Method and apparatus for match making
First Claim
1. A method of assisting a user to influence a match maker application, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first client computer said first client computer executing a first cooperating client application wherein the first cooperating client application cooperates with the match maker application by exchanging information with the match maker application;
providing a second client computer being equipped with a video display, said second client computer executing a second cooperating client application wherein the second cooperating client application cooperates with the match maker application by exchanging information with the match maker application;
providing a host computer hosting the match maker application, the match maker application maintaining a plurality of group datasets, wherein each group dataset of the plurality of group datasets includes values of each of a plurality of attributes, wherein the plurality of attributes include attributes associated with a group of cooperating client applications, wherein the group of cooperating client applications includes said first cooperating client application, wherein each of the group of cooperating client applications cooperates with the match maker application by exchanging information with the match maker application;
selecting at least one value of at least one attribute wherein the at least one attribute is associated with said first cooperating client application, said at least one value being included in at least one group dataset being included in the plurality of group datasets being maintained upon the host computer;
transmitting from said match maker application on said host computer a message including said at least one value;
receiving said message by said second cooperating client application on said second client computer; and
in response to receiving said message, displaying upon said video display of said second client computer a first graphical image having a pre-defined non-textual feature wherein the pre-defined non-textual feature represents said at least one value included in said message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus related to grouping (or matching) network users and computers associated with multi-user applications is disclosed. Each user is associated with a client computer that is connected to a network. A match maker application resides on one or more server computer(s). The match maker application controls the process of collecting Clients into matched sets, called client groups, based upon a wide range of attributes of the users, their client computers, the server computers, software application titles, application instances and/or data communication links of the network, for example. Each time the match maker application creates a client group, it creates a group data set that represents the client group. Network match making information is presented to users in an understandable manner using icons, other graphical images or collections of icons and/or images, for example, displayed on a display screen. For example, a non-textual element of a graphical image can be varied to communicate group information about a client group to a user. A variety of non-textual elements can be used to communicate a variety of group information to a user.
326 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of assisting a user to influence a match maker application, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first client computer said first client computer executing a first cooperating client application wherein the first cooperating client application cooperates with the match maker application by exchanging information with the match maker application; providing a second client computer being equipped with a video display, said second client computer executing a second cooperating client application wherein the second cooperating client application cooperates with the match maker application by exchanging information with the match maker application; providing a host computer hosting the match maker application, the match maker application maintaining a plurality of group datasets, wherein each group dataset of the plurality of group datasets includes values of each of a plurality of attributes, wherein the plurality of attributes include attributes associated with a group of cooperating client applications, wherein the group of cooperating client applications includes said first cooperating client application, wherein each of the group of cooperating client applications cooperates with the match maker application by exchanging information with the match maker application; selecting at least one value of at least one attribute wherein the at least one attribute is associated with said first cooperating client application, said at least one value being included in at least one group dataset being included in the plurality of group datasets being maintained upon the host computer; transmitting from said match maker application on said host computer a message including said at least one value; receiving said message by said second cooperating client application on said second client computer; and in response to receiving said message, displaying upon said video display of said second client computer a first graphical image having a pre-defined non-textual feature wherein the pre-defined non-textual feature represents said at least one value included in said message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of allowing a user to navigate between client groups associated with a match maker application, the method comprising the steps of:
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executing the match maker application on a host computer; hosting using the match maker application a first, a second and a third client application wherein the first client application is executed by a first client computer, the second client application is executed by a second client computer and the third client application is executed by a third client computer, wherein the first, second and third client computers are each coupled to the host computer, wherein the first client application and the first client computer are associated with the user and wherein the first client computer includes a video display; maintaining on the host computer a first group dataset that represents a first client group wherein the first client group includes the first, second and third client applications; displaying to the user on the video display a first graphical image representing a match option wherein the match option is associated with at least one of the second and the third client applications and wherein the graphical image allows the user to select the match option; associating the first client application with the match option in response to selection of the first graphical image by the user by forming a second group dataset representing a second client group wherein the second client group is a subset of the first client group and wherein the second client group includes the first client application and the at least one of the second and third client applications; displaying to the user on the video display a second graphical image that represents the second group dataset. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for allowing a first user to communicate values of attributes to a second user, via a match making application, comprising the steps of:
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(1) executing the match making application on a host computer; (2) receiving, at said host computer, a first message from a first client application, wherein said first message allows said first client application to attach to the match making application, and wherein said first message includes a first plurality of attributes associated with said first client application; (3) receiving, at said host computer, a second message from a second client application, wherein said second message allows said second client application to attach to the match making application, and wherein said second message includes a second plurality of attributes associated with said second client application; (4) matching, by the match maker application, said first plurality of attributes and said second plurality of attributes, to determine at least one common attribute associated with both said first client application and said second client application; (5) creating a group dataset on said host computer, wherein said group dataset contains said at least one common attribute associated with both said first client application and said second client application; and (6) transmitting, from said host computer, to said second client application, a third message containing said at least one common attribute included in said group dataset, wherein said third message causes said second client application to display a graphical image having a pre-defined, non-textual feature representing the value of said at least one common attribute included in said third message; wherein the match making application facilitates the execution of an online multi-user, multi-instanced application between the first user and the second user.
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Specification