Mesh synchronization

• US 9,770,655 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Gosztyla, Jeffrey, Poulin, Martin, Smith, Daren, McArthur, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weatherford, Syvila
• Application Number:
  US12/100,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,456 Days
• Field of Search: 370401
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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 2300/5546 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: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for establishing and reestablishing associations between users of game devices. In one embodiment, information about an association between a user of a first game device and a user of a second game device is stored in the nonvolatile memories of first and second game media, the first and second game media being communicatively coupled with the first and second game devices respectively. If the first game device loses track of the association (e.g., the user of the first game devices swaps out the first game medium for another one, or the memory resident on the first game medium is corrupted/erased), an association notification received at the first game device from the second game device may be used to reestablish the association at the first game device. In this manner, previously established associations between users of game devices may be automatically established/reestablished.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for establishing a virtual gameplay association between a first user of a first game device and a second user of a second game device, the first game device having one or more processors configured to execute a first operating system stored on a first volatile memory of the first game device, a first user input/output subsystem, a first media reader, and a first display subsystem, and the second game device having one or more processors configured to execute a second operating system stored on a second volatile memory of the second game device, a second user input/output subsystem, a second media reader, and a second display subsystem, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication session between the first game device and the second game device, wherein the first user of the first game device and the second user of the second game device engage in virtual gameplay interactions via the established wireless communication session;

executing, by the first operating system executed by the one or more processors of the first game device, a first game by accessing game information stored on a first nonvolatile electronic storage of a first game medium, the first game medium being configured for removable coupling to the first game device via the first media reader, the game information being accessible to the first operating system when the first game medium is coupled to the first game device, wherein the game information includes;

a game application for the first game; and

a first plurality of identifiers, the first plurality of identifiers being specific to the first game and corresponding to previously established virtual gameplay associations between the first user and other users of the first game;

displaying output from execution of the first game to the first user through the first display subsystem;

transmitting, via the established wireless communication session, a first identifier from the first game device to the second game device, the first identifier uniquely identifying the first game device;

receiving, via the established wireless communication session, a second identifier at the first game device from the second game device, the second identifier uniquely identifying the second game device;

searching, by the one or more processors of the first game device, for the second identifier among the first plurality of identifiers stored in the first nonvolatile electronic storage;

responsive to the second identifier being found by the one or more processors of the first game device to be among the first plurality of identifiers;

determining, by the one or more processors of the first game device, that a virtual gameplay association has previously been established between the first user of the first game device and the second user of the second game device;

reestablishing, by the one or more processors of the first game device and within non-transient electronic storage local to the first game device, the second user as a virtual gameplay associate of the first user; and

transmitting, via the established wireless communication session, a virtual gameplay association notification from the first game device to the second game device, the virtual gameplay association notification including the first identifier, the virtual gameplay association notification facilitating virtual gameplay interactions in the first game by the first user and second user via the established wireless communication session;

receiving, at the second game device, the virtual gameplay association notification transmitted from the first game device;

determining, by the one or more processors of the second game device, the first identifier from the virtual gameplay association notification;

searching, by the one or more processors of the second game device, for the first identifier among a second plurality of identifiers stored in a second nonvolatile electronic storage, the second nonvolatile electronic storage being resident on a second game medium removably coupled with the second game device via the second media reader, the second plurality of identifiers corresponding to previously established virtual gameplay associations between the second user and other users of the first game, the second nonvolatile electronic storage further storing a second game application for the first game; and

responsive to the first identifier not being found among the second plurality of identifiers;

determining, by the one or more processors of the second game device, that a virtual gameplay association has not previously been established between the second user of the second game device and the first user of the first game device; and

establishing, by the one or more processors of the second game device and within non-transient electronic storage local to the second game device, the first user as a virtual gameplay associate of the second user to facilitate the virtual gameplay interactions in the first dame by the first user and second user via the established wireless communication session.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to the second identifier not being found among the first plurality of identifiers;

determining, by the one or more processors of the first game device, that a virtual gameplay association has not previously been established between the first user of the first game device and the second user of the second game device,

presenting to the first user through the first display subsystem a control option to transmit a virtual gameplay association invitation to the second user;

receiving, through the first user input/output subsystem, a selection of the control option;

responsive to reception of the selection of the control option, transmitting the association invitation to the second user via the established wireless communication session; and

responsive to the virtual gameplay association invitation being accepted by the second user;

establishing, by the one or more processors of the first game device and within the non-transient electronic storage local to the first game device, the second user as a virtual gameplay associate of the first user to facilitate virtual gameplay interactions in the first game by the first user and second user via the established wireless communication session.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving, at the second game device, the virtual gameplay association invitation transmitted from the first game device via the established wireless communication session; and

responsive to the virtual gameplay association invitation being accepted by the second user;

establishing, by the one or more processors of the second game device, the first user as a virtual gameplay associate of the second user to facilitate the virtual gameplay interactions in the first game by the first user and second user via the established wireless communication session; and

storing the first identifier in a second nonvolatile electronic storage, the second nonvolatile electronic storage being resident on a second game medium removably coupled with the second game device via the second media reader, the second nonvolatile electronic storage further storing a second game application for the first game.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors of the first game device, the first identifier; and

storing the first identifier in the first nonvolatile electronic storage.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first game device and the second game device do not have access to locally-resident, rewritable nonvolatile electronic storage.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first identifier uniquely identifies the first user and the second identifier uniquely identifies the second user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second game devices are portable.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-transient electronic storage local to the first game device is flash memory.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first game medium is a ROM cartridge.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first identifier is a MAC address of the first game device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the second user as a virtual gameplay associate of the first user facilitates allowing the first user to send chat messages to, and receive chat messages from, the second user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein virtual gameplay interactions comprise one or more of cooperative gameplay, adversarial gameplay, or chatting.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a virtual gameplay association comprises a virtual gameplay friendship.

