US008145702B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,145,702 B2 Patterson (45) Date of Patent: *Mar. 27, 2012 (54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEAM 7,500,916 B2 * 3/2009 Lieberman et a1. ........... .. 463/42 2003/0009565 A1* 1/2003 Arao ............... .. .. 709/227 BASED STRATEGY PLANNING IN 2003/0195735 A1 * 10/2003 Rosedale et al. .............. .. 703/13 COMPUTER SIMULATIONS 2008/0096663 A1 4/2008 Lieberman et a1. 2008/0140771 A1* 6/2008 Vass et al. ................... .. 709/203 (75) Inventor: Russell D. Patterson, Carlsbad, CA 2008/0294417 A1 * 11/2008 Brunstetter et al. .......... .. 703/21 (Us) OTHER PUBLICATIONS (73) Assignee; Sony Computer Entertainment Pending Unpublished US. Patent Application by Brunstetter, Aaron America LLC’ Foster City, CA (Us) et al.; US. Appl. No. 11/754,160, ?led May 25, 2007, entitled “Method and System for Managing Strategies Created by a Clan ( >1< ) NoticeZ Subject to any disclaimer, the term Ofthis Eased Strategy Sharing T001”, 39 pages. which includes the applica patent is extended or adjusted under 35 EgIXIiEZ‘glIIg/cgtgggligsr and dglawmgsc _d ” http m h_ / . , canum ayers 111 e , I PBIC 1ve.0rg U'S'C' 15403) by 552 days' LetsPlay/Arcanum/Update%2021/manual.pdf, PDF date created: This patent is subject to a terminal dis- Jl1116,2002; 190 PageS~ Claimeh MOBYGAMES, “Aaron Brunstetter”, http://www.m0bygames. com/developer/sheet/view/developerld,104961/, PDF date created: (21) App1.No.: 11/754,113 12108120102 PageS~ Continued (22) Filed: May 25, 2007 ( ) 65 P _ P bl_ _ D Primary Examiner * Bharat Barot ( ) nor u lcatlon am (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * Fitch, Even, Tabin & US 2008/0294782 A1 Nov. 27, 2008 Flannery LLP (51) Int. Cl. (57) ABSTRACT G06F 15/16 (200601) A method for use with a computer simulation includes pro (52) US. Cl. ...... .. 709/203; 709/223; 709/224; 709/250; Vidihg an ahihty to run a Simulation in Which a plurality of 703/13 client devices communicate over a network to interact with of Classi?cation Search . .. the simulation, providing an to generate a ?rst user 709/223i224, 217, 250; 703/13, 21*22; interface on each of the plurality of client devices for allowing 463/ 41*43 users associated with the client devices to interact with the See application ?le for complete search history. simulation, providing an ability to provide information that includes a representation of at least a portion of an environ (56) References Cited ment of the simulation on a subset of the plurality of client devices, and providing an ability to allow users associated U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS with the subset of the plurality of client devices to interact 5,685,775 A * 11/1997 Bakoglu et al. ............... .. 463/41 with the information without allowing access thereto by the 5,974,442 A * 10/1999 Adams 709/227 other client devices. A system for use in running a computer 6,564,243 B1 * 5/2003 Yedidia et a1. 704/217 6,826,523 B1* 11/2004 Guy et al. 709/227 simulation and a storage medium storing a computer program 7,155,477 B2 * 12/2006 Blair et al. 709/203 executable by a processor based system are also disclosed. 7,315,801 B1* 1/2008 Dowd et al. .. 709/224 7,343,625 B1 * 3/2008 Zaidi et al. .................. .. 709/203 35 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets 200 PROVIDING AN ABILITY TO RUN ASIMULATION IN WHICH A PLURALITY OF CLIENT DEVICES COMMUNICATE OVER 102 A NETWORK TO INTERACT WITH THE SIMULATION PROVIDING AN ABILITY TO GENERATE A FIRST USER 204 INTERFACE ON EACH OF THE PLURALITY OF CLIENT DEVICES FOR ALLOWING USERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLIENT DEVICES TO INTERACT WITH THE SIMULATION PROVIDING AN ABILITY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT INCLUDES A REPRESENTATION OF AT LEAST A PORTION 206 OFAN ENVIRONMENT OF THE SIMULATION ON ASUBSET / OF THE PLURALITY OF CLIENT DEVICES PROVIDING AN ABILITY TO ALLOW USERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUBSEI' OF THE PLURALITY OF CLIENT 208 DEVICES TO INTERACT WITH THE INFORMATION WITHOUT ALLOWING ACCESS THER ETO BY THE OTHER CLIENT DEVICES US 8,145,702 B2 Page 2 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Wikipedia; “LittleBigPlanet;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/Littlei binlmet; Last Modi?ed on Apr. 12, 2010; Game Released on Oct. RS Thomas, “Real-time Decision Making for Adversarial Environ 27, 2008; pp. 1-12. ments Using a Plan-based Heuristic”, Published at least by Jun. 30, Wikipedia; “MotorStorm;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/ 2003; Northwestern University, Dissertation, 206 pages. Motorstorm; Last Modi?ed on Apr. 10, 2010; Game Released on Sony Computer Entertainment America; “Killzone 2 Guide;” Game Dec. 14, 2006; pp. 1-7. User Guide; Believed to be published at least by Feb. 25, 2009; pp. Wikipedia; “Ratchet: Deadlocked;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/ 1-14. Ratchet:iDeadlocked; Last Modi?ed on Mar. 30, 2010; Game Sony Computer Entertainment America; “Motor Storm;” Game User Released on Oct. 25, 2005; pp. 1-6. Guide; Believed to be published at least by Dec. 14, 2006; pp. 1-19. Wikipedia; “Resistance 2;” http://en.Wikipediaorg/Wiki/Resis Sony Computer Entertainment America; “SOCOM 3 US. Navy tanceiZ; Last Modi?ed on Apr. 15, 2010; Game Released on Nov. SEALs: Instructional Guidelines;” Believed to be published at least 24, 2008; pp. 1-10. by Oct. 11, 2005; pp. 1-27. Wikipedia; “Resistance: Fall of Man;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/ Sony Computer Entertainment America; “SOCOM II: US. Navy Resistance:ifalliofiman; Last Modi?ed on Apr. 14, 2010; Game SEALs: Instruction Manual;” Believed to be published at least by Released on Nov. 10, 2006; pp. 1-9. Nov. 4, 2003; pp. 1-27. Wikipedia; “SOCOM 3: US. Navy SEALs;”http://en.Wikipedia.org/ Sony Computer Entertainment America; “SOCOM US. Navy Wiki/SOCOMi3:iUSiNavyiSEALs; Last Modi?ed on Apr. 11, SEALs Combined Assault: Instructional Guidelines;” Believed to be 2010; Game Released on Oct. 11, 2005; pp. 1-5. published at least by Nov. 7, 2006; pp. 1-25. Wikipedia; “SOCOM II: US. Navy SEALs;” http://en.wikipedia. Sony Computer Entertainment America; “SOCOM US. Navy org/Wiki/SOCOMiII:iU.S .iNavyiSEALs; Last Modi?ed on Apr. SEALs;” Game User Guide; Believed to be published at least by Aug. 14, 2010; Game Released on Nov. 4, 2003; pp. 1-4. 27, 2002; pp. 1-27. Wikipedia; “SOCOM: US. Navy SEALs Combined Assault;” http:// Sony Computer Entertainment America; “Syphon?lter: Dark Mirror: en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/SOCOM :iU. S .iNavyiSEAL siCom Instruction Guide;” Believed to be published at least by Mar. 14, binediAssault; Last Modi?ed on Feb. 12, 2010; Game Released on Nov. 7, 2006; pp. 1-3. 2006; pp. 1-27. Wikipedia; “SOCOM: US. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo;” http://en. Sony Computer Entertainment America; Resistance 2; “Modern Wikipedia.org/Wiki/SOCOM:iUSiNavyiSEALsiFireteami Technology;” Game User Guide; Believed to be published at least by Bravo; Last Modi?ed on Dec. 23, 2009; Game Released on Nov. 8, Nov. 24, 2008; pp. 1-16. 2005; pp. 1-2. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe; “Formula One 04;” Game Wikipedia; “SOCOM: US. Navy SEALs;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/ User Guide; Believed to be published at least by Sep. 22, 2004; pp. Wiki/SOCOM:iU.S.iNavyiSEALs; Last Modi?ed on Mar. 7, 1-19. 2010; Game Released on Aug. 27, 2002; pp. 1-2. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe; “Killzone;” Game User Wikipedia; “Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror;” http://en.wikipedia.org/ Guide; Believed to be published at least by Nov. 2, 2004; pp. 1-19. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe; “Syphon?lter: The Omega Wiki/SyphoniFilter:iDarkiMirror; Last Modi?ed on Feb. 28, 2010; Game Released on Mar. 14, 2006; pp. 1-5. Strain;” User Guide; Believed to be published at least by May 4, Wikipedia; “Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain;” http://en.Wikipedia. 2004; pp. 1-14. org/Wiki/SyphoniFilter:iTheiOmegaiStrain; Last Modi?ed on USPTO; U.S. Appl. No. 11/754,160; Of?ce Action Mailed Jan. 13, Feb. 17, 2010; Game Released on May 4, 2004; pp. 1-3. 2010; 8 pages. Wikipedia; “The Temple of Elemental Evil (video game);” http://en. Wikipedia; “Fat Princess;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/Fatiprin Wikipedia.org/Wiki/TheiTempleiofiElementaliEvili cess; Last Modi?ed on Apr. 4, 2010; Game Released on Jul. 30,2009; %28videoigame%29; Last Modi?ed on Mar. 7, 2010; Game pp. 1-4. Released on Sep. 16, 2003; pp. 1-6. Wikipedia; “Formula One 04;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/For Wikipedia; “Untold Legends: The Warrior’s Code;” http://en. mulaiOnei04; Last Modi?ed on Mar. 7, 2010; Game Released on Wikipedia.org/Wiki/UntoldiLegends:iTheiWarrior%27siCode; Sep. 22, 2004; 1 page. Last Modi?ed on Mar. 6, 2010; Game Released on Mar. 28, 2006; pp. Wikipedia; “Formula One Championship Edition;” http://en. 1-2. Wikipedia.org/Wiki/FormulaiOneiChampionshipiEdition; Last Wikipedia; “Vampire: The MasqueradeiBloodlinesf’ http://en. Modi?ed on Apr. 9, 2010; Game Released on Dec. 28, 2006; pp. 1-5. Wikipedia.org/Wiki/VampireiTheiMasquerade; Last Modi?ed on Wikipedia; “Killzone 2;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/KillzoneiZ; Apr. 15, 2010; Game Released on Nov. 16, 2004; pp. 1-11. Last Modi?ed on Apr. 15, 20 1 0; Game Released on Feb. 25, 2009; pp. Wikipedia; “Warhawk (2007 video game);” http://en.wikipedia.org/ 1-12. Wiki/Warhawki%282007ivideoigame%29; Last Modi?ed on Wikipedia; “Killzone: Liberation;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/ Apr. 12, 2010; Game Released on Sep. 20, 2007; pp. 1-8. Killzone:iLiberation; Last Modi?ed on Apr. 13, 2010; Game USPTO; Final Of?ce Action issued in US. Appl. No. 11/754,160; Released on Oct. 31, 2006; pp. 1-4. mailed Jun. 29, 2011; 13 pages. Wikipedia; “Killzone;” http://en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/Killzone; Last Modi?ed on Apr.