Player profile based proxy play

• US 6,024,643 A
• Filed: 03/04/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Begis, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paradiso, John
• Application Number:
  US08/811,268
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/30, 463/31, 463/32, 463/2, 463/5, 463/6, 463/8
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A method of conducting virtual competitions based on player profiling. A plurality of player profiles are created and transmitted to a host. Two or more of the profiles are pitted against one another in a pseudo-game independent of any of profile'"'"'s creator. A winner is determined based on resolution of a plurality of inflection points based on underlying constraints, random factors, and the opposing player profile(s).

In one embodiment, a free-running avatar is associated with a player profile. It seeks other avatars to conduct pseudo-games to identify good opponents for the creator of the profiles involved. In another embodiment, large scale tournaments are sponsored in which entrants submit profiles to compete in exchange for demographic or promotional consideration.

Claims

1. A method for conducting pseudo head-to-head competition in a game, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first player profile corresponding to a first game play of the game by a first player;

receiving a second player profile corresponding to a second game play of the game by a second player; and

pseudo-matching the first player against the second player using the first player profile and the second player profile.

2. A method of orchestrating a virtual tournament of a competitive game having a plurality of entrants comprising the steps of:

receiving from each entrant a player profile created in a predetermined way;

pseudo-matching opponent player profiles in a predetermined way; and

determining a winner of the tournament based on the results of the pseudo-matching.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining a winner comprises the steps of:

playing a pseudo-game with a plurality of entrants pseudo-competing against each other using corresponding received player profiles.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the pseudo-game includes inflection points, underlying constraints, and random factors of the game.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the virtual tournament is played in a round robin format.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the virtual tournament is played in a single elimination format.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the step pseudo-matching comprises the step of:

pairing received player profiles.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the pairing is on a structured basis.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the pairing is on a random basis.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein a plurality of entrants form a plurality of teams and wherein a team of profiles is pseudo-matched against another team of profiles in a pseudo-game.

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

awarding a prize to a winning entrant.

12. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

posting results of the pseudo-games on an entrant accessible electronic medium.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein the number of entrants is arbitrarily large.

18. The method of claim 13 where the avatar traverses one or more links in a plurality of interconnected host to host links in search of the player profiles.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

reporting the results of the pseudo-game to a creator of at least one of the profiles.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

providing the avatar with an ability to schedule a head-to-head match based on a satisfaction of pre-established criteria and scheduling constraints of both a first player and a located player.

14. A method of identifying and facilitating competitive head-to-head game match-ups comprising the step of:

associating a first player profile with an avatar; and

sending the avatar in search of player profiles associated with other players, the avatar evaluating relative competitiveness between the player and a located player using the first player profile and a corresponding located player profile.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the avatar evaluates relative competitiveness by initiating a pseudo-game between the first player profile and the corresponding located player profile.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the avatar profiles by comparing predetermined metrics of the first player profile and the located player profile.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

determining based on a result of the pseudo-game if a creator of the other player profile would be a competitive head-to-head match for a first player.

21. A method of facilitating competitive head-to-head matches comprising the step of:

providing an avatar to evaluate relative competitiveness of a first player and a located player using an associated player profile and a located player profile.