Initiating multiuser sessions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11115442-B2
Application number	US-201916554375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2019
Priority date	Aug 28, 2019
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A system and method for initiating a multiuser session is provided. A plurality of multiuser activities and a plurality of activities templates may be stored in memory. A user profile for a user and a peer profile for each of one or more peers may be received. The user and the one or more peers may be members of an initial session. A user selection specifying one of the filtered multiuser activities may be received. An activity template associated with the selected activity may be retrieved. Such retrieved activity template may provide activity requirements required to launch the selected activity. A multiuser session may be established that includes session requirements based on at least the activity requirements. The user and at least one peer from the initial session may be added to the multiuser session. The selected activity may be launched in the multiuser session.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for initiating a multiuser session, the method comprising:
storing a plurality of multiuser activities and a plurality of activity templates, each activity template associated with each of the multiuser activities, each activity template associated with a portion of an interactive content title;
receiving a user profile for a user and a peer profile for each of one or more peers, the user profile and each of the peer profiles having information about the user and each peer with respect to each multiuser activity, wherein the user and the one or more peers are members of an initial session initiated by a platform server;
filtering the plurality of multiuser activities based on the user profile during the initial session initiated by the platform server;
receiving a user selection during the initial session initiated by the platform server, the user selection from the user specifying one of the filtered multiuser activities, wherein a retrieved activity template associated with the selected activity provides activity requirements required to launch the selected activity;
establishing a multiuser session with at least one of the peers from the initial session in response to the user selection, the multiuser session established by an interactive content server in accordance with session requirements that include at least the activity requirements provided by the retrieved activity template; and
launching the selected activity in the multiuser session established by the interactive content server, the selected activity launched with the at least one peer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the multiuser session includes inviting each peer to the multiuser session, and adding each peer to the multiuser session when the peer accepts the invitation.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the peer accepts the invitation by selecting at least one of a spectate action and a join action, wherein the peer is added to a player slot of the multiuser session when the peer selects the join action, and wherein the peer is added to a spectator slot of the multiuser session when the peer selects the spectate action.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the multiuser session includes auto-inviting each peer to the multiuser session, the auto-inviting including an option to opt out, and adding each peer to the multiuser session when the peer does not select to opt out.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a notification to one or more peers that do not have access to the selected activity, the notification providing an option to obtain access to the selected activity;
receiving a selection to obtain access to the selected activity from the one or more peer; and
adding the one or more peers to the multiuser session.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the notification providing the option to obtain access to the selected activity includes at least one option of purchasing the selected activity or demoing the selected activity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user profile includes multiuser activities available to the user and each peer profile includes multiuser activities available to each peer, and wherein filtering the multiuser activities is based on one or more multiuser activities that are available to the user and each peer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein filtering the multiuser activities is based on at least one of a skill level of the user and each of the one or more peers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein filtering the multiuser activity is further based on each peer profile.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
adding a new peer to the initial session, the new peer having a new peer profile; and
re-filtering the multiuser activities based on the user profile, each peer profile, and the new peer profile.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial session is one of a social session or another multiuser session.

12. A system for initiating a multiuser session, the system comprising:
memory that stores a plurality of multiuser activities and a plurality of activity templates, each activity template associated with each of the multiuser activities, each activity template associated with a portion of an interactive content title;
a network interface that establishes a session with a user device associated with a user over a communication network; and
a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor:
receives a user profile for a user and a peer profile for each of one or more peers, the user profile and each of the peer profiles having information about the user and each peer with respect to each multiuser activity, wherein the user and the one or more peers are members of an initial session initiated by a platform server;
filters the plurality of multiuser activities based on the user profile;
receives a user selection during the initial session initiated by the platform server, the user selection from the user specifying one of the filtered multiuser activities, wherein a retrieved activity template associated with the selected activity provides activity requirements required to launch the selected activity;
establishes a multiuser session with at least one of the peers from the initial session in response to the user selection, the multiuser session established by an interactive content server in accordance with session requirements that include at least the activity requirements provided by the retrieved activity template; and
launches the selected activity in the multiuser session established by the interactive content server, the selected activity launched with the at least one peer.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor establishes the multiuser session by inviting each peer to the multiuser session, and adding each peer to the multiuser session when the peer accepts the invitation.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the peer accepts the invitation by selecting at least one of a spectate action and a join action, wherein the processor adds the peer to a player slot of the multiuser session when the peer selects the join action, and wherein the processor adds the peer to a spectator slot of the multiuser session when the peer selects the spectate action.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor establishes the multiuser session by auto-inviting each peer to the multiuser session, the auto-inviting including an option to opt out, and adding each peer to the multiuser session when the peer does not select to opt out.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor executes further instructions to:
generate a notification to one or more peers that do not have access to the selected activity, the notification providing an option to obtain access to the selected activity;
receive a selection to obtain access to the selected activity from the one or more peer; and
add the one or more peers to the multiuser session.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the notification providing the option to obtain access to the selected activity includes at least one option of purchasing the selected activity or demoing the selected activity.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the user profile includes multiuser activities available to the user and each peer profile includes multiuser activities available to each peer, and wherein the processor filters the multiuser activities based on one or more multiuser activities that are available to the user and each peer.

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Stephens Mischa
• Trombetta Steven
• Hiatt Daniel
• Neuenfeldt Benedikt
• Fuse Atsushi
• Koyama Nobukazu
• Suzuki Shogo

Classifications

• H04L67/535

  Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title

• H04L65/403

  Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• A63F13/795

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

• H04L65/1069 Primary

  Session establishment or de-establishment · CPC title

• H04L67/306 Primary

  User profiles · CPC title