Network-based game system capable of serving massive number of game players

Abstract

A network-based game system includes a load balancer and one or more web servers. The load balancer can receive a plurality of requests from one or more game client applications each running on a computer device. The load balancer can store the plurality of requests in a request queue and to send one of the requests in the request queue to a web server when the web server is available to receive a new request. The one or more web servers can process one or more requests received from the load balancer. A web server can inform the load balancer that the web server is available to receive a new request when the number of requests simultaneously processed by the web server is below a predetermined number.

1 . A network-based game system, comprising: 
 a load balancer configured to receive a plurality of requests from one or more game client applications each running on a computer device, wherein the load balancer is configured to store the plurality of requests in a request queue and to send one of the requests in the request queue to a web server when the web server is available to receive a new request; and    one or more web servers each configured to process one or more requests received from the load balancer, wherein each of the web servers is configured to inform the load balancer that the web server is available to receive a new request when the number of requests simultaneously processed by the web server is below a predetermined number.    
   
   
       2 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more web servers are configured to convert the requests from the game client applications to data base queries.  
   
   
       3 . The network-based game system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of data bases storing game information that can be retrieved in response to the data queries.  
   
   
       4 . The network-based game system of  claim 3 , further comprising a connection pool server in communication with the one or more web servers and the data bases, wherein the connection pool server is configured to direct one of the data base queries to one of the data bases on which the game information related to the data base query is stored.  
   
   
       5 . The network-based game system of  claim 4 , wherein the connection pool server is configured to communicate with the one or more web servers and the data bases in persistent network connections.  
   
   
       6 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the data bases are configured to store game information including one or more of user identification, user account information, users' gaming history, user's game preferences, users' credits and currencies, users' contacts, playmates, teammates, and buddies, session identification, and game room information.  
   
   
       7 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the load balancer is configured to store status information about one or more of the web servers, and wherein the status information indicates whether the web servers are available or unavailable for receiving new requests.  
   
   
       8 . The network-based game system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the web servers is configured to store a game-system-interface (GSI) program that can convert the plurality of requests from the game client applications to data base queries.  
   
   
       9 . The network-based game system of  claim 8 , wherein the GSI program is configured to communicate with the game client applications in a non-persistent network connection.  
   
   
       10 . A network-based game system, comprising: 
 a load balancer configured to receive a plurality of requests from one or more game client applications each running on a computer device, wherein the load balancer is configured to store the plurality of requests in a request queue and to send one of the requests in the request queue to a web server when the web server is available to receive a new request;    one or more web servers each configured to process a request received from the load balancer and convert the request to one or more database queries, wherein each of the web servers is configured to inform the load balancer that the web server is available to receive a new request when the number of requests simultaneously processed by the web server is below a predetermined number; and    a plurality of data bases storing game information that can be retrieved in response to the data queries.    
   
   
       11 . The network-based game system of  claim 10 , further comprising a connection pool server in communication with the one or more web servers and the plurality of data bases, wherein the connection pool server is configured to direct a data base query to one of the data bases on which the game information related to the data base query is stored.  
   
   
       12 . The network-based game system of  claim 11 , wherein the connection pool server is configured to communicate with the one or more web servers and the data bases in persistent network connections.  
   
   
       13 . The network-based game system of  claim 10 , wherein the data bases are configured to store game information including one or more of user identification, user account information, users' gaming history, user's game preferences, users' credits and currencies, users' contacts, playmates, teammates, and buddies, session identification, and game room information.  
   
   
       14 . The network-based game system of  claim 10 , wherein the load balancer is configured to store status information about the one or more web servers, and wherein the status information indicates whether the web servers are available or unavailable for receiving new requests.  
   
   
       15 . The network-based game system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the web servers is configured to store a game-system-interface (GSI) program that can convert the plurality of requests from the game client applications to data base queries.  
   
   
       16 . The network-based game system of  claim 15 , wherein the GSI program is configured to communicate with the game client applications in a non-persistent network connection.  
   
   
       17 . A method for providing game services, comprising: 
 receiving a request from a game client application running on a remote computer device;    storing the request on a load balancer;    determining the number of requests simultaneously processed by a web server;    assigning the web server the status of being available for receiving a new request if the number of requests simultaneously processed by a web server is below a predetermined number;    sending the status of the web server from the web server to the load balancer;    sending the request stored on the load balancer to the web server if the status of the web server received by the load balancer indicates that the web server is available for receiving a new request; and    processing the request at the web server to produce one or more data base queries in accordance to the request.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 sending the data base queries to one or more data base wherein game information is stored;    querying the one or more data bases to retrieve the game information requested by the data queries; and    sending the retrieved game information to the game client application.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of requests from one or more game client applications running on remote computer devices;    storing the requests in a request queue on a load balancer; and    sending one of the requests in the request queue if the status of a web server received by the load balancer indicates that the web server is available for receiving a new request.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 sending the oldest request in the request queue to the web server.