Methods and devices for quickly launching applications

It relates to how users can quickly launch applications such as online games.

Currently, an individual (sometimes referred to herein as a "user") has a communication session with another user to have a conversation, send a message, or play an online game. There are many devices available that allow you to do this. In the case of wireless devices, the device is usually the size of a human hand or smaller. Such a relatively small "handset" does not have a large display or screen. Therefore, only a small amount of content can be displayed at one time. This forces these handsets to include applications that require the user to scroll through multiple layers of menus and the like.

Typically, a user has to scroll or navigate through several tiers of menus to choose a means of communicating with another user or to access an application such as an online game. For example, on some existing devices, the user selects a particular game from one menu, a particular skill level from another menu, and then uses a third menu to go to the "lobby". It is necessary to find other users / players or so-called "companies" (ie, individuals with whom the user plays the game most often) who are interested in entering and playing the game with the user. The final menu for the user to make another choice to launch (ie, start) an online game session after scrolling or otherwise navigating such multiple menus. You have to access more.

The need for the user to scroll through multiple layers and navigate in other ways can be time consuming and sometimes annoying. Therefore, it is desirable to provide methods and devices that provide more intuitive menus. Such menus should reduce the complexity of selecting and launching applications. For example, such menus should allow users to launch and play online games and other applications more quickly.

Simultaneous pending U.S. Patent Application No. ... enables communication sessions to take place between users faster and with significantly reduced airlink time / bandwidth than previously thought possible. The method and device are disclosed. In general, the methods and devices discussed in the co-pending application above are always on-agent acting as a proxy, even when the user of the device is inactive (eg, the user's device is turned off). , Known as an "always on" method and device, because it can continue to operate on behalf of the user / user device during a given session.

One of the advantages provided by the architecture described in the concurrent application above is that the architecture can be used to launch applications quickly. The present invention is directed to methods and devices for doing so.<patcit num="1"><text>Simultaneous pending US patent application No.</text></patcit>

<p> The present invention provides methods and devices that allow users to quickly launch applications such as online games.</p>

<p> One such device presents (eg, displays) at least one indicator that represents an individual who can currently participate in a communication session with the user. Also, an indicator (s) that represents a group of individuals who can currently play the game with the user, and an indicator (s) that represent the individuals that the user most often plays the game with. , And other indicators may be presented, such as (s) indicators representing the games that the user plays most often. These, and other indicators, allow the user to quickly launch an application without having to navigate through multiple layers of menus.</p>

Then, referring to Figure 1, Always On Client 2 (Client), Application Client 2a (for example, Game Client), Always On Proxy Agent 3 (Agent), Always On Lobby 4 Architecture 1 is shown (lobby), which includes application engine / server 5 (for example, a game server), and another third-party agent 300. In addition to hardware embodiments, Client 2 and Application Client 2a also include wired or wireless telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), computers, gaming devices, or one or more functions (eg, email and voice). One or more software or firmware programs that may be co-located and stored together on some computer-readable storage medium 20 that may be incorporated into a larger device 200, such as a device that combines (messaging). It may include an application. Alternatively, client 2 and application client 2a may be stored on multiple media or on separate media. Similarly, Agent 3 and Lobby 4 may also contain one or more applications, and some computer-readable storage medium 30, which is also part of one or more larger wired or wireless devices such as server 34, Each may be stored on 40. It should be understood that Agent 3 and Lobby 4 are shown as one component 34, but may be separate units or may not be co-located. The program / application may include code that controls the features and functions of the particular components shown in Figure 1, when stored on one or more media.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, an embodiment of the apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 1 is shown. Device 200 includes client 2, application client 2a (shown in FIG. 1), and optional display 2b. According to one embodiment of the invention, device 200 can operate via client 2 to receive a message used to generate or update at least one indicator, such as icon 2c. As used herein, the term "indicator" may be seen or touched by a user to make a selection, as well as a visual indicator such as an icon, a hard-wired pressable key such as one on the surface of a keyboard. Includes other types of indicators that can. Further, the term "menu" is meant to include both menus that are displayed and menus that are stored and used to control the behavior of one or more keys without a visual display. For ease of explanation, one or more icons are used as indicators in the examples below. A user of device 200 accesses one or more stored applications (eg, a game) by using the icons 2c to 2k in Figure 2 (where "k" represents the last icon on display 2b). By using.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, each icon 2c to 2k may be unique. For example, one icon may represent an individual who is currently able to participate in a communication session with a user of device 200 by voice, text, video, or any combination of the three. Such sessions may be, for example, related to online games. Such online games may be played using wired or wireless communication channels. Therefore, the components / devices shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 may be wired or wireless components.

Each icon in the set of icons 2c ~ 2k is a specific type of application (eg, specific) because the user may be interested in launching many different applications and having many different sessions. It may be dedicated to the game). Yet another icon may indicate the game that the user currently plays most often, or the game that he or she is currently subscribed to, or, for example, a new game that the user may choose to subscribe to. All of the icons 2c to 2k may form menu 23. More specifically, according to the present invention, all these icons form an intuitive menu 23.

In other embodiments of the invention, one or more of the icons 2c to 2k may represent an individual (ie, a "companion") with whom the user of device 200 most frequently plays the game. .. In addition, each icon may combine one or more features. That is, each icon may represent only those who are free but who can play a particular game with the user of device 200. Each such icon may represent a "group" of peers.

With reference to FIG. 1 again, client 2 may be able to act to receive both signaling and informational messages from agent 3 in order to update one or more of 2k from icon 2c. Agent 3 may generate these messages based on the information it collects, as described in more detail in the co-pending US Patent Application No. ..... above. For example, to give just a few examples of the information that Agent 3 may collect to generate a message, Agent 3 monitors and collects patterns of device 200 usage by users of device 200, and so on. Collecting user preferences, collecting the presence of the device 200 and its users, and one or more other third-party users (companies or individuals unknown to the user ("anonymous""). The existence status of either (user)) can be collected. Agent 3 can collect this information from client 2, lobby 4, or from another user's third-party agent, such as the third-party agent 300 shown in Figure 1.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the icons 2c-2k may be based on, for example, the user's usage patterns and preferences, so that each icon provides a more intuitive indicator. At the same time, the set of intuitive icons 2c ~ 2k provides a more intuitive menu 23 that allows the user to launch the application faster and maintain a communication session. It can be said that such a menu provides a "one-touch" intuitive menu.

Next, we present some additional examples that show how such an intuitive menu may be used.

In another embodiment of the invention, the user of device 200 uses one of icons 2c-2k to send an invitation to a third party user or individual associated with the selected icon to communicate with the user. It may be selected or otherwise accessed (or, in some cases, pressed / selected). This invitation may, so to speak, be intercepted or received by Agent 3 in the form of a request before arriving at the invited user. Agent 3 may then continue to examine the stored information to determine which of the invited third-party users should actually receive the invitation. For example, Agent 3 may want to check the "existence" of each invited user (for example, is the invited user's device turned on). Further details on how Agent 3 (and Lobby 4) handles such invitations from Client 2 or Device 200 are described in the co-pending application described above. Here, after Agent 3 (and / or Lobby 4) has determined which third-party users should actually receive the invitation, these users will call their respective agents, such as Agent 300. It is enough to say that the invitation is sent via. Agent 3 may also send an informational message to client 2 to notify the user which third party user was sent the invitation and which third party user was not sent. This message may be displayed as icons 2c ~ 2k.

Throughout the entire discussion above and below, either signaling or informational messages exchanged between Agent 3 and Device 200 is referred to. It should be understood that in most contexts, these messages are exchanged between Agent 3 and Client 2 of Device 200, unless otherwise stated. In addition, if the messages are exchanged, the messages may be formatted as short binary messages. Such a format reduces the amount of airlink time and / or bandwidth required to exchange messages, and the service provider who owns and / or operates Architecture 1 saves these valuable resources. Helps to do.

As mentioned above, one or more of the icons 2c-2k may represent third-party users who are currently able to play the game individually or as part of a group. Such an icon is enabled because Agent 3 may be able to act to continuously monitor and collect the existence of each of the third party users. If the state of the third-party user changes, this information may be passed by Agent 3 to the User of Device 200 using one or more messages. The message may be received by client 2, in which case client 2 updates one or more of the icons 2c ~ 2k representing the presence of such a third party user. For example, the icon may indicate that the user is "unavailable." If more than one user is unavailable, the states of both users may be identified within a single icon. If all invited users are not free, the "Everyone is not free" indicator may be displayed. It should be understood that the presence status of a given user may indicate whether the user or a user's associated device is active or inactive. An active device is, for example, a powered device. Nevertheless, an active device becomes inactive, for example, if the user does not access it within a certain amount of time, or if the power is subsequently turned off.

So far, we have discussed the icons and menus associated with the device 200, assuming that the user of the device 200 is the user who launches the application that initiates the communication session. In other embodiments of the invention, other third party users may invite users of device 200 to communicate with them to play online games. Agent 3 associated with device 200 may receive such an invitation from an agent of a third party user. After examining its stored information about device 200 and / or its user's existence state, if the state indicates that user / device 200 is active, agent 3 may send an invitation to device 200. .. If the status indicates that the device 200 / user is inactive, the invitation may not be sent. As described in more detail in the co-pending application above, this ability to screen invitations / messages is a device when invitations and other messages are active when both device 200 and its users are active. It only needs to be relayed to the 200 and its users, which helps save valuable airlink time / bandwidth.

Next, some additional embodiments of specific icons that may be displayed on display 2b of device 200 are presented. Suppose a user of device 200 is playing the card game "Blackjack". In addition, the user typically assumes that the game is played with three other individuals known as Alice, Bob and Carol. Further assume that only Alice and Carol are currently able to play blackjack with the user. In this example, one of the icons 2c to 2k will indicate the game, blackjack (using images, for example). In addition, this icon will only be related to Alice and Carol, as currently only Alice and Carol can play Blackjack. Therefore, if the user accesses or otherwise selects this icon, an invitation to play Blackjack will only be sent to Alice and Carroll.

In another embodiment, it is assumed that the user of the device 200 frequently plays a game called "storm". However, in this case, the user does not care who to play this game with. Therefore, in another embodiment of the present invention, one of the icons 2c to 2k may indicate a game, a storm. As soon as this icon is selected, an invitation may be sent to identify any individual / third party user who is currently able to play the game, storm with the user.

It should be understood that the above icon types are only some of the many icons that can be generated and displayed on the device 200. Other icons may, for example, represent a history record of all activities (eg, games) that a particular user has played or downloaded so far.

Next, we briefly discuss Agent 3. Again, a more detailed discussion is explained in the co-pending application mentioned above.

In other embodiments of the invention, the agent 3 can act as a proxy for the device 200 if the device 200 becomes inactive. After device 200 is reactivated, Agent 3 will update any existing indicator / icon 2c ~ 2k, or create a new icon 2c ~ 2k, or otherwise information. Can be further actuated to send a message to device 200 in order to pass the device to the user of device 200. More specifically, in another embodiment of the invention, the agent 3 only sends a message to the device 200 when the device 200 is in the active state. For example, Agent 3 only sends a message after receiving an indication that an indicator such as icons 2c ~ 2k (keys on the keyboard) has been accessed. That is, agent 3 only sends a message when the user of device 200 selects an icon or otherwise accesses device 200. In the other way described above, Agent 3 does not send messages to device 200 in succession. This saves airlink time and bandwidth.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the apparatus 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. As illustrated, device 200 includes one or more icons 2c to 2k, one of which is the "companion" icon 22c. By selecting this icon, a companion-based browsing menu is immediately selected or displayed. This menu includes, for example, a list of individuals with whom users most often play games or otherwise communicate. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, this menu may only indicate a companion who is currently able to communicate with or otherwise play the game with the user. Such a menu may be generated by using the message sent by Agent 3. After this menu is selected and the list is presented to the user, the user may quickly select an individual from a list of peers who wish to send an invitation, for example via Agent 3.

