Method and system for an object architecture for a multi-user game lobby and game session

• US 6,530,840 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1997
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wargaming.Net Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Singhal, Sandeep Kishan, Redpath, Richard J., Cuomo, Gennaro A., Nguyen, Binh Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/832,430
• Time in Patent Office: 2,169 Days
• Field of Search: 463/41, 463/42, 364/410.1, 395/200.5
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A game lobby allows users to open a game with their name at a central place so that others may see and join that game. The user can set the criteria for starting this game, such as the number of players or start time, whichever comes first. This paradigm enables a platform-independent object model without the burden of multi-user communication management by the game developer. The object model enables the development of game lobby services by multiple vendors and allows games to freely operate with any of these lobby implementations.

Claims

1. A method of providing a network interface in a data processing system to connect multiple users for a multi-user game, comprising the steps of:

using a LobbySession object to encapsulate access to a Lobby Server;

using said LobbySession object to retrieve a list of available games registered with the Lobby Server; and

using said LobbySession object to return a common GameSession object in response to both a user requesting to register a game with the LobbySession, or requesting to join a registered game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using said LobbySession object to register a new game with the Lobby Server.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using said LobbySession object to join an existing game.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using said LobbySession object to lurk an existing game.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

configuring said Lobby Server to run as part of a cluster of Lobby Servers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said LobbySession selects a Lobby Server from among those available in said cluster.

7. A system for providing a network interface in a data processing system to connect multiple users for a multi-user game, comprising:

means for using a LobbySession object to encapsulate access to a Lobby Server;

means for using said LobbySession object to retrieve a list of available games registered with the Lobby Server; and

means for using said LobbySession object to return a common GameSession object in response to both a user requesting to register a game with the LobbySession, or requesting to join a registered game.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for using said LobbySession object to create a new game.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for using said LobbySession object to join an existing game.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for using said LobbySession object to lurk an existing game.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for configuring said Lobby Server to run as part of a cluster Lobby Servers.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said LobbySession object selects a Lobby Server from among those available in said cluster.

13. A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for providing a network interface in a data processing system to connect multiple users for a multi-user game, comprising:

computer readable means for using a LobbySession object to encapsulate access to a Lobby Server;

computer readable means for using said LobbySession object to retrieve a list of available games registered with the Lobby Server; and

computer readable means for using said LobbySession object to return a common GameSession object in response to both a user requesting to register a game with the LobbySession, or requesting to join a registered game.

14. The program product of claim 13, further comprising:

computer readable means for using said LobbySession object to create a new game.

15. The program product of claim 13, further comprising:

computer readable means for using said LobbySession object to join an existing game.

16. The program product of claim 13, further comprising:

computer readable means for using said LobbySession object to lurk an existing game.

17. The program product of claim 13, further comprising:

computer readable means for configuring said Lobby Server to run as part of a cluster of Lobby Servers.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein said LobbySession object selects a Lobby Server from among those available in said cluster.