ENTERTAINMENT DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20120071244A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gillo, Tomas Owen, Waugaman, Scott Christopher, Goodwin, Mitchell Robert Jay, Horneff, Mark Andrew, Ryan, Nick
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers

Abstract

An entertainment device operable to connect to a first on-line virtual environment comprises a group membership selector operable to select members of a group of entertainment devices connected to a first on-line virtual environment comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices, a server evaluator operable to evaluate a plurality of servers of a second on-line virtual environment according to one or more criteria whilst the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, a server selector operable to select at least a first server of the second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation whilst the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, and a storage arrangement operable to cause the storage of server selection data defining the selected server.

Claims

1. An entertainment device operable to connect to an instance of first on-line virtual environment associated with a first game, and comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices, the entertainment device comprising

a group membership selector operable to select members of a group of entertainment devices connected to the instance of the first on-line virtual environment;

a server evaluator operable to evaluate a plurality of servers of a second on-line virtual environment associated with a second and different game according to one or more server selection criteria, whilst the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment;

a server selector operable to select at least a first server of the second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation whilst the entertainment device is connected to the instance of the first on-line virtual environment; and

a storage arrangement operable to cause the storage of server selection data defining the selected server.

2. An entertainment device according to claim 1 in which a server selection criterion is a vote for a server by users of the member entertainment devices.

3. An entertainment device according to claim 1 in which a server selection criterion is at least a first aspect of the connection between a member entertainment device and a server under evaluation.

4. An entertainment device according to claim 3 in which an aspect of connection is any one of:

i. round-trip connection speed;

ii. one-way connection speed;

iii. signal strength;

iv. bit error rate, and

v. data bandwidth.

5. An entertainment device according to claim 1 in which the server evaluator is operable to collate measurements received from some or all members of the group for evaluation according to the one or more criteria.

6. An entertainment device according to claim 1 in which the group membership selector is operable to select group members according to one or more of the following conditions;

i. selection of a nominated group by a user of the entertainment device;

ii. proximity of two or more user avatars within the first on-line environment;

iii. positioning of a user avatar within a specific region of the first on-line environment;

iv. a user'"'"'s skill level in a game;

v. a user'"'"'s age; and

vi. game-specific preferences.

7. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the storage arrangement comprises a communication arrangement for transmitting the server selection data to an information server commonly accessible by the members of the group.

8. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the storage arrangement is local to the entertainment device.

9. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the server evaluator is operable to evaluate whether removal of a particular member of the group would allow selection of a different server that, for the remaining members of the group, performs better according to the one or more criteria.

10. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the server selector is operable to request that the selected server reserves spaces for members of the group.

11. An entertainment device according to claim 10, in which the server selector is operable to transmit the network addresses of the members of the group to the selected server.

12. An entertainment device according to claim 10, in which the server selector is operable to transmit cryptographic keys associated with the members of the group to the selected server.

13. An entertainment device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a game application, and

a server selection data retriever operable to retrieve server selection data using the storage arrangement and to convey it to the game application.

14. An entertainment device according to claim 13, in which the game application is arranged to connect to a server specified by the server selection data.

15. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the on-line environment comprises a plurality of substantially similar instances of the first virtual environment, to a first instance of which the entertainment device is connected.

16. An entertainment device according to claim 15, in which the first virtual environment supports a chat facility.

17. An entertainment device according to claim 15, in which entertainment devices whose corresponding avatars are within a common area are operable to establish a peer-to-peer connection.

18. An entertainment device according to claim 15, in which the first virtual environment comprises one or more areas where the entertainment devices only communicate peer-to-peer.

19. An entertainment device according to claim 17, in which the first virtual environment supports peer-to-peer voice communication.

20. An entertainment device according to claim 15, in which the first virtual environment provides an interface by which a text message may be entered, and subsequently routed to a mobile phone.

21. An entertainment device according to claim 15, comprising a display generator arranged to generate for display a 3D representation of the first instance of the first virtual environment and to generate for display within the representation of the first virtual environment an avatar controlled by the user of the entertainment device and one or more avatars controlled by users of other entertainment devices connected to the same instance of the first virtual environment;

22. An entertainment device according to claim 20, in which objects within the first virtual environment are associated with identity data.

23. An entertainment device according to claim 22, in which the identity data enables reconstruction of user-defined aspects of the first virtual environment between connected devices by transmission of the number and the position of the item.

24. An entertainment device according to claim 22, in which the identity data enables the ordering of an item or service corresponding to that identity number.

