RU2490713C2 - System and method for targeted recommendations using social gaming networks - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: information technology.

SUBSTANCE: one or more online multi-player gaming environment computers are used to track activity of interaction of a first user and a second user in an online multi-player gaming environment, wherein the activity of interaction may indicate that the first and second users are intercommunicating, that each is separately playing with a third user, that each separately views different copies of the same video, that each is registered in the online multi-player gaming environment from the same time zone, that each has achieved any identical rating or that they have the same language settings in the online multi-player gaming environment. One or more computers receive a preference indication of the second user. One or more computers determine a recommendation based on the preference indication of the second user and activity of interaction of the first user and the second user and one or more computers send the recommendation to the first user.

EFFECT: faster search for users in a gaming environment.

20 cl, 7 dwg

Description

BACKGROUND

Online multiplayer video game services such as the XBOX LIVE® service (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.) Allows players around the world to play with and against each other. Online multi-user services allow users to interact with each other in the gaming service.

E-commerce systems try to connect the user with goods and / or services that are likely to be of interest to the user. For example, an e-commerce system may provide recommendations, tips, relevant products and / or services, or the like. to the user. The user may also be shown contextual advertisements related to the product or service being viewed.

These electronic commercial systems, as a rule, make recommendations based on the user's purchase / viewing history, groupings of purchases made by other users on the site, recommendations made by unauthorized users to the user, etc. However, such recommendation technologies do not take advantage of the unique information available in the environment of the online multiplayer gaming service, which covers aspects of a conventional social network deployed in the online multiplayer gaming service. The prior art of targeted recommendations can be improved by making advantage of this unique information about the relationships of like-minded users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed methods and systems effectively leverage the preferences of users in an online multi-player gaming environment and the relationships on a regular social network between these users to provide recommendations, such as e-commerce recommendations. To illustrate, the first user and the second user can connect to an online multi-player gaming environment. Once connected, users can interact with the gaming environment and / or with each other in the gaming environment.

Activity that indicates the relationship between the first user and the second user can be monitored. Activity may indicate the interaction between the first user and the second user in an online multiplayer gaming environment. For example, the first user and the second user can play the game together, can add each other to the list of friends in the gaming environment, can participate in a general online conversation in the gaming environment, or the like. Users can transfer game data to each other, can play the same instance of the same game, can send text, sound or video messages to each other, or the like.

Preferences in the e-commerce of the second user can be accepted. E-commerce preferences may be associated with a product and / or service that a second user has purchased and / or uses. For example, preferences in e-commerce may be associated with a game in which the second user regularly plays in the gaming environment.

The activity between the first and second users, as well as the e-commerce preferences of the second user, can be used to determine the recommendation for the first user. A recommendation may be sent to the first user in a format compatible with the first user access device. For example, an access device may include a game console, and the recommendation may include a link to a recommended product, such as a downloadable game in a gaming environment.

Since the first user and the second user can have an established relationship in the usual social network of an online multi-player gaming environment, it is most likely that they have common interests, hobbies, beliefs, values, etc. Thus, it is most likely that a recommendation based on the preferences of the second user will be more appropriate for the first user and more effective in associating the first user with the desired product and / or service.

The preceding description is the essence and, thus, contains, as necessary, simplifications, generalizations and omissions of details. Those skilled in the art will understand that the entity is illustrative only and not intended to be limiting in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing recommendations to users of an online multiplayer gaming service through a computerized gaming environment based on the behavior of this user and social networks in accordance with this specification are further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an example system for providing targeted advice to a user based on the use of a social online multi-player gaming network.

Figure 2 illustrates an example system for providing targeted advice to a user based on the use of a social online multi-player gaming network.

Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary operating procedure for providing targeted advice to a user based on the use of a social online multi-player gaming network.

4 is a block diagram of an example computer network environment suitable for providing targeted recommendations to a user based on the use of a social online multi-player gaming network.

5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a game console that can be integrated into a computer network environment.

6 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing environment that can be integrated into a computer network environment.

7 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of a processor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Certain specific details are set forth in the following description and drawings in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that they can practice other embodiments without one or more of the details described below. While various methods are described with reference to the steps and sequences of operations in the subsequent opening, the description, as such, exists to ensure a clear implementation of embodiments of the invention, and the steps and sequences of steps should not be taken as necessary. 1, 2, and 4-7 illustrate operating environments in which operating procedures may be performed. Figure 3 depicts exemplary operating procedures.

Figure 1 illustrates the use of data on social networks in an online multi-player gaming environment 100 to make recommendations 122. The system comprises a computer network 108 that connects a game server 102, an e-commerce server 104, a recommendation server 106, a first user access device 112 and a device 116 second user access. A game server 102, an e-commerce server 104, and a recommendation server 106 may exist on one physical computing device or on multiple computing devices. Also, an online multiplayer gaming environment may comprise a single computing server or a plurality of such servers that are together networked.

