Managing participants in an online session

• US 8,793,315 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chatani, Masayuki, Van Datta, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAIR, DOUGLAS B
• Application Number:
  US12/840,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/208, 709/209, 463/62
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 : Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1051 : Group master selection mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention relates to an application that is configured to be operated in a multi-participant environment on a computer network. The application manages participants in an online session of a multi-user application so that if one of the participants exits the session, the session can continue without interruption. The application initiates an online session of the multi-user application, wherein the online session includes two or more participants comprised of network computers that are communicatively linked to a computer network. If the application detects that a first participant has disconnected from the online session, wherein the first participant is responsible for managing certain managerial functionality associated with the running of the multi-user application, then the application broadcasts a notification to existing participants of the online session over the communication network, thereby notifying the existing participants that the first participant has disconnected from the online session. The initiating application then re-assigns the functionality associated with the first participant to an existing participant of the online session. The participants can be communicating in a peer-to-peer arrangement or can be performing server duties in a client-server arrangement.

Claims

1. A method of managing participants in an online session, the method comprising:

detecting that a first participant has disconnected from the online session including three or more communicatively coupled participant computing devices, wherein the first participant is responsible for managerial functionality associated with the online session, and wherein the detection of the disconnected first participant is performed by one of the remaining participants of the online session;

broadcasting a notification to the remaining participants of the online session, the notification broadcast by one of the remaining participants of the online session following detection that the first participant has disconnected from the online session, the notification indicating that the first participant has disconnected from the online session;

re-assigning the functionality associated with the first participant to one of the remaining participants of the online session, wherein the re-assignment is based on user-specified preferences of the remaining participants and wherein the user-specified preferences comprise willingness or unwillingness to be re-assigned the functionality; and

obtaining a new participant after the first participant has disconnected from the online session to replace the first participant, wherein the new participant is not currently a part of the online session and the new participant replaces the first participant without prior approval or an election involving the first participant or any of the remaining participants.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the new participant is a computing device controlled by a human user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the new participant is a computing device not controlled by a human user.

4. A method of managing participants in an online session, the method comprising:

detecting that a first participant has disconnected from the online session including three or more communicatively coupled participant computing devices, wherein the first participant is responsible for managing certain functionality associated with the online session, and wherein the detection of the disconnected first participant is performed by one of the remaining participants of the online session;

broadcasting a notification to the remaining participants of the online session, the notification broadcast by one of the remaining participants of the online session following detection that the first participant has disconnected from the online session, the notification indicating that the first participant has disconnected from the online session;

obtaining a new participant after the first participant has disconnected from the online session to replace the first participant, wherein the new participant is not currently a part of the online session and the new participant replaces the first participant without prior approval or an election involving the first participant or any of the remaining participants; and

re-assigning the functionality associated with the first participant to the newly obtained participant, wherein the re-assignment is based on user-specified preferences of the newly obtained participant and wherein the user-specified preferences comprise willingness or unwillingness to be re-assigned the functionality.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the new participant is a computing device controlled by a human user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the new participant is a computing device not controlled by a human user.

7. A method of managing participants in an online session, the method comprising:

detecting that a first participant has disconnected from the online session including three or more communicatively coupled participant computing devices, wherein the first participant is responsible for managing certain functionality associated with the online session, and wherein the detection of the disconnected first participant is performed by one of the remaining participants of the online session;

broadcasting a notification to the remaining participants of the online session, the notification broadcast by one of the remaining participants of the online session following detection that the first participant has disconnected from the online session, the notification indicating that the first participant has disconnected from the online session;

re-assigning the functionality associated with the first participant to one of the remaining participants of the online session, wherein the reassignment is based on;

user-specified preferences of the remaining participants and wherein the user-specified preferences comprise willingness or unwillingness to be re-assigned the functionality, and

bandwidth capability of a communications network associated with one of the remaining participants, wherein the bandwidth capability of the communications network is higher than a communications network associated with any of the remaining participants; and

obtaining a new participant after the first participant has disconnected from the online session to replace the first participant, wherein the new participant is not currently a part of the online session and the new participant replaces the first participant without prior approval or an election involving the first participant or any of the remaining participants.

8. A method of managing participants in an online session, the method comprising:

detecting that a first participant has disconnected from the online session including three or more communicatively coupled participant computing devices, wherein the first participant is responsible for managing certain functionality associated with the online session, and wherein the detection of the disconnected first participant is performed by one of the remaining participants of the online session;

broadcasting a notification to the remaining participants of the online session, the notification broadcast by one of the remaining participants of the online session following detection that the first participant has disconnected from the online session, the notification indicating that the first participant has disconnected from the online session;

re-assigning the functionality associated with the first participant to one of the remaining participants of the online session, wherein the reassignment is based on

user-specified preferences of the remaining participants and wherein the user-specified preferences comprise willingness or unwillingness to be re-assigned the functionality, and

randomness among the remaining participants willing to be re-assigned the functionality; and

obtaining a new participant after the first participant has disconnected from the online session to replace the first participant, wherein the new participant is not currently a part of the online session and the new participant replaces the first participant without prior approval or an election involving the first participant or any of the remaining participants.

9. A method of managing participants in an online session, the method comprising:

detecting that a first participant has disconnected from the online session including three or more communicatively coupled participant computing devices, wherein the first participant is responsible for managing certain functionality associated with the online session, and wherein the detection of the disconnected first participant is performed by one of the remaining participants of the online session;

broadcasting a notification to the remaining participants of the online session, the notification broadcast by one of the remaining participants of the online session following detection that the first participant has disconnected from the online session, the notification indicating that the first participant has disconnected from the online session;

re-assigning the functionality associated with the first participant to one of the remaining participants of the online session, wherein the reassignment is based on;

user-specified preferences of the remaining participants and wherein the user-specified preferences comprise willingness or unwillingness to be re-assigned the functionality, and

a predetermined order; and

obtaining a new participant after the first participant has disconnected from the online session to replace the first participant, wherein the new participant is not currently a part of the online session and the new participant replaces the first participant without prior approval or an election involving the first participant or any of the remaining participants.