Method and apparatus for adjustment of game parameters based on measurement of user performance

• US 8,523,660 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Jacob, Mark Lester
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US13/183,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20110269528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 463/6, 463/7, 463/9, 463/23, 463/36, 463 39- 43
• US Class Current: 463/23
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for adjustment of game parameters based on users'"'"' performance are described. During play of a game a user'"'"'s performance is monitored. It is then determined if the player'"'"'s performance is within a desired range of performance, and game parameters are adjusted if the user'"'"'s performance is outside the desired range. In a multi-player game, parameters can be adjusted differently for each of the players to make the overall game play more competitive.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting game parameters in a multi-user game, the method comprising:

receiving profiles of two or more users in the multi-user game from at least one control interface used by the users to interact with the multi-user game;

adjusting game options for the respective users based upon their respective profiles;

monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance in playing the multi-user game while the users are playing the multi-user game, wherein monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance comprises monitoring movements of a motion sensing input device being manipulated by each user;

determining if the users'"'"' relative performance while the users are playing the multi-user game is within a desired range of performance; and

dynamically adjusting game parameters for one or more of the users while the users are playing the multi-user game if the relative performance of the users is outside the desired range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting game parameters comprises limiting game options available to one of the users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting game parameters comprises enhancing game options available to one of the users.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving statistics about typical player interaction with the multi-user game; and

obtaining the desired range of performance by using the received statistics.

5. A method of adjusting game parameters in a multi-user game, the method comprising:

receiving profiles of two or more users in the multi-user game from at least one control interface used by the users to interact with the multi-user game;

adjusting game options for the respective users based upon their respective profiles;

monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance in playing the multi-user game while the users are playing the multi-user game, wherein monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance comprises detecting the respective user'"'"'s reaction to audio stimuli;

determining if the users'"'"' relative performance while the users are playing the multi-user game is within a desired range of performance; and

dynamically adjusting game parameters for one or more of the users while the users are playing the multi-user game if the relative performance of the users is outside the desired range.

6. A method of adjusting game parameters in a multi-user game, the method comprising:

receiving profiles of two or more users in the multi-user game from at least one control interface used by the users to interact with the multi-user game;

adjusting game options for the respective users based upon their respective profiles;

monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance in playing the multi-user game while the users are playing the multi-user game, wherein monitoring the user'"'"'s relative performance comprises detecting the respective user'"'"'s reaction to visual stimuli;

determining if the users'"'"' relative performance while the users are playing the multi-user game is within a desired range of performance; and

dynamically adjusting game parameters for one or more of the users while the users are playing the multi-user game if the relative performance of the users is outside the desired range.

7. A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor based system, the computer program causing the processor based system to execute steps comprising:

receiving profiles of two or more users in a multi-user game;

adjusting game options for the respective users based upon their respective profiles;

monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance in playing the multi-user game while the users are playing the game, wherein monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance comprises monitoring movements of a motion sensing input device being manipulated by each user;

determining if the users'"'"' relative performance is within a desired range of performance while the users are playing the game; and

dynamically adjusting game parameters for one or more of the users while the users are playing the multi-user game if the relative performance of the users is outside the desired range.

8. The storage medium of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving statistics about typical player interaction with the multi-user game; and

obtaining the desired range of performance by using the received statistics.

9. A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor based system, the computer program causing the processor based system to execute steps comprising:

receiving profiles of two or more users in a multi-user game;

adjusting game options for the respective users based upon their respective profiles;

monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance in playing the multi-user game while the users are playing the game, wherein monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance comprises monitoring three-dimensional movements of the motion sensing input device being manipulated by each user;

determining if the users'"'"' relative performance is within a desired range of performance while the users are playing the game, wherein determining if the users'"'"' relative performance is within a desired range of performance comprises determining, by a processor based apparatus and from the monitored three-dimensional movements of the motion sensing input device, if the users'"'"' relative performance is within the desired range of performance while the users are playing the game; and

dynamically adjusting game parameters for one or more of the users while the users are playing the multi-user game if the relative performance of the users is outside the desired range.

10. A method of adjusting game parameters in a multi-user game, the method comprising:

receiving profiles of two or more users in the multi-user game from at least one control interface used by the users to interact with the multi-user game;

adjusting game options for the respective users based upon their respective profiles;

monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance in playing the multi-user game while the users are playing the multi-user game, wherein monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance comprises monitoring movements of a motion sensing input device being manipulated by each user and wherein the motion sensing input device used by each user is the at least one control interface used by the users to interact with the multi-user game and monitoring the users'"'"' relative performance comprises monitoring three-dimensional movements of the motion sensing input device; and

determining if the users'"'"' relative performance while the users are playing the multi-user game is within a desired range of performance, wherein determining if the users'"'"' relative performance is within a desired range of performance comprises determining, by a processor based apparatus and from the monitored three-dimensional movements of the motion sensing input device, if the user'"'"'s relative performance is within a desired range of performance while the users are playing the multi-user game; and

dynamically adjusting game parameters for one or more of the users while the users are playing the multi-user game if the relative performance of the users is outside the desired range.