The access device 112 is a computing device that a user 110, 114 can use to connect to an online multi-user gaming environment 100. It can include a dedicated video game console, a general purpose computer that is configured to play games online, a portable digital multimedia player that is configured to play simple games, a cell phone or personal digital assistant that is configured to play games stye games, or the like Through the access device 112, 116, the user 110, 114 is able to access and engage in online multi-player gaming environment 100.

The online multiplayer gaming environment 100 is an environment that contains services that allow users to interact with each other. For example, a user can play a game with or against another user, talk to another user through sound, video and text (both in real time and asynchronously), leave messages on the bulletin board, view sound or video and otherwise participate in services, offered by the service. As a result of user interaction through the environment, social networks can be formed. A social network is a social structure created from nodes (which, as a rule, are individuals or organizations) that are connected by one or more characteristic types of interdependence, such as values, visions, ideas, financial transactions, friends, closeness, hostility, conflict, profession and web links. These network connections can be either explicit, such as when two users add each other to the "friends" list stored by the server, or hidden, such as when two users leave messages on the same message board, although they do not explicitly direct your messages to each other.

An online multiplayer gaming environment component may be an e-commerce server 104. It provides functionality that allows users to search, study, and buy goods. The product may be a full game, additional content for a game such as a new card to play on, video content, music, etc. Included in the functionality of the purchase of goods is the functionality of interaction with financial institutions to transfer money for payment for the purchase. The e-commerce server may be a web server separate from the online multiplayer gaming environment.

Another component of an online multiplayer gaming environment may be a game server 102. This game server may allow a user to find other users playing the same game, launch an instance of the game with each other, and play the game together. The game server can also track things like the highest score of the user, the best users in the game, the tournament game, and the user's record of another user. In one embodiment, the game server assists the user in finding other users to play the game with them, launches the game according to the selected parameters, and then monitors all data transfer between the players while the game is taking place. In another embodiment, the game server assists the user in finding other users to play the game with them, launches the game according to the selected parameters, and then the users communicate independently of the game server during the game.

The e-commerce activity or preference of the second user may include the product that the second user is looking for, the product whose details are viewed by the second user, the product to which the second user has assigned a rating, the product about which the second user reads reviews, and the product that the second user bought. The data indicating the online activity of the first user may comprise a game played by the first user, a video that the first user is viewing, content that the first user purchases, a service that the first user uses, and a preferred language of the first user. The data indicating the preferences of the second user may comprise a game played by the second user, a video that the second user is viewing, content that the second user is purchasing, a service that the second user is using, and a preferred language of the second user.

The recommendation server 106 may receive both data indicating the online activity 118 of the first user received from the first user access device 112 and data indicating the second user preference 120 received from the second user access device 116 to determine recommendation 112, which is then sent to the first to the user. The recommendation server receives this data and from it determines the recommendation that contains the product offered by the service, in which the first user should probably be interested. A recommendation may include adding a friend to your friends list, a video to watch, a song to listen to, participating in a game, a competition to join, a group to join, and an opponent against whom you can play the game. For example, the recommendation server may receive a list of friends of the first user and information that many users in this list of friends have downloaded a new game to provide a recommendation about this new game to the first user.

Figure 2 illustrates an example system for providing targeted advice to a user based on the use of a social online multi-player gaming environment. The recommendation server 200 may be implemented on a general-purpose computing device or on a plurality of general-purpose computing devices that are together connected to a network. The server may contain memory that stores the first activity data of the first user while using the online multi-player gaming environment. This data may indicate the relationship between the first user and the second user. The memory may also store second data, which may indicate the preference of the second user. The server may further comprise a processor that can determine the recommendation based on the first data and second data and send this recommendation to the first user.

With the recommendation server 200, which may be a component of an online multi-player gaming environment, there is a two-way communication channel with the first user access device 202. This device may include a game console, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a general purpose computer, and a portable digital music player that is capable of playing simple games.

When interacting with an online multiplayer gaming environment, the user will transmit the behavioral data that is collected by the behavioral data collection component 204. This behavioral data may be the completeness of information transmitted by the first user to the environment, for example, which parts of the environment the user is viewing, which video clips the user is viewing, and which games the user is playing. Behavioral data may be the nature of e-commerce.

Behavioral data is then sent from the behavioral data collection component to the behavioral data cleaning and aggregation component 206. This component can determine which part of the data is important in providing a recommendation, and passes only that data on. For example, in one embodiment, when providing a recommendation, it may not be useful to know how much time the user spent looking at a particular part of the environment, but only that the user viewed that part. In this case, the component for cleaning and aggregating behavioral data will skip further from this data information about which parts the user has looked at, and not how much time the user has spent looking at each part.

The behavioral data cleanup and aggregation component then sends the cleaned data to the data analytics and inference engine 214. The engine receives this information, along with information from the user database 208, the product database 210 and the game database, to assign relative weights to each product in the product database, where the relative weight represents the probability that the first user will be interested in the product. Database 208 of user data may contain a group of users, noting which of them have a relationship with the first user and the nature of such a relationship, as well as the preferences of each user related to the goods. Database 210 of product data may contain a set of products offered by the server of recommendations, such as a game, video, song, friendship with the user and additional content for the game, as well as information that describes each product, for example, title, descriptive text and announcement. The game database may contain a list of games that can be played in the online multi-player gaming environment, as well as games that can be downloaded to the access device and which can be played regardless of the environment.

The data analytics and inference engine 214 then sends its weighted results to the recommendation component 216. The recommendation component receives this information together with a user database 208, a product database 210 and a game database 212, and can use this information to determine a recommended product to return to the first user through the first user access device 202. In one embodiment, the recommendation component may return to the first user an item that the first user is most likely to purchase. In another embodiment, the recommendation component may return to the first user a plurality of products that contains those products in which the user is likely to be interested. For example, a recommendation may contain a link to buy a product, descriptive text about a product, product name, product preview, product reviews, and where appropriate, the product itself.

Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary operational sequence for providing targeted advice to a user based on the use of a social online multi-player gaming network. Those skilled in the art will note that the disclosed process is illustrative and that other implementations may be considered.

At step 300, the process begins. The process can be started in response to determining that the first user is using an online multiplayer gaming service, for example.

At 302, activity of a first user in an online multi-player gaming environment can be monitored. Activity may include registering in an online multiplayer gaming environment, selecting aspects to participate in the game, such as game cards and / or levels for the game. Activity may include the selection of characteristics that modify participation in the game, such as music, game parameters, difficulty levels, etc. Activity may include operations that interact with other users of an online multiplayer gaming environment. For example, activity may include online conversation, joint participation in the game, sending messages, etc.

Activity may indicate a relationship between a first user and a second user. For example, the first and second users can play an online match with each other. The first and second users can talk to each other. The first and second users can play together with other users. The first and second users may have similar game parameters and / or difficulty levels. The first and second users can be part of the same online association or team.

In an embodiment, the activity may include participating in games in which the first and second users play with each other or against each other. The activity may include audio, video, and text messages directly between the first user and the second user. Activity may include interactions with mutual friends. Activity may include playing videos, music, message boards, etc., which are common to both the first user and the second user.

Tracking may include storing activity data in a database. Saving may include filtering activity data so that the data indicates an interaction between the first user and the second user.

The interaction between the first user and the second user may comprise an explicit interaction. For example, two users can add each other to their respective friend lists, can play a game with each other or against each other, can leave messages in the same thread on the message board and / or can conduct a direct conversation with each other, like for example, via instant messaging, audio and / or video conversation. The interaction between the first user and the second user may also be a hidden relationship. For example, they can have a common friend, play the same game, watch the same video, register from the same time zone, share the default language preference or assign the same ratings to something.

The interaction between the first user and the second user can occur in real time, as, for example, during an audio or video conversation or during joint participation in the game or asynchronously, such as when the first user leaves a message on the message board, while the second user does not use the environment, and the second user later replies to this message board, while the first user does not use the environment.

At step 304, the first data that indicates the preference of the second user can be received, for example, in the recommendation engine. In an embodiment, the first data comprises a game played by the second user, a video that the second user views, content that the second user buys, a service that the second user uses, and a preferred language of the second user. Additionally, the preference of the second user may also contain preferences that are manifested by any of the gaming actions of the second user in the gaming environment, the e-commerce actions of the second user in the gaming environment, the e-commerce actions of the second user outside the gaming environment and the social actions of the second user in the environment.

The preference of the second user may be explicit. Such a clear preference may include responding to a review, product classification, leaving messages on a message board, video, game or user, or voting for or against something in a poll. The preference of the second user may also be hidden. Such a latent preference may include participating in a particular game, frequent participation in a particular game, viewing content and spending most of the time on a specific part of the environment.

The preference of the second user may arise in the gaming system. Such a preference that arises in the gaming system may include loading a card for a game, participating in a game against a particular user, and participating in a game. The preference of the second user may also arise outside the gaming system. Such a preference that arises outside the gaming system may include searching for and purchasing a product from an e-commerce website.

At step 306, a recommendation based on the first data and activity can be determined. A recommendation may suggest a direction for a first user. For example, a recommendation may recommend adding a friend to your friends list, participating in a game, a competition to join, a group to join, and an opponent against whom you can play the game.

An online multiplayer gaming environment may determine a plurality of recommendations suitable for a first user. The recommendation presented to the user can be selected as the most relevant of certain recommendations.

In an embodiment, the determination of the recommendation may include receiving data indicating the preference of the first user and basing the recommendation on the preference of the first user. The preferences of the first user can help provide better results, such as where the first user showed a strict preference, different from receiving new game cards for the games that the user has.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, a recommendation may be determined, the determination of the recommendation is based on any of the characteristics of the social network of the first user, the behavior of the third user connected to the first user through the second user, and the characteristics of the gaming environment of the first user or the like. Additional data about the first user can help provide better results.

A recommendation may be determined based on the communication capabilities of the access device associated with the first user. The access device may include a game console, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a general purpose computer, and a portable digital music player. For example, when the first user uses a portable digital music player that can play simple games, it may be preferable to recommend either a song or a simple game - i.e. about things that can be used in a portable digital music player.

In an embodiment, the recommendation may include an action plan proposal for a first user. This action plan can be visiting a message board with content that may be of interest to the first user, or using the service at a certain time when users of this skill level in the game often participate in this game.

In an embodiment, the determination of the recommendation may be based on any of the characteristics of the social network of the first user, the behavior of the third user connected to the first user through the second user, and the characteristics of the gaming environment of the first user.

In one embodiment, the definition of a recommendation comprises a definition of a recommendation based on the characteristics of the social network of the second user. The characteristics of the social network of the second user may contain any of the number of friends associated with the second user, feedback from other users about the second user, the behavior of friends of the second user and the behavior of friends of the second user.

In one embodiment, this operation also includes receiving a recommendation request from a first user. The first user can click on the link, which indicates that the user wants to see which game cards are recommended to this user, or when viewing such a card, can click on the link to display similar cards that the user may like. In both of these cases, this action contains a request by the first user to receive a recommendation that is sent to the online multiplayer gaming environment.

The recommendation system may apply an information filtering algorithm to determine a recommendation based on activity and first data about the preferences of the second user. The information filtering algorithm may include co-filtering methods that coordinate multiple inputs from multiple sources to formulate a recommendation. For example, an information filtering algorithm may be a collaborative filtering algorithm.

At 308, a recommendation may be sent to the first user. A recommendation may include a descriptive object. A descriptive object may be selected to be compatible with the communication capabilities of the first user access device. For example, a descriptive object may include descriptive text, price, name, duration, image of the recommendation, preview of the recommendation, classification of the quality level of the recommendation, classification of the recommendation according to age, or the like.

A recommendation may include additional content. For example, when a song is recommended, a short piece of the song may be included in the recommendation. The recommendation may further include a descriptive object containing text that describes the song, information about the genre, information about the artist, song title, photo of the artist or album from which the song is taken, duration of the song, a fragment of the accompanying music video clip for the song, and other such information .

A descriptive object may be selected based on the compatibility of the first user access device. For example, the first user access device may include a game console, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a general purpose computer, and a portable digital music player. To illustrate, when the first user uses a portable digital music player that has the ability to play sound files, the descriptive object may include information regarding the sound. Similarly, when the first user's access device is limited by the bandwidth of the communication channel, the selected descriptive object may additionally have a small storage capacity. In an embodiment, a recommendation may be sent to the first user in response to a request for recommendation from the first user. The first user may not want to accept unsolicited recommendations, but may welcome her when he or she initiates the process.

In an embodiment, the recommendation may include a product reference. For example, the link may be a hyperlink according to a hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), or the like. The link may facilitate the purchase of a product and / or service as recommended.

4 is a diagram of an example computer network that may include aspects of media reliability. Computers 400a-400e may host various computing objects, such as games or other applications. Although the physical environment shows connected devices as computers, this illustration is for explanation only and may include various digital devices and processors, such as PDAs, game consoles, cell phones, etc. In addition, the communication network 460 may itself comprise a number of computers, servers, and network devices such as routers and the like.

There are many systems, components, and network configurations that support distributed computing environments. For example, computing systems can be interconnected via wired or wireless systems, via local area networks or wide area networks. Currently, many of these networks are connected to the Internet, which provides an infrastructure for widely distributed computing and can contain a wide variety of networks. Aspects of various embodiments may be used to distribute machine-readable instructions, code fragments, applications, and the like. various distributed computing devices.

An example of a known network configuration is the Microsoft Xbox® Network Service. Microsoft Xbox® consoles support home network connections to a service called Xbox LIVE®. Xbox LIVE® is an online network developed by Microsoft that allows Xbox® gaming systems to play with or against other Xbox® users over the Internet or other network. The service allows users to communicate verbally, supports scoreboards, etc. Connection allows multi-user Internet connection.

Network infrastructure allows many network topologies, such as client / server, peer-to-peer, or hybrid architectures. A client is a member of a class or group that uses the services of another class or group to which it does not belong. Thus, in computing, a client can be a process (i.e., a set of instructions or tasks) that requests a service provided by another program. The client process can use the requested service without having to know any working details about another program or the service itself. In a client / server architecture, in particular a network system, a client is typically a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer (i.e., a server). The server may be a remote computer system accessible over a remote network, such as, for example, the Internet. The client process can be active in the first computer system, and the server process can be active in the second computer system, communicating with each other over the data transmission medium, thus providing distributed functionality and allowing many clients to take advantage of the server’s ability to collect information.

Clients and servers communicate with each other using the functionality provided by the protocol layer. For example, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the standard protocol that is used in connection with the World Wide Web (WWW). The network address of a computer, such as a uniform resource locator (URL) or Internet Protocol (IP) address, can be used to identify each other's server or client computers. Communication between computing devices may be provided over a data medium. In particular, the client and server can be quickly connected to each other via TCP / IP connections for high-performance information exchange.

