Collaborative online gaming system and method

• US 8,038,535 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Jensen, Jesper
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/435,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• 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 2300/531 Server assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/55 Details of game data or player data management
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• 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: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for collaborative online gaming, including at least one of providing a central repository master browser system; providing an experience calibrated match-making service; providing a dynamic multiplayer server component auto deployment and aggregation system; providing a lobby centric simultaneous and collaborative client game play launching feature; and providing a video game screen over-layer technology giving users access to a control interface while inside a video game being played.

Claims

1. A method for collaborative online gaming, comprising the steps of:

enabling access to a central repository master browser system that shows games currently running or available to run on one or more computer processors as well as on a plurality of servers communicately coupled to the one or more computer processors over communications links;

processing statistical data representative of experience levels of players of the games and comparing the statistical data for different players;

automatically deploying additional ones of said plurality of servers as said games fill up with players, said deploying being based on one or more of predetermined triggers and pre-emptive algorithms including how many user defined game instances have been launched and what anticipated end user demand will be;

inviting players interested in joining a game into a game lobby where the players can collaborate on the configuration of the game; and

launching the game play from the game lobby at an agreed upon time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising supplying video game screen over-layer technology effective to give players access to a video game control interface while inside a video game being played.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing the method via a computer program product including one or more computer-readable instructions embedded on a computer readable medium and configured to cause one or more computer processors to perform the steps of the method.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing the method via one or more hardware and software components configured to perform the steps of the method.

5. A system of collaborative online gaming, comprising:

means for enabling access to a central repository master browser system that shows games currently running or available to run on one or more computer processors as well as on a plurality of servers communicately coupled to the one or more computer processors over communications links;

means for processing statistical data representative of experience levels of players of the games and comparing the statistical data for different players;

means for automatically deploying additional ones of said plurality of servers as said games fill up with players, said deploying being based on one or more of predetermined triggers and pre-emptive algorithms including how many user defined game instances have been launched and what anticipated end user demand will be;

means for inviting players interested in joining a game into a game lobby where the players can collaborate on the configuration of the game;

means for launching the game play from the game lobby at an agreed upon time; and

means for providing a video game screen over-layer technology giving users access to a video game control interface while inside a video game being played.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for providing a framework included as part of a backend for implementing the system.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the system includes a computer program product including one or more computer-readable instructions embedded on a computer readable medium and configured to cause one or more computer processors to implement the system.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the system includes one or more hardware and software components configured to implement the system.

9. A computer program product for collaborative online gaming including one or more computer-readable instructions embedded on a non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to cause one or more computer processors to perform the steps of:

enabling access to a central repository master browser system that shows games currently running or available to run on the one or more computer processors as well as on a plurality of servers communicately coupled to the one or more computer processors over communications links;

processing statistical data representative of experience levels of players of the games and comparing the statistical data for different players;

automatically deploying additional ones of said plurality of servers as said games fill up with players, said deploying being based on one or more of predetermined triggers and pre-emptive algorithms including how many user defined game instances have been launched and what anticipated end user demand will be;

inviting players interested in joining a game into a game lobby where the players can collaborate on the configuration of the game; and

launching the game play from the game lobby at an agreed upon time.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, comprising further instructions embedded on the non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to cause the one or more computer processors to perform the step of providing a framework included as part of a backend for performing the steps of the method.