Skill matching for a multiplayer session

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10449458-B2
Application number	US-201715636187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Dec 30, 2016
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

The systems and techniques described herein generate a skill rating of a participant with respect to a new title. The system is configured to generate a generic skill rating algorithm based on an aggregate of parameters and parameter weights that already exist in established skill rating algorithms of other titles of a particular game category. Once the generic skill rating algorithm is generated, the system is configured to aggregate, organize, and plug participant performance data into the generic skill rating algorithm so that a representative skill rating for the participant can be calculated. The representative skill rating is provided to the new title thereby enabling the new title to effectively match participants in a multiplayer session of the new title such that a fair and a competitive gaming experience is realized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
one or more processing units;
a data store comprising (i) a plurality of skill rating algorithms used by a plurality of titles that belong to a same game category, an individual skill rating algorithm including a set of parameters and corresponding weights useable to determine a skill rating of a participant, and (ii) performance data for the participant based on completed sessions of the plurality of titles; and
a computer-readable medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to configure the one or more processing units to:
generate a generic skill rating algorithm based on the set of parameters included in each skill rating algorithm of the plurality of skill rating algorithms, wherein an individual weight for an individual parameter used in the generic skill rating algorithm is determined based on an aggregate of weights used for the individual parameter across the plurality of skill rating algorithms;
expose an application programming interface that enables access to the generic skill rating algorithm for a new title;
receive, via the application programming interface, information that indicates a representative skill rating is to be calculated for the participant in a multiplayer session of the new title;
determine that the new title belongs to the same game category as the plurality of titles;
based on the determining that the new title belongs to the same game category as the plurality of titles, use the generic skill rating algorithm and the performance data for the participant to calculate the representative skill rating for the participant; and
provide the representative skill rating to enable matching of the participant with one or more other participants in the multiplayer session of the new title.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein an individual parameter comprises results or outcomes of multiplayer sessions played.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein an individual parameter comprises quality of opponents of multiplayer sessions played.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein an individual parameter comprises differences in results or outcomes of multiplayer sessions played.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein an individual parameter comprises a game statistic that reflects an amount of success in multiplayer sessions.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the game statistic is specific to the same game category to which the new title and the plurality of titles belong.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein an individual parameter comprises a number of multiplayer sessions played.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application programming interface enables access to the generic skill rating algorithm and provision of the representative skill rating without sharing the performance data for the participant to the new title.

9. A method comprising:
storing (i) a plurality of skill rating algorithms used by a plurality of titles that belong to a same game category, an individual skill rating algorithm including a set of parameters and corresponding weights useable to determine a skill rating of a participant, and (ii) performance data for the participant based on completed sessions of the plurality of titles;
generating, by one or more processing units, a generic skill rating algorithm based on the set of parameters included in each skill rating algorithm of the plurality of skill rating algorithms, wherein an individual weight for an individual parameter used in the generic skill rating algorithm is determined based on an aggregate of weights used for the individual parameter across the plurality of skill rating algorithms;
exposing an application programming interface that enables access to the generic skill rating algorithm for a new title;
receiving, via the application programming interface, information that indicates a representative skill rating is to be calculated for the participant in a multiplayer session of the new title;
determining that the new title belongs to the same game category as the plurality of titles;
based on the determining that the new title belongs to the same game category as the plurality of titles, using the generic skill rating algorithm and the performance data for the participant to calculate the representative skill rating for the participant; and
providing the representative skill rating to enable matching of the participant with one or more other participants in the multiplayer session of the new title.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein an individual parameter comprises results or outcomes of multiplayer sessions played.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein an individual parameter comprises quality of opponents of multiplayer sessions played.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein an individual parameter comprises differences in results or outcomes of multiplayer sessions played.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein an individual parameter comprises a game statistic that reflects an amount of success in multiplayer sessions.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the game statistic is specific to the same game category to which the new title and the plurality of titles belong.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein an individual parameter comprises a number of multiplayer sessions played.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application programming interface enables access to the generic skill rating algorithm and provision of the representative skill rating without sharing the performance data for the participant to the new title.

17. A system comprising:
one or more processing units;
a data store comprising (i) a plurality of skill rating algorithms used by a plurality of titles that belong to a same game category, an individual skill rating algorithm including a set of parameters and corresponding weights useable to determine a skill rating of a participant, and (ii) performance data for the participant based on completed sessions of the plurality of titles; and
a computer-readable medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to configure the one or more processing units to:
generate a generic skill rating algorithm based on the set of parameters included in each skill rating algorithm of the plurality of skill rating algorithms, wherein an individual weight for an individual parameter used in the generic skill rating algorithm is determined based on an aggregate of weights used for the individual parameter across the plurality of skill rating algorithms;
receive information that indicates a representative skill rating is to be calculated for the participant in a multiplayer session of a new title;
determine that the new title belongs to the same game category as the plurality of titles;
based on the determining that the new title belongs to the same game category as the plurality of titles, use the generic skill rating algorithm and the performance data for the participant to calculate the representative skill rating for the participant; and
provide the representative skill rating to enable matching of the participant with one or more other participants in the multiplayer session of the new title.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein an individual parameter comprises a game statistic that reflects an amount of success in multiplayer sessions.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the game statistic is specific to the same game category to which the new title and the plurality of titles belong.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein each parameter used in the generic skill rating al

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Torres Wisgary
• Kline Keith
• Av Daniel
• Ng Jefferson

Classifications

• A63F13/67

  adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use · CPC title

• A63F13/795 Primary

  for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list · CPC title

• A63F13/35

  Details of game servers · CPC title

• A63F13/798 Primary

  for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame · CPC title