Networking & Multiplayer

Roblox received 3 patents focused on building the infrastructure for massive multiplayer virtual worlds. The first describes a distributed database system that divides large virtual environments across multiple servers, with each server maintaining definitive control over its assigned region while speculatively simulating neighboring areas to enable seamless cross-region interactions. Two additional patents cover customizable matchmaking systems that let developers configure their own player-matching logic and scoring criteria through a user interface rather than relying on platform-wide defaults, with one version capable of interpreting natural language input through machine learning to determine appropriate matching weights.

Nintendo received 3 patents addressing multiplayer game management and communication. One tackles screen-sharing during voice chat by letting game developers designate which players can see each other's screens, preventing opponents from gaining unfair advantages while still allowing teammates to share their displays. Another manages capacity in online sessions by automatically balancing active players against spectators, preserving slots for active participants while using time-based or contribution-based criteria to remove viewers when sessions fill up. The third enables asynchronous competitive play by adding dynamic behaviors to recorded gameplay data, allowing these recorded performances to react to current game conditions rather than simply replaying predetermined actions.

AviaGames received 2 patents for matching live players against recorded gameplay from previous sessions. Both applications describe skill-based matchmaking systems that pair current players with historical performances, using dual rating metrics that combine base skill with high-ability measurements through nonlinear weighting formulas. The systems cache past player records indexed by game configuration parameters and skill levels, enabling competitive matches without requiring simultaneous online presence while maintaining fairness through identical gameplay conditions.

Samsung received 1 patent for wireless video transmission that adjusts quality parameters based on content type during network congestion. The system uses metadata from HDMI 2.1's Auto Low Latency Mode to distinguish games from video content, then applies different degradation strategies: games receive reduced resolution while maintaining consistent frame rates, whereas video content experiences frame drops while preserving full resolution.

Lenovo received 1 patent for transmitting user interaction data in cloud gaming and extended reality applications. Rather than sending pose, gesture, and eye-tracking information as standard data packets or within the main payload, the system embeds this interaction data directly into RTP header extensions, allowing faster processing along the time-critical transmission path to reduce latency in bidirectional applications.

Shanghai Lilith Technology received 1 patent for rendering combat interactions in large-scale simulation games. The system displays bidirectional combat effects on the client side using pre-calculated damage values and hit rates from the server, organizing combat into cycles with distinct hittable and unhittable phases that reduce the need for constant server communication while maintaining visual feedback.

Sony received 1 patent for a hybrid multiplayer architecture that converts player consoles into game servers when needed. The system automatically provisions peer-hosted servers from the player pool without requiring manual setup or technical knowledge, creating an alternative to both centralized developer-run infrastructure and traditional community-hosted dedicated servers.

Tencent received 1 patent for adjusting multiplayer game server refresh rates based on gameplay conditions. The system analyzes real-time battle intensity and game stage to scale tick rates up during high-action moments and down during quieter periods, rather than maintaining a constant server update frequency throughout entire matches.

Las Vegas Sands received 1 patent for validating client-side game actions through server-side replay. The system executes the same game code on the server that runs on the client, asynchronously replaying player actions and comparing resulting game states to detect discrepancies that might indicate bugs or cheating, with validation potentially running faster than real-time while the client continues normal gameplay.