System and method for controlling access to a massively multiplayer on-line role-playing game

• US 20100105481A2
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Turbine Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Turbine Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cunningham, Sean, Hogan, Mike, Austrew, Eric, Dupras, Derek
• Application Number:
  US10/572,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111794A1
• 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 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5593 involving scheduling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method for controlling access to a massively multi-player, online role-playing game begins by presenting a web page to a first user. The web page receives a parameter for controlling access of a second user to a massively multi-player, online role-playing game. The received parameter is transmitted to a database server, which stores the received parameter in a database record associated with the second user. A game server receives a connection request from the second user and controls access of the second user to the massively multi-player, online role-playing game using the stored parameter.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for providing a supervising user with control of access to an online game by a minor player, the method comprising:

(a) presenting a user interface to the supervising user;

(b) receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for controlling the minor player'"'"'s access to the online game;

(c) transmitting, to a database server, the received parameter;

(d) storing the received parameter in a database record associated with the minor player;

(e) receiving, at a game server, a connection request from the minor player; and

(f) controlling the minor player'"'"'s access to the online game using the stored parameter.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein step (a) comprises presenting a web page to the supervising user, the web page displaying, to the supervising user, information regarding the minor player'"'"'s gameplay behavior.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein step (a) comprises presenting a web page to the supervising user, the web page displaying information regarding gameplay statistics associated with the minor player.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein presenting the web page comprises displaying, on the web page, information regarding the minor player'"'"'s most recent login time.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein presenting the web page comprises displaying, on the web page, information regarding the minor player'"'"'s total playtime during the minor player'"'"'s most recent game session.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein step (b) comprises receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for prohibiting access by the minor player to the game for a predetermined amount of time.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein step (b) comprises receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for terminating a minor player'"'"'s game session.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein step (b) comprises receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for prohibiting access by the minor player to the game for a predetermined period of time on a predetermined day of the week.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein step (f) comprises:

transmitting, in response to the connection request, an authentication request, the transmitted request identifying the minor player and the time of the connection request;

determining, on the basis of information in the database record associated with the minor player and on the time of the connection request, that the minor player is forbidden access to the game;

sending an authentication denial message; and

on the basis of the authentication denial message, denying the minor player access to the game.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein step (f) comprises:

transmitting an authentication request, the transmitted request identifying the minor player;

retrieving the database record associated with the minor player;

determining, on the basis of information in the database record and the time of the connection request, that the minor player is forbidden from accessing the game; and

denying the minor player access to the game.

31. The method of claim 21,

wherein presenting the user-interface to the supervising user comprises presenting a calendar display;

and

wherein receiving the parameter for controlling access via the user interface comprises receiving a specification of a block of time during which the minor player'"'"'s access is controlled.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the parameter for controlling access via the user interface comprises receiving a specification of an amount of time during which the minor player is permitted access to the game.

33. A manufacture having encoded thereon software for controlling access to an online game, the software comprising instructions for:

(a) presenting a user interface to a supervising user;

(b) receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for controlling access by the minor player to a massively multi-player, online role-playing game;

(c) transmitting to a database server the received parameter;

(d) storing the received parameter in a database record associated with the minor player;

(e) receiving, at a game server, a connection request from the minor player; and

(f) controlling access by the minor player to the massively multi-player, online role playing game using the stored parameter.

34. The manufacture of claim 33, wherein the software further comprises instructions for presenting a web page to a supervising user, the web page displaying to the supervising user information regarding the minor player'"'"'s gameplay behavior.

35. The manufacture of claim 33, wherein the software further comprises instructions for receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for prohibiting access of the minor player to the game for a predetermined amount of time.

36. The manufacture of claim 33, wherein the software further comprises instructions for presenting a web page to a supervising user, the web page displaying, to the supervising user, information regarding the minor player'"'"'s gameplay statistics.

37. The manufacture of claim 33, wherein the software further comprises instructions for receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for terminating a minor player'"'"'s game session.

38. The manufacture of claim 33, wherein the software further comprises instructions for receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for prohibiting access by the minor player to the game for a predetermined amount of time on a predetermined day of the week.