In general, a computer network can contain both server devices and client devices deployed in a network environment (in a peer-to-peer environment, devices can be both clients and servers). The data network 460 may be a LAN, WAN, intranet, or the Internet, or any combination thereof, which facilitates communication between a number of computing devices 400a-400e. In addition, the data network 460 may include wireless, wired, or a combination of wireless and wired connections. Additionally, the computer network may comprise a distributed computing environment. In such an environment, the computation task can be distributed across a number of computing devices that are addressable elements in a computer network.

According to an embodiment, the data network 460 may comprise a network service 450 that is accessible from a plurality of computers 400a-400e. Network service 450 may collect information and track users of computers 400a-400e to provide computing services to users of service 450.

5 is a block diagram of an exemplary game console through which the above techniques can be implemented. In general, processor 500 is one type of computing device or system and is an example of a computing device or system that can be used with such technologies. In an exemplary scenario, the processor 500 comprises a game console, such as an XBOX® game console, for example. The multimedia content played or read by the game console 500 may include, but not limited to, game content and non-game content such as cinematic content, music content, audio content, video content, video conferencing content or DVD video content. Game content may also include, for example, data and multimedia data related to vehicles, images, weapons, spells, levels, updated statistics or other such graphically displayed or used information in a game that applies to any particular game that should be played on a game console, which is usually known to the user / players of game consoles. The multimedia content may include any game content that may optionally be combined with non-game content.

The game console 500 has a central processing unit (CPU) 501 having a level 1 (L1) cache 502, a level 2 (L2) cache 504, and a flash ROM (read only memory) 506. The level 1 cache 502 and the level 2 cache 504 temporarily store data and therefore reduce the number of memory access cycles, thereby increasing processing speed and performance. Flash ROM 506 may store executable code that is downloaded during the initial phase of the boot process when the game console 500 is initially turned on. Alternatively, executable code that is loaded during the initial boot phase may be stored in a flash memory device (not shown). In addition, the ROM 506 may be located separately from the CPU 501. The gaming console 500 may optionally be a multiprocessor system; for example, the game console 500 may have three processors 501, 503, 505, where the processors 503 and 505 have similar or identical components to the processor 501.

A graphics processor (GPU) 508 and a video encoder / video codec (encoder / decoder) 514 form a video processing pipeline for high-speed processing of high-resolution graphics. Data is transmitted from the GPU 508 to the video encoder / video codec 514 via a bus. A video processing pipeline outputs data to the A / V (audio / video) port 540 for transmission to a television or other display device. A memory controller 510 is connected to the GPU 508 and the CPU 501 to facilitate processor access to various types of memory 512, such as, but not limited to, RAM (random access memory).

The processor 500 may include an input / output controller 520, a system control controller 522, an audio processor 523, a network interface controller 524, a first USB host controller 526, a second USB controller 528, and a front panel I / O unit 530, which may preferably be implemented in module 518. USB controllers 526 and 528 serve as hosts for peripheral controllers 542 (1) -842 (2), a wireless adapter 548 and external storage device 546 (eg, flash memory, an external CD / DVD ROM drive removable media, etc.). Network interface 524 and / or wireless adapter 548 provide access to a network (e.g., the Internet, a home network, etc.) and can be any of a wide variety of different wired or wireless interface components, including an Ethernet card, modem, Bluetooth -module, cable modem, etc.

System memory 543 may store application data that is downloaded during the boot process. A storage medium 544 may include a DVD / CD drive, a hard disk drive, or another removable drive, etc. The storage medium 544 may be internal or external to the game console 500. When the medium storage 544 is a storage medium or reader of removable media (such as removable optical disks or flash cartridges), then the medium storage 544 is an example of an interface in which (or in which) the media have the ability to be installed for reading. A storage medium 544 can access application data 544 for execution, playback, etc. by means of a game console 500. A storage medium 544 may be connected to an input / output controller 520 via a bus such as a Serial ATA bus or other high speed connection (eg, IEEE 1394). While a media drive 544 may typically refer to various embodiments of a storage device (e.g., a hard disk, a removable optical disk drive, etc.), the game console 500 may specifically include a hard drive a disc 552, which can be used to store game data, application data, or other types of data.

The system control controller 522 can provide a variety of utility functions related to making the game console 500 available. The audio processor 523 and the audio codec 532 can formulate an appropriate audio processing pipeline with high fidelity, 3D, surround and stereo audio processing according to aspects of the subject of the study described herein. A communication channel may carry audio data between the audio processor 523 and the audio codec 526. The audio processing pipeline outputs the data to the A / V port 540 for playback by an external audio player or device having audio capabilities.

The front-panel I / O unit 530 supports the functionality of the power button 550 and the eject button 552, as well as any LEDs (light emitting diodes) or other indicators displayed on the outer surface of the game console 500. The system power supply module 536 can provide power to the components of the game console 500 Fan 538 may cool circuitry in game console 500.

