# US 11,077,376 B2 · Managing game metrics and authorizations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,376 B2 - Document ID: US11077376B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/418,938 - Filed: 2019-05-21 - Published: 2019-11-07 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-20 - Assignees: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Applicants: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC - Inventors: Adam P. Harris; Steve C. Schneider - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077376B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/12 - A63F 13/75: Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players - A63F 13/30: Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers - A63F 13/45: Controlling the progress of the video game - G07F 17/3241: {Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00)} - A63F 2300/5586: for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract Various metrics as may be deployed in an active, passive, or hybrid validation architecture are disclosed. A computing device configured to monitor network game activity may identify an inconsistency between user game data and a particular game metric governing a particular aspect of the network gaming environment. Upon identification of an inconsistency between game data and a game metric, which may indicative of illicit game play, a validation process (e.g., active, passive, and/or hybrid) may be implemented to further confirm the existence of illicit game. Alternatively, an action to maintain integrity of the gaming community may be executed without further confirmation whereby a purportedly illicit game device may be ejected from the network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for monitoring a gaming network, the method comprising: evaluating a plurality of computing devices associated with the gaming network to identify one or more of the computing devices having idle processing resources; assigning the one or more identified computing devices monitoring responsibility over one or more client devices participating within a network game session; monitoring current network traffic associated with the gaming network; and modifying performance of the monitoring responsibility by the assigned one or more computing devices based on the current network traffic, wherein the performance of the monitoring responsibility is delayed when the current network traffic is identified as high. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring responsibility includes monitoring for illicit behaviors by the one or more client devices participating within the network game session. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring responsibility includes passive validation of game data generated by the one or more client devices participating within the network game session. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring responsibility includes active validation of one or more responses to queries transmitted to the one or more client devices participating within the network game session. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the monitoring responsibility further includes transmitting the queries to the one or more client devices based on a pre-determined schedule. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the queries are customized to the one or more client devices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the queries are customized to a detected activity by the one or more client devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein modifying performance of the monitoring responsibility includes adjusting a response time for receiving the one or more responses. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring responsibility includes applying a set of rules that define game metrics for allowed and prohibited behaviors within the network game. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring responsibility includes monitoring for one or more device signatures indicative of prohibited devices. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more assigned computing devices include client devices that are not participating in the network game session. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising downloading instructions for performing the monitoring responsibility to each of the one or more assigned computing devices. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the downloaded instructions include a rules library associated with a game title being played in the network game session. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the downloaded instructions includes permissions information specific to the one or more of the client devices participating in the network game session. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising reassigning the monitoring responsibility to a different one of the computing devices based on an updated evaluation identifying that the different computing device has idle processing resources. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving monitoring data from the one or more assigned computing devices, and determining whether the one or more client devices are allowed to continue participating in the network game session. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the monitoring responsibility includes assigning different types of monitoring responsibility to different assigned computing devices. ### Claim 18 A system for monitoring a client device in a gaming network, the system comprising: a plurality of computing devices associated with the gaming network, the computing devices including one or more client devices participating in a network game session; and a server that includes instructions stored in memory, the instructions being executed by a processor to: evaluate the plurality of computing devices associated with the gaming network to identify one or more of the computing devices having idle processing resources, assign the one or more identified computing devices monitoring responsibility over the one or more client devices participating within the network game session, wherein the one or more assigned computing devices monitor current network traffic associated with the gaming network and modify performance of the monitoring responsibility based on the current network traffic, wherein the performance of the monitoring responsibility is delayed when the current network traffic is identified as high. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for monitoring a gaming network, the method comprising: evaluating a plurality of computing devices associated with the gaming network to identify one or more of the computing devices having idle processing resources; assigning the one or more identified computing devices monitoring responsibility over one or more client devices participating within a network game session; monitoring current network traffic associated with the gaming network; and modifying performance of the monitoring responsibility by the one or more assigned computing devices based on the current network traffic, wherein the performance of the monitoring responsibility is delayed when the current network traffic is identified as high.