Method and system for virtual mobile game session discovery and player matching

• US 9,162,146 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Shi, Weidong, Engelsma, Jonathan R., Ferrans, James C., Hans, Mathieu C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US13/524,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20120252571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 463 36- 42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• 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 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• 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: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 : according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system for establishing multi-party wireless game sessions includes a game session broker and at least two wireless units. Each wireless unit includes a first wireless device having relatively low power consumption and a second wireless device having relatively high power consumption. The game session broker receives a session ready message that includes location information for a first player and search for a second player having location information matching the location information for the first player. Finding a matching player, the game session broker sends session available messages to wireless units associated with the first and second players. Session ready messages are sent and session available message are received via first wireless devices. Upon receiving the session available message, the first and second players can establish a wireless game session using their respective second wireless devices.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a multiparty wireless interactive session using a first game-enabled mobile unit, the first game-enabled mobile unit comprising a first wireless radio and a second wireless radio, method comprising the steps of:

the first game-enabled mobile unit obtaining location information identifying a location of the first game-enabled mobile unit;

the first game-enabled mobile unit turning off the first wireless radio in response to obtaining the location information;

the first game-enabled mobile unit sending, via the second wireless radio, a session ready message including the location information to a session broker that maintains game player profile information;

the first game-enabled mobile unit receiving, via the second wireless radio, a session available message from the session broker based on an identification of a second game-enabled mobile unit within a certain distance of the first game-enabled mobile unit;

and

in response to receiving the session available message, the first game-enabled mobile unit initiating a session with the second game-enabled mobile unit via the first wireless radio.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second wireless radio consumes less power than the first wireless radio.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second wireless radio includes a cellular telephone radio.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first wireless radio includes a wireless local area network radio.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first wireless radio includes a Bluetooth radio.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location information includes proximity information with respect to at least one wireless local area network access point.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the proximity information includes strength of a signal received from the access point.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location information includes a GPS position of the first game-enabled mobile unit.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, including:

turning on the first wireless radio in response to the first game-enabled mobile unit receiving the session available message.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

the first game-enabled mobile unit sending, via the second wireless radio, a new session ready message including new location information to the session broker if the location of the first game-enabled mobile unit changes.

11. A mobile device, comprising:

an interactive wireless radio including;

a first radio having a first power consumption;

a second radio having a second power consumption, the second power consumption being less than the first power consumption,

wherein the mobile device is to;

obtain location information identifying a location of the mobile device;

turn off the first radio in response to obtaining the location information;

send, via the second radio, a session ready message including the location information to a session broker that maintains user profile information;

receive, via the second radio, a session available message from the session broker based on an identification of a second mobile device within a certain distance of the first mobile device; and

establish, via the first radio, a multiparty wireless session with the second mobile device in response to receiving the session available message.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device further is to:

send, via the second radio, a new session ready message including new location information to the session broker if the location of the mobile device changes.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is to obtain the location information via a GPS receiver.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is to obtain the location information via measuring a signal strength using the first radio.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device further is to:

turn on the first wireless radio in response to the first game-enabled mobile unit receiving the session available message.

16. A session broker apparatus, comprising:

at least one interface to a wireless telephone system, and wherein the session broker apparatus stores user profile information and is to;

receive, via the at least one interface to the wireless telephone system, a first session ready message transmitted from a first wireless unit via a wireless radio having a first power consumption, the first session ready message including location information for the first wireless unit;

receive, via the at least one interface to the wireless telephone system, a second session ready message transmitted from a second wireless unit via a second wireless radio having a second power consumption, the second session ready message including location information for the second wireless unit;

identify that a location of the second wireless unit is within a certain range of the location of the first wireless unit; and

send, via the at least one interface to the wireless telephone system, a session available message to the first wireless unit and the second wireless unit, wherein the session available message causes the first wireless unit and the second wireless unit to communicate with each other using respective third and fourth wireless radios having power consumption greater than the first power consumption and the second power consumption, respectively.