The relationship between the CPU 501, the GPU 508, the memory controller 510, and various other components in the game console 500 may be through one or more buses including serial and parallel buses, a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of tire architectures.

When the game console 500 is turned on or rebooted, application data can be loaded from system memory 543 to memory 512 and / or caches 502, 504 and executed on the CPU 101. The application can provide a graphical user interface that provides a consistent user experience when navigating different types of media available in the game console 500. In operation, applications and / or other media contained in the storage medium 544 may be launched or played from the storage medium 544 to provide lyat additional functionality to the game console 500.

Game console 500 can function as a standalone system by simply connecting the system to a television or other display device. In this standalone mode, the game console 500 may allow one or more users to interact with the system, watch movies, listen to music, and the like. However, with the introduction of broadband available through the network interface 524 or wireless adapter 548, the game console 500 can additionally work as a member in a larger network community.

A computer system can be roughly divided into three groups of components: a hardware component, a hardware / software interface component of a system, and an application program component (also called a "user component" or "software component"). In various embodiments of a computer system, the hardware component may comprise a central processing unit (CPU) 521, memory (both ROM 564 and RAM 525), a basic input / output system (BIOS) 566, and various input / output devices (I / O), such as a keyboard 540, mouse 562, monitor 547, and / or a printer (not shown), among others. The hardware component contains the basic physical infrastructure for a computer system.

6 illustrates an exemplary system for implementing aspects of the subject of present study, including a general-purpose computing device in the form of a computer 641. Components of a computer 641 may include, but are not limited to, a processor 659, system memory 622, and graphics processor 629 (and graphical interface 631), video memory 630 (and video interface 632), and system bus 621, which couples various system components, including system memory 622, to processor 659. System bus 621 can be any of which types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, but not limitation, such architectures include a standard architecture bus for industrial applications (ISA), a microchannel architecture bus (MCA), an extended ISA bus (EISA), a standard video bus (VESA) of a local PC video bus, and a peripheral connection bus Component (PCI), also known as the mezzanine bus.

Computer 641 typically includes a variety of computer-readable media. Machine-readable media can be any media that can be accessed by computer 641 and which can be either volatile or non-volatile, or removable or non-removable. By way of example, but not limitation, computer-readable media may include computer storage media and a data medium. Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information, such as machine-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM (random access memory, RAM), ROM (read-only memory, ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable ROM, EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital multifunction disk (DVD) or other optical disk storage devices, magnetic tapes, magnetic tape, magnetic storage disks or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used n for storing the required information and which can be accessed by computer 641.

The communication medium typically implements computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a wave carrier or other propagation mechanism, and includes any information delivery medium. The term "modulated data signal" means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics, set or changed in such a way as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, a communication medium includes a wired medium, such as a wired network or a direct wired connection, and a wireless medium, such as acoustic, RF (radio frequency, RF), infrared, and other wireless medium. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

System memory 622 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM) 623 or random access memory (RAM) 660. A basic input / output system (BIOS) 624 containing basic procedures that help transmit information between elements within the computer 641, for example, during startup, is usually stored in ROM 623. RAM 660 typically contains data and / or program modules that are directly accessible and / or are currently being processed by processor 659. By way of example, but not limitation, FIG. 6 illustrates an operating system 625, application programs 626, other program modules 627, and program data 628.

Computer 641 may also include other removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile computer storage media. By way of example only, FIG. 6 illustrates a hard disk drive 638 that reads from or writes to non-removable non-volatile media, a magnetic drive 639 that reads from or writes to a removable non-volatile magnetic disk 654, and an optical drive 640, which reads from or writes to a removable non-volatile optical disk 653, such as a CD-ROM or other optical media. Other removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile computer storage media that can be used in an exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cartridges, flash memory cards, digital multifunction drives, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM and the like. A hard disk drive 638 is typically connected to a system bus 621 via a non-removable memory interface such as interface 634, and a magnetic disk drive 639 and an optical disk drive 640 are typically connected to system bus 621 via a removable memory interface such as interface 635 .

The drives and the associated computer storage medium discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 6 provide storage of machine-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for computer 641. In FIG. 6, for example, a hard drive 638 is illustrated in as storing the operating system 658, application programs 657, other program modules 656 and program data 655. Note that these components can either be the same as or different from the operating system 625, application programs 626, other program modules 627, and program data 628. The operating system 658, application programs 657, other program modules 656, and program data 655 are given different numbers in this document to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different other copies. The user can enter commands and information into the computer 641 through input devices, for example, a keyboard 651 and a pointing device 652, commonly referred to as a mouse, trackball (trackball) or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, and the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processor 659 via a user input interface 636, which is connected to the system bus, but can be connected via other interfaces and bus structures, such as a parallel port, a game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 642 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 621 through an interface such as a video interface 632. In addition to the monitor, computers can also include other peripheral output devices, such as speakers 644 and a printer 643, which can be connected via a peripheral interface 633 output.

