Patents by Inventor Ben Harry

Ben Harry has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210329041
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for initiating game sessions between subscribers to online gaming services when account IDs of those subscribers are unknown. Such techniques permit a first user to select a second user with whom to play a game from information readily at hand, such as a contact manager that the first user maintains. The first user's device may send a resolution request message to an identity services server that includes contact information of the second user. Contact information may include network-based information regarding the second user, such as the user's e-mail address or phone number. The identity services server may resolve the contact into an account ID. Thereafter, a game launch request may be sent to the game server, which includes the account identifier resolved by the identity services server. An invitation message may be sent to a terminal of the second user to participate in the game and the game may be started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Ben Harry, Alan Berfield, Johnny Trenh, Megan Gardner
  • Patent number: 11075960
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for initiating game sessions between subscribers to online gaming services when account IDs of those subscribers are unknown. Such techniques permit a first user to select a second user with whom to play a game from information readily at hand, such as a contact manager that the first user maintains. The first user's device may send a resolution request message to an identity services server that includes contact information of the second user. Contact information may include network-based information regarding the second user, such as the user's e-mail address or phone number. The identity services server may resolve the contact into an account ID. Thereafter, a game launch request may be sent to the game server, which includes the account identifier resolved by the identity services server. An invitation message may be sent to a terminal of the second user to participate in the game and the game may be started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ben Harry, Alan Berfield, Johnny Trenh, Megan Gardner
  • Patent number: 10471350
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for initiating direct-connection multiplayer game sessions and for resuming a previously-adjourned multiplayer game session using a stored game object representing a state of the game session. In one exemplary method, a multiplayer gaming application may be executed on a first terminal, which may be associated with a first user. The first terminal may access a game object stored on a content management server that contains data representing a state of a previously adjourned session of the multiplayer gaming application. Further, the first terminal may determine, from the game object, a second terminal associated with a second user. The first terminal may host a session between the first terminal and the second terminal. Finally, an updated game object reflecting an updated state of the session may be stored on the content management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ben Harry, Johnny Trenh, Megan Gardner, Alan Berfield
  • Publication number: 20190076734
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for initiating direct-connection multiplayer game sessions and for resuming a previously-adjourned multiplayer game session using a stored game object representing a state of the game session. In one exemplary method, a multiplayer gaming application may be executed on a first terminal, which may be associated with a first user. The first terminal may access a game object stored on a content management server that contains data representing a state of a previously adjourned session of the multiplayer gaming application. Further, the first terminal may determine, from the game object, a second terminal associated with a second user. The first terminal may host a session between the first terminal and the second terminal. Finally, an updated game object reflecting an updated state of the session may be stored on the content management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Ben HARRY, Johnny TRENH, Megan GARDNER, Alan BERFIELD
  • Patent number: 10166469
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for initiating direct-connection multiplayer game sessions and for resuming a previously-adjourned multiplayer game session using a stored game object representing a state of the game session. In one exemplary method, a multiplayer gaming application may be executed on a first terminal, which may be associated with a first user. The first terminal may access a game object stored on a content management server that contains data representing a state of a previously adjourned session of the multiplayer gaming application. Further, the first terminal may determine, from the game object, a second terminal associated with a second user. The first terminal may host a session between the first terminal and the second terminal. Finally, an updated game object reflecting an updated state of the session may be stored on the content management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ben Harry, Johnny Trenh, Megan Gardner, Alan Berfield
  • Publication number: 20170354877
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for initiating direct-connection multiplayer game sessions and for resuming a previously-adjourned multiplayer game session using a stored game object representing a state of the game session. In one exemplary method, a multiplayer gaming application may be executed on a first terminal, which may be associated with a first user. The first terminal may access a game object stored on a content management server that contains data representing a state of a previously adjourned session of the multiplayer gaming application. Further, the first terminal may determine, from the game object, a second terminal associated with a second user. The first terminal may host a session between the first terminal and the second terminal. Finally, an updated game object reflecting an updated state of the session may be stored on the content management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Ben Harry, Johnny TRENH, Megan Gardner, Alan Berfield
  • Publication number: 20170359389
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for initiating game sessions between subscribers to online gaming services when account IDs of those subscribers are unknown. Such techniques permit a first user to select a second user with whom to play a game from information readily at hand, such as a contact manager that the first user maintains. The first user's device may send a resolution request message to an identity services server that includes contact information of the second user. Contact information may include network-based information regarding the second user, such as the user's e-mail address or phone number. The identity services server may resolve the contact into an account ID. Thereafter, a game launch request may be sent to the game server, which includes the account identifier resolved by the identity services server. An invitation message may be sent to a terminal of the second user to participate in the game and the game may be started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Ben Harry, Alan Berfield, Johnny Trenh, Megan Gardner
  • Patent number: 6366824
    Abstract: An system and method of tracking and coordinating distribution of manufacturing reference information that represents movement of devices throughout a plurality of manufacturing facilities at remote locations. The approach is particularly advantageous in application environments wherein a manufacturer has multiple manufacturing facilities. One embodiment of the method of tracking involves the steps of assigning codes that include a test flow indicator to the devices to identify information, processing devices according to the test flow indicator, receiving processing development data in near real-time at each of the remotely located facilities, utilizing a Manufacturing Reference Database to aggregate manufacturing information by receiving the manufacturing information data from remotely located facilities on a transaction-by-transaction basis, storing and then transmitting the manufacturing information to other corporate systems communicating with the Manufacturing Reference Database in near real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Bharat B. Nair, Robert C. Kuzmak, Larry Barto, Ben Harry