Multi-session user launching and invitation system and method

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method for enabling users to launch and invite users to join multi-user sessions, such as multi player game sessions, via Instant Messages are described herein.

1 . A computer implemented method comprising: 
 facilitating composition at an inviter device an invitation comprising control information for formation of a multi-user session;    transmitting said invitation to an instant messaging server for delivery to a recipient device associated with an instant messaging identifier;    executing at said inviter device a process specified by said control information; and    if first multi-user session data is received from said recipient device, responding with second multi-user session data to said recipient device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said invitation comprises a session ID of the multi-user session formed employing at least in part a user ID of an instant message service offered by the instant messaging server.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said invitation comprises an IP address of said inviter device.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving said first multi-user session data via a relay server.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein responding comprises delivering said second multi-user session data to said relay server for relaying to said recipient device.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an indication that a user at said recipient device has accepted said invitation.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said invitation comprises an instant message.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said executing of a process performed automatically and unconditionally.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said executing of a process occurs in response to an indication of a user at said recipient device accepting said invitation.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein multi-user session is a multi-player game session, and said invitation comprises at least one game parameter of a game.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one game parameter specifies a type of game play.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one parameter specifies a game name for a user at the inviter device.  
   
   
       13 . A computing device having a processor and a memory containing computer executable instructions for performing the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       14 . A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions for performing the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       15 . A computer implemented method comprising: 
 facilitating acceptance, at a recipient device, an instant message invitation, from an inviter device, comprising control information for formation of a multi-user session;    in response to accepting said invitation, executing a process specified by said control information; and    transmitting to said inviter device data generated by said process to contribute to the formation of said multi-user session.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting said game data to a relay server for relay to the inviter device.  
   
   
       17 . A computing device having a processor and a memory containing computer executable instructions for performing the method of  claim 15 .  
   
   
       18 . A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions for performing the method of  claim 15.