Banning verbal communication to and from a selected party in a game playing system
First Claim
1. For use with an electronic game played on at least one multiplayer game console having a capability to provide verbal communication between players of games being played on said at least one multiplayer game console, a method for preventing verbal communication by a specific player, comprising the steps of:
- (a) maintaining data for each player participating in a game;
(b) including an indicator in the data, said indicator referencing the specific player who is precluded from verbally communicating during at least one of;
(i) a current game session played with another player who has chosen not to verbally communicate with the specific player;
(ii) all games played with another player who has chosen not to verbally communicate with the specific player;
(iii) all games played by the specific player over a network and using a specific online game service; and
(iv) all games played by the specific player using any multiplayer game console; and
(c) responding to the indicator in the data by automatically preventing verbal communication with the specific player in accord with said at least one of subparagraphs (i)-(iv) of step (b).
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Voice communication between players using one or more multiplayer game console is selectively controlled. A player may selectively block voice communications with another player during a current and any future games. In addition, an authorized party (e.g., a parent) can selectively preclude voice communication by a minor child by setting an option that is uploaded to an online game service service; the minor child is then precluded from voice communication on any voice console via the online game service. Also, a player may be temporarily or permanently banned from voice communication during games played through an online game service in response to complaints made by other players concerning the player'"'"'s behavior in voice communication while playing games, e.g., excessive use of profanity. When a player signs on to the online game service, data are downloaded to the game console that indicate any applicable restraints on voice communication.
151 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. For use with an electronic game played on at least one multiplayer game console having a capability to provide verbal communication between players of games being played on said at least one multiplayer game console, a method for preventing verbal communication by a specific player, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) maintaining data for each player participating in a game;
(b) including an indicator in the data, said indicator referencing the specific player who is precluded from verbally communicating during at least one of;
(i) a current game session played with another player who has chosen not to verbally communicate with the specific player;
(ii) all games played with another player who has chosen not to verbally communicate with the specific player;
(iii) all games played by the specific player over a network and using a specific online game service; and
(iv) all games played by the specific player using any multiplayer game console; and
(c) responding to the indicator in the data by automatically preventing verbal communication with the specific player in accord with said at least one of subparagraphs (i)-(iv) of step (b). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A system for preventing verbal communication by a specific player during play of an electronic game, comprising:
-
(a) a multiplayer game console having a processor, a network interface adapted for communicating over a network with at least one other multiplayer game console, and a memory in which are stored machine instructions for causing the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, said functions including executing an instance of a game; and
(b) verbal communication input and output devices for each player who will be verbally communicating during the game, each verbal communication input and output device being adapted to connect to the multiplayer game console and including;
(i) a sound sensor that produces an input signal indicative of sound incident on the sound sensor; and
(ii) a sound transducer that produces an audible sound in response to an output signal that is applied to the sound transducer;
(c) said machine instructions causing the processor to preclude a specific player from verbally communicating during at least one of;
(i) a current game session played with another player who has chosen not to verbally communicate with the specific player;
(ii) all games played with another player who has chosen not to verbally communicate with the specific player;
(iii) all games played by the specific player over a network and using a specific online game service; and
(iv) all games played by the specific player using any multiplayer game console. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method for controlling verbal communication between players who play electronic games on at least one multiplayer game console that is generally capable of supporting verbal communications between players, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) automatically identifying a specific player who is precluded from verbally communicating with at least one other player participating in an electronic game by accessing data maintained by an online game service that indicate the specific player, the data being accessed over a network; and
(b) in response to the identification of the specific player, preventing the specific player from verbally communicating with said at least one other player during play of the electronic game on said at least one multiplayer game console. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification