Method and Apparatus for Associating Data with Online Game Ratings

Abstract

A procedure receives a game result from a game console. A rating is determined for the game result. If the rating for the game result meets a predetermined criteria, the recorded game associated with the game result is received from the game console. The recorded game is attached to the rating of the game result such that other players can access the recorded game through an online gaming service.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving an access token including a digital signature and a game result from a game console;   determining a rating for the game result;   if the rating for the game result fails to meet a predetermined criteria, preventing receiving data associated with the game result or a game console user that caused, at least in part, the game result;   validating the access token including the digital signature; and   if the rating for the game result meets the predetermined criteria, receiving the associated data from the game console and attaching the associated data to the rating, wherein other players can access the result or the associated data through an online gaming service.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the game result is a game score. 
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined criteria is a rating in the top n scores. 
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein receiving a the associated data is in response to a request sent to the game console. 
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising providing a list of recorded games available for download to a requesting player. 
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising providing a list of recorded games available for download to a requesting game console. 
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising modifying the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising attaching additional game-related data to the rating. 
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising saving the game result and the attached associated data in a storage device. 
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising deleting the game result and the attached associated data after a predetermined period of inactivity by the game console user. 
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising reducing the rating of the game result over a period of time. 
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising saving the game result and an identifier associated with the associated data in a leaderboard. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 receiving a game result from a game console;   determining whether to allow the game console user to upload game-related data associated with the game result;   if the game console user is not allowed to upload the game related data, preventing the user from uploading the game-related data;   if the game console user is allowed to upload the game-related data:
 sending an access token including a digital signature to the game console; 
 receiving the access token and the game-related data associated with the game result; 
 validating the access token including the digital signature; and 
 if the access token including the digital signature is valid, associating the game-related data with the game result or the game console user, wherein other users can access the game-related data through an online gaming service. 
   
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising determining a rating for the game result. 
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising associating the game-related data with the rating. 
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the game result is a game score. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the access token includes a name of the game-related data. 
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the access token includes an identity of the game console user. 
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the access token includes a game console identifier. 
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the access token includes a maximum size of the game-related data. 
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the game-related data is a recorded game. 
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the game-related data is an audio file containing the game console user's voice. 
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the game-related data is at least one highlight from a game. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method comprising:
 receiving a game score from a game console;   determining a rating for the game score;   entering the rating and highlights of a game corresponding to the game score in a leaderboard that is accessible to users of an online gaming service;   if the rating satisfies a predetermined criteria:
 receiving game-related data associated with the game score; 
 entering a reference identifier in the leaderboard, the reference identifier being associated with the game-related data; and 
   entering an indicator in the leaderboard, the indicator being associated with the game-related data and indicates whether the game-related data is available for download.   
     
     
         28 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the users of the online gaming service can access the game-related data through the leaderboard. 
     
     
         29 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein determining a rating for the game score includes comparing the game score to other game scores in the leaderboard. 
     
     
         30 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the leaderboard is associated with a particular game program. 
     
     
         31 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined criteria is a rating in the top n percent of all ratings. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus comprising:
 a storage server configured to store data;   a statistics server coupled to the storage server and configured to maintain player ratings associated with a particular game program, the player ratings being maintained in a leaderboard, the statistics server further being configured to associate data with particular player ratings if the player ratings exceed a predetermined threshold, and wherein other players can identify and download the associated data from the leaderboard; and   a securities server configured to receive an access token including a digital signature to validate game results associated with the particular game program and received from one or more game consoles, wherein player ratings associated with the game results are updated when the games results are validated.   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 32 , further comprising a storage database coupled to the storage server and configured to store recorded game data. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 32 , further comprising a statistics database coupled to the statistics server and configured to store data contained in the leaderboard. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 32 , wherein the leaderboard is associated with a particular game program. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving a game result from a game console;   means for determining a rating associated with the game result;   means for receiving data associated with the game result or a user that is associated with the game result if the rating associated with the game result meets a predetermined criteria; and   means for attaching the associated data to the rating, wherein other players can access the recorded game through an online gaming service.   
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 37 , further comprising means for attaching additional game-related data to the rating. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 37 , further comprising means for storing the recorded game and an identifier associated with the recorded game. 
     
     
         40 . One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
 receive game results from a game console;   determine a rating associated with the game results;   if the rating exceeds a predetermined threshold value:
 digitally sign an access token; 
 send the signed access token to the game console; 
 receive the signed access token and game-related data associated with the rating or a user associated with the game results; 
 validate the signed access token; and 
 if the signed access token is valid, associate the game-related data with the rating, wherein other users of an online gaming service can download the game-related data. 
   
     
     
         41 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 40 , wherein the one or more processors further validate the received access token. 
     
     
         42 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 40 , wherein the game related-data is a recorded game. 
     
     
         43 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the associated data includes a recorded game. 
     
     
         44 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the associated data includes a saved action or a movement in a game. 
     
     
         45 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the associated data includes an audio file containing a voice of the game console user. 
     
     
         46 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the associated data includes an aggregated collection of various information associated with the associated data. 
     
     
         47 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the associated data includes at least one highlight from a game.