Method and device for generating a game directory on an electronic gaming device

• US 8,128,501 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Theimer, Wolfgang, Decker, Peter, Meyer, Axel, Lehn, Karsten, Joeressen, Olaf, Huttula, Tomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US10/574,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,070 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list

Abstract

A method and a device for simplifying the forming of game parties in wireless communication networks is provided. A game directory is generated comprising all available (multi-player) games on a mobile device and exchanging said information between different gaming devices. Said game directory is generated by querying a memory accessible by said electronic gaming device for electronic games available for execution on, and generating a game directory having entries for each electronic game which is determined. Said game directory is then exchanged to visualize all available games to all potential game partners.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

querying a plurality of accessible memories of respective electronic gaming devices for determining electronic games available for execution on the respective electronic gaming devices, and

generating a game directory having entries for one or more of the determined electronic games that are common to at least two of the accessible memories of at least two respective electronic gaming devices.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

querying said at least two accessible memories for context data related to said one or more of the determined electronic games, and including said context data in said game directory.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said context data comprises information related to a multi-player ability of said electronic games.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said game directory comprises only multi-player enabled electronic games.

5. Computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 1.

6. Computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, downloadable from a server for carrying out the method of claim 1, when said program product is run on a computer or network device.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining to display the entries from the game directory on a display of one or more of the at least two respective electronic gaming devices; and

receiving selection data related to the displayed entries and determining to display the selection data on the display.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said game directory entries and said selection data are displayed as a whiteboard.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving and installing a game directory generation and game selection application.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining to send a request to retrieve and transfer said game directory entries.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a request to retrieve and transfer said game directory entries.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining to send a request to start a game to one or more of the at least two respective electronic gaming devices according to one or more selected entries from the game directory.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining participant information relating to one or more of the at least two respective electronic gaming devices; and

causing, at least in part, presentation, to one or more of the at least two respective electronic gaming devices, one or more game identifiers of the common games and the participant information.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

querying one or more of the at least two respective electronic gaming devices for context data related to the common games, and including the context data in the game directory.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the context data comprises information related to a multi-player ability of the determined electronic games.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the game directory comprises the common games that are multi-player.

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

query the memory and one or more accessible memories of respective electronic gaming devices for determining electronic games available for execution on the apparatus and the respective electronic gaming devices, and

generate a game directory having entries for one or more of the determined electronic games that are common to the memory and at least one of the accessible memories of at least one respective electronic gaming device.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

query the memory and the one or more accessible memories for context data related to the one or more of the determined electronic games, and

include the context data in the game directory.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the context data comprises information related to a multi-player ability of said electronic games.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the game directory comprises only multi-player enabled electronic games.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

determining to display the entries from the game directory on a display of the apparatus; and

receiving selection data related to the displayed entries and determining to display the selection data on the display.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said game directory entries and said selection data are displayed as a whiteboard.

23. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive and determine to install a game directory generation and game selection application.

24. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to send a request to retrieve and transfer said game directory entries.

25. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising receiving a request to retrieve and transfer said game directory entries.

26. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to send a request to start a game to any of the at least one respective electronic gaming device according to one or more selected entries from the game directory.