Defining new rules for validation of network devices

• US 8,626,710 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Harris, Adam P., Schneider, Steve C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US13/252,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 707/622
• US Class Current: 707/622
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A system and method for actively validating a network device is provided. Nodes in a network game community are prompted to engage in interrogation and response to facilitate the identification of nodes operating with hacked, modified and non-typical game configurations. In one embodiment, a query is presented to a user'"'"'s machine which triggers a response, and where the response indicates whether certain data at the user is valid and wherein invalid data is suggestive of illegal community behavior. Functions are triggered and data is queried to determine whether the state of game environment is operating according to known metrics or constraints.

Claims

1. A method for validating network devices in a gaming network for a plurality of network game titles, the method comprising:

receiving game data over a communication network, the game data concerning play of a network game title by one or more players;

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

identifies that a game parameter is related to a game level based on the received game data regarding the network game title, wherein the game parameter is a quantifiable limitation of a game environment or game character, and

defines a new rule for the network game title based on the identification that the game parameter is related to the game level, wherein the newly defined rule indicates that the game parameter is a prerequisite condition to the game level, and wherein the presence of the game level absent the related game parameter is an indication of illicit activity, and

storing the newly defined rule in a rules library in memory, wherein validation of subsequent play of the network game title is governed by the newly defined rule stored in the rules library, wherein the rules library comprises one or more rules for each of the plurality of network game titles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification that the game parameter is related to the game level is further based on information provided by a game developer of the network game title.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the prerequisite condition includes authorization by a game developer of the network game title.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received game data includes one or more statistics regarding the play of the network game title.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the newly defined rule defines a range of acceptable quantities, wherein deviation of the game parameter from the range of acceptable quantities is an indication of illicit activity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the game parameter is a constraint of the game environment in the network game title, wherein the game character is located in the game environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the game parameter is related to a game character in the network game title and wherein the game parameter is selected from the group consisting of fatigue, speed, strength, goals, power, ammunition, temporal variables, score, and frequency.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the game parameter is related to a signature of a hardware device used to play the network game title.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the game parameter is related to code associated with the network game title.

10. A system for validation of network devices in a gaming network for a plurality of network game titles, the system comprising:

a monitoring module for receiving game data over a communication network, the game data concerning play of a network game title by one or more players;

a rules generator stored in memory and executable by a processor to;

identify that a game parameter is related to a game level based on the received game data regarding the network game title, wherein the game parameter is a quantifiable limitation of a game environment or game character, and

define a new rule for the network game title based on the identification that the game parameter is related to the game level, wherein the newly defined rule indicates that the game parameter is a prerequisite condition to the game level, and wherein the presence of the game level absent the related game parameter is an indication of illicit activity, and

memory for storing the newly defined rule in a rules library, wherein validation of subsequent play of the network game title is governed by the newly defined rule stored in the rules library, wherein the rules library comprises one or more rules for each of the plurality of network game titles.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the rules generator further identifies that the game parameter is related to the game level based on information provided by a game developer of the network game title.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the prerequisite condition includes authorization by a game developer of the network game title.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the game data received by the monitoring module further includes one or more statistics regarding the play of the network game title.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the newly defined rule defines a range of acceptable quantities, wherein deviation of the game parameter from the range of acceptable quantities is an indication of illicit activity.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the game parameter is a constraint of the game environment in the network game title, wherein the game character is located in the game environment.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the game parameter is related to a game character in the network game title and wherein the game parameter is selected from the group consisting of fatigue, speed, strength, goals, power, ammunition, temporal variables, score, and frequency.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the game parameter is related to a signature of a hardware device used to play the network game title.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the game parameter is related to code associated with the network game title.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for validation of network devices in a gaming network for a plurality of network game titles, the method comprising:

receiving game data concerning play of a network game title by one or more players;

identifying that a game parameter is related to a game level based on the received game data regarding the network game title, wherein the game parameter is a quantifiable limitation of a game environment or game character;

defining a new rule for the network game title based on the identification that the game parameter is related to the game level, wherein the newly defined rule indicates that the game parameter is a prerequisite condition to the game level, and wherein the presence of the game level absent the related game parameter is an indication of illicit activity; and

storing the rule in a rules library, wherein validation of subsequent play of the network game title is governed by the newly defined rule stored in the rules library, wherein the rules library comprises one or more rules for each of the plurality of network game titles.