Configuration switching: dynamically changing between network communication architectures

• US 7,421,471 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Van Datta, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Van Kim T
• Application Number:
  US10/211,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20030217158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,225 Days
• Field of Search: 709/209, 709/204, 709/205, 709225-226, 709227-228
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1091 Interfacing with client-server systems or between P2P systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-user application that is configured to operate in various network communication configurations and that can dynamically change communication configurations during an online session of the application. One of the network communication configurations is a client-server configuration, wherein network computers, including at least one server computer and at least one client computer, participate in an online session of the application. The server computer serves application-related data to the client computer during the online session. In another communication configuration of the application, the network computers operate in a peer-to-peer configuration wherein the network computers have the ability to both serve data to and receive data from any of the other network computers that are participating in the online session. The application can switch between the communication configurations during an online session, and is not limited to one or the other for all the computers.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically configuring an online session of a multi-user application, comprising:

establishing an online session of a multi-user application, the online session including at least two computers that are each executing an instance of the multi-user application and that are communicatively linked over a computer network;

setting the online session of the multi-user application in a first communication configuration type in which the computers communicate with each other; and

during the online session, changing the communication configuration type of the online session from the first configuration type to a second communication configuration type that differs from the first communication configuration type, wherein the change in communication configuration type is based on a state of the established communication connections for the online session, the changing of the communication configuration type is by changing the communication protocol by selecting a new port or network socket through which an instance of the application communicates over the computer network.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first communication configuration type is a client-server configuration.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first communication configuration type is a peer-to-peer configuration.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, additionally comprising assigning responsibility for functionality associated with execution of the multi-user application to a first computer participating in the online session and then re-assigning responsibility for the functionality to a second computer based upon a change of conditions in the online session.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, additionally comprising assigning responsibility for other functionality associated with execution of the multi-user application to a second computer that is participating in the online session.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the online session is established through a dedicated server computer that is communicatively linked to the computer network.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of computers are included in the online session, and at least one of the computers is communicating with the other computers using a peer-to-peer communications configuration type and at least one of the computers is communicating with the others using a client-server communications configuration type.

8. A system that dynamically configures an online session of a multi-user application, the system comprising one or more processors that execute program instructions and receive a data set, wherein the program instructions cause the system to perform operations including:

establishing an online session of a multi-user application, the online session including at least two computers that are each executing an instance of the multi-user application and that are communicatively linked over a computer network;

setting the online session of the multi-user application in a first communication configuration type in which the computers communicate with each other;

during the online session, changing the communication configuration type of the online session from the first configuration type to a second communication configuration type that differs from the first communication configuration type, the changing of the communication configuration type based on a state of the established communication connections for the online session, the changing of the communication configuration type is by changing the communication protocol by selecting a new port or network socket through which an instance of the application communicates over the computer network.

9. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the first communication configuration type is a client-server configuration.

10. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the first communication configuration type is a peer-to-peer configuration.

11. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the system includes a plurality of computers that are included in the online session, and at least one of the computers is communicating with the others using a peer-to-peer communications configuration type and at least one of the computers is communicating with the others using a client-server communications configuration type.

12. A program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method of dynamically configuring an online session of a multi-user application, the program product, wherein the program steps comprise:

establishing an online session of a multi-user application, the online session including at least two computers that are each executing an instance of the multi-user application and that are communicatively linked over a computer network;

setting the online session of the multi-user application in a first communication configuration type in which the computers communicate with each other;

during the online session, changing the communication configuration type of the online session from the first configuration type to a second communication configuration type that differs from the first communication configuration type, the change in communication configuration type based on a state of the established communication connections for the online session, the changing of the communication configuration type is by changing the communication protocol by selecting a new port or network socket through which an instance of the application communicates over the computer network.

13. A program product as defined in claim 12, wherein the first communication configuration type is a client-server configuration.

14. A program product as defined in claim 12, wherein the first communication configuration type is a peer-to-peer configuration.