System and method for facilitating multiplayer online gaming

• US 20050209002A1
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AG 18, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mpq Acquisition Corp.
• Inventors: Kirmse, Christopher, Blythe, Garrett
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating multiplayer online gaming is disclosed. The system 100 includes a client gaming program 108 and a gaming LSP 114, which are stored and operate on a client computer terminal 120. The client gaming program 108 detects when certain individuals identified by a user are playing online games and notifies the user of the individuals currently playing games online and the games that the individuals are playing. The client gaming program 108 allows the user to easily join the games in progress. The gaming program 108 and LSP 114 also monitor and detect games that are running on the terminal 120 and the connection status of the games. The gaming program 108 communicates data regarding the user, games and connection status over the computer network for receipt by selected individuals.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating multiplayer gaming over a computer network, the system comprising:

a client program running on a terminal that automatically detects when selected individuals are playing certain multiplayer games on the computer network, and notifies a user of the games and the selected individuals playing the games.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the client program is further adapted to allow the user to join an individual in a game by running an instance of the game on the terminal and connecting the terminal to a location hosting the game.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the client program further generates a user interface that allows the user to join an individual in a game by selecting an icon.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the client program is further adapted to detect running games on the user terminal and to communicate data identifying the running games and the user over the computer network for receipt by selected individuals.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

a second program that determines a connection status of the running games and communicates the connection status to the client program;

wherein the client program is further adapted to communicate the connection status of the running games over the computer network for receipt by the selected individuals.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the second program comprises an LSP program.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the connection status comprises an IP address hosting a corresponding game.

8. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

one or more servers adapted to receive the data and connection status and to communicate the data and connection status to the selected individuals.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the program is further adapted to allow the user to send and receive instant messages to and from selected individuals.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the selected individuals include individuals stored on a friend list created by the user.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the selected individuals include individuals stored on a friend list created by an individual stored on a friend list created by the user.

12. A computerized method for facilitating multiplayer games over a computer network, comprising:

detecting when selected individuals are playing certain multiplayer games on the computer network;

notifying a user of the games and selected individuals playing the games; and

allowing the user to join an individual in a game by running an instance of the game on a user terminal and connecting the user terminal to an address hosting the game.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

detecting running games on the user terminal;

detecting a connection status of the running games; and

communicating data identifying the user, running games and connection status to the selected individuals over the computer network.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the connection status comprises an IP address hosting a corresponding game.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

allowing the user to send and receive instant messages to and from the selected individuals.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the selected individuals comprise first individuals contained on a list associated with the user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the selected individuals comprise second individuals included on a list associated with one or more of the first individuals.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for facilitating multiplayer online gaming, the method comprising:

detecting when selected individuals are playing certain multiplayer games on the computer network; and

notifying a user of the games and the selected individuals playing the games.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the method further comprises:

allowing the user to join an individual in a game by running an instance of the game on a user terminal and connecting the user terminal to an address hosting the game.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting running games on the user terminal;

detecting a connection status of the running games; and

communicating data identifying the user, running games and connection status to the selected individuals over the computer network.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the connection status comprises an IP address hosting a corresponding game.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

allowing the user to send and receive instant messages to and from the selected individuals.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the selected individuals comprise first individuals included on a list associated with the user.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the selected individuals comprise second individuals included on a list associated with one or more of the first individuals.

25. A computerized method for communicating over a computer network, comprising:

detecting when first individuals stored on a list associated with a user are present on the computer network;

detecting when second individuals stored on a list associated with one or more of the first individuals are present on the computer network;

notifying the user that the first and second individuals are present on the computer network; and

allowing the user to send and receive messages to and from the first and second individuals.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the messages comprise instant messages.