Quality of experience reverse control for electronic games

• US 9,717,991 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Li, Daqi, Fang, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US14/409,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20150190717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 463 43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players

Abstract

Technologies and implementations for managing an experience during play of an interactive electronic game are generally disclosed.

Claims

1. A method to manage an experience during play of an interactive electronic game, wherein the interactive electronic game comprises an interactive electronic game experience management module, the method comprising:

monitoring, by the interactive electronic game experience management module, a quality of experience (QoE) of the interactive electronic game, the QoE based at least in part on sensor readings from a physiological sensor that is configured to periodically monitor one or more physiological state(s) of a user while the user plays the interactive electronic game, and wherein the physiological sensor is communicatively coupled to the interactive electronic game;

determining, by the interactive electronic game experience management module, when the QoE exceeds a first value;

applying, by the interactive electronic game experience management module, a control action to the interactive electronic game in response to the determination that the QoE exceeds the first value, wherein applying the control action reduces the QoE of the interactive electronic game;

determining, by the interactive electronic game experience management module, when the QoE falls below a second value; and

terminating, by the interactive electronic game experience management module, the control action to the interactive electronic game in response to the determination that the QoE falls below the second value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a rate at which the QoE is reduced; and

terminating the control action when the determined rate exceeds a particular value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the control action comprises at least one of:

delaying a response time by the interactive electronic game, increasing a difficulty level of the interactive electronic game, adjusting image quality of the interactive electronic game, or randomly pausing the interactive electronic game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the control action comprises applying the control action in a subtle manner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the QoE of the interactive electronic game based on sensor readings from the physiological sensor comprises monitoring facial expressions based on sensor readings from a physiological sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the QoE of the interactive electronic game based on sensor readings from the physiological sensor comprises monitoring blood pressure based on sensor readings from a physiological sensor.

7. A machine readable non-transitory medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, operatively enable an interactive electronic game experience management module to:

monitor a quality of experience (QoE) during play of an interactive electronic game, wherein the QoE is based at least in part on sensor readings from a physiological sensor that is configured to periodically monitor one or more physiological state(s) of a user while the user plays the interactive electronic game, and wherein the physiological sensor is communicatively coupled to the interactive electronic game;

determine when the QoE exceeds a first value;

apply a control action to the interactive electronic game in response to the determination that the QoE exceeds the first value, wherein the application of the control action reduces the QoE of the interactive electronic game;

determine when the QoE falls below a second value; and

terminate the control action to the interactive electronic game in response to the determination that the QoE falls below the second value.

8. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further operatively enable the interactive electronic game experience management module to determine a rate at which the QoE is reduced, and to terminate the control action when the determined rate exceeds a particular value.

9. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further operatively enable the interactive electronic game experience management module to at least one of:

delay a response time by the interactive electronic game, increase a difficulty level of the interactive electronic game, adjust image quality of the interactive electronic game, or randomly pause the interactive electronic game.

10. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further operatively enable the interactive electronic game experience management module to apply the control action in a subtle manner.

11. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further operatively enable the interactive electronic game experience management module to obtain sensor readings from a physiological sensor configured to monitor facial expressions.

12. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further operatively enable the interactive electronic game experience management module to obtain sensor readings from a physiological sensor configured to monitor blood pressure.

13. A system to manage an experience during play of an interactive electronic game, the system comprising:

a processor;

a physiological sensor; and

an interactive electronic game experience management module communicatively coupled to the processor and to the physiological sensor, wherein the interactive electronic game experience management module is configured to;

monitor a quality of experience (QoE) of the interactive electronic game, the QoE based at least in part on sensor readings from the physiological sensor that is configured to periodically monitor one or more physiological state(s) of a user while the user plays the interactive electronic game, and wherein the physiological sensor is communicatively coupled to the interactive electronic game;

determine when the QoE exceeds a first value;

apply a control action to the interactive electronic game in response to the determination that the QoE exceeds the first value, wherein the application of the control action reduces the QoE of the interactive electronic game;

determine when the QoE falls below a second value; and

terminate the control action to the interactive electronic game in response to the determination that the QoE falls below the second value.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the interactive electronic game experience management module is further configured to determine a rate at which the QoE is reduced, and to terminate the control action when the determined rate exceeds a particular value.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the interactive electronic game experience management module is further configured to at least one of:

delay a response time by the interactive electronic game, increase a difficulty level of the interactive electronic game, adjust image quality of the interactive electronic game, or randomly pause the interactive electronic game.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the interactive electronic game experience management module is further configured to apply the control action in a subtle manner.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the physiological sensor comprises a physiological sensor configured to monitor facial expressions.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the physiological sensor comprises a physiological sensor configured to monitor blood pressure.