Method for authenticating a user in an interactive gaming environment

• US 7,930,345 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Eiko Erika, Fernandes, Brian, McCarroll, William, Dhupelia, Shekhar V., Van Datta, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/839,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/205, 463/29, 463/24, 463 40- 43
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 : Pattern matching access

Abstract

Methods for creating an interactive gaming environment are provided. In various embodiments, methods of the present invention may include initializing an interactive game application at a game server which is then characterized as having an active status, notifying a lobby server concerning the active status of the game server, registering the application with a universe management server via the lobby server, and allowing users to join the interactive gaming environment. The users joining the interactive gaming environment may be identified by a server key obtained from the game server.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user in an interactive gaming environment, comprising:

receiving a request for access to the interactive gaming environment from the user; and

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor;

assigns the requesting user a session key,

receives account login information from the requesting user,

assigns the requesting user to a lobby server following a determination that the login information qualifies the user for access to the interactive gaming environment, the lobby server associated with the interactive gaming environment,

verifies that the session key is assigned to the lobby server, and

allows the requesting user to participate in the interactive gaming environment via the lobby server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the session key is associated with a privilege level for determining a level of access granted to the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the privilege level is promoted to a universe manager server for granting access during user participation in the interactive gaming environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the session key remains active during user participation in the interactive gaming environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination that the login information qualifies the user for access to the interactive gaming environment includes verifying that the user has paid a fee.

6. The method of claim 1, further including processing the request for access using load balancing.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a transaction record in a transaction data server, the transaction record including the request for access by the user and an indication of a success or failure of the request.

8. A system for authenticating a user in an interactive gaming environment, comprising:

an authentication server configured to;

receive a request for access to the interactive gaming environment from a user,

assign the requesting user a session key,

receive account login information from the requesting user,

assign the requesting user to a lobby server following a determination that the login information qualifies the user for access to the interactive gaming environment, the lobby server associated with the interactive gaming environment, and

verify that the session key is assigned to the lobby server; and

a lobby server for allowing the requesting user to participate in the interactive gaming environment.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a transaction data server for storing a transaction record, wherein the transaction record includes the request for access by the user and an indication of a success or failure of the request.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the session key is associated with a privilege level for determining a level of access granted to the user.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a universe manager server for granting a level of access to the user participating in the interactive gaming environment.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for authenticating a user in an interactive gaming environment, the method comprising:

receiving a request for access to the interactive gaming environment from the user;

assigning the requesting user a session key;

receiving account login information from the requesting user;

assigning the requesting user to a lobby server following a determination that the login information qualifies the user for access to the interactive gaming environment, the lobby server associated with the interactive gaming environment;

verifying that the session key is assigned to the lobby server; and

allowing the requesting user to participate in the interactive gaming environment via the lobby server.