Validation of network devices

• US 8,032,502 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Schneider, Steve C., Harris, Adam P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Leslie
• Application Number:
  US12/352,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20090191951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 707/622, 707/694
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A system and method for actively validating a network device is provided. Nodes in a network game community are prompted to engage in interrogation and response to facilitate the identification of nodes operating with hacked, modified and non-typical game configurations. In one embodiment, a query is presented to a user'"'"'s machine which triggers a response, and where the response indicates whether certain data at the user is valid and wherein invalid data is suggestive of illegal community behavior. Functions are triggered and data is queried to determine whether the state of game environment is operating according to known metrics or constraints. Various queries to test user integrity include memory peeks, confirmation of location of functions in memory, memory hashing, profiling of threads operating on the user machine, and combinations thereof. Queries may be actively initiated by a server, peer, peer group or combinations thereof and may be scheduled on a routine basis, triggered in response to passive listening, and via collaborating users who suspect cheat activity.

Claims

1. A method for validating compliance of nodes in a peer-to-peer network with a rule, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of queries at a node in the peer-to-peer network, wherein each query from the plurality of queries originates from a different sending node in the peer-to-peer network;

processing each of the plurality of queries to generate a corresponding response, wherein processing of each of the plurality of queries takes place at the node receiving the plurality of queries; and

transmitting the generated responses to the corresponding sending nodes for each of the plurality of queries, the generated responses transmitted over one or more communications channels in the peer-to-peer network, wherein the generated responses are subsequently analyzed to determine whether the node receiving the plurality of queries is in compliance with the rule, and wherein the node receiving the plurality of queries receives fewer subsequent queries as a result of having been found to be in compliance with the rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule corresponds to a quantifiable limitation of the peer-to-peer network environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule corresponds to a quantifiable limitation of a game environment, wherein the node receiving the plurality of queries corresponds to a user that is a participant in the game environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule corresponds to a quantifiable limitation of a character in a game environment, wherein the node receiving the plurality of queries corresponds to a user controlling a character in the game environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule corresponds to a quantifiable limitation corresponding to an aspect of a video game and is selected from the group consisting of character fatigue, speed, character strength, goals, power, ammunition, temporal variables, score ranges, prerequisites for advancement, and frequency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated responses are accumulated in an database corresponding to the node receiving the plurality of queries.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a further query from one or more of the sending nodes, the further query sent in response to an analysis of the database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving node is validated notwithstanding a failure to comply with the rule, the noncompliance with the rule corresponding to an excepted finding of noncompliance.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the excepted finding of noncompliance corresponds to functionality in a video game, the functionality implemented by a developer of the video game.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the excepted finding of noncompliance corresponds to functionality in a video game, the functionality implemented by a code unlocking the functionality.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule corresponds to an identifiable aspect of the node receiving the plurality of queries.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifiable aspect includes overwritten code in memory at the node receiving the plurality of queries.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifiable aspect includes modified code in memory at the node receiving the plurality of queries.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifiable aspect includes the presence of a hardware device coupled to the node receiving the plurality of queries.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifiable aspect includes the presence of a particular device signature at node receiving the plurality of queries.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifiable aspect includes the presence of certain data at the node receiving the plurality of queries.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the certain data includes an instruction thread.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifiable aspect includes blocking the exchange of particular data elements with another node in the peer-to-peer network.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two queries from the plurality of queries are identical.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein each query from the plurality of queries differ from one another.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the node receiving the plurality of queries must provide a correct response to each of the plurality of queries in order to be found in compliance with the rule.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the node receiving the plurality of queries must provide a correct response to a predetermined percentage of each of the plurality of queries in order to be found in compliance with the rule.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the predetermined percentage is less than 100%.