Game server for use in connection with a messenger server

• US 6,699,125 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirmse, Chris, Gottlieb, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US09/898,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 709/203-205, 345/758, 345/759
• 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 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A game and messenger client-server system is provided including a plurality of game clients, a game server, a plurality of messenger clients, and a messenger server. The game server includes logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game. Additionally, logic is included for coupling a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game. Also, logic is included for initiating a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee.

Claims

1. A game and messenger client server system, comprising:

a plurality of game clients;

a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients including the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game;

a plurality of messenger clients;

a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client;

logic to couple a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game; and

logic to initiate a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee, wherein the data used to initiate joining a game includes a reference to a game server, a reference to an active game on the referenced game server, and commands usable to invoke a game client at an invitee client and usable to connect the game client to the active game at the game server.

2. The game and messenger client server system of claim 1, wherein the reference to the active game comprises a game identifier.

3. The game and messenger client server system of claim 1, wherein the commands usable to invoke the game client at the invitee client and usable to connect the game client to the active game at the game server comprise a command line entry usable to connect to the active game.

4. The game and messenger client server system of claim 1, wherein the commands usable to invoke the game client at the invitee client and usable to connect the game client to the active game at the game server comprise a registry entry that references a local reference to the game.

5. The game and messenger client server system of claim 1, wherein the commands usable to invoke the game client at the invitee client and usable to connect the game client to the active game at the game server comprise a fallback entry that references a remote location used to invoke the game.

6. The game and messenger client server system of claim 5, wherein the fallback entry is a URL.

7. A game and messenger client server system, comprising:

a plurality of game clients;

a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients including the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game;

a plurality of messenger clients;

a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client;

logic to couple a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game;

logic to initiate a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee, further comprising logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client; and

logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client,

wherein the data file comprises a validity tag that indicates the game is valid and a command to invoke the game client at the invitee client.

8. A game and messenger client server system, comprising:

a plurality of game clients;

a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients including the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game;

a plurality of messenger clients;

a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client;

logic to couple a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game;

logic to initiate a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee, further comprising logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client; and

logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client,

wherein the data file comprises a fallback location that indicates a remote location that launches a game client.

9. A game and messenger client server system, comprising:

a plurality of game clients;

a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients including the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game;

a plurality of messenger clients;

a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client;

logic to couple a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game;

logic to initiate a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee, further comprising logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client; and

logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client,

wherein the data file comprises a support tag that indicates the game is not supported.

10. A game and messenger client server system, comprising:

a plurality of game clients;

a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients including the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game;

a plurality of messenger clients;

a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client;

logic to couple a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game;

logic to initiate a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee, further comprising logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client; and

logic to generate a data file sent in response to a request from the invitee client,

wherein the data file comprises a tag that indicates the game is located in a valid remote location and a location used to invoke the game client at the remote location.

11. The game and messenger client server system of claim 10, wherein remote location comprises a URL.

12. A game and messenger client server system, comprising:

a plurality of game clients;

a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients including the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game;

a plurality of messenger clients;

a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client;

logic to couple a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game; and

logic to initiate a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee, further comprising a census process, the census process counting a number of times the game client sends the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game.

13. A method of operating a multi-player game having a plurality of game clients and a plurality of messenger clients, the plurality of game clients and plurality of messenger clients in communication with a game server and a messenger server, the method comprising:

joining the game by sending a reference to the game to the game server;

sending, from an inviter game client to an inviter messenger client, data used to initiate joining the game;

sending a message including the data used to initiate joining the game to the messenger server;

routing the message to an invitee messenger client; and

using the data in the routed message to invoke a game client and join the game, further comprising displaying a game-specific icon identifying the game.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising changing the game-specific icon when the state of the inviter changes.

15. A method of operating a multi-player game having a plurality of game clients and a plurality of messenger clients, the plurality of game clients and plurality of messenger clients in communication with a game server and a messenger server, the method comprising:

joining the game by sending a reference to the game to the game server;

sending, from an inviter game client to an inviter messenger client, data used to initiate joining the game;

sending a message including the data used to initiate joining the game to the messenger server;

routing the message to an invitee messenger client;

using the data in the routed message to invoke a game client and join the game, further comprising sending a request for a game data file to the game server; and

sending a request for a game data file to the game server,

wherein the game data file includes a reference indicating the game is not supported.

16. A method of operating a multi-player game having a plurality of game clients and a plurality of messenger clients, the plurality of game clients and plurality of messenger clients in communication with a game server and a messenger server, the method comprising:

joining the game by sending a reference to the game to the game server;

sending, from an inviter game client to an inviter messenger client, data used to initiate joining the game;

sending a message including the data used to initiate joining the game to the messenger server;

routing the message to an invitee messenger client;

using the data in the routed message to invoke a game client and join the game, further comprising sending a request for a game data file to the game server; and

sending a request for a game data file to the game server,

wherein the game data file includes a reference used for loading the game from a remote location.

17. A method of operating a multi-player game having a plurality of game clients and a plurality of messenger clients, the plurality of game clients and plurality of messenger clients in communication with a game server and a messenger server, the method comprising:

joining the game by sending a reference to the game to the game server;

sending, from an inviter game client to an inviter messenger client, data used to initiate joining the game;

sending a message including the data used to initiate joining the game to the messenger server;

routing the message to an invitee messenger client;

using the data in the routed message to invoke a game client and join the game, further comprising sending a request for a game data file to the game server; and

sending a request for a game data file to the game server, further comprising counting a number of times a game client sends to a messenger client data used to initiate joining a game.

18. A game and messenger client server system, comprising:

a plurality of game clients;

a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients of the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game;

a plurality of messenger clients;

a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client;

logic to couple the game server to the messenger server to allow the game server to send the messenger server data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger server includes the data used to initiate joining a game; and

logic to initiate join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee.