Patent ID: 6699125
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: A63F,H04L

Abstract:
A game and messenger client server system, comprising:a plurality of game clients; a game server including logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients including the plurality of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game; a plurality of messenger clients; a messenger server including logic to forward messages from a sender messenger client to a receiving messenger client; logic to couple a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game; and logic to initiate a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee, wherein the data used to initiate joining a game includes a reference to a game server, a reference to an active game on the referenced game server, and commands usable to invoke a game client at an invitee client and usable to connect the game client to the active game at the game server.