Discovery and distribution of game session information

• US 7,803,052 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Newson, Paul E., Multerer, Boyd C., VanAntwerp, Mark D., Anderson, Darren L., Koikawa, Mitsuo, Morais, Dinarte R.
• Primary Examiner(s): FRISBY, KESHA
• Application Number:
  US10/184,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20040002384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,014 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/42, 463/43, 463/30, 463/37
• 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 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity

Abstract

Discovery and distribution of game session security information includes receiving a request to generate a new game session from a computing device and maintaining a record of a game session identifier for the new game session and a game session key for the new game session, and making the new game session available for other computing devices to join. A request for information describing one or more of a plurality of game sessions may also be received and responded to with the information describing the one or more game sessions as well as a session key that can be used to communicate with at least one of the one or more other computing devices that are part of the game session.

Claims

1. A method of communicating between a server device and a plurality of game consoles comprising a first game console and a second game console on a network, the method being implemented in the server device and comprising:

receiving, at the server device, a request from the first game console for information describing one or more of a plurality of game sessions created by one or more of the plurality of game consoles other than the first game console, each of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions comprising;

a title identification (ID) field containing an identifier of a game being hosted at a second game console different from the first game console; and

a host address field containing a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the second game console, wherein;

each of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions is created at the second game console and is communicated between the second game console and the server device through a set of application programming interfaces (APIs); and

the set of application programming interfaces (APIs) is made available and exposed to the game hosted at the second game console to facilitate;

creation of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions at the second game console; and

search of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions by the plurality of game consoles; and

responding from the server device to the first game console with the information describing the one or more of the plurality of game sessions as well as one or more game session keys associated with the one or more of the plurality of game sessions, wherein;

each of the one or more game session keys is created at the second game console in order for the first game console to securely communicate to the second game console and to join the game hosted at the second game console; and

the information facilitates the first game console playing the game hosted at the second game console without the first game console being further routed through the server device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request includes one or more parameters describing the one or more of the plurality of game sessions about which the first game console desires to receive information.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a skill level of players in the one or more of the plurality of game sessions.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a game session ID.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein responding to the request further comprises returning to the first game console information allowing the first game console to join the one or more of the plurality of game sessions hosted by the one or more other hosting game consoles, and wherein the first game console and the one or more other hosting game consoles are each situated behind different network address translation (NAT) devices.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for game data exchange information from the first game console;

identifying a location of the requested game data; and

sending, to the first game console, an identifier of the location, wherein the identifier comprises the fully qualified address (XNADDR) of the location.

7. One or more computer storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server device from a first game console, a first request describing a new game session, the first request comprising;

a game session identifier for the new game session;

a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the hosting game console; and

a game session key for the new game session, wherein the game session key is created at the first game console or at the server device;

maintaining a record of the game session identifier for the new game session and the game session key for the new game session at the server device;

making the new game session available for one or more other game consoles to join;

receiving, from a second game console, a second request to search the new game session;

identifying, in response to the second request, the new game session; and

communicating information describing the new game session to the second game console such that the second game console establishes a secure communication with the first game console based on the information and the second game console joins a game hosted at the first game console without the second game console being further routed through the server device, wherein a set of application programming interface (APIs) is made available and exposed to the first game console, the second game console and the server device to facilitate;

creation of the new game session at the first game console;

search of the new game session initiated by the second game console; and

communication among the first game console, the second game console and the server device.

8. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises deleting the record when no game consoles are members of the new game session.

9. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a record of one or more attributes of the new game session.

10. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more attributes comprise a skill level of each of one or more players in the game session.

11. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a record of a number of slots in the game session that can be filled by invitation only.

12. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a record of information regarding the first game console that allows other game consoles to access the first game console, wherein the first game console and each of the other game consoles are each situated behind different network address translation (NAT) devices.

13. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the first game console-, an identifier of a location where game data is stored, wherein the identifier comprises the fully qualified address (XNADDR) of the location;

maintaining a record of the location; and

making the game data location available to other game consoles.

