US 7,803,052 B2Granted

Discovery and distribution of game session information

AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation

InventorsBoyd C. Multerer, Darren L. Anderson, Mark D. VanAntwerp, Dinarte R. Morais, Paul E. Newson, Mitsuo Koikawa

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Discovery and distribution of game session security information includes receiving a request to generate a new game session from a computing device and maintaining a record of a game session identifier for the new game session and a game session key for the new game session, and making the new game session available for other computing devices to join. A request for information describing one or more of a plurality of game sessions may also be received and responded to with the information describing the one or more game sessions as well as a session key that can be used to communicate with at least one of the one or more other computing devices that are part of the game session.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of communicating between a server device and a plurality of game consoles comprising a first game console and a second game console on a network, the method being implemented in the server device and comprising:

receiving, at the server device, a request from the first game console for information describing one or more of a plurality of game sessions created by one or more of the plurality of game consoles other than the first game console, each of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions comprising:
a title identification (ID) field containing an identifier of a game being hosted at a second game console different from the first game console;
and
a host address field containing a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the second game console, wherein:
each of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions is created at the second game console and is communicated between the second game console and the server device through a set of application programming interfaces (APIs);
and
the set of application programming interfaces (APIs) is made available and exposed to the game hosted at the second game console to facilitate:
creation of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions at the second game console;
and
search of the one or more of the plurality of game sessions by the plurality of game consoles;
and
responding from the server device to the first game console with the information describing the one or more of the plurality of game sessions as well as one or more game session keys associated with the one or more of the plurality of game sessions, wherein:
each of the one or more game session keys is created at the second game console in order for the first game console to securely communicate to the second game console and to join the game hosted at the second game console;
and
the information facilitates the first game console playing the game hosted at the second game console without the first game console being further routed through the server device.

12 more elements

One or more computer storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server device from a first game console, a first request describing a new game session, the first request comprising:
a game session identifier for the new game session;
a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the hosting game console;
and
a game session key for the new game session, wherein the game session key is created at the first game console or at the server device;
maintaining a record of the game session identifier for the new game session and the game session key for the new game session at the server device;
making the new game session available for one or more other game consoles to join;
receiving, from a second game console, a second request to search the new game session;
identifying, in response to the second request, the new game session;
and
communicating information describing the new game session to the second game console such that the second game console establishes a secure communication with the first game console based on the information and the second game console joins a game hosted at the first game console without the second game console being further routed through the server device, wherein a set of application programming interface (APIs) is made available and exposed to the first game console, the second game console and the server device to facilitate:
creation of the new game session at the first game console;
search of the new game session initiated by the second game console;
and
communication among the first game console, the second game console and the server device.

12 more elements

A method of communicating, over a network, between a match making server and a plurality of game consoles comprising a first and a second game console, the method being implemented in the match making server and comprising:

receiving, at the match making server from the first game console, an acceptance of an invitation to join a game session identifying a game hosted on the second game console and a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR of the second game console, wherein the game session:
is created and hosted by the second game console and created and communicated through a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) employing one or more match making functionalities between the server device and the second game console;
and
comprises one or more public slots that are to be filled by one or more players each searching and joining the game session and one or more private slots that are to be filled by one or more players each accepting the invitation from the second game console;
retrieving, from a database, information describing the game session in response to the received request, the information comprising:
a game session key associated with the game session and created at the second game console-;
and
current status of the one or more public slots and the one or more private slots within the game session;
and
sending, from the match making server to the first game console, the game session key to be used by the first game console to securely communicate data with the second game console and one or more other game consoles in the game session on the basis of the current status of the one or more public slots and the one or more private slots of the game session, wherein neither the first game console nor the second game console comprises a server device.

7 more elements

A system implemented in a server device, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive one or more requests from one or more requesting game consoles regarding a plurality of game sessions each hosted by one or more of a plurality of hosting game consoles, and to respond to the one or more requesting game consoles with information regarding one or more of the plurality of game sessions, wherein the interface is implemented by a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) employing one or more match making functionalities between the server device and the one or more requesting game consoles and the one or more of the plurality of hosting game consoles;
and
a database configured to maintain the information for each of the plurality of game sessions, wherein the information for each of the plurality of game sessions comprises:
a game session identifier to uniquely identify the game session;
a fully qualified address comprising an XNADDR;
information regarding a number of slots configured to be filled by invitation sent from the one or more of the plurality of hosting game consoles only and a number of slot in the game session configured to be filled by the one or more requesting game consoles that join the game session via a match-making search through the server device;
and
a game session key created at one or more of the plurality of hosting game consoles or at the server device to be used by game consoles that are part of the game session to securely communicate with one another.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/184,225Filed 28 Jun 2002
Published: US 2004/0002384 A11 Jan 2004
Granted: 28 Sep 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A63F 13/12
A63F 13/71
Game security or game management aspects: using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or…
A63F 13/30
Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions: interconnection arrangements between game servers…
A63F 13/73
Game security or game management aspects: authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity