System and method for two way communication and controlling content in a game

• US 8,171,145 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infrared5, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brass Monkey, Inc.
• Inventors: Allen, Christopher, Burton, Trevor, Zupko, Andrew, Accattato, Dominik
• Primary Examiner(s): TANG, KAREN C
• Application Number:
  US13/041,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/204, 709/205, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2567 for reachability, e.g. inquiring the address of a correspondent behind a NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A method for two way communication and control of a game may include executing, by a host device in communication with a computer network, a game application within a web browser. A communication channel is established over the computer network and between the game application and a controller application running on an endpoint device. Data is sent over the communication channel for controlling and playing the game application within the game application. A system for two way communication and control of a game is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a game, the method comprising:

executing, by a host device in communication with a computer network, a game application within a web browser having a security policy that restricts browser applications from communicating over the computer network;

determining, by a server device, whether the game application and a controller application executing on a wireless endpoint device are compatible with each other, the controller application being able to display game controller functions on the endpoint device;

if compatibility is determined, sending, from the server device to the game application, a private network address of the endpoint device so that the game application and the controller application can subsequently create an exception in the security policy of the web browser to allow subsequent establishment of a direct communication channel between the game application and the controller application for playing the game; and

sending loss-tolerant and loss-sensitive data, by the controller application, the game application, or both, to one another over the communication channel for controlling and playing the game application, through the controller functions, within the web browser.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of establishing the communication channel includes opening at least one socket connection between the host device and the endpoint device.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of opening includes creating a first socket connection for carrying the loss-sensitive data.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of creating includes actualizing the first socket connection as a TCP connection.

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of creating includes delivering, over the first socket connection, one or more of:

game control data;

button press data;

game initialization data; and

game controller initialization data.

6. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of establishing includes creating a second socket connection for carrying the loss-tolerant data.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of creating includes actualizing the second socket connection as a UDP connection.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of creating includes delivering, over the second socket connection, one or more of:

accelerometer data;

video data;

audio data; and

vibration command data.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller application is a downloadable, mobile application.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of sending includes transmitting and receiving the data over the communication channel, independent of the server device.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising determining, by the server device, whether the endpoint device and the host device are connected to a same local area network;

and

if it is so determined, sending, by the server device, a communication to the endpoint device, the host device, or both that allows the game application and the controller application to establish the direct communication channel.

12. A system for controlling a game within a web browser, the system comprising:

a host device including an instruction set for executing a game application within a web browser having a security policy that restricts communication by the game application across a computer network;

a wireless endpoint device including an instruction set for executing a controller application which can display control functions on the endpoint device, and for sending, to the host device over the computer network, data configured to create an exception in the security policy to allow for subsequent communication of game-related data, across the computer network, between the game application and the controller application for playing the game;

a server device including an instruction set to determine whether the game application and the controller application are compatible with each other and, if compatibility is determined, to send a private network address of the endpoint device to the game application so that the game application and the controller application can subsequently establish the security exception; and

a direct communication channel established to carry loss-tolerant and loss-sensitive data for controlling and playing the game application, through the controller functions, between the game application and the controller application.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the communication channel includes at least one socket connection.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein a first socket connection is configured to carry the loss-sensitive data.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the first socket connection is a TCP connection.

16. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the loss-sensitive data includes one or more of:

game control data;

button press data;

game initialization data; and

game controller initialization data.

17. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein a second socket connection is configured to carry the loss-tolerant data.

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the second socket connection is a UDP connection.

19. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the loss-tolerant data includes one or more of:

accelerometer data;

video data;

audio data; and

vibration command data.

20. A method of controlling a game within a web browser, the method comprising:

within a web browser having a security policy that restricts browser application from communicating over a computer network, executing, by a host device in communication with the computer network, a game application;

running, by a wireless endpoint device, a controller application configured to communicate with the game application and display controller functions, on the endpoint device, for controlling and playing the game application;

determining, by a server device, whether the game application and the controller application are compatible with each other;

if compatibility is determined, sending, from the server device to the game application, over the computer network, a private network address of the endpoint device so that the game application and the controller application can subsequently create an exception in the security policy of the web browser and allow the game application, the controller application, or both to establish a TCP socket connection and a UDP socket connection between the game application and the controller application for playing the game; and

sending, by the game application, the controller application, or both, loss-sensitive game data over the TCP socket and loss-tolerant game data over the UDP socket for playing the game.