14. A method of communicating, over a network, between a match making server and a plurality of game consoles comprising a first and a second game console, the method being implemented in the match making server and comprising:

receiving, at the match making server from the first game console, an acceptance of an invitation to join a game session identifying a game hosted on the second game console and a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the second game console, wherein the game session;

is created and hosted by the second game console and created and communicated through a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) employing one or more match making functionalities between the server device and the second game console; and

comprises one or more public slots that are to be filled by one or more players each searching and joining the game session and one or more private slots that are to be filled by one or more players each accepting the invitation from the second game console;

retrieving, from a database, information describing the game session in response to the received request, the information comprising;

a game session key associated with the game session and created at the second game console-; and

current status of the one or more public slots and the one or more private slots within the game session; and

sending, from the match making server to the first game console, the game session key to be used by the first game console to securely communicate data with the second game console and one or more other game consoles in the game session on the basis of the current status of the one or more public slots and the one or more private slots of the game session, wherein neither the first game console nor the second game console comprises a server device.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein receiving the acceptance of the invitation comprises receiving a session search request including, as a search parameter, a game session ID of the game session.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a request for game data exchange information from the first game console;

identifying a location of the requested game data; and

sending, to the first game console, an identifier of the location, wherein the identifier comprises the fully qualified address (XNADDR) of the location.

17. A system implemented in a server device, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive one or more requests from one or more requesting game consoles regarding a plurality of game sessions each hosted by one or more of a plurality of hosting game consoles, and to respond to the one or more requesting game consoles with information regarding one or more of the plurality of game sessions, wherein the interface is implemented by a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) employing one or more match making functionalities between the server device and the one or more requesting game consoles and the one or more of the plurality of hosting game consoles; and

a database configured to maintain the information for each of the plurality of game sessions, wherein the information for each of the plurality of game sessions comprises;

a game session identifier to uniquely identify the game session;

a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR;

information regarding a number of slots configured to be filled by invitation sent from the one or more of the plurality of hosting game consoles only and a number of slot in the game session configured to be filled by the one or more requesting game consoles that join the game session via a match-making search through the server device; and

a game session key created at one or more of the plurality of hosting game consoles or at the server device to be used by game consoles that are part of the game session to securely communicate with one another.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the information for each of the plurality of game sessions further comprises information regarding the plurality of hosting game consoles that allows other game consoles to access each of the plurality of hosting game consoles, wherein each of the other game consoles and each of the plurality of hosting game consoles are situated behind different network address translation (NAT) devices.

19. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the interface is further configured to generate, for each of the plurality of hosting game sessions, the game session identifier and the game session key.

20. One or more computer storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method, the method comprising steps of:

sending from a hosting game console to a server device, a request that a game session is created and hosted at the hosting game console, the request comprising a game being hosted by the hosting game console and a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the hosting game console, wherein;

the game session is created and communicated through a set of application programming interfaces (APIs);

the set of APIs is made available and exposed to the game hosted at the hosting game console to facilitate creation of the game session; and

the game session comprises information regarding a number of slots configured to be filled by invitation sent from the hosting game console only and a number of slot configured to be filled by one or more other game consoles that join the game session via a match-making search through the server device; and

receiving, from the server device, both a game session identifier that uniquely identifies the game session and a game session key created at the hosting game console or the server device to be used to securely communicate with other members of the game session.

21. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises sending, as part of the request, one or more attributes of the game session.

22. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more processors are part of a game console.

23. One or more computer storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

sending from a hosting game console to a server device, a request facilitating a game session being created and hosted at the hosting game console, wherein the request comprises;

a game session identifier that uniquely identifies the game session;

a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the hosting game console;

information regarding a number of slots configured to be filled by invitation from the hosting game console only and a number of slot in the game session configured to be filled by other game consoles that join the game session via a match-making search through the server device; and

a game session key created at the hosting game console or the server device and utilized by the hosting game console to securely communicate with other members of the game session;

wherein the game session is created and communicated through a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) employing one or more match making functionalities between the hosting game console and the server device.

24. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 23, wherein the method further comprises sending, as part of the request, one or more attributes of the game session.

25. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are part of the hosting game console.

26. A game console comprising:

a processing unit;

a network interface configured to allow communication with other game consoles; and

a memory configured to store instructions for execution by the processing unit, wherein the instructions cause the processing unit to;

create and host a game session at the game console, the game session comprising;

a title identification (ID) field containing an identifier of a game being hosted at the game console;

a host address field containing a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the game console;

a game session key created by the game console or a server device and used by the game console in the game session to securely communicate data to each member in the game session; and

information regarding a number of slots configured to be filled by a first group of game consoles each receiving an invitation from the game console only and a number of slots configured to be filled by a second group of game consoles joining the game session via a match-making search through one or more server devices;

submit a request to one of the one or more server devices to make the game session available for one or more from the second group to join; and

invite one or more of the first group to join the game session.

27. A game console method as recited in claim 26, wherein the game console and the first and second group of game consoles are each situated on a home-based local area network behind different network address translation (NAT) devices.

28. A game console method as recited in claim 26, wherein the fully qualified address (XNADDR) allows each member in the game session to traverse the network address translation devices.