Multi-user interactive communication network environment

• US 7,908,324 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Shochet, Joe, Ranalli, Darren, Schell, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava; Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu; Lin
• Application Number:
  US10/677,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,722 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for initiating communication in real-time between two users in a multi-user communication environment. To limit the receipt of unwanted messages, a unique code is provided to a first user and transmitted by the first user to a second user outside of the multi-user communication environment. The second user may then initiate real-time communication with the first user after the code is authenticated in the multi-user communication environment. To ensure secure and comprehensible communications, at least one word may be selected from a first menu having a plurality of words to enable a second menu comprising a plurality of words. A string is formed by selecting at least one of a word from the second menu which string may then be communicated to at least one of a user or a program in the multi-user communication environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

limiting communication between users in a multi-user communication environment to a menu-driven system until an authenticated relationship is established between the users, wherein the menu-driven system is limited to exchange of chat messages selected from a pre-prepared library of chat messages;

receiving a request for a unique code by a first user at the multi-user communication environment;

generating the unique code by the multi-user communication environment;

providing the unique code generated by the multi-user communication environment to the first user in the multi-user communication environment;

responsive to transmission of the unique code from the first user to a second user via a communication path outside of multi-user communication environment;

receiving the unique code from the second user at the multi-user communication environment;

establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user in response to receipt by the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user; and

enabling free form communication between the first user and the second user in response to establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein the free form communication is not restricted to the pre-prepared library of chat messages, and the free form communication acts as private chat between users having an authenticated relationship only.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unique code is provided to the first user by the multi-user communication environment.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the multi-user communication environment is an online multiplayer gaming environment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unique code is transmitted by the first user to the second user through at least one of an email program, a telephone conversation, a handwritten note, a chat room program, direct communication, a instant message program, and a facsimile.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first user initiates real-time and secure communication with the second user after the unique code is authenticated in the multi-user environment;

and further wherein the pre-prepared chat messages correspond to one or more gaming functions.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the code comprises a sequence of symbols.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the code comprises a sequence of alpha-numeric symbols.

8. A non-transitory computer readable media having instructions for facilitating communication in real-time between users in a multi-user communication environment, the instructions performing steps comprising:

limiting communication between users in a multi-user communication environment to a menu-driven system until an authenticated relationship is established between the users, wherein the menu-driven system is limited to exchange of chat messages selected from a pre-prepared library of chat messages;

receiving a request for a unique code by a first user at the multi-user communication environment;

generating the unique code by the multi-user communication environment;

providing the unique code generated by the multi-user communication environment to the first user in the multi-user communication environment;

responsive to transmission of the unique code from the first user to a second user via a communication path outside of multi-user communication environment;

receiving the unique code from the second user at the multi-user communication environment;

establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user in response to receipt by the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user; and

enabling free form communication between the first user and the second user in response to establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein the free form communication is not restricted to the menu-driven system of the pre-prepared library of chat messages, and the free form communication acts as private chat between users having an authenticated relationship only.

9. The computer readable media according to claim 8, wherein the unique code is a random sequence of symbols generated by the multi-user communication environment.

10. The readable media according to claim 8, wherein the multi-user environment is an online multiplayer gaming environment.

11. The readable media according to claim 10, wherein the unique code is provided to the first user in response to a request by the first user;

and further wherein the pre-prepared chat messages correspond to one or more gaming functions.

12. The computer readable media according to claim 8, wherein the unique code is valid for a limited period of time.

13. A method for initiating free form communication between a plurality of users in a multi-user gaming environment via an exchange of words selected from a menu of predetermined words determined by the gaming environment, the method comprising:

establishing predetermined word communication via an exchange of words selected from the menu between a first user and at least one second user in the multi-user gaming environment, wherein the menu comprises a pre-prepared library of words;

receiving a request for a unique code by the first user at the multi-user gaming environment;

generating the unique code by the multi-user gaming environment;

providing the unique code generated by the multi-user gaming environment to the first user in the multi-user gaming environment during the exchange of words selected from the menu of predetermined words between the first user and the at least one second user;

responsive to transmission of the unique code to the at least one second user via a communication path outside of the multi-user gaming environment;

receiving the unique code from the at least one second user at the multi-user gaming environment;

establishing an authenticated relationship between the first user and the at least one second user in response to receipt by the multi-user gaming environment of the unique code from the at least one second user; and

the environment permitting the first and at least second users to thereafter communicate via free form secure communication when the unique code has been authenticated by the multi-user gaming environment, wherein the free form secure communication is not restricted to the menu comprising a pre-prepared library of words and the free form communication acts as private chat between users having authenticated relationship only.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the menu of predetermined words includes a predetermined set of word commands.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the unique code is provided in response to a request by one of the users.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the unique code is valid only for a limited time.

17. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable storage medium, in operable connection with the one or more processors, having a program of instructions executable by the one or more processors, the program of instructions comprising;

code configured to limit communication between users in a multi-user online game to a menu-driven system of pre-prepared chat messages until an authenticated relationship is established between the users, the menu-driven system of pre-prepared chat messages comprising a set of pre-prepared chat messages associated with one or more game actions of the multi-user online game

code configured to receive a request of a unique code by a first user at the multi-user online game;

code configured to generate the unique code by the multi-user online game;

code configured to provide the unique code generated by the multi-user online game to the first user in the multi-user online game;

code configured to receive the unique code from a second user at the multi-user online game;

code configured to enable establishment of the authenticated relationship between users; and

code configured to enable free form communication between the first user and the second user in response to establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein the authenticated relationship is established via exchange of the unique code between the users;

wherein the menu-driven system of pre-prepared chat messages prevents transmission of the secret code between the first user and the second user via the multi-user online game.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the code configured to enable establishment of the authenticated relationship between users further comprises:

code providing a first user the secret code in response to a request of the first user for the secret code; and

code for receiving and authenticating the secret code from the second user.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the pre-prepared chat messages are restricted to a stored library configured to essentially eliminate certain communications between the users.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the menu-driven system of pre-prepared chat messages further comprises:

a first menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a first user in a first language, the first menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with identifiers;

a second menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a second user in a second language, the second menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with the identifiers;

wherein the program of instructions further comprises;

code configured to permit communication between the first user and the second user via association of one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the first language with one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the second language via the identifiers.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the menu-driven system of pre-prepared chat messages is dynamically updated to reflect game tasks.