Computer 641 may operate in a network environment using logical connections with one or more remote computers, such as remote computer 646. Remote computer 646 may be a personal computer (PC), a server (public computer), a router, a network personal computer, or a peer-to-peer device or other common network node, and it typically includes many or all of the elements described above with respect to computer 641, although FIG. 6 illustrates only memory 647 eniya. The logical connections shown in FIG. 6 include a local area network (LAN) 645 and a wide area network (WAN) 649, but may also include other networks. Such network environments are common in offices, corporate computer networks, intranets and the Internet.

When used in a networked LAN environment, computer 641 is connected to the LAN 645 via a network interface or adapter 637. When used in a networked WAN environment, computer 641 typically includes a modem 650 or other means for establishing WAN 649 communication, such like the internet. The modem 650, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 621 via a user input interface 636 or using another suitable device. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to computer 641, or parts thereof, may be stored in a remote storage device. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 6 illustrates remote application programs 648 as residing on a storage device 647. It should be obvious that the network connections shown are exemplary, and other means of establishing a communication link between computers can be used.

It should be understood that the various techniques described herein may be implemented in connection with hardware or software, or, if necessary, with a combination thereof. Thus, the methods and device of the currently explored subject of study or its specific aspects or parts can take the form of program code (i.e. instructions) implemented on tangible media such as floppy disks, CD-ROMs, hard disks, or any another computer-readable medium for storing information, and when the program code is downloaded and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes a device for using in practice the subject of study disclosed herein. When executing program code on programmable computers, a computing device generally includes a processor, storage medium readable by a processor (including volatile and non-volatile memory and / or storage elements), at least one input device and at least at least one output device. One or more programs may implement or use the processes described in connection with the invention described herein, for example, through the use of APIs, reusable controls, and the like. Such programs are preferably implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming language to exchange data with a computer system. However, the program (s) may be implemented in assembly or machine language, if necessary. In any case, the language can be a compiled or interpreted language and can be combined with implementations in hardware.

7 illustrates an example system for providing targeted advice to a user based on the use of a social online multi-player gaming environment 700. In one embodiment, the first user accesses the environment through a first user access device 702. This device may comprise an e-commerce client or an advertising client capable of playing games, a dedicated gaming device, or an interface to a music or other device that can play games. Data transmitted during this interaction between the first user and the environment is captured and stored by the environmental behavioral data collection component 704. The data is then sent to the behavioral data purification and aggregation component 706, which filters out unnecessary information for the recommendation determination process, transfers them to the appropriate databases (user database 708, goods database 710 and games database), and aggregates them to the level necessary for proper handling.

Then, the data analytics and logical inference engine 714 obtains information about the goods contained in the goods data base 710, as well as information collected from the behavior of the first user, as well as existing information about the first user, his or her friends and his or her social network. This mechanism 714 data analytics and inference determines among all relevant products in the database 710 data products the best recommendation for the first user, taking into account his or her past behavior, as well as the behavior of his or her friends in his social networks. For example, if all the friends of the first user bought an additional card for a certain game, but the first user did not, the probability of the first user buying this card is much higher than buying them a product in which no one on his network shows interest.

The recommendation component 716 receives the calculated relevance of each recommended product from the data analytics and inference engine 714 and combines it with data from the user database 708, the product database 710, and the game database 712 in order to determine a recommendation to be sent to the first user. In one embodiment, this recommendation is a recommendation identified as most useful to the user. Along with the recommendation, metadata about the recommendation can be sent. For example, when a recommendation is a song, an image of the artist or album associated with the song, as well as the text that accompanies the song name, artist name, album name, song duration, similar artists, and a song description can be sent along with a link to purchase the product. This recommendation is then returned to the first user.

7 is a block diagram of an example processor 700 for implementing the systems and methods disclosed herein. The processor 700 may include a processing part 702, a storage part, and an input / output part 706. The communication of the processing part 702, the storage part 704 and the input / output part 706 together (communication not shown in FIG. 7) may allow data transmission between them. The input / output part 706 is capable of providing and / or receiving content over the network, as described above.

Processor 700 may be implemented as a client processor and / or server processor. In a basic configuration, a processor 700 may include at least one processing part 702 and a storage part 704. The storage part 704 may store any information used in connection with the safety of media. Depending on the exact configuration and type of processor, the storage portion 704 may be volatile (such as RAM) 708, non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) 710, or some combination thereof. The processor 700 may include both removable storage device 712 and non-removable storage device 714, including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks, tape, flash, smart cards, or the like. Computer storage media, such as storage parts 704, 708, 710, 712 and 714, may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as machine-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital multifunction disks (DVD) or other optical media, magnetic tapes, magnetic tape, magnetic media disk or other magnetic storage devices, memory compatible with serial universal bus (USB), smart cards or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information, and which can be accessed by processor 700. Any Which computer storage media may be part of processor 700.

