Network participant status evaluation

• US 20050288000A1
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Datta, Glen Van, Harris, Adam P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• 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 2300/8023 the game being played by multiple players at a common site, e.g. in an arena, theatre, shopping mall using a large public display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for obtaining and providing status information for network devices. In one implementation, a wireless device includes: an antenna; a wireless communication interface connected to said antenna and supporting wireless communication across a wireless connection provided by said antenna; a memory supporting storing data; and a controller connected to said wireless interface and to said memory, supporting an application service and a network evaluation service; wherein said application service provides execution and management of one or more application programs accessible by said controller using application data stored in said memory, said network evaluation service provides evaluation of status information of other devices available for wireless communication through said wireless interface and provides status information of the wireless device to another device upon request, and status information provided by said network evaluation service includes information indicating at least one application program for which application data is stored in said memory.

Claims

1. A wireless device, comprising:

an antenna;

a wireless communication interface connected to said antenna and supporting wireless communication across a wireless connection provided by said antenna;

a memory supporting storing data; and

a controller connected to said wireless interface and to said memory, supporting an application service and a network evaluation service;

wherein said application service provides execution and management of one or more application programs accessible by said controller using application data stored in said memory,

said network evaluation service provides evaluation of status information of other devices available for wireless communication through said wireless interface and provides status information of the wireless device to another device upon request, and

status information provided by said network evaluation service includes information indicating at least one application program for which application data is stored in said memory.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, further comprising:

a media interface connected to said controller and to said memory, supporting reading an application program from removable media provided to said media interface.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

said status information provided by said network evaluation service includes information indicating at least one application program being executed by said controller.

4. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said at least one application program indicated by said status information provided by said network evaluation service is a game application program.

5. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

said application data stored in said memory includes saved game data for a game application program.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

said wireless interface is a Wi-Fi interface.

7. A network device, comprising:

a network communication interface supporting network communication across a network connection;

a memory supporting storing data; and

a controller connected to said network interface and to said memory, supporting an application service and a network evaluation service;

wherein said application service provides execution and management of one or more application programs accessible by said controller using application data stored in said memory,

said network evaluation service provides evaluation of status information of other devices available for network communication through said network interface and provides status information of the network device to another device upon request, and

status information provided by said network evaluation service includes information indicating at least one application program for which application data is stored in said memory.

8. The network device of claim 7, further comprising:

a media interface connected to said controller and to said memory, supporting reading an application program from removable media provided to said media interface.

9. The network device of claim 7, wherein:

said status information provided by said network evaluation service includes information indicating at least one application program being executed by said controller.

10. The network device of claim 7, wherein:

at least one of said at least one application program indicated by said status information provided by said network evaluation service is a game application program.

11. The network device of claim 7, wherein:

said application data stored in said memory includes saved game data for a game application program.

12. A wireless game device, comprising:

an antenna;

a wireless communication interface connected to said antenna and supporting wireless communication across a wireless connection provided by said antenna;

a memory supporting storing data;

a media interface connected to said memory supporting reading a game application program from removable media provided to said media interface; and

a controller connected to said wireless interface, to said memory, and to said media interface, supporting an application service and a network evaluation service;

wherein said application service provides execution and management of one or more game application programs accessible by said controller using application data stored in said memory,

said network evaluation service provides evaluation of status information of other game devices available for wireless communication through said wireless interface and provides status information of the wireless game device to another game device upon request,

status information provided by said network evaluation service includes information indicating at least one game application program being executed by the wireless game device, and

said wireless interface is a Wi-Fi interface.

13. A method of obtaining status information, comprising:

receiving a status request at a wireless device;

sending a status query through a wireless interface of said wireless device;

receiving at least one status response through said wireless interface from at least one respective device to which a status query was sent; and

building a status report based on said received at least one status response;

wherein said status response indicates at least one application program executing on the device corresponding to that status response.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

building a local device list by determining what devices are available for communication with said wireless device;

wherein said sending a status query includes sending a status query through said to each device in said local device list.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

building said local device list includes sending out a beacon signal through said wireless interface and evaluating responses to said beacon signal received through said wireless interface.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

at least one of said at least one application program indicated by said status response is a game application program.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

said wireless interface is a Wi-Fi interface.

18. A method of providing status information, comprising:

receiving a status query at a first wireless device through a wireless interface from a second wireless device;

building a status response indicating at least one application program executing on said first wireless device; and

sending said status response through said wireless interface to said second wireless device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

at least one of said at least one application program indicated by said status response is a game application program.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

said wireless interface is a Wi-Fi interface.

21. A system for obtaining status information, comprising:

means for receiving a status request;

means for sending a status query;

means for receiving at least one status response from at least one respective device to which a status query was sent; and

means for building a status report based on said received at least one status response;

wherein said status response indicates at least one application program executing on the device corresponding to that status response.

22. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in obtaining status information, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

process a received status request;

send a status query through a wireless interface;

process at least one status response received through said wireless interface from at least one respective device to which a status query was sent; and

build a status report based on said received at least one status response;

wherein said status response indicates at least one application program executing on the device corresponding to that status response.

23. A system for providing status information, comprising:

means for receiving a status query from a wireless device;

means for building a status response indicating at least one application program executing on the system; and

means for sending said status response to said wireless device.

24. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in providing status information, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

process a status query received through a wireless interface from a wireless device;

build a status response indicating at least one application program executing on the computer; and

send said status response through said wireless interface to said wireless device.