Customized collusion avoidance policies for esports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11315385-B2
Application number	US-201916397783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2019
Priority date	Jul 14, 2005
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to customized collusion avoidance policies for eSports. In some embodiments, an eSports gaming platform can receive a notification request to connect one or more eSports player terminals to an eSports game. The notification request can include eSports player terminal information (e.g., a location). A customized collusion avoidance policy can be dynamically generated based, at least in part, on the location of the eSports player terminal. The customized collusion avoidance policy can include one or more actions that are triggered in response to events detected at the eSports player terminal. The customized collusion avoidance policy can be enforced during eSports game play by monitoring for any of the events identified in the customized collusion avoidance policy and, in response to detecting any of the events, executing a corresponding combination of the one or more actions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eSports player terminal for use by a player for playing a cloud-based eSports game via the Internet, the eSports player terminal comprising:
one or more processors;
at least one sensor in communication with the one or more processors,
wherein the at least sensor includes means for determining a geographical location of the eSports player terminal;

a network communication interface in communication with the one or more processors; and
a memory in communication with the one or more processors, the memory having stored thereon instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the eSports player terminal to:
cause the at least one sensor to automatically collect eSports player terminal information including data encoding a location of the eSports player terminal,
wherein the data encoding the location of the eSports player terminal includes at least one of: GPS coordinates, an IP address, a predicted current location of the eSports player terminal, a geolocation derived from a beacon-based technology, and a geolocation derived from a proximity sensor;

cause the network communication interface to transmit, to a host computer system of an eSports gaming platform, a signal encoding a request to connect the eSports player terminal to the host computer system,
wherein the host computer system is cloud-based and is positioned at a location remote from, and in communication via the Internet with, the network communication interface, and
wherein the signal includes at least the data encoding the location of the eSports player terminal;

in response to the signal encoding the request being transmitted, cause the network communication interface to receive a customized collusion avoidance policy from the host computer system to be implemented for an eSports gaming session being played on the eSports player terminal according to the eSports player terminal information and based, at least in part, on the data encoding the location of the eSports player terminal,
wherein the customized collusion avoidance policy includes one or more eSports game control actions that are triggered or deactivated in response to player activity events indicative of actual or potential collusion or cheating by the player;

implement electronic countermeasures at the eSports player terminal according to the customized collusion avoidance policy to prevent cheating or unauthorized collusion by the player in the eSports game;
cause the network communication interface to transmit, to the host computer system, signals encoding data representative of one or more of the player activity events indicative of actual or potential collusion or cheating by the player;
detect, based on the signals encoding data representative of one or more of the player activity events, the one or more of the player activity events indicative of actual or potential collusion or cheating by the player in the eSports gaming session; and
responsive to the one or more of the player activity events indicative of actual or potential collusion or cheating by the player in the eSports gaming session being detected, execute, automatically and in the absence of involvement of the player, a corresponding combination of the one or more eSports game control actions in the eSports gaming session.

2. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to:
create a record of game play occurring at the eSports player terminal; and
distribute winnings to the player by adding to a credit total after the record of the game play is evaluated in view of the customized collusion avoidance policy.

3. The eSports player terminal of claim 2 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to evaluate the record of the game play in view of the customized collusion avoidance policy.

4. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to cause the network communication interface to:
transmit, to the host computer system, a notification that the eSports player terminal is joining a network; and
receive, from the host computer system, a list of available games based on the data encoding the location of the eSports player terminal.

5. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to:
cause the network communication interface to:
transmit, to the host computer system, a notification that the eSports player terminal is joining a network; and
receive, from the host computer system, available games that can be played via the eSports player terminal;

monitor the eSports player terminal for a selection from the player of a first game and a bonus round game from the available games;
determine whether the first game and the bonus round game satisfy a pairing rule; and
initiate, in response to determining that the pairing rule is satisfied, the eSports gaming session based on the first game and the bonus round game.

6. The eSports player terminal of claim 5 , wherein the available games include games of skill, games of chance, hybrid games of skill and chance, video games, or arcade games.

7. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to participate in the eSports game, and wherein the customized collusion avoidance policy allows multiple players to collude during at least part of the eSports game.

8. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to:
cause the network communication interface to transmit and receive, to and from the host computer system, respectively, signals encoding data representative of: player actions in, and a state of, the eSports game.

9. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the one or more eSports game control actions include at least one of: terminating the eSports gaming session, holding payouts subject to further review, initiating review of other available data, and creating entries in a user tracking system.

10. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to:
determine, using a skill level adjustment module, a skill level of a player; and
set, using a payout adjustment module, a payout that is based, at least in part, on the skill level of the player.

11. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to determine a current gaming session on the eSports player terminal, and wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to dynamically set the customized collusion advance policy based, at least in part, on the current gaming session.

12. The eSports player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the data encoding the location of the eSports player terminal includes the geolocation derived from the beacon-based technology, wherein the beacon-based technology includes monitoring stations located at various physical locations, and wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the eSports player terminal to transmit or monitor beacon signals that can be received or transmitted by the monitoring

Assignees

• Ag 18 Llc

Inventors

• Frenkel Brian
• Simons Jordan

Classifications

• G07F17/3239 Primary

  Tracking of individual players · CPC title

• G07F17/3241 Primary

  Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00) · CPC title

• G07F17/3293

  Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack · CPC title

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3225

  Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users · CPC title