U.S. Patent no. 10,263,859: Delaying new session initiation in response to increased data traffic latency
Issued April 16, 2019 to Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
Priority Date January 11, 2017
Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 10,263,859 (the ‘859 Patent) relates to multi-client network services, such as those used in multiplayer online games. One of the existing technical problems the multi-client network services involves their poor performance when an immediate scaling is required. When the number of users attempting to join a server rapidly increases, the server handling the multi-client network service may not respond quickly to join the new users with the service. As such these events usually cause the service speeds to degrade and lower the experience and enjoyment of all users on the network for both old and newly joining users. This problem may arise when a game suddenly becomes increasingly popular leading to many people attempting to play it at the same time and thus causing stress to the server. The ‘859 Patent addresses this by delivering a wait message to the newly joining users when the server threshold is reached and will keep a selection of users in this wait mode until a predetermined period of time has been reach or the server load will not exceed the threshold.
Abstract:
A system includes at least one server that is configured to provide a multi-client network service to a plurality of existing users. When the server receives requests to join the multi-client network service from new users, the server may issue timestamps to each new user and obtain load metric based on the requests or timestamps. The server can repeatedly compare the load metric to a threshold load value. When it is determined that the load metric does not meet or is below the threshold load value, the server enables joining the multi-client network service by the plurality of new users. Otherwise, when it is determined that the load metric meets or is above the threshold load value, the server causes delivery of a wait message to the new users and keeps them in a wait mode for a predetermined period or until the load metric changes.
Illustrative Claim:
1. A system for providing a multi-client network service, the system comprising: a server including at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-executable program instructions, and a network interface configured to operatively connect the server with a plurality of remote user devices; and a data storage, the data storage storing at least digital media content; wherein, when the computer-executable program instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor: provides the multi-client network service to a plurality of existing users over at least one data network, the multi-client network service involves the digital media content; receives a plurality of requests to join the multi-client network service from a plurality of new users such that the plurality of new users can access the multi-client network service similarly to how the plurality of existing users access the multi-client network service; obtains a load metric from the plurality of requests to join the multi-client network service, wherein the load metric characterizes at least a traffic load on the multi-client network service; repeatedly compares the load metric to a threshold load value to determine if the load metric meets or is above the threshold load value; enables joining the multi-client network service by at least one of the plurality of new users when it is determined that the load metric does not meet or is below the threshold load value; and when it is determined that the load metric meets or is above the threshold load value, causes delivery of a wait message to at least one of the plurality of new users and causes keeping the at least one of the plurality of new users in a wait mode for a predetermined period or until the load metric changes so as not to meet or be above the threshold load value.