Granted Patent B2

US 12,274,936 · App. 17/503,635 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Inventor: Erik Åkerfeldt (Sollentuna, SE)

Assignee: UNORDINAL AB

A63F13/352A63F13/358A63F13/822A63F2300/535A63F2300/5533

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A method for providing a multiplayer game in a computer network, the computer network comprising:

a plurality of game servers, each game server comprising a plurality of game slots for the multiplayer game, each game server adapted for providing a game to game clients connected to that game server, each game server comprising game state data describing the state of the game;

a game client adapted for providing a game, the game client being capable of connecting to the plurality of game servers; and

an arbiter node adapted for monitoring the plurality of game servers and at least one game client connected to one of the plurality of game servers;

wherein the method comprises:

connecting the game client to a first game server;

providing a first multiplayer game from the first game server to the game client while the game client is connected to the first game server;

monitoring by the arbiter node the state of the first game being provided from the first game server;

detecting a predetermined event in the first game being provided from the first game server, wherein the predetermined event comprises that a player is eliminated from the first game;

in response to the detecting a predetermined event, disconnecting the game client from the first game server and providing by the game client a single player game;

monitoring in the arbiter node the plurality of game servers in order to find other game servers with suitable game state data;

selecting a second game server based on game state data;

providing server information for the second game server to the game client; and

connecting the game client to the second game server and providing a second multiplayer game from the second game server.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the game state data of the game client being provided to the player upon the game client disconnecting from a game server is substantially the same as the game state data of the game server except for the predetermined event.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein selecting a second server with similar game state data comprises selecting a server with similar layout information.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising monitoring player state data describing a state of the player while the player is being provided the game.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising transmitting the player state data from the game to the second game server.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting a predetermined event in the game comprises obtaining a message from the first game server regarding the predetermined event.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing game client information for the game client to the second game server, prior to connecting the game client to the second game server.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the game client information for the game client to the second game server comprises current status information about a player character in the game.

9. A game client adapted for providing a multiplayer game in a computer network, the game client being adapted for connecting to a plurality of game servers, each game server comprising a plurality of game slots for the multiplayer game, each game server adapted for providing a game to game clients connected to that game server, each game server comprising game state data describing the state of the game,

wherein the game client is adapted to:

obtain a first multiplayer game from a first game server;

obtain a message from an arbiter node to disconnect from the first game server in response to a predetermined event in the first game, the predetermined event includes at least a player is eliminated from the first game;

provide a single player game in response to the message from the arbiter node; and

obtain from an arbiter node server information for a second game server and

connect the game client to the second game server and providing a second multiplayer game from the second game server.

10. An arbiter node for use in a computer network providing a multiplayer game, the arbiter node being adapted for connecting to a plurality of game servers, each game server comprising a plurality of game slots for the multiplayer game, each game server adapted for providing a game to game clients connected to that game server, each game server comprising game state data describing the state of the game;

the arbiter node further being adapted to connect to a game client in a first multi-player game provided by a first game server,

wherein the arbiter node is adapted to:

monitor the state of the first game being provided from the first game server;

detect a predetermined event in the first game being provided from the first game server, wherein the predetermined event comprises that a player is eliminated from the first game;

in response to detecting the predetermined event, sending a message to the game client with information about the predetermined event;

monitor the other game servers in order to find other game servers with suitable game state data;

select a second game server based on game state data; and

provide server information of the second game server to the game client.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (20)