Patent ID: 9050533
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: A63F,G06Q,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method implemented by a game apparatus for enabling multiplayer gaming between select distant friends over a network and protecting game apparatus players from contact over the network by unknown or untrusted persons, comprising: storing self-identifying ID information within the game apparatus, wherein the self-identifying ID information used for a game apparatus does not match the self-identifying ID information used for another game apparatus; registering, as friend list information stored within the game apparatus, opponent identifying information corresponding to self-identifying ID information of another game apparatus, the opponent identifying information not matching the self-identifying ID information of the game apparatus; connecting to a network for performing a network communication; communicating with a network server to request playing a game with a particular selected opponent and sending to the server the self-identifying ID information and the registered opponent identifying information corresponding to the particular selected opponent, wherein the server determines whether a network communication is allowable with the selected game apparatus based upon both the self-identifying ID information of each game apparatus and verifying that opponent identifying information registered as friend list information within each game apparatus corresponds to the other game apparatus' self-identifying ID information; and acquiring a network connection address from the server for making a network communication with the selected game apparatus for which the server determined a network communication is allowable.