Patent Publication Number: US-2010113145-A1

Title: Main controller, control method and management system of online game

Description:
This application is a continuation of PCT/CN2008/070549 filed Mar. 20, 2008, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 200710111339.9 filed Jun. 15, 2007, the contents of both are incorporated herein by reference as if reproduced in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to computer network application techniques, and in particular to a main controller, control method and management system of online game. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Along with the continuous development of computer techniques and the booming of Internet services and applications, more and more people begin to play online network games for entertainment. According to the participation of user, currently available online game systems mainly include types as follows. 
     1. PC (Personal Computer) game. In the game of this type, a player can only play with a pre-configured game logic on a local game terminal. Although some PC games may also provide an online mode, typically it is only the downloading process of the game that is omitted, so that the user can directly play the online game with a game server through the Internet, which essentially still lacks player interaction. 
     The deficiency of the PC game lies in that there is no adequate interaction among the players, various games cannot be used in a fully consistent manner with each other and there is no adequate or even no association among different games. 
     2. Large or medium online game. In the game of this type, each game forms a separate system, where each game client needs to play the game through the server of the game. 
     The deficiency of the above large or medium online game lies in that, because each game forms a system separately, it is required for every game to completely implement a game architecture respectively, which causes that there is no adequate association among various games. Furthermore, the maintenance cost is increased if each game forms a system separately. 
     As can be seen from the above, the existing online games almost all operate separately from each other by employing respective systems of their own. When playing the game, the user needs to install a game client for each game manually and to establish a session to each game server respectively. There is no centralized and automatic game service entry for the user, and there is no centralized management system for every game service. 
     Therefore, in the prior art, it is impossible to implement a centralized control and management for various game systems, there is no adequate association among various games, the operation and the maintenance are too complex, the game operation reliability is low, the extensibility of the game is poor, and the maintenance cost is high. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above, the present invention provides a main controller of online game, which may implement a centralized control and management for various kinds of game systems. The present invention further provides a control method and management system of online game. 
     An embodiment of the present invention provides a main controller of online game, which includes: 
     a directory serving unit, adapted to obtain all game directory information and notify the game directory information to a user, and to obtain the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information; and 
     a game managing unit, adapted to establish and maintain a game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the selection instruction. 
     An embodiment of the present invention further provides a management system of online game, which includes: 
     a server-side system, adapted to store all game directory information, and to implement a server-side operation of a game service established and maintained by a game client-side system; and 
     the game client-side system, adapted to obtain all the game directory information and notify the game directory information to a user, to establish and maintain the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information, and to implement a client-side operation of the game service. 
     An embodiment of the present invention further provides a control method of online game, which includes: 
     obtaining all game directory information and notifying the game directory information to a user; and 
     establishing and maintaining a game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information. 
     It can be seen from the above technical solutions that, being compared with the prior art, the main controller, control method and management system of online game provided by the embodiments of the present invention can obtain all game directory information and notify the game directory information to the user, and establish and maintain the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information. Therefore, the embodiments implement a centralized control and management for various game systems. 
     Specifically, the embodiments provide a centralized and automatic game service entry for the user, thus the user can play various online games in a relatively consistent manner, and provide a centralized main controller for every game system, thus the game system can be managed and controlled easily. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a structure of a main controller of online game according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a control method of online game according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the structure of the main controller of online game according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating the control method of online game according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a layered structure of the main controller of online game according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a structure of a management system of online game according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating a communication interface for a game managing unit and a specific game unit to communicate with each other according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating the control method of online game according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     For better understanding of the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention, the present invention is described in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings and the embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are intended merely to explain, but not to limit, the present invention. 
     The main controller, control method and management system of online game provided by the embodiments of the present invention can obtain all game directory information and notify the game directory information to the user, and establish and maintain the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a structure of a main controller of online game according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the main controller includes a directory serving unit  103  and a game managing unit  104 . 
     Specifically, the directory serving unit  103  is adapted to obtain all game directory information and notify the game directory information to a user, and to obtain the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information. 
     The game managing unit  104  is adapted to establish and maintain a game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the selection instruction. 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a control method of online game according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the method includes the following: 
     Step  201 : Obtain all game directory information and notify the game directory information to a user. 
     Step  202 : Establish and maintain a game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information. 
     Hereinbelow, the main controller, control method and management system of online game provided by the present invention are described in detail with reference to the embodiments. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the structure of the main controller of online game according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the main controller mainly includes a directory serving unit  103  and a game managing unit  104 , and may further include a logon unit  302  and an additional unit and service  305  and the like. 
     The directory serving unit  103  is adapted to establish a session to a directory server and maintain the session, to obtain game directory information through the session and notify the game directory information to a user, and to send the game directory information selected by the user to the game managing unit  104  according to a user selection signal received. Specifically, the game directory information mainly includes: description information of at least one game, and address information of the game server corresponding to each game. The description information of game includes an identifier of game, a broadcast domain identifier of game, multi-player interactive game unit information of game, version information of game and the like, and may also include other information of game such as a brief description of game. 
     The game managing unit  104  is adapted to establish a session to a corresponding game server according to the selected game directory information and maintain the session, and to control and manage a game service corresponding to the selected game directory information. 
     The logon unit  302  is connected with an external authentication server (the authentication server is not shown in the figure). The logon unit is adapted to send authentication information inputted by the user to the authentication server when the user logs on the main controller, and the authentication server authenticates the user according to a stored username of the user and a corresponding password thereof. The logon unit determines whether to allow the user to log on according to the authentication result returned from the authentication server. After the user logs on the main controller successfully, the directory serving unit  103  executes a corresponding function to obtain the game directory information from the directory server and notify the game directory information to the user. 
     The additional unit and service  305  may include a version controlling unit adapted to compare information of a version of a local game client with the information of the corresponding game version contained in the directory information, and to control the version of the local game client (e.g. to upgrade to the latest game version mandatorily, or to prompt the user of whether to upgrade, or to wait for the user to upgrade the game version manually without prompting the user) according to the result of the comparison. 
     The additional unit and service  305  may further include a multiplexing unit adapted to check whether multiple game services established and maintained by the game managing unit have the same processing function, and to implement the processing function in the multiplexing unit if so; and/or to check whether at least one session of the sessions established and maintained by the game managing unit corresponds to the same game server, and to multiplex the at least one session that corresponds to the same game server into one session if so. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating the control method of online game according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the method includes the following. 
     Step  401 : Prompt the user to log on, and send received logon information to an authentication server for authentication, execute Step  402  if the authentication is passed successfully, and terminate the process otherwise. 
     Step  402 : Obtain all game directory information and notify the game directory information to the user. 
     Step  403 : Establish a session to a corresponding game server according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information and maintain the session, and control and manage a game service corresponding to the selected game directory information. 
     Step  404 : Compare information of a game version of a local game client with the information of the corresponding game version contained in the game directory information, and control the version of the local game client according to the result of the comparison, e.g. if the information of the version of the local game client is lower than the information of the corresponding game version contained in the game directory information, upgrade to the latest game version mandatorily, or prompt the user of whether to upgrade, or do not prompt the user but the user may upgrade the game version manually. 
     Step  405 : The main controller multiplexes possible functions and/or resources. 
     Check whether multiple game services managed by the main controller have a processing function in common, and implement the processing function in the multiplexing unit if so, and/or check whether at least one session of the established sessions corresponds to the same game server, and multiplex the at least one session that corresponds to the same game server into one connection if so. 
     It should be noted that, in this embodiment, Steps  404  and  405  are not necessarily in a strictly fixed sequence. Here, Step  404  is described first and Step  405  is described thereafter for better description. 
     The main controller and control method of online game provided by the embodiment can obtain directory information of various games and notify the directory information to the user, where the user performs a selection among those games through the main controller. Once a selection is made, the main controller establishes a session to the corresponding game server and maintains the session, thus to control and manage the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information. Therefore, the embodiment implements a centralized control and management for various game systems. 
     Specifically, the embodiment provides a centralized and automatic game service entry for the user, thus the user can play various online games in a relatively consistent manner, and provide a centralized main controller for every game system, thus the game system can be managed and controlled easily. In an extensible manner, the present invention enhances the association among various game systems, decreases the complexity of operating and maintaining the game system, increases the game operation reliability, improves the extensibility of the game system, and reduces the maintenance cost. 
     Second Embodiment 
     On the basis of the first embodiment, this embodiment divides the main controller into layers and further provides a management system of online game and a method thereof, so as to implement the centralized control and management for various game systems by way of management system. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a layered structure of the main controller of online game according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the main controller is composed of three layers as follows. 