12. A game device configured for establishing a virtual gameplay association between a user of the game device and other users of other game devices, the game device comprising:

a volatile memory configured to store an operating system;

a media reader for communicatively removably coupling a game medium to the game device, the game medium having resident thereon a nonvolatile electronic storage configured to store game information associated with a game, the game information including a game application for the game and a plurality of identifiers, the plurality of identifiers being specific to the game, the plurality of identifiers corresponding to previously established virtual gameplay associations between the user of the game device and other users of the game, the other users being associated with other game devices;

a display subsystem configured to display information to the user;

an input/output subsystem configured to receive input from the user; and

a processing component configured to;

establish a wireless communication session between the game device and a second game device, wherein the user of the game device and a second user of the second game device engage in virtual gameplay interactions via the wireless communication session;

execute the operating system stored on the volatile memory, the operating system being configured to execute the game by obtaining the game information from the game medium when the game medium is coupled to the game device via the media reader;

control the display subsystem to display output generated from executing the game;

transmit a first identifier to the second game device via the established wireless communication session, the first identifier uniquely identifying the game device;

receive a second identifier from the second game device via the established wireless communication session, the second identifier uniquely identifying the second game device;

search for the second identifier among the plurality of identifiers stored in the nonvolatile electronic storage; and

responsive to the second identifier being found among the plurality of identifiers;

determine that a virtual gameplay association has previously been established between the user of the game device and the second user of the second game device;

reestablish, within non-transient electronic storage local to the game device, the second user of the second game device as a virtual gameplay associate of the user of the game device; and

transmit a virtual gameplay association notification to the second game device via the established wireless communication session; and

wherein the virtual gameplay association notification transmitted from the game device to the second game device via the established wireless communication session is processed at the second game device, the processing at the second game device comprising;

searching for the first identifier among a second plurality of identifiers stored in a second nonvolatile electronic storage, the second nonvolatile electronic storage being resident on a second game medium communicatively coupled with the second game device, the second plurality of identifiers corresponding to previously established virtual gameplay associations between the second user and other users of the game, the second nonvolatile electronic storage further storing a second game application for the game; and

responsive to the first identifier not being found among the second plurality of identifiers;

determining, by second game device, that a virtual gameplay association has not previously been established between the second user of the second game device and the user of the game device;

establishing, within non-transient electronic storage local to the second game device, the user of the game device as a virtual gameplay associate of the second user of the second game device to facilitate virtual gameplay interactions in the game by the user and second user via the established wireless communication session; and

storing the first identifier in the second nonvolatile electronic storage.

16. The game device of claim 12, wherein virtual gameplay interactions comprise one or more of cooperative gameplay, adversarial gameplay, or chatting.

17. The game device of claim 12, wherein a virtual gameplay association comprises a virtual gameplay friendship.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable medium for a game device, the machine-readable medium having stored thereon a series of instructions which, when executed by a processing component of the game device, cause the processing component to establish a virtual gameplay association between a first user of the game device and a second user of a second game device, the processing component of the game device executing an operating system stored on volatile memory of the game device, the establishing of the virtual gameplay association comprising:

establishing a wireless communication session between the game device and the second game device, wherein the first user of the game device and the second user of the second gameplay device engage in virtual gameplay interactions over the established wireless communication session;

executing, by the operating system of the game device, a game by accessing game information stored on a first nonvolatile electronic storage of a first game medium, the first game medium being configured for removable coupling to the game device via a first media reader of the first game device, the game information being accessible to the first operating system when the first game medium is coupled to the first game device, wherein the game information includes;

a game application for the game; and

a plurality of identifiers, the plurality of identifiers being specific to the game and corresponding to previously established virtual gameplay associations between the first user and other users of the game;

displaying output from the execution of the game through a display subsystem of the game device;

controlling the game based on input received from the first user through a user input/output subsystem of the game device;

transmitting a first identifier from the game device to the second game device via the established wireless communication session, the first identifier uniquely identifying the game device;

receiving a second identifier at the game device from the second game device via the established wireless communication session, the second identifier uniquely identifying the second game device;

searching, at the game device, for the second identifier among the plurality of identifiers stored in the first nonvolatile electronic storage;

responsive to the second identifier being found among the plurality of identifiers;

determining, at the game device, that a virtual gameplay association has previously been established between the first user of the game device and the second user of the second game device;

reestablishing, within non-transient electronic storage local to the game device, the second user of the second game device as a virtual gameplay associate of the first user of the game device; and

transmitting, via the established wireless communication session, a virtual gameplay association notification from the game device to the second game device, the virtual gameplay association notification facilitating virtual gameplay interactions in the game by the first user and the second user via the established wireless communication session; and

wherein the virtual gameplay association notification transmitted from the game device to the second game device is processed at the second game device, the processing comprising;

searching for the first identifier among a second plurality of identifiers stored in a second nonvolatile electronic storage, the second nonvolatile electronic storage being resident on a second game medium communicatively coupled with the second game device, the second plurality of identifiers corresponding to previously established virtual gameplay associations between the second user and other users of the game, the second nonvolatile electronic storage further storing a second game application for the game; and

responsive to the first identifier not being found among the second plurality of identifiers;

determining, at the second game device, that a virtual gameplay association has not previously been established between the first user of the game device and the second user of the second game device;

establishing, at the second game device, the first user of the game device as a virtual gameplay associate of the second user of the second game device; and

storing the first identifier in the second nonvolatile electronic storage.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein virtual gameplay interactions comprise one or more of cooperative gameplay, adversarial gameplay, or chatting.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein a virtual gameplay association comprises a virtual gameplay friendship.