US 6,128,660 A · Network match maker

Abstract

A network match making system and method is used to match users of a multi-user networked application. Each user is associated with a client computer connected to the network. Clients are selected based on attributes of their users, the clients, servers, and/or communication links. The network match maker works with three different forms of network applications: peer-to-peer, multiple clients to a single server, and multiple clients to multiple servers. In one match maker method, remote server computers and client computers are matched. A match maker receives a plurality of client requests and a plurality of server requests. At least two instances of client programs and at least one instance of server programs are selected based on client and server attributes.

Claims50

Dependent claims

A method for a match maker to match server computers and client computers, said match maker, said server computers and said client computers being connected to a data communication network, each of said server computers executing an instance of server program associated with a set of attributes and each of said client computers executing an instance of client program associated with a set of attributes, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by said match maker a plurality of client requests from a plurality of instances of said client programs, each of said client requests containing said set of attributes associated with a corresponding instance of said client program;
(b) receiving by said match maker a plurality of server requests from a plurality of instances of said server programs, each of said server requests containing said set of attributes associated with a corresponding instance of said server program;
(c) selecting at least two of said plurality of instances of said client programs and at least one of the said plurality of instances of said server programs based on said sets of attributes contained in said client and said server requests.

A method for a matchmaker server to match a plurality of client computers and one multi-user application server in a computer network having a plurality of multi-user application servers and a plurality of client computers, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request associated with a multi-user application from a program instance of one of the client computers, said request including at least one client attribute associated with said one of the client computers and at least one application attribute associated with the multi-user application;
(b) creating a first record which includes the at least one client attribute associated with the one of the client computers and the at least one application attribute associated with the multi-user application;
(c) creating a second record which includes at least one attribute associated with each of the plurality of multi-user application servers;
and
(d) identifying based on the first record and the second record, a subset of at least one multi-user application server potentially compatible to the one of the client computers for the multi-user application, from among the plurality of multi-user application servers in the network.

2 more elements

A system to match a plurality of client computers and one multi-user application server in a computer network having a matchmaker server, a plurality of multi-user application servers and a plurality of client computers, comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request associated with a multi-user application from a program instance of one of the client computers, said request including at least one client attribute associated with said one of the client computers and at least one application attribute associated with the multi-user application;
first creating means for creating a first record which includes the at least one client attribute associated with the one of the client computers and the at least one application attribute associated with the multi-user application;
second creating means for creating a second record which includes at least one attribute associated with each of the plurality of multi-user application servers;
and
identifying means for identifying, based on the first record and the second record, a subset of at least one multi-user application server potentially compatible to the one of the client computers for the multi-user application, from among the plurality of multi-user application servers in the network.

2 more elements

receiving means for receiving a request associated with a multi-user application from a program instance of one of the client computers, said request including at least one client attribute associated with said one of the client computers and at least one application attribute associated with the multi-user application;
first storing means for storing the at least one client attribute associated with the one of the client computers and the at least one application attribute associated with the multi-user application;
second storing means for storing at least one attribute associated with each of the plurality of multi-user application servers;
and
identifying means for identifying, based on the at least one client attribute associated with the one of the client computers and the at least one application attribute associated with the multi-user application and the at least one attribute associated with each of the plurality of multi-user application servers, a subset of at least one multi-user application server potentially compatible to the one of the client computers for the multi-user application, from among the plurality of multi-user application servers in the network.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Network match maker

Life of this patent

Network match maker

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims50