Instant messaging embedded games

• US 7,549,924 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ryan, Donald R., Iverson, Kristofer N., Trussel, Bryan G., David, Jonathan T., Canessa, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harper; Tramar
• Application Number:
  US10/435,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20040224772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• 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 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• 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 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• 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 2300/61 : Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 : involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 : Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Instant messaging systems and methods are disclosed. The systems and methods allow users to play competitive and collaborative games using an instant messaging client application. The client application may create a user interface screen that includes an instant messaging region or window for exchanging instant messages and a game region or window for playing games.

Claims

1. A method of providing a game to at least two users of an instant messaging service while the at least two users are engaged in an instant messaging session, the method comprising:

in a user interface of an instant messaging system on a computing device, the user interface having a first region for exchanging instant messages and a second region for displaying available games, commencing an instant messaging session in the first region in which a first user exchanges instant messages with one or more other users, the one or more other users being members of the first user'"'"'s buddy list;

displaying a list of games in the second region while the first user is communicating with the one or more other users in the first region;

upon the first user selecting one of the games, the selection being made while the first user is communicating with the one or more other users in the first region, transmitting a game module to the first and the one or more other users; and

the first user commencing to play the selected game in the second region of the user interface with the one or more other users such that the first user plays the game with the one or more other users with whom the first user was exchanging instant messages at the time the first user selected the game, and wherein the first user and the one or more other users form a team in the selected game in which the team competes against additional users, wherein the first user exchanges instant messages with the one or more other users only in the first region of the user interface and wherein the user interface further includes a third region in which the first user exchanges instant messages only with the additional users against whom the team is competing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game module comprises a complete game application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a competitive game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a collaborative game.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a competitive and collaborative game.

6. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting game statistics to the first user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the game statistics comprise an identification of which members of the first user'"'"'s buddy list who have played at least one predetermined game.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the game statistics further comprise an identification of which members of the first user'"'"'s buddy list who have not played the at least one predetermined game.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the game statistics comprise one or more user handicaps, tournament ladder data or event ladder data.

10. The method of claim 9, further including using the game statistics for sorting.

11. The method of claim 1, further including creating a game tournament between the first user and at least a portion of members of the first user'"'"'s buddy list.

12. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting to at least the first user promotional data describing a premium version of the game.

13. The method of claim 12, further including transmitting the premium version of the game to the first user in response to a request from the first user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the game module is transferred from a server to the first user and the one or more other users.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the list of games includes all available games and an indication of the games that the first user has rights to play.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the indication of the games that the first user has rights to play comprises an icon.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more other users are members of the first user'"'"'s buddy list.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and the one or more other users comprise a team.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the user interface has a third region and wherein the method further comprises:

permitting all members of the first user'"'"'s buddy list to communicate in the first region of the user interface; and

permitting only members of the team to communicate in the third region.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a selectable link while the first user is communicating with the one or more other users in the first region, and in response to the first user selecting the link, displaying the list of games.

21. A computer-readable storage medium containing stored computer-executable instructions which when executed perform a method of providing a game to at least two users of an instant messaging service while the at least two users are engaged in an instant messaging session, the method comprising:

in a user interface of an instant messaging system on a computing device, the user interface having a first region for exchanging instant messages and a second region for displaying available games, commencing an instant messaging session in the first region in which a first user exchanges instant messages with one or more other users, the one or more other users being members of the first user'"'"'s buddy list;

displaying a list of games in the second region during the instant messaging session between the first user and the one or more other users;

upon the first user selecting one of the games, the selection being made during the instant messaging session between the first user and the one or more other users, transmitting a game module to the first and the one or more other user; and

the first user commencing to play the selected game in the second region of the user interface with the one or more other users such that the first user plays the game with the one or more other users with whom the first user was exchanging instant messages at the time the first user selected the game, and wherein the first user and the one or more other users form a team in the selected game in which the team competes against additional users, wherein the first user exchanges instant messages with the one or more other users only in the first region of the user interface and wherein the user interface further includes a third region in which the first user exchanges instant messages only with the additional users against whom the team is competing.