Center device

• US 9,566,511 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hino, Mariko, Hashimoto, Satoshi, Kutaragi, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US14/849,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 726/17
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• 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 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

A center device communicates with one or more controller devices operated by one or more users. The center device is operable to: execute at least one application program; detect a respective connection with each of the one or more controller devices and to select one of the one or more controller devices for authentication; query the user of the selected one of the controller devices for requested authentication information; receive, from the selected one of the controller devices, authentication information provided by the user of the selected one of the controller devices; and permit the execution and manipulation of the output of the application program only when the authentication information provided by the user, and received from, the selected one of the controller devices matches the requested authentication information.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a center device that communicates with one or more controller devices operated by one or more users, respectively, wherein the center device is operable to;

execute at least one application program and to produce an output for display that is manipulated in accordance with inputs received by the center device from the one or more controller devices;

detect a respective connection with each of the one or more controller devices;

select one of the one or more controller devices for authentication;

query the user of the selected one of the controller devices for requested authentication information;

receive, from the selected one of the controller devices, authentication information provided by the user of the selected one of the controller devices; and

permit the execution and manipulation of the output of the application program only when the authentication information provided by the user, and received from, the selected one of the controller devices matches the requested authentication information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the center device is operable to obtain a plurality of information from each of the one or more controller devices upon detection of the respective connection thereof with the center device; and

the plurality of information includes at least one of;

(i) an electronic device identifier stored within the respective controller device;

(ii) a given name of the user of the respective controller device, (iii) a family name of the user of the respective controller device, (iv) a nickname of the user of the respective controller device, (v) an age or birthdate of the user of the respective controller device, (vi) an authentication key set by the user of the respective controller device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

requested authentication information is determined by the center device to be the authentication key that is obtained from the selected one of the controller devices upon detection of the respective connection thereof with the center device; and

the authentication information provided by the user is entered into the selected one of the controller devices by the user in response to the query from the center device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the center device is operable to produce a list of the detected one or more controller devices for display to the respective users; and

the center device is operable to select the one of the controller devices in response to one of the respective users selecting the one of the controller devices from the list.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the center device is operable to include at least some of the plurality of information from each of the one or more controller devices in the list for display to the respective users.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of information is stored in one or more memories of the respective one or more controller devices.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the center device is operable to query the respective users for the plurality of information when such is not already stored in one or more memories of the respective one or more controller devices.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more controller devices operated by one or more users, respectively; and

a center device that communicates with the one or more controller devices, wherein the center device is operable to;

execute at least one application program and to produce an output for display that is manipulated in accordance with inputs received by the center device from the one or more controller devices;

detect a respective connection with each of the one or more controller devices;

select one of the one or more controller devices for authentication;

query the user of the selected one of the controller devices for requested authentication information;

receive, from the selected one of the controller devices, authentication information provided by the user of the selected one of the controller devices; and

permit the execution and manipulation of the output of the application program only when the authentication information provided by the user, and received from, the selected one of the controller devices matches the requested authentication information.

9. A method for controlling a center device, the method comprising causing the center device to:

communicate with one or more controller devices operated by one or more users, respectively;

execute at least one application program and produce an output for display that is manipulated in accordance with inputs received by the center device from the one or more controller devices;

detect a respective connection with each of the one or more controller devices;

select one of the one or more controller devices for authentication;

query the user of the selected one of the controller devices for requested authentication information;

receive, from the selected one of the controller devices, authentication information provided by the user of the selected one of the controller devices; and

permit the execution and manipulation of the output of the application program only when the authentication information provided by the user, and received from, the selected one of the controller devices matches the requested authentication information.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising causing the center device is to:

obtain a plurality of information from each of the one or more controller devices upon detection of the respective connection thereof with the center device,

wherein the plurality of information includes at least one of;

(i) an electronic device identifier stored within the respective controller device;

(ii) a given name of the user of the respective controller device, (iii) a family name of the user of the respective controller device, (iv) a nickname of the user of the respective controller device, (v) an age or birthdate of the user of the respective controller device, (vi) an authentication key set by the user of the respective controller device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein:

requested authentication information is determined by the center device to be the authentication key that is obtained from the selected one of the controller devices upon detection of the respective connection thereof with the center device; and

the authentication information provided by the user is entered into the selected one of the controller devices by the user in response to the query from the center device.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising causing the center device to:

produce a list of the detected one or more controller devices for display to the respective users; and

select the one of the controller devices in response to one of the respective users selecting the one of the controller devices from the list.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising causing the center device to include at least some of the plurality of information from each of the one or more controller devices in the list for display to the respective users.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of information is stored in one or more memories of the respective one or more controller devices.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising causing the center device to query the respective users for the plurality of information when such is not already stored in one or more memories of the respective one or more controller devices.