GAMING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130084985A1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Green, Mark Denzil, Ealey, Douglas Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 9,669,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

A method of assisting a first player of a videogame is provided. The method includes making a game state of the first player accessible to a second player. The game state describes a state of the videogame as played by the first player. The method also includes executing the videogame for the second player using the game state of the first player to define the initial state of the videogame for the second player, allowing the second player to play the videogame based upon the game state of the first player until a first predetermined criterion is met, and providing to the first player data for updating their game state in response to the play of the second player.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a first player of a videogame on a first device, comprising the steps of:

making a game state of the first player accessible to a second player, the game state describing a state of the videogame as played by the first player;

executing the videogame for the second player on a second device, using the game state of the first player to define an initial state of the videogame for the second player;

allowing the second player to play the videogame based upon the game state of the first player until a first predetermined criterion is met; and

providing, to the first player, data for updating the game state of the first player in response to the play of the second player.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of making the game state of the first player accessible to the second player comprises sending an especially formatted save game to the second device of the second player.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the step of executing the videogame for the second player comprises executing the videogame on the second device of the second player in a predetermined mode responsive to the especially formatted save game.

4. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of allowing the second player to play the videogame based upon the game state of the first player comprises the steps of:

recording actions of the second player; and

retaining the recording if the actions trigger a predetermined event, wherein

the recording is a video of the second player'"'"'s play.

5. A method according claim 4, in which the step of providing to the first player data for updating the game state of the first player comprises providing an updated especially formatted save game comprising the recording.

6. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of allowing the second player to play the videogame based upon the game state of the first player comprises the steps of:

recording actions of the second player; and

retaining the recording if the actions trigger a predetermined event, wherein

the recording comprises a record of inputs by the second player to the videogame.

7. A method according claim 6, in which the step of providing to the first player data for updating the game state of the first player comprises providing an updated especially formatted save game comprising the recording.

8. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of providing to the first player data for updating the game state of the first player comprises providing an updated especially formatted save game comprising a save of an updated version of the first player'"'"'s game state, saved when the first predetermined criterion is met.

9. A non-transitory computer program product storing computer program instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement a method comprising the steps of:

making a game state of a first player of a videogame using a first device accessible to a second player, the game state describing a state of the videogame as played by the first player;

executing the videogame for the second player on a second device, using the game state of the first player to define an initial state of the videogame for the second player;

allowing the second player to play the videogame based upon the game state of the first player until a first predetermined criterion is met; and

providing, to the first player, data for updating the game state of the first player in response to the play of the second player.

10. An entertainment device for playing a videogame by a first player, comprising;

a network interface connectable to a network;

wherein

the entertainment device is operable to transmit via the network interface a game play assistance request;

the entertainment device is operable to transmit via the network interface an especially formatted save game describing a state of the videogame as played by the first player; and

the entertainment device is operable to receive via the network interface an updated version of the especially formatted save game describing a state of the videogame as subsequently played by a second player.

11. An entertainment device for playing a videogame by a second player, comprising;

a network interface connectable to a network;

wherein

the entertainment device is operable to receive via the network interface an especially formatted save game describing a state of the videogame as played by a first player;

the entertainment device is operable to execute the videogame for the second player using the game state of the first player to define an initial state of the videogame for the second player;

the entertainment device is operable to detect whether a first predetermined criterion is met during this execution of the video game; and

the entertainment device is operable to transmit via the network interface an updated version of the especially formatted save game describing a state of the videogame as played by the second player, if the first predetermined criterion is met.