The processor 700 may also comprise communication connection (s) 720 that allow the processor 700 to communicate with other devices. Connection (s) 720 communication is an example of a data medium. The data medium typically contains computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated information signal, such as a carrier wave or other propagation mechanism, and may include any media for delivering information. The modulated information signal may comprise a signal that has one or more characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, but not limitation, a transmission medium may include a wired medium, such as a wired network or a direct wired connection, and a wireless medium, such as an acoustic medium, RF, infrared radiation, and other wireless medium. The term "computer readable media" when used herein may include both storage media and a data medium. The processor 700 may also have an input device (s) 718, such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc. Output device (a) 716, such as a display, speakers, printer, etc., may also be included.

Claims (20)

1. A method for sending a recommendation to a first user of an online multi-player gaming environment, comprising the steps of:
monitor one or more computers of an online multiplayer gaming environment for the interaction of the first user and the second user in the online multiplayer gaming environment, and the activity of the relationship may indicate that the first and second users are talking to each other, that each of them is playing a game with a third user separately, that each of them separately views different instances of the same video, that each of them is registered in online multi-user lskom game environment from one and the same time zone, each of them assigned to anything the same rating, or that they have the same language setting in the online multiplayer game environment;
accepting one or more computers an indication of the preference of the second user;
determining one or more computers a recommendation based on the preference of the second user and the activity of the relationship of the first user and the second user; and
send one or more computers a recommendation to the first user. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the recommendation based on the preference of the second user and the activity of the relationship of the first user and the second user comprises determining the recommendation as the most relevant of the many recommendations. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the activity data of the relationship so that the data indicates an interaction between the first user and the second user. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indication of the preference of the second user comprises: video that the second user is viewing, content that the second user is purchasing, or the preferred language of the second user. 5. The method according to claim 1, in which the recommendation contains a descriptive object selected to be compatible with the communication capabilities of the access device to the online multi-player gaming environment of the first user. 6. The method according to claim 5, in which the access device comprises: a game console, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a general purpose computer, or a portable digital music player. 7. The method according to claim 1, in which the recommendation contains a proposed action plan for the first user. 8. The method according to claim 1, in which the recommendation contains: a friend to add to the list of friends, a game to play, a competition to join him, a group to join her, or an opponent to play a game against him. 9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising ethane, on which a recommendation request is received. 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising stages in which:
accept the indication of preference of the first user; and
determine a recommendation based on the preference of the first user. 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indication of the preference of the second user comprises: gaming activity of the second user in the gaming environment, e-commerce activity of the second user in the gaming environment, e-commerce activity of the second user outside the gaming environment or social activity of the second user in the environment . 12. The method according to claim 1, in which the definition of the recommendation contains the definition of the recommendation based on the behavior of the third user connected to the first user through the second user. 13. The method according to claim 1, in which the definition of the recommendation contains the definition of the recommendation based on the characteristics of the social network of the second user. 14. The method according to item 13, in which the characteristic of the social network of the second user contains the behavior of friends from friends of the second user. 15. The method according to claim 1, in which the definition of the recommendation contains the definition of the recommendation based on the communication capabilities of the access device associated with the first user. 16. The method according to claim 1, in which the recommendation contains a link to purchase a product. 17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship between the first user and the second user comprises asynchronous interaction between the first user and the second user. 18. The method according to claim 1, additionally containing phase, in which:
determine, by one or more computers, a second recommendation based on a third user having the same preference as the second user, the activity of the relationship between the first and second users being different from the activity of the relationship between the first and third users. 19. Machine-readable medium for sending recommendations to the first user of an online multi-player gaming environment, the medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, prompt the computer to perform the following actions:
Establish a connection with an online multiplayer gaming environment;
tracking the activity of the relationship of the first user with the second user in an online multi-player gaming environment, and the activity of the relationship may indicate that the first and second users are talking to each other, that each of them is separately viewing different instances of the same video, that each of them is registered in an online multiplayer gaming environment from the same time zone that each of them has assigned the same rating to something, or that they have the same rating Zykov settings in the online multiplayer game environment;
sending an indication of the activity of the relationship between the first user and the second user;
receiving recommendations based on the activity of the relationship between the first user and the second user, as well as the preferences of the second user;
and submitting recommendations to the first user. 20. A system for sending recommendations to the first user of an online multiplayer gaming environment, comprising:
CPU; and
memory associated with the processor when the system is in operation, and the memory contains instructions executed by the processor, which, when executed by the processor, prompt the system to perform the following actions:
tracking the activity of the relationship of the first user and the second user in an online multi-player gaming environment, and the activity of the relationship may indicate that the first and second users are talking to each other, that each of them is separately viewing different instances of the same video, that each of them is registered in an online multiplayer gaming environment from the same time zone that each of them has assigned the same rating to something, or that they have the same I ykovye settings in the online multiplayer game environment; receiving an indication of preference of the second user;
determining recommendations based on the preference of the second user and the activity of the relationship of the first user and the second user; and
sending recommendations to the first user.

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