Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

John P Pennock

Damon V Danieli

John R Selbie

Matthew J Stipes

Drew Calvin Bamford

Paramvir Bahl

Pradeep Bahl

Edward Charles Giaimo, Iii

Scott Manchester

Kenneth R Robertson

Mark T Hanson

Edwin W Thorne, Iii

Lora K McCambridge

Dennis G Frost

Glenn R Ward

Luis A Reyes

A method and system facilitating selection of participants in multiplayer online electronic games. The method provides an efficient procedure for players to host and join new instances of multiplayer online electronic games, as well as providing a scheme that enables players to join multiplayer online electronic games that are already in progress. The method is implemented through a gaming utility that runs on each player's electronic device (e.g. PC) and interacts behind the scenes with an online messaging service. Player hosts are enabled to select players from a list of contacts provided by the online messaging service who they want to invite to join a chat session. A selected multiplayer online electronic game is selectively launched on all of the player's computers through a single command issued by the host. Additionally, the gaming utility provides players with a list of existing chat sessions being hosted by other players so as to enable the players to join multiplayer online electronic games that are already in progress. The system includes a plurality of electronic devices linked in communication across a communications network, such as a LAN or the Internet. Each electronic device is operatively coupled to a headset having a pair of headphones and a microphone. The headset is worn by a player, enabling the players to verbally communicate with others in a verbal chat session.

Use of online messaging to facilitate selection of participants in game play

A method to automatically configure a network device is provided. Without user intervention, configuration messages are generated and transmitted on physical interfaces associated with the network device. Acknowledgements to the configuration messages provide connectivity information that is utilized to instruct the network device to operate in a first, second, or third operational mode. The network device loads instructions associated with each mode to allow the network device to automatically provide connectivity based on the network configuration or topology of the domain or segment associated with the network device.

Auto-configuring operation modes for network elements

To provide enhanced quality of service (QoS) communication capability, a wireless network is implemented in which different channels are used for conveying different types of data and in which wireless devices are selectively operated in either an infrastructure or ad hoc mode automatically selected to make best use of the available communication bandwidth. For example, a wireless device for a computer can be operated selectively as a client wireless device that is in communication with a legacy access point in an infrastructure mode on one channel, while using one or more different channels to communicate selectively in either ad hoc mode or infrastructure mode with client devices. To make efficient use of wireless devices, IEEE 802.11a or 802.11g wireless devices are used for communicating audio/video data on one channel, while an IEEE 802.11b wireless device is used on a different channel for communicating web page data.

Method and apparatus for wireless routing on a plurality of different wireless channels

A method and system for selecting contacts to participate in a voice chat session over a communications network, such as the Internet, and for assigning contacts to a plurality of chat channels both automatically and manually. In a multiplayer game application, the method enables a player to host a chat session by providing a list of contacts from which the host can choose other player who will be invited to join the chat session and thereafter, to participate in the game. Upon joining the chat session, players are automatically assigned to chat channels, for example, based on an order in which they join the session. Optionally, chat channel assignments may be pre-assigned by the host, or reassigned by individual users after the initial automatic assignment. In addition, players can be selectively assigned to a &ldquo;team&rdquo; channel. The system employs an online messaging service to provide the list of contacts for each player, and implements a gaming utility application that enables the users to easily host and join chat sessions, and selectively control channel assignments. The system further includes a channel controller device that is connected to each user's computer and enables each user to selectively control which other players are able to hear them during a voice chat session, which is particularly advantageous during the playing of multiplayer games over the Internet or other network. Each of the channel controller devices is connected to a headset that includes a pair of headphones and a microphone.

Automatic and selective assignment of channels to recipients of voice chat data

A thumbpad input device that enables a user to generate direction and speed by manipulating a round elastic pad. The underside of the pad is lined with a set of uniformly spaced contacts positioned in a circular pattern. Each contact is paired with a corresponding switch that is coupled to a circuit board. When a user presses down on the pad, one or more contacts close their respective switches. The pad contacts and switches are designed so that the number of closed switches varies with the magnitude of the force applied to the pad. The thumbpad input device has a micro controller that monitors the switches. It determines the most clockwise closed switch and the most counter-clockwise closed switch. Presumptively, these two closed switches define the two endpoints of an arc of all closed switches. These endpoints are then forwarded to a host processor. The host processor processes these endpoints to calculate the direction and speed of the symbol which correspond with the user's manipulation of the rubber pad.

Method and apparatus for generating directional and force vector in an

A cursor is displayed with one of several different cursor orientations depending on the current position to which the cursor points on a display screen. The 'cursor orientation' refers to the alignment of the cursor relative to an edge of the display screen. When the cursor points to a position that is within a predetermined distance from one of the edges of the display screen, the cursor is not visible on the display screen. Upon detecting that the cursor is not visible on the display screen, the cursor is displayed with a different cursor orientation such that the cursor is visible on the display screen. Preferably, the cursor orientation is selected so that when the cursor is displayed with the new cursor orientation, the entire cursor is visible on the display screen.

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Issaquah, WA, United States of America

John P Pennock