Issued February 16, 2016, to Electronic Arts Inc.
Priority Date March 6, 2013

Summary:
In games, such as racing games, a player competes against other opponents. In a single player game, a player may race against cars controlled by artificial intelligence. AI cars are controlled according to pre-set specifications. In real-time multiplayer games, a player competes with live players. Real-time multiplayer games may increase interest as competing against a real-life person may be more entertaining than competing against AI opponents. Players may also compete against friends, which may further increase the interest and cause a player to play the game more. However, there are times when a player’s friends are not online. Thus, the player can play with random people or play a game against AI opponents. In some cases, when faced with this scenario, a player might not be as interested in the game or may decide not to play.

U.S. Patent No. 9,259,652 helps to make players more interested in the game when their friends may not be online. The method, after receiving from a player the selection to participate in a game, sends a request to a server to determine if any players are eligible to compete in a multiplayer game. If there is, that new player is selected as an opponent. This opponent is chosen based on the timing of available players. If there is no player available, an AI player is created, configured to match the player’s skill. After the event, the time is recorded and the player’s skill is calculated. This, as well as the player’s time, is uploaded to the server. This ensures that a player is always challenged and having fun, even when their friends may not be online.

Abstract:
In one embodiment, a method provides a game for a first player. The method receives timing information for a second player that competed in a first instance of the game participated in by the second player and determines a set of parameters for an opponent in a second instance of the game based on the timing information. The second player started competing in the first instance of the game before the second instance of the game is started. Then, the opponent is created based on the set of parameters for the second instance of the game. After which, the method provides the second instance of the game in which the first player competes with the opponent. The opponent is automatically controlled in the second instance of the game by a game controller to perform according to the set of parameters.

Illustrative Claim:
1. A method of providing a game for a first player, the method comprising: receiving, by a computing device, timing information for a second player that competed in a first instance of the game participated in by the second player, wherein the timing information is received based on the second player competing in a portion of the game, the portion comprising a subset of a completion of the game; receiving, by a computing device, a skill level for the second player that competed in the first instance of the game participated in by the second player, wherein the skill level is based on characteristics of game play; determining, by the computing device, a set of parameters for an artificial intelligence (AI) controlled opponent in a second instance of the game based on the timing information and the skill level, wherein the second player started competing in the first instance of the game before the second instance of the game is started; creating, by the computing device, the AI controlled opponent based on the set of parameters for the second instance of the game; and providing, by the computing device, the second instance of the game in which the first player competes with the AI controlled opponent, wherein a performance of the AI controlled opponent is automatically controlled during the second instance of the game, wherein providing the second instance of the game comprises dynamically altering the set of parameters during game play of the second instance of the game to configure the AI controlled opponent to achieve a same time in the second instance of the game as that received by the second player in the first instance of the game.

Research By: Rachel Johns