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SonyGranted patentGames & mediaInterest 6/10

Sony patents system to block toxic moves in multiplayer games

Sony has been granted a patent for a system that monitors player inputs like controller buttons, voice, and text to spot harmful actions during a game. When the system detects negative behavior, such as unfair trades or team-killing, it automatically blocks or changes the player's input before the action happens in the game.

Why it mattersThis could make online multiplayer games less frustrating for players by stopping toxic actions before they affect the match.

In the filing’s own words

System, process and device configurations are provided for detecting negative gameplay behavior and gameplay control. A method can include receiving gameplay data for a plurality of players for a game, wherein the gameplay data includes player input controls for the plurality of players. The process may use player input controls to detect negative gameplay behavior, such as a toxic behavior, including but not limited to a team kill, item/equipment trade fraud. Player input controls may be identified and evaluated using a model. Processes can include warning players based on patterns observed by the model and blocking toxic player input controls meant to harm other players. Processes can include determining game function responses of the game to limit outcome of the at least one player input control for the game and controlling output of the game.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method for detecting negative gameplay behavior and gameplay control, the method comprising: receiving, by a device and during a gaming session, gameplay data for a plurality of players for a game, wherein the gameplay data includes player input controls for the plurality of players, wherein the player input controls comprise at least two of: game controller input, voice command, audio input, text input, player in-game movement, or player position in game; detecting, by the device and during the gaming session and based on the gameplay data, at least one negative game behavior for at least one player of the plurality of players, wherein the at least one negative game behavior is detected based on at least two different player input controls for a first player; determining, by the device and during the gaming session, at least one game function response of the game to limit an outcome of the at least two different player input controls for the first player; and controlling, by the device and during the gaming session, output of the game using the at least one game function response contemporaneously with the detection to auto-block negative moves by modifying or replacing at least one of the at least two different player input controls before a corresponding in-game action is performed.

Facts

Company
Sony (Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.)
Official title
Systems and methods for detecting negative gameplay behavior and toxic gameplay control
Patent number
US12728359B2
Application number
18456909
Filed
Aug 28, 2023
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
19

Classified under

A63F 13/75 Human necessitiesA63F 13/79 Human necessitiesG06N 20/00 Physics & computingA63F 13/35 Human necessities

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.