Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD, SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING SERVICE ACCESS AND
SERVER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to Instant Messaging (IM) technologies,
and more
particularly to a method, system for controlling service access and server.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In current Internet applications, along with rapid development of
Instant
Messaging (IM), various applications and services based on the IM, such as
multi-player
online game, etc., are widely used. The multi-player online game refers that a
user sends
an invitation through his/her IM client to invite two or more users to
participant in the
same game to implement the multi-player online game.
[0003] In the prior art, there are relatively mature solutions to implement
the multi-player
online game. Take a scenario where two users participant in the same game as
an example,
an existing system for implementing the online game includes: an inviter
messenger client,
a Game Server, a messenger Server, an invitee messenger client, an inviter
game client and
an invitee game client, etc. Usually, a game client is also referred to as a
game hall. On the
Game Server, there are multiple threads or components to implement a game. The
threads
and components can be accessed by multiple users (clients) to implement the
function of
multi-player online game. This kind of thread is usually referred to as a game
table. The
accessing to the game thread or component of the clients is referred to as the
user joining
in the game table or occupying a game position. Further, for facilitating
management,
similar game threads or components in the same Game Server are divided into
multiple
groups, each group is called as a game room, and each game room may have
multiple
game tables. In some cases, a game thread or component may also be called as a
game
room.
[00041 In the prior art, the game position is selected by the inviter game
client and is
informed to the invitee game client by the system automatically. It is
unnecessary for the
invitee game client to acknowledge. As such, a problem arises: if a game
position, such as
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seats to a game table, has been seized by other players before the invitee
joins, the invitee
cannot join in the same table but only joins the same room. In other words, in
the existing
game invitation procedure, after selecting the game table, the inviter game
client cannot
ensure that there is an available seat when the invitee game client joins. It
is quite possible
that all available seats of the game table corresponding to the inviter game
client have
been occupied by other players before the invitee game client joins, thus the
invitation
cannot be implemented.
[0005] Moreover, in the existing procedure, the game position is selected by
the inviter
game client. Then the messenger Server forwards information of all the game
tables such
as room and seat information. Finally, subsequent operations of the inviter
game client and
the invitee game client are invoked and initiated. In this way, the invitation
procedure is
relatively complicated.
[0006] In the prior art, the invitation request is generated through the
inviter messenger
client and the inviter game client will be started directly after the
invitation information is
acknowledged. In this way, the game invitation and response functions must be
integrated
in the messenger Client during development, which increases workload for
developing the
messenger Client and results in a bad extensibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Embodiments of the present invention provides a method, system for
controlling
service access and a server, so as to solve the problem that the service
invitation cannot be
really implemented in the prior art.
[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for
controlling
service access is provided. The method includes: creating a service group
comprising more
than one client; searching, by a server, for a service component, wherein the
number of
users allowed to access the service component is larger than or equal to the
number of the
clients in the service group; configuring the service component as being
accessible to only
the clients in the service group; and informing the clients in the service
group that the
service component is accessible; and accessing, by the clients in the service
group, the
service component;
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wherein configuring the service component as being accessible to only the
clients in
the service group comprises:
storing UIDs of all the clients in the service group;
writing the UIDs of all the clients in the service group into an access
control list; and
configuring an access control parameter of the service component as access
according
to the UIDs in the access control list;the method further comprises: after
determining that
UIDs of clients currently access the service component comprises the UIDs of
all the
clients in the service group, configuring, by the server, the access control
parameter of the
service component as accessible to all clients.
[0009] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a control
server for
controlling service access is provided. The control server includes: A server
for controlling
service access, including: a first unit, adapted to manage at least one
service component; a
second unit, adapted to search the first unit for a service component when a
service group
comprising more than one client has a service access requirement, wherein the
number of
users allowed to access the service component being searched for is larger
than or equal to
the number of clients in the service group; and a third unit, adapted to
configure the
service component searched out by the second unit as accessible to only the
clients in