Simplified matchmaking

Patent 6641481 Issued on November 4, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 17, 2020. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Network match maker matching requesters based on communication attribute between the requesters
Patent #: 5894556
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System and method for changing the characteristics of a button by direct manipulation
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Inventor: Brown

Method and apparatus for match making
Patent #: 6023729
Issued on: 02/08/2000
Inventor: Samuel, et al.

Network game system, a network game server, a network game client, a player selection program, a medium storing a player selection program, and a medium storing a player information collection program
Patent #: 6203433
Issued on: 03/20/2001
Inventor: Kume

Game machine to permit players to choose other players to play against
Patent #: 6322451
Issued on: 11/27/2001
Inventor: Miura

Interactive gaming server and online community forum Patent #: 6352479
Issued on: 03/05/2002
Inventor: Sparks, II

Inventors

Assignee

Microsoft Corporation

Application

No. 09/714817 filed on 11/17/2000

US Classes:

463/42, Network type (e.g., computer network, etc.)463/29Access or authorization (e.g., game selection, security, etc.)

Examiners

Primary: Harrison, Jessica J.
Assistant: Coburn, Corbett B

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

International Class

A63F 13/12 (20060101)

Abstract

A simplified matchmaker matches users of a computer network, such as the Internet, based on the number of games the users have abandoned. A one-action input is received at a requesting client application executing on a computer connected to the computer network. Next, information that is stored within the computer is collected. The information is stored within the computer using a process that is unrelated to and separate from the one-action input received from the user. Then, at least one message is sent from the requesting client application to a host computer connected to the computer network containing information relating to a request for initiating a matchmaking process on the host computer that matches requesting user into an online interactive session along with other suitable users, such that each suitable user is connected to the computer network through a client application compatible with the requesting client application.