frustrated and wherein the position of the player on the queue is changed based on the patience value.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the position of the player on the queue is changed such that the position of the player on the queue is before the positions of other players on the queue having respective patience values exceeding that of the player.

26. A system for hosting an online gaming comprising:

a monitoring module for monitoring at least one indicator of frustration of a player waiting to play an online game, wherein the player is on a queue waiting for play of the game; and

a frustration profile module for generating a frustration profile for the player based on the monitored indicator, wherein the profile module changes the position of the player on the queue based on the frustration profile.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the frustration profile includes a patience value based on a maximum waiting time before the player becomes frustrated and wherein the position of the player on the queue is changed based on the patience value.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the position of the player on the queue is changed such that the position of the player on the queue is before the positions of other players on the queue having respective patience values exceeding that of the player.