Computer system and method for implementing a virtual reality environment for a multi-player game

• US 6,767,287 B1
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mcquaid, Brad D., Clover, Steven John, Uzun, William Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/810,587
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/30-32, 463/40, 463/42, 463/29, 345/419-420, 345/473, 345/949, 345/957, 345/733-737, 340/323.R, 709/200, 709/223-225, 700/91-92
• 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 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6615 using models with different levels of detail [LOD]
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A on-line multi-player virtual reality game is provided. The game utilizes a computer system having at least one virtual reality world server and a plurality of area servers, where unique geographic areas within the virtual reality world are provided by the area servers. The world server is responsible for the overall administration of the virtual reality world including the area servers.

Claims

1. A computer system for implementing a virtual reality environment, said virtual reality environment being programmed in software and supporting a multi-user community, said computer system comprising:

a computer server complex including at least one world server and a plurality of area servers, all of said servers running said software to provide at least one virtual reality world within said virtual reality environment, said at least one world server including a processor and running software responsible for administering said at least one virtual reality world within said virtual reality environment, each of said area servers including a processor and running software responsible for administering at least one unique virtual geographic area within a respective one of said virtual reality worlds;

a local area network; and

a telecommunications complex connected to said local area network and providing a connection to a plurality of user computers, said user computers each including a processor for running software for providing an interface to said virtual reality environment, said plurality of personal computers used by said multi-user community for interacting in said virtual reality environment, each of said plurality of user computers being directly connected to one of said areas servers through said local area network for direct communications with said area server without connection through an intermediate server.

2. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of computer server complexes, each of said computer server complexes running said software so as to provide a plurality of said virtual reality worlds.

3. A method of administering a computer system for implementing a virtual reality environment, said virtual reality environment being programmed in software and supporting a multi-user community, said computer system including a login server, at least one world server and plurality of area servers that manipulate avatars, said at least one world server including a processor for running software responsible for administering at least one unique world within said virtual reality environment, said plurality of area servers running software responsible for administering respective unique virtual geographic areas within said at least one unique world, said method comprising:

logging a user computer into said virtual reality environment through said login server;

selecting a geographic area within said virtual reality environment;

assigning at least one of said area servers to directly connect to said user computer over a local area network based on said virtual geographic area selection for direct communications with said assigned area server without connection through an intermediate server;

administering said virtual reality environment with said assigned area server while an avatar is controlled by said user computer, said avatar remaining within said unique virtual geographic area of said virtual unique world associated with said assigned area server; and

changing the administering of said virtual reality environment for said avatar to a different area server when said avatar exits said unique virtual geographic area associated with said assigned area server and enters a different unique virtual geographic area associated with said different area server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said computer system is connected to a telecommunications network, the method further comprising logging said user computer into said telecommunications network.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said computer system further includes a patch server, the method further comprising updating software on said user computers with said patch server.

6. A computer-readable media for storing instructions, said instructions directed to a method of administering a computer system for implementing a virtual reality environment, said virtual reality environment being programmed in software and supporting a multi-user community, said computer system including a login server, a plurality of world servers and plurality of area servers that manipulate avatars, said plurality of world servers running software responsible for administering unique virtual worlds within said virtual reality environment, each of said area servers running software responsible for administering a unique virtual geographic area within respective ones of said unique virtual worlds, said computer instructions including instructions for:

logging a user computer into said virtual reality environment through said login server;

selecting a virtual geographic area within one of said unique virtual worlds reality environment;

assigning one of said area servers to said user computer based on said virtual geographic area selection and directly connecting said user computer over a local area network to said assigned area server for direct communications with said assigned area server without connection through an intermediate server;

administering said virtual reality environment with said assigned area server while an avatar is controlled by said user computer, said avatar remaining within said virtual geographic area associated with said assigned area server; and

changing the administering of said virtual reality environment for said avatar to a different area server when said avatar exits said virtual geographic area of a virtual world associated with said assigned area server and enters a different virtual geographic area of said virtual world associated with a different one of said area servers.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 6 wherein said computer system is connected to a telecommunications network, said computer-readable media further including instructions for logging said user computer into said telecommunications network.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 6 wherein computer system further includes a patch server, said computer-readable media further including instructions for updating software on said user computers with said patch server.

9. A method of administering a computer system for implementing a game in a virtual reality environment, said virtual reality environment programmed in software and supporting a plurality of users, said computer system including a login server, at least one world server, a plurality of area servers and a plurality of user computers, said method comprising:

utilizing said login server to log users into said virtual reality environment;

utilizing software to facilitate the creation of avatars by users within said virtual reality environment;

utilizing said at least one world server to administer operation of avatars within a virtual reality world of said virtual reality environment; and

utilizing said area servers to administer virtual activity of avatars within unique virtual geographic areas within said virtual reality world by directly connecting said user computers over a local area network to said area servers for direct communications with said area servers without connection through an intermediate server.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising utilizing a plurality of world servers to implement a plurality of virtual reality worlds, wherein different virtual geographic areas of said plurality of area servers are used as said avatars change unique virtual geographic areas within said virtual reality worlds.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising utilizing said at least one central administration server to monitor operations within said virtual reality environment including virtual activity within said virtual reality worlds.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising utilizing a test server to enable users to operate avatars to test beta versions of game software upgrades in isolation from users playing non-beta versions of said virtual reality game.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising utilizing a patch server to provide software updates to said user computers.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said computer system is connected to a telecommunications network, said step of utilizing said login server to log users into said virtual reality environment comprises connecting said user computers through said telecommunications network.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising utilizing a local area network to connect said at least one world server to said plurality of area servers.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said computer system further comprises a central administration server, and at least one local area network, said central administration server being connected to at least one world server through said local area network, said method further comprising utilizing said central administration server to monitor said virtual reality worlds of said plurality of area servers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said central administration server is also utilized to detect errors during operation of said plurality of area severs.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said computer system further comprises a chat server connected to said telecommunications network, said method comprises utilizing said chat server to facilitate online communication between said users.