25. An entertainment device according to claim 21, in which the first virtual environment provides the facility to highlight the avatars of users with whom the user of the entertainment device has recently communicated.

50. A data carrier comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer causes the computer to operate as an entertainment device according to claim 1.

26. A server arranged to administer a first on-line virtual environment associated with a first game, the server comprising:

a data receiver operable to receive measurements of servers of a second on-line virtual environment associated with a second game from member entertainment devices of a group of entertainment devices connected to the first on-line virtual environment;

a server evaluator operable to evaluate a plurality of servers of the second on-line virtual environment according one or more server selection criteria whilst the server is administering the first on-line virtual environment, based upon the received server measurements; and

a server selector operable to select at least a first server of the second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation whilst the server is administering the first on-line virtual environment.

27. A server according to claim 26, comprising

a group membership selector operable to select members of a group of entertainment devices connected to an on-line environment comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices.

28. A server according to claim 26, in which the server is arranged to store the selection of at least the first game server.

29. A server according to claim 26, in which the server is arranged to transmit the selection of at least the first game server to the members of the group.

30. A server according to claim 26, in which the server is arranged to transmit a request to reserve spaces for members of the group with the selected game server.

51. A data carrier comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer causes the computer to operate as a server according to claim 26.

31. A method of multiplayer game access for an entertainment device, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting members of a group of entertainment devices connected to a first on-line virtual environment associated with a first game comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices;

evaluating a plurality of servers of a second on-line virtual environment associated with a second game according to one or more server selection criteria whilst connected to the first on-line virtual environment;

selecting at least a first server of a second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation whilst connected to the first on-line virtual environment; and

causing the storage of server selection data defining the selected server.

32. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which a server selection criterion is a vote for a server by users of the member entertainment devices.

33. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which a server selection criterion is at least a first aspect of the connection between a member entertainment device and a server under evaluation.

34. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 33, in which an aspect of connection is any one of:

i. round-trip connection speed;

ii. one-way connection speed;

iii. signal strength;

iv. bit error rate, and

v. data bandwidth.

35. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which the step of evaluation comprises collating measurements received from some or all members of the group for evaluation according to the one or more criteria.

36. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which the group membership selection step comprises selecting group members according to one or more of the following conditions;

i. selection of a nominated group by a user of the entertainment device;

ii. proximity of two or more user avatars within the first on-line environment;

iii. positioning of a user avatar within a specific region of the first on-line environment;

iv. a user'"'"'s skill level in a game;

v. a user'"'"'s age; and

vi. game-specific preferences.

37. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which the server selection data is caused to be stored on an information server commonly accessible by the members of the group.

38. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which the server selection data is caused to be stored on an entertainment device.

39. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which the server evaluation step comprises evaluating whether removal of a particular member of the group would allow selection of a different server that, for the remaining members of the group, performs better according to the one or more criteria.

40. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, in which the server selection step comprises requesting that the selected server reserves spaces for members of the group.

41. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 40, in which the server selection step comprises transmitting the network addresses of the members of the group to the selected server.

42. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 40, in which the server selection step comprises transmitting cryptographic keys associated with the members of the group to the selected server.

43. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, comprising the step of retrieving server selection data and conveying it to a game application.

44. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 31, comprising the step of connecting the game application to a server specified by the server selection data.

52. A data carrier comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer causes the computer to carry out the method of claim 31.

45. A method of multiplayer game access for a server administering a first on-line virtual environment associated with a first game, the method comprising the steps of

receiving measurements of servers of a second on-line virtual environment associated with a second game from member entertainment devices of a group of entertainment devices connected to the first on-line virtual environment;

evaluating a plurality of servers of the second on-line virtual environment according one or more server selection criteria whilst administering the first on-line virtual environment, based upon the received server measurements; and

selecting at least a first game server of the second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation whilst administering the first on-line virtual environment.

46. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 45, comprising the step of selecting members of a group of entertainment devices connected to a first on-line environment comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices.

47. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 45, comprising the step of storing the selection of the at least first game server.

48. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 45, comprising the step of transmitting the selection of the at least first game server to the members of the group.

49. A method of multiplayer game access according to claim 45, comprising the step of transmitting a request to reserve spaces for members of the group with the selected game server.

53. A data carrier comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer causes the computer to carry out the method of claim 45.

54. An entertainment system in which users are represented by avatars within a multiplayer networked virtual environment, the virtual environment providing sample executable versions of one or more game programs, a user selecting a sample executable version by causing that user'"'"'s avatar to interact with a region of the virtual environment corresponding to that sample executable version.