Multi-user interactive communication network environment

• US 8,762,860 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Shochet, Joe, Ranalli, Darren, Schell, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Nunez, Jordany
• Application Number:
  US13/047,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 715/753, 715/754, 715/755, 715/756, 715/757, 715/758
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for initiating communication in real-time between users in a multi-user communication environment are described. To limit the receipt of unwanted messages, communication may be limited to a pre-prepared library of chat messages. The pre-prepared library of chat messages may include one or more of predetermined words, phrases and actions. Users are enabled to communicate and/or perform gaming actions based on the prepared library of chat messages, in one or more languages.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

limiting communication between users in a multi-user communication environment to a menu-driven system, wherein the menu-driven system is limited to exchange of chat messages selected from a pre-prepared library of chat messages;

wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages further comprises;

a first menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a first user in a first language, the first menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with identifiers;

a second menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a second user in a second language, the second menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with the identifiers;

permitting a communication exchange between the first user and the second user via association of one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the first language with one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the second language via the identifiers;

establishing an authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user in response to exchange of a unique code between the first user and the second user via a communication path outside of the multi-user communication environment and receipt at the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user;

wherein communication between users in a multi-user communication environment is limited to the menu-driven system until the authenticated relationship is established between the first user and the second user; and

enabling free form communication including free text input via a keyboard between the first user and the second user in response to establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein the free form communication is not restricted to the pre-prepared library of chat messages and the free form communication acts as private chat between users having an authenticated relationship only.

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

receiving a request for the unique code by the first user at the multi-user communication environment;

generating the unique code by the multi-user communication environment;

providing the unique code generated by the multi-user communication environment to the first user in the multi-user communication environment; and

responsive to transmission of the unique code from the first user to the second user via a communication path outside of the multi-user communication environment;

receiving the unique code from the second user at the multi-user communication environment; and

establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user in response to receipt by the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages further comprises:

one or more pre-prepared chat messages causing a character of an online game to perform an animated sequence reflective of a selected pre-prepared chat message.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more pre-prepared chat messages causing a character in an online game to perform an animated sequence reflective of a selected pre-prepared chat message comprises one or more of a word and a phrase.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

responsive to one of the first user and the second user selecting one or more of a word and a phrase contained in the pre-prepared library of chat messages, causing a character in an online game to perform an animated sequence reflective of one or more of the word and the phrase.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

responsive to one of the first user and the second user selecting a pre-prepared chat message, causing a character in an online game to say the selected pre-prepared chat message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages is dynamically updated to reflect one or more of a game objective and a game task.

8. A method comprising:

limiting communication between users in a multi-user communication environment to a menu-driven system, wherein the menu-driven system is limited to exchange of chat messages selected from a pre-prepared library of chat messages;

wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages further comprises;

one or more pre-prepared chat messages causing a character of an online game to perform an animated sequence reflective of a selected pre-prepared chat message;

permitting communication between the first user and the second user via exchange of the one or more pre-prepared chat messages;

establishing an authenticated relationship between a first user and a second user in response to exchange of a unique code between the first user and the second user via a communication path outside of the multi-user communication environment and receipt at the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user;

wherein communication between users in a multi-user communication environment is limited to the menu-driven system until the authenticated relationship is established between the first user and the second user; and

enabling free form communication including free text input via a keyboard between the first user and the second user in response to establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein the free form communication is not restricted to the pre-prepared library of chat messages and the free form communication acts as private chat between users having an authenticated relationship only.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the one or more pre-prepared chat messages causing a character in an online game to perform an animated sequence reflective of a selected pre-prepared chat message comprises one or more of a word and a phrase.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to one of the first user and the second user selecting one or more of a word and a phrase contained in the pre-prepared library of chat messages, causing a character in an online game to perform an animated sequence reflective of one or more of the word and the phrase.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

responsive to one of the first user and the second user selecting a pre-prepared chat message, causing a character in an online game to say the selected pre-prepared chat message.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages is dynamically updated to reflect one or more of a game objective and a game task.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages further comprises:

a first menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a first user in a first language, the first menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with identifiers;

a second menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a second user in a second language, the second menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with the identifiers; and

permitting a communication exchange between the first user and the second user via association of one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the first language with one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the second language via the identifiers.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request for the unique code by the first user at the multi-user communication environment;

generating the unique code by the multi-user communication environment;

providing the unique code generated by the multi-user communication environment to the first user in the multi-user communication environment; and

responsive to transmission of the unique code from the first user to the second user via a communication path outside of the multi-user communication environment;

receiving the unique code from the second user at the multi-user communication environment; and

establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user in response to receipt by the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to limit communication between users in a multi-user communication environment to a menu-driven system, wherein the menu-driven system is limited to exchange of chat messages selected from a pre-prepared library of chat messages;

wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages further comprises;

a first menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a first user in a first language, the first menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with identifiers;

a second menu of pre-prepared chat messages provided to a second user in a second language, the second menu of pre-prepared chat messages being associated with the identifiers;

computer readable program code configured to permit a communication exchange between the first user and the second user via association of one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the first language with one or more pre-prepared chat messages in the second language via the identifiers;

computer readable program code configured to establish an authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user in response to exchange of a unique code between the first user and the second user via a communication path outside of the multi-user communication environment and receipt at the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user;

wherein communication between users in a multi-user communication environment is limited to the menu-driven system until the authenticated relationship is established between the first user and the second user; and

computer readable program code configured to enable free form communication including free text input via a keyboard between the first user and the second user in response to establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein the free form communication is not restricted to the pre-prepared library of chat messages and the free form communication acts as private chat between users having an authenticated relationship only.

16. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to limit communication between users in a multi-user communication environment to a menu-driven system, wherein the menu-driven system is limited to exchange of chat messages selected from a pre-prepared library of chat messages;

wherein the pre-prepared library of chat messages further comprises;

one or more pre-prepared chat messages causing a character of an online game to perform an animated sequence reflective of a selected pre-prepared chat message; and

computer readable program code configured to permit communication between the first user and the second user via exchange of the one or more pre-prepared chat messages;

computer readable program code configured to establish an authenticated relationship between a first user and a second user in response to exchange of a unique code between the first user and the second user via a communication path outside of the multi-user communication environment and receipt at the multi-user communication environment of the unique code from the second user;

wherein communication between users in a multi-user communication environment is limited to the menu-driven system until the authenticated relationship is established between the first user and the second user; and

computer readable program code configured to enable free form communication including free text input via a keyboard between the first user and the second user in response to establishing the authenticated relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein the free form communication is not restricted to the pre-prepared library of chat messages and the free form communication acts as private chat between users having an authenticated relationship only.