39. The manufacture of claim 33, wherein the software further comprises instructions for:

transmitting, in response to the connection request, an authentication request, the transmitted request identifying the minor player and the time of the connection request;

determining, on the basis of information in the database record associated with the minor player and on the time of the connection request, that the minor player is forbidden access to the game;

sending an authentication denial message; and

on the basis of the authentication denial message, denying the minor player access to the game.

40. The manufacture of claim 33, wherein the software further comprises instructions for:

transmitting an authentication request, the transmitted request identifying the minor player;

retrieving the database record associated with the minor player;

determining, on the basis of information in the database record and the time of the connection request, that the minor player is forbidden from accessing the game; and

denying the minor player access to the game.

41. A system for controlling access to an online game, the system comprising:

a user-interface server presenting a user interface to a supervising user and receiving from the supervising user a parameter for controlling access of a minor player to the game;

a database server in communication with the user-interface server, the database server receiving the parameter from the user-interface server and storing the parameter in a database record associated with the minor player; and

a game server in communication with the database server, the game server receiving a connection request from the minor player and prohibiting access to the game in response to data received from the database server.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the database server further comprises an Open Database Connectivity-compliant database.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the user-interface server communicates with the database server over a first network and the database server communicates with the game server over a second network.

44. A method for control of a player'"'"'s access to an online game by a supervising user, the method comprising:

receiving from the supervising user, via a user interface, an input characterizing a time-based restriction on access by the player to the online game;

storing data representing the time-based restriction in association with the player, the stored data being accessible by a game server of the online game;

receiving, at the game server, a connection request from the player;

retrieving the stored data representing the time-based restriction for the player; and

on the basis of the retrieved data, determining whether to allow the player to play the game.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving the input from the supervising user includes receiving an input characterizing a duration of time the player is allowed to play the online game.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the input defines a fixed interval and a maximum duration during the fixed interval.

47. The method of claim 44,

wherein receiving the input from the supervising user includes receiving an input characterizing a time interval;

and

wherein determining whether to allow the player to play the game includes comparing a present time with the time interval.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving the input from the supervising user includes:

presenting a representation of a plurality of time intervals; and

accepting selections of time intervals characterizing access restrictions associated with the selected time intervals.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein presenting the representation of the plurality of time intervals includes presenting a calendar display that includes blocks associated with the time intervals.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving an input from the supervising user comprises receiving input from at least one of a parent and a guardian of the player.

51. The method of claim 44, further comprising receiving from each of a plurality of supervising users, each associated with a corresponding player, an input characterizing a time-based restriction on access by the corresponding player.

52. A method for controlling access to an online game, the method comprising:

(a) presenting a user-interface to a supervising user;

(b) receiving, via the user-interface, a parameter indicating a condition under which a player is to be denied access to the on-line game;

(c) storing the received parameter in association with the player;

(d) receiving a connection request from the player;

(e) retrieving the received parameter from storage;

(f) determining that the condition has been met; and

(g) on the basis of the determination, denying the player access to the on-line game using the received parameter.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising selecting the online game to be an online role-playing game.

54. The method of claim 52, further comprising selecting the online game to be a massively multi-player online role playing game.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein step (a) comprises presenting a web page to the supervising user, the web page displaying, to the first user, information regarding the player'"'"'s game-play behavior.

56. The method of claim 52, wherein step (a) comprises presenting a web page to the supervising user, the web page displaying information regarding game-play statistics associated with the player.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein step (a) comprises displaying, on the web page, information regarding the player'"'"'s most recent login time.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein step (a) comprises displaying, on the web page, information regarding the player'"'"'s total playtime during the player'"'"'s most recent game session.

59. The method of claim 52, wherein step (b) comprises receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for prohibiting access by the player to the game for a predetermined amount of time.

60. The method of claim 52, wherein step (b) comprises receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for terminating a player'"'"'s game session.

61. The method of claim 52, wherein step (b) comprises receiving, via the user interface, a parameter for prohibiting access by the player to the game for a predetermined period of time on a predetermined day of the week.

62. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for controlling access to an online game, the software comprising instructions for:

(a) presenting a user-interface to a supervising user;

(b) receiving, via the user-interface, a parameter indicating a condition under which a player is to be denied access to the on-line game;

(c) storing the received parameter in association with the player;

(d) receiving a connection request from the player; and

(e) retrieving the received parameter from storage;

(f) determining that the condition has been met; and

(g) on the basis of the determination, denying the player access to the on-line game using the received parameter.