In another embodiment of the invention, one of the icons 2c-2k may be the application icon 22d (eg, the "game" icon). Selecting this icon presents the user with a list of games most frequently played, for example by the user of device 200. This list may also be generated by Agent 3.

Also briefly mentioned above was the ability to run a communication session with an anonymous third party user. Anonymity means that the identification of a third-party user is initially and perhaps consecutively unknown to the user of device 200. Anonymous third-party users may be selected in a variety of ways.

First, it may be assumed that all peers or other users known to the user of device 200 are currently unable to play the game. In another embodiment of the invention, if this happens, the agent 3 may communicate with the lobby 4 to identify an anonymous individual who plays the game with the user. There are many ways in which Lobby 4 may identify a particular anonymous individual and then make a choice. For example, lobby 4 may identify anonymous individuals from one of many groups of individuals remembered by a particular game / application.

After identification, lobby 4 may subsequently select one or more of the identified individuals. Alternatively, one or more of the identified individuals may be selected based on the collected user preferences remembered by Lobby 4 or otherwise a profile obtained from the pattern. That is, lobby 4 may select an individual by matching certain characteristics of the individual's "gaming habits" to the user's habits. For example, lobby 4 may select an individual whose skill level matches well with the skill level of the user of device 200. For example, the skill level may be based on an individual's gaming history and points earned in a particular game.

After Lobby 4 has selected an individual who can and / or is suitable for playing the game with the user, Lobby 4 then forms a new group and agents the identification of the individual. May be sent to 3. Agent 3 may be able to act to send a request / invitation to the agent associated with the identified individual as soon as it receives the identification of the anonymous individual, and then the agent associated with these identified individuals invites the invitation. Give it to the individual. Agent 3 may also be able to act to send personal identification to the user of device 200. These identifications and their new groups may be represented by icons 2c-2k. If lobby 4 forms a new group of identified individuals and users, lobby 4 may also pass the identification of all identified individuals to each member of the group via their respective agents.

Before proceeding, especially between client 2 and agent 3, (b) between agent 3 and lobby 4, (c) client 2 and application client, among other messages. It should be understood that there are many signals and instructions, both signaling and non-signaling, that may be exchanged between 2a and (d) Lobby 4 and Game Engine / Server 5. The details, formatting, content and structure of these messages are not needed for the understanding of the present invention. However, such discussion is contained in co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. ....., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, as described herein in its entirety. ing.

The types of icons / indicators that can be presented to the user via device 200 and agent 3 are endless. Some other things that the inventor comes up with include one or more icons that indicate the current state of the invited companion or individual. For example, the indicator may indicate whether the companion has accepted the invitation, is currently participating in another communication activity, or is participating in an application / game other than the one the companion was invited to play. Good. In addition, certain indicators / icons may be presented to the user when the individual participating in the session with the user is temporarily disconnected from the session.

It should be understood that the above discussion contains only a few of the embodiments of the present invention. The true scope of the invention is provided by the appended claims.

<figref num="1">It is a block diagram which illustrates the architecture which makes it possible to launch an application according to one Embodiment of this invention quickly.</figref><figref num="2">FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a handset according to embodiments of the present invention that can quickly launch an application and generate an intuitive menu that provides a so-called "one-touch" operation.</figref><figref num="3">FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a handset according to embodiments of the present invention that can quickly launch an application and generate an intuitive menu that provides a so-called "one-touch" operation.</figref>