Sony patents game feature that blocks players outside a set area
Sony describes a system for video games that uses location data to create a virtual boundary, or geofence, around a player. The system checks if another player is inside this boundary and meets specific rules before allowing them to interact.
In the filing’s own words
Systems and methods include executing a game environment where a geofencing application executes in the game environment. The method further includes receiving a plurality of criteria for establishing a geofence within the gaming environment from a user gaming device associated with a user, identifying a user location based on location data retrieved from a user device, establishing the geofence based on the user location and the user provided criteria, and receiving a plurality of rules for establishing an interaction within the geofence. The method includes receiving a request for an interaction with the user gaming device from a requesting gaming device, automatically initiating the geofencing application in the game environment, verifying that the requesting gaming device is within the geofence, verifying that the requesting gaming device satisfies the plurality of rules for establishing the interaction, and establishing the interaction between the user gaming device and the requesting gaming device.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method comprising: executing, by a system comprising a processor and a memory, a game environment, wherein a geofencing application executes in the game environment; receiving, by the system, a plurality of criteria for establishing a geofence within the gaming environment from a user gaming device associated with a user; identifying a user location based on location data retrieved from a user device; establishing the geofence based on the user location and the user provided criteria; receiving, by the system, a plurality of rules for establishing an interaction within the geofence, wherein the geofence defines a geographical boundary within which the user is allowed to interact with other users based on the plurality of criteria; receiving, by the system, a request for an interaction with the user gaming device from a requesting gaming device; automatically initiating, by the system, the geofencing application in the game environment; verifying, by the geofencing application, that the requesting gaming device is within the geofence; verifying, by the geofencing application, that the requesting gaming device satisfies the plurality of rules for establishing the interaction; and establishing, by the geofencing application, the interaction between the user gaming device and the requesting gaming device.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.)
- Official title
- GEOFENCING BASED PARENTAL CONTROL
- Publication number
- US20260273420A1
- Application number
- 19076893
- Filed
- Mar 11, 2025
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 7
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
A63F 13/73 Human necessitiesA63F 13/216 Human necessitiesH04W 4/021 Electricity & electronicsH04W 4/025 Electricity & electronicsMore from Sony in Games & media
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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.