# US 10,478,735 B2 · Video game system with spectator mode hud > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,735 B2 - Document ID: US10478735B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/847,616 - Filed: 2017-12-19 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-26 - Assignees: Riot Games, Inc. - Applicants: Riot Games, Inc. - Inventors: Brett Harris; Carl Kwoh; Paul Sottosanti; Victor Keenan; George Skleres; Jason Cohen; Christina Norman; Brooks Bouchard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478735B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/86: Watching games played by other players - A63F 13/35: Details of game servers - 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 - A63F 13/358: Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients - A63F 13/497: Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions - A63F 13/53: involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game - A63F 13/537: using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen - A63F 13/5372: for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player - A63F 13/822: Strategy games; Role-playing games (A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence) - H04N 21/4781: {Games} - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The field of the invention relates to multi-user online gaming systems, and more particularly to systems and methods that enable a spectator's experience for online active games. In an embodiment, an online multiuser game system includes an online game session server system communicatively coupled to a public network for access by a plurality of users to establish a plurality of real-time interactive games sessions. The online multiuser game system further includes a spectator server communicatively coupled to the online game session server system and configured to enable a user to view summary information of an active game session. In another embodiment, the spectator server enables the user to time shift the active game session and to view the summary information of the active game session. In another embodiment, the spectator server enables the user to view the summary information of the active game session while the user is playing the active game session. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An online multiuser game system, comprising: an online game session server system communicatively coupled to a public network for access by a plurality of users to establish a plurality of real-time interactive games sessions; a spectator server communicatively coupled to the online game session server system and configured to enable a user to view and time-shift at least one of the plurality of real-time interactive games sessions; wherein the at least one of the plurality of real-time interactive games sessions includes a plurality of electronic avatars; and wherein the spectator server is further configured to: enable a user to select an avatar for the user's view to follow; calculate an interest value associated with each of the plurality of avatars; and not shift the user's view to another avatar having an interest value higher than the interest value associated with the avatar selected by the user unless one or more threshold values are exceeded. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The online multiuser game system of claim 1, wherein the spectator server is further configured to enable a directed view. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The online multiuser game system of claim 1, wherein time-shift includes a plurality of controls available to the user, including playback, pause, playback speed control, and jump to latest. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The online multiuser game system of claim 1, wherein the spectator server is further configured to present to the user active games most requested by other users and active games having most requested players. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The online multiuser game system of claim 1, wherein the one or more threshold values decay over time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The online multiuser game system of claim 1, wherein the spectator server is further configured to monitor an interest for a future event; and wherein the spectator server is further configured to shift the user's view to the other avatar only when the interest for the future event is ramping up linearly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The online multiuser game system of claim 1, wherein calculating the interest value uses a set of factors including proximity of other avatars within a virtual landscape; current health level; presence of debuffs; participation in one or more future events; interaction with terrain elements; avatar activities, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The online multiuser game system of claim 7, wherein the spectator server is further configured to display a team status bar. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The online multiuser game system of claim 8, wherein the team status bar includes a display of each of the avatars within the virtual landscape and a display of health of the each of the avatars. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The online multiuser game system of claim 9, wherein the display of health of avatars that are nearer to the user's view are differentiated from the display of health of avatars that are farther from the user's view. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The online multiuser game system of claim 9, wherein the display of avatars that are nearer to the user's view are differentiated from the display of avatars that are farther from the user's view. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The online multiuser game system of claim 8, wherein the spectator server is further configured to display one or more of the plurality of avatars in the team status bar based on a visibility status of the one or more of the plurality of the avatars. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The online multiuser game system of claim 12, wherein the spectator server is further configured to display information associated with the displayed one or more of the plurality of avatars in the team status bar based on the visibility status of the displayed one or more of the plurality of the avatars. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes said one or more processors to execute a process for enabling a spectator's view for a multi-user online game system over a public network, said process comprising: enabling access over the public network by a plurality of players to establish a plurality of real-time active interactive games sessions with the multi-user online game system; and enabling a spectator to select, view, and time-shift at least one of the plurality of real-time active interactive games sessions, wherein the at least one of the plurality of real-time active interactive games sessions includes a plurality of electronic avatars; wherein the process further comprises: enabling a user to select an avatar for the user's view to follow; calculating an interest value associated with each of the plurality of avatars; and not shifting the user's view to another avatar having an interest value higher than the interest value associated with the avatar selected by the user unless one or more threshold values are exceeded. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, the process further comprising enabling a directed view of the selected real-time active interactive game session. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein time-shift includes a plurality of controls available to the spectator, including playback, pause, and playback speed control, and jump to latest. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein the process further comprises presenting to the spectator active games most requested by other spectators and active games having most requested players. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more threshold values decay over time. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein the spectator server is further configured to monitor an interest for a future event; and wherein the spectator server is further configured to shift the user's view to the other avatar only when the interest for the future event is ramping up linearly. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein calculating the interest value uses a set of factors including proximity of other avatars within a virtual landscape; current health level; presence of debuffs; participation in one or more future events; interaction with terrain elements; avatar activities, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 20, wherein the spectator server is further configured to display a team status bar. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 21, wherein the team status bar includes a display of each of the avatars within the virtual landscape and a display of health of the each of the avatars. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 22, wherein the display of health of avatars that are nearer to the user's view are differentiated from the display of health of avatars that are farther from the user's view. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 22, wherein the display of avatars that are nearer to the user's view are differentiated from the display of avatars that are farther from the user's view. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 21, wherein the spectator server is further configured to display one or more of the plurality of avatars in the team status bar based on a visibility status of the one or more of the plurality of the avatars. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 25, wherein the spectator server is further configured to display information associated with the displayed one or more of the plurality of avatars in the team status bar based on the visibility status of the displayed one or more of the plurality of the avatars. ### Claim 27 A computer implemented method for matching players of an online multiuser game system, comprising: instructions stored in non-transitory computer readable memory that, when executed by one or more processors of the online multiuser game system, include the steps of: enabling the players to establish a plurality of real-time interactive game sessions with the online multiuser game system over a public network; and enabling at least one spectator to select, view, and time-shift at least one of the plurality of real-time interactive game sessions, wherein the spectator's view is graphically rendered from game data provided by the game system, wherein the at least one of the plurality of real-time interactive games sessions includes a plurality of electronic avatars; enabling a user to select an avatar for the user's view to follow; calculating an interest value associated with each of the plurality of avatars; and not shifting the user's view to another avatar having an interest value higher than the interest value associated with the avatar selected by the user unless one or more threshold values are exceeded.