Method and apparatus for associating data with online game ratings

1. A method, comprising:

at a statistics server, receiving an access token including a digital signature and a game result from a game console;

determining, by the statistics server, a rating for the game result;

if the rating for the game fails to meet a predetermined criteria, preventing, by the statistics server, receiving a recorded game associated with the game result wherein the recorded game is a recording of a previously played game;

validating, by the statistics server, the access token including the digital signature; and

if the rating for the game result meets the predetermined criteria, receiving, by the statistics server, the recorded game associated with the game result from the game console and if the access token including the digital signature is valid attaching the recorded game to the rating, wherein the recorded game includes an audio file containing a recorded voice of a user of the game console, and wherein other players can access the recorded game through the online gaming service.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the game result is a game score.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the predetermined criteria is a rating in the top n scores.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a recorded game is in response to a request sent to the game console.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising providing a list of recorded games available for download to a requesting player.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising providing a list of recorded games available for download to a requesting game console.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising modifying the predetermined criteria.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising attaching additional game-related data to the rating.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising saving the game result and the attached recorded game in a storage device.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising deleting the game result and the attached recorded game after a predetermined period of inactivity by the game console user.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising reducing the rating of the game result over a period of time.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising saving the game result and an identifier associated with the recorded game in a leaderboard.

13. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 1 .

14. A method, comprising:

at a statistics server, receiving a game result from a game console;

determining, by the statistics server, whether to allow the game console user to upload game-related data associated with the game result;

if the game console user is not allowed to upload the game-related data:

preventing, by the statistics server, the user from uploading the game-related data; and

if the game console user is allowed to upload the game-related data:

sending, by the statistics server, an access token including a digital signature to the game console;

receiving, by the statistics server, the access token and the game-related data associated with the game result, wherein the game-related data includes an audio file containing a recorded voice of a user of the game;

validating, by the statistics server, the access token including the digital signature; and

if the access token including the digital signature is valid, associating, by the statistics server, the game-related data with the game result, wherein other users can access the game-related data through an online gaming service.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising determining a rating for the game result.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising associating the game-related data with the rating.

17. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the game result is a game score.

18. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the access token includes a name of the game-related data.

19. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the access token includes an identity of the game console user.

20. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the access token includes a game console identifier.

21. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the access token includes a maximum size of the game-related data.

22. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the game-related data includes a recorded game and wherein the recorded game is a recording of a previously played game.

23. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the game-related data includes at least one highlight from a game.

24. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 14 .

25. A method, comprising:

at a statistics server, receiving a game score from a game console;

determining, by the statistics server, a rating for the game score;

entering, by the statistics server, the rating in a leaderboard;

if the rating satisfies a predetermined criteria:

receiving, by the statistics server, an access token including a digital signature and the game-related data associated with the game score, wherein the game-related data includes an audio file containing a recorded voice of a user of the game console;

validating, by the statistics server, the access token including the digital signature;

if the access token including the digital signature is valid:

entering, by the statistics server, a reference identifier in the leaderboard, wherein the reference identifier is associated with the game-related data; and

entering, by the statistics server, an indicator in the leaderboard, wherein the indicator is associated with the game-related data and indicates whether the game-related data is available for download; and

if the rating fails to satisfy the predetermined criteria, discarding, by the statistics server, the game-related data associated with the game score.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein users of the online gaming service can access the game-related data through the leaderboard.

27. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein determining a rating for the game score includes comparing the game score to other game scores in the leaderboard.

28. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein the leaderboard is associated with a particular game program.

29. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein the predetermined criteria is a rating in the top n percent of all ratings.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a game result at a statistics server from a game console;

means for determining a rating associated with the game result;

means for receiving an access token including a digital signature and a recorded game associated with the game result if the rating associated with the game result meets a predetermined criteria wherein the recorded game is a recording of a previously played game;

means for discarding the recorded game associated with the game result if the rating associated with the game result fails to meet the predetermined criteria;

means for validating the access token including the digital signature;

means for attaching the recorded game to the rating if the access token including the digital signature is valid, wherein other players can access the recorded game through an online gaming service; and

means for attaching an audio file containing a recorded voice of a user of the game console to the rating.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 30 further comprising means for attaching additional game-related data to the rating.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 30 further comprising means for storing the recorded game and an identifier associated with the recorded game.

33. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

receive game results at a statistics server and from a game console;

determine, by the statistics server, a rating associated with the game results;

if the rating exceeds a predetermined threshold value:

digitally sign, by the statistics server, an access token;

send, by the statistics server, the signed access token to the game console;

receive, by the statistics server, the signed access token and game-related data associated with the rating, wherein the game-related data includes an audio file containing a recorded voice of a user of the game console;

validate, by the statistics server, the signed access token; and

if the signed access token is valid, associate, by the statistics server, the game-related data with the rating, wherein other users of an online gaming service can download the game-related data;

if the rating fails to exceed a predetermined threshold value, discarding, by the statistics server, the game-related data associated with the rating;

analyzing a plurality of game related data at the statistics server to identify valid game related data; and

deleting, by the statistics server, any invalid game related data.

34. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 33 wherein the game related-data is a recorded game and wherein the recorded game is a recording of a previously played game.