Identity Services Server for Game Session Auto-Discovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current social networking and online gaming systems require users to manually find and link with each other before initiating game sessions, which is burdensome, especially when account identifiers are unknown or not intuitively selected.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses an identity services server to resolve and provide account identifiers for selected users, allowing game sessions to be initiated without prior linking, by transmitting contact data and receiving account identifiers, enabling connection through the game server without direct access to the other user's account ID.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually find and link with each other before initiating game sessions, then users can establish connections, but the process becomes burdensome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an identity services server as an intermediary that resolves account identifiers between users. Instead of users directly sharing account IDs, the server mediates the resolution process by receiving contact data from one user, resolving it to an account identifier, and providing it to the game server, thereby eliminating the need for manual account ID sharing and reducing connection establishment time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing the identity resolution infrastructure and contact data storage before game sessions are initiated. Users' contact information is stored and resolved in advance, so when game sessions need to be started, the account identifier resolution can occur quickly without requiring users to manually exchange account IDs at the moment of connection
2Productivity
If users share account identifiers directly, then game sessions can be initiated, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The identity services server acts as a privacy-protecting intermediary that handles account identifier resolution. The server receives contact data from users, resolves it to account identifiers through secure processes, and provides the resolved identifiers to game servers without exposing the raw contact data or account identifiers to the users themselves, thereby maintaining privacy while enabling game session initiation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the sensitive account identifier information from direct user-to-user communication and places it under the control of the identity services server. The server extracts and manages the account identifiers separately from user contact data, processing resolutions in a controlled environment that prevents unauthorized exposure of sensitive information while still enabling the necessary connections
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for initiating game sessions between subscribers to online gaming services when account IDs of those subscribers are unknown. Such techniques permit a first user to select a second user with whom to play a game from information readily at hand, such as a contact manager that the first user maintains. The first user's device may send a resolution request message to an identity services server that includes contact information of the second user. Contact information may include network-based information regarding the second user, such as the user's e-mail address or phone number. The identity services server may resolve the contact into an account ID. Thereafter, a game launch request may be sent to the game server, which includes the account identifier resolved by the identity services server. An invitation message may be sent to a terminal of the second user to participate in the game and the game may be started. These techniques do not require that the first user possess the second user's account ID at the game server.