     A Presentation Layer, which is a man-machine interface between the main controller and the user. The Presentation Layer mainly includes a presentation unit  501  adapted to provide a channel for information interaction between the main controller and the user. For example, after the directory serving unit  103  obtains the game directory information from the directory server, the presentation unit  501  may notify the game directory information to the user, and the game directory information selected by the user may be sent to the game managing unit  104  according to the user selection signal received by the presentation unit  501 . For another example, through the presentation unit  501 , the logon unit  302  may provide a logon interface and the like for the user. 
     The Logic Layer, which is mainly adapted to implement a specific processing logic of the main controller. The Logic Layer mainly includes: the directory serving unit  103 , the game managing unit  104 , the logon unit  302  and the additional unit and service  305  of the first embodiment, etc. 
     The Base Layer, which is mainly adapted to implement information interaction between the main controller and the directory server as well as between the main controller and the game server. The Base Layer mainly includes a Protocol Factory, a Storage Factory and a Resource Factory. 
     Specifically, the Protocol Factory is adapted to establish a protocol platform for the requester of the information interaction in the session established by the directory serving unit and the game managing unit, the Storage Factory is adapted to provide a storage service for the requester of the information interaction, and the Resource Factory is adapted to provide a resource object for the requester of the information interaction, so as to implement the information interaction between the main controller and the directory server as well as between the main controller and the game server. 
     In order to implement the centralized control and management for various game systems by way of system and to decrease the complexity of operating and maintaining the game system, the embodiment of the present invention further provides a management system of online game. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a structure of a management system of online game according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the management system of online game includes: a server-side system and a game client-side system. 
     Specifically, the server-side system is adapted to store all game directory information, and to implement a server-side operation of a game service established and maintained by the game client-side system. 
     The game client-side system is adapted to obtain all game directory information and notify the game directory information to a user, and to establish and maintain the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the game directory information, and to implement a client-side operation of the game service. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the server-side system is composed of a directory server  601 , a game server  602  and another service support server (e.g. an authentication server, which is not shown in  FIG. 6 ). The game client-side system is composed of a main controller  603  and a specific game unit  604 . 
     The directory server  601 , which is adapted to store the game directory information supported by the directory server, can provide and maintain a whole directory information system. 
     The game server  602 , which includes a game implementing unit, is adapted to implement the server-side operation of the game service established and maintained by the game client-side system. Specifically, after the user selects at least one game directory information, the game client-side system notifies the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information that is established and maintained by the game client-side system to the game implementing unit of the game server  602 , and the game server  602  implements the major server-side processing operation of the game service through the game implementing unit. Moreover, the game server  602  is further adapted to register the game and the game directory information supported by the game server  602  into the directory server  601  through the game implementing unit. The game directory information mainly includes: description information of at least one game, and address information of the game server  602  corresponding to each game. The description information of game includes an identifier of game, a broadcast domain identifier of game, multi-player interactive game unit information of game, version information of game and the like, and may also include other information of game such as a brief description of game. 
     The main controller  603 , which is located at the game client side, is adapted to obtain the game directory information from the directory server  601  and notify the game directory information to the user, and to establish and maintain the session between the game server  602  corresponding to the selected game and the main controller  603  according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting directory information, thus to control and manage the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information. 
     Here, those skilled in the art shall understand that the main controller may be implemented according to any of the structures provided by the embodiments of the present invention. 
     The specific game unit  604  may include a plurality of specific game units, e.g. specific game unit  1  to specific game unit n. The specific game unit  604  is located at the game client side, and is adapted to implement the specific processing logic of the game service at the client side and to perform game information interaction with the game server  602  through the session established between the main controller  603  and the game server  602 . There may be more or less game servers  602  and there may be more or less specific game units  604  at the game client side according to the user&#39;s requirements, but the user uses and manages various games in a centralized way only through the main controller. 
     In the above management system, the main controller  603  can establish and manage a session to the directory server  601 , so as to provide a directory service, and can also establish and manage a session to the game server  602 , so as to provide a standardized service interface for the specific game unit  604 , thus the specific game unit  604  indirectly establishes a session to the game server  602  through the main controller  603 . 
     There may be one directory server  601 , or alternatively there may be a group composed of one or more directory servers  601 . For the main controller  603 , any two directory servers in the group of directory server are of the same structure as each other, i.e. maintain the same game directory information as each other, and moreover, every directory server provides the same external interface as each other. The main controller  603  of the game client side may communicate with any directory server contained in the group to obtain the game directory information. 
