Patent ID: 8882598

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: maintaining, by central service provider located equipment, respective connections with a plurality of online service provider equipment associated with respective online service providers, wherein two or more online service provider equipment of the plurality of online service provider equipment connect using a different data format; receiving, by the central service provider located equipment, respective connection requests from a first group of gaming service customers, the first group of gaming service customers being subscribers of a first online service provider; receiving, by the central service provider located equipment, respective connection requests from a second group of gaming service customers, the second group of gaming service customers being subscribers of a second, different online service provider; and establishing multi-customer gaming interactions through the central service provider located equipment between the first group and the second group of gaming service customers, wherein the establishing comprises: connecting, by the central service provider located equipment, each gaming service customer in the first and the second groups to the gaming service customer's respective online service provider, receiving a selection of a game offered by one of the first and the second online service providers, and converting respective game interaction data between the first and the second online service providers using the central service provider located equipment.