     The main controller  603  includes a game managing unit adapted to establish and maintain the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information according to the user&#39;s selection instruction used for selecting at least one game directory information of all the obtained game directory information. 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating a communication interface for a game managing unit and a specific game unit to communicate with each other according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the left part is the main controller, which specifically is a specific game point interface  701  contained in the game managing unit. The right part is a game interface  702  contained in the specific game unit. 
     Specifically, the specific game point interface  701  is adapted to provide a channel for the game managing unit to send a management message to the specific game unit. 
     The game interface  702  is adapted to provide a channel for the specific game unit to feed back information to the game managing unit. 
     Both of the interfaces are standardized interfaces, i.e. the specific game point interface  701  contained in the game managing unit is standardized for all specific game units, and similarly, the game interface  702  contained in all specific game units is standardized for the game managing unit. The contents of the interface message transmitted in one of the two interfaces may be different from those of another, while the format of the interface message is in common. Specifically, the interface message mainly includes: the interface message for transmitting control information, the interface message for transmitting game information, the interface message for transmitting chatting information, and the interface message for transmitting address information, where the location of the opposite-party interface can be found according to the address information. 
     The specific game point instance is a specific game instance established according to the user&#39;s selection instruction. For example, when the user selects a game, the main controller  603  establishes a specific game point instance and correspondingly starts a specific game unit. The specific game unit is also a specific game instance. The specific game point instance and the specific game instance communicate with each other respectively through the interface  701  and the interface  702 . 
     By standardizing the communication interface, a specific game unit, as well as a third-party game unit, can be added easily. Specific processes may include: 1) implement a specific standardized game interface; 2) use the service provided by the main controller  603  when implementing the game interface; and 3) register the implementation of the game server  602  part of the new game into the directory server, and add the entry of the newly-added game into the content. 
     The game server  602  may run all kinds of game systems supported by the system. Besides the processing function of a traditional online game system, the game server  602  may also forward direct information of all the users of the game so as to support a multi-party game. Specifically, the management system shown in  FIG. 6  may have a plurality of game servers  602 , where each game server  602  may run a plurality of game systems and each game system may have a plurality of instances. 
     Specifically, the game server  602  may further include the following. 
     A dividing unit, adapted to assign at least one broadcast domain for a specific game service, to set an upper limit for the number of user of the broadcast domain, and to register information of the assigned broadcast domain into the directory server as a part of the game directory information. By way of dividing, the users may be sorted, so that the user can perform navigation and indexing more easily and clearly in the case of a huge number of users. Essentially, the broadcast domain which acts as the divided part may further be extended and nested. 
     A determining unit, adapted to determine, after the user selects the broadcast domain of the game, whether the number of user selecting the broadcast domain reaches the upper limit. If so, the game server  602  restricts the current session and refuses to let the user join the broadcast domain. Otherwise, the game server  602  allows establishing the corresponding session and allows the user to join the broadcast domain. 
     In a specific game application, it may be assumed that the broadcast domain is a game room. Each game room has a predetermined capacity, i.e. has an upper limit for the number of user. Information about the game room may be registered into the directory server as directory information. After the main controller  603  obtains the directory information and displays the directory information to the user, what is presented to the user is the directory information of all the registered games. A piece of specific game directory information may further include information of the assigned game room, e.g. the number of game rooms, the room number of each game room. When the user selects a game room, the main controller  603  establishes a session between the game room and the game server  602 , and game information interaction with the game server  602  is performed through the session. 
     Each broadcast domain may be regarded as a user subset. The users may be separated into each subset by assigning the broadcast domain, and a certain number of users may form a relative broadcast domain through the modeling of the game room. Firstly, a broadcast storm may be avoided in the case of a huge number of users, and the consumption of system and network may be reduced, i.e. an architecture for supporting a huge number of users is provided. Further, because each game room may contain a certain number of users simultaneously, the user may select a game partner on his/her own decision, thus the system is quite different from the single-player game. 
     The present invention may further classify and sort the assigned broadcast domain, so that the user can perform navigation and indexing more easily and clearly in the case of a huge number of users. 
     In order to implement a multi-player online interactive game, the game server  602  may further include at least one multi-player interactive game unit adapted to provide a multi-player interactive game service. Here, “multi-player” means that there is at least one player. The multi-player interactive game unit exchanges multi-player interactive game information with the specific game unit of the game client side through the session between the main controller  603  of the game client side and the game server  602 . 
     For example, for an online chess or poker game, a multi-player interactive game unit may be configured as a game table, where each game table may include multiple seats. After the session is established between the game client side and the game server  602 , the information (which includes e.g. game table information and seat information) of the multi-player interactive game unit is transmitted to the main controller  603  of the game client side. The main controller  603  displays the game table information and the seat information to the user for the user to make a selection. After the user sends out an instruction of joining the multi-player interactive game, e.g. the user clicks the icon of a seat (the corresponding action on the screen may be sitting down at the clicked seat), the main controller  603  starts the specific game unit corresponding to the table when detecting the instruction. Then the user may interact with the game unit, and the game unit may further interact with the game server  602  through the session, thus the local user may play the game with other user(s). 
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating the control method of online game according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the method includes the following. 
     Step  801 : The user starts the main controller of the game client side. 
     Step  802 : The main controller prompts the user to input logon information and sends the received logon information to the authentication server for authentication. 
     Step  803 : Determine whether the authentication is passed successfully according to the authentication result from the authentication server, execute Step  804  if the authentication is passed successfully, and terminate the process otherwise. 
     The above Steps  802  and  803  are optional. The present invention may also directly execute Step  804  after Step  801 . 
     Step  804 : The main controller establishes a session to the directory server, obtains the game directory information supported by the current system from the directory server, notifies the obtained directory information to the user (e.g. displays the directory information via a display), and waits for the user to make a selection. 
     Of course, before controlling the online game, the game server needs to register the game and the game directory information supported by the game server into the directory server, so that the main controller can obtain the directory information from the directory server successfully and notify the directory information to the user. 
     The game directory information mainly includes: description information of at least one game, and address information of the game server corresponding to each game. The description information of game includes an identifier of game, a broadcast domain identifier of game (e.g. game room information), multi-player interactive game unit information of game (e.g. game table information and seat information), version information of game and the like, and may also include other information of game such as a brief description of game. 
     Step  805 : The user inputs a selection instruction, e.g. the user may select the broadcast domain (e.g. a game room number) of a certain game from the directory information, and after detecting the user&#39;s selection instruction, the main controller establishes a session to the game server corresponding to the selected broadcast domain of the game and maintains the session thus to control and manage the game service corresponding to the selected game directory information. 
     Step  806 : Assign at least one broadcast domain for a specific game service in the game server, set an upper limit for the number of user of the broadcast domain, and register the information of the assigned broadcast domain into the directory server as a part of the game directory information; after the user selects the broadcast domain of the game, the game server may further determine at the game server side whether the number of user selecting the broadcast domain reaches the upper limit having been set; if so, the game server restricts the current session, and the process is terminated; and otherwise, the game server allows establishing the corresponding session, and Step  807  is executed. Step  806  is also optional. If no broadcast domain is assigned, Step  806  may be omitted. 
     Step  807 : The game server interacts with the main controller through the established session according to the game processing procedure of the game server, e.g. here the information (such as the game table information and the seat information) of the multi-player interactive game in the selected game room may be transmitted to the main controller. 
     Step  808 : The main controller notifies the interaction information (such as the information of the multi-player interactive game) transmitted from the game server to the user e.g. by displaying it to the user via a display, for the user to make a selection, and waits for the user&#39;s selection. 
     Step  809 : After detecting the user&#39;s selection instruction, e.g. the user clicks the seat icon of a game table, the main controller starts the specific game unit of the client side corresponding to the game table; and after the game unit is started, the user may interact with the game unit, and the game unit may further interact with the game server through the session established in Step  805 , thus the local user may play the game with other user(s). In this step, the main controller provides a session to the game server for the started specific game unit through the session to the game server that is established in Step  805 . 
     Step  810 : Detect whether the user has input a game termination instruction, and if the game termination instruction is detected, close the specific game unit and exit from the game broadcast domain, i.e. exit from the game room and close the session to the corresponding game server. 
     In addition, the control method according to the present invention may further include an optimization step, e.g. the session managed by the main controller to the game server may be optimized. Specifically, the main controller checks whether multiple game services managed by the main controller have a processing function in common, and implement the processing function (which previously is distributed in each specific game unit) in the multiplexing unit if so, and/or, when the users enters a plurality of rooms or starts a plurality of specific game units at one time, the main controller checks whether at least one session corresponds to the same game server, and can multiplex the at least one session into one connection if so. The optimization resulted in the system to consume fewer resources such as port resources at both the client side and the game server side, thus increasing the capacity and the throughput of the system. 
     As described above, the embodiment of the present invention provides a highly reliable and extensible main controller, control method and management system of multi-player and multi-game online game, which can support a simultaneous online game of a huge number of users. The main controller according to the embodiment of the present invention can manage multiple sub-game-systems and provide a channel service used for connecting the game server for the sub-game-systems. By using the control of the main controller, the user can download, start, use or version-update any game service currently configured in the system. By using those services provided by the main controller and the game logics implemented in the game services, the user can obtain the information of the user himself/herself and that of other player(s), play the game with other user(s), or watch from the sidelines as other player(s) is/are playing a game. Based on the system infrastructure according to the embodiment of the present invention, the game system can easily add a game that can be supported into the system or update the game that is currently supported, thus achieving the advantages of extending and upgrading the system smoothly. 
     The embodiment of the present invention provides a brand-new system infrastructure, where the directory information of various games is gathered into the directory server for storage, and at the game client side, the main controller obtains the directory information of various games and notifies the directory information to the user. Thus the user may make a selection among various games through the main controller. Once the selection is made, the main controller may automatically establish a session to the game server. The specific game unit of the game client then interacts with the game server through the session, thus to play the game. Therefore, the present invention provides a centralized and automatic game service entry for the user, so that the user can play diverse online games in a relatively consistent manner. The present invention provides a centralized management system for various game systems, thus the game system can be extended easily. By way of extension, the present invention enhances the association among various game systems, reduces the complexity of operating and maintaining the game system, makes game running much more reliable, improves the extensibility of the game system, and reduces the maintenance cost. 
     In the embodiment of the present invention, a specific game service is divided into at least one broadcast domain, where each broadcast domain may be regarded as a subset where each subset has an upper limit for the number of user, thus the users may be separated into each broadcast domain, and a certain number of users may form a relative broadcast domain. Firstly, a broadcast storm may be avoided in the case of a huge number of users, and the consumption of system and network may be reduced, i.e. the technical solution for supporting a huge number of users is provided for the game system. Further, because each broadcast domain may contain a certain number of users simultaneously, the user may select a game partner on his/her own decision, thus the game system is quite different from the single-player game, therefore achieving a better interaction. 
     The embodiment of the present invention may further classify and sort the broadcast domain, so that the user can perform navigation and indexing more easily and clearly in the case of a huge number of users. 
     Because the game server according to the embodiment of the present invention has a multi-player game interactive unit, a multi-player online game may be implemented. 
     Because the interfaces between the main controller and the game server as well as between the main controller and the specific game unit are extensible and standardized, the game system can be extended easily, and anew game and service application can be added into the management system. Furthermore, because more game servers can be registered according to the present invention, the system can be upgraded smoothly so as to support more users. 
     Because a main-controller &amp; subordinate structure is used internally, the main controller part of the system provides some common logic services. When a new game or service is added into the system, the common logic service provided by the main controller may be used in a multiplexing manner, thus simplifying the upgrade and extension of the system. In addition, the user may interact with the newly extended system in a relatively similar manner, thus may make use of it easily. 
     By using the system infrastructure provided by the embodiment of the present invention, a system-level optimization can be performed easily. For example, the common processing function of multiple game services managed by the main controller can be optimized, where the main controller is used to implement such processing function that is originally implemented in each specific game unit. The session to the game server that is managed by the main controller may also be optimized, where the at least one session connecting to the same game server is multiplexed. The optimization resulted in the system to consume fewer resources such as port resources at both the game client side and the server side, thus increasing the capacity and the throughput of the system. 
     In addition, the embodiment of the present invention also provides a function for managing the version of the game system, where the game currently configured in the system is downloaded, started, used and version-updated automatically, so that the user can make use of it easily. 
     Although the device, method and system provided by the present invention are depicted by taking the online game as an example in the above embodiments, those skilled in the art shall understand that the present invention is not limited thereto in practical applications. The present invention may also be applied to the management and maintenance process of a local game system, or even of another service system such as a large-scale software system. 
     The foregoing is merely the preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalents and variations made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall fall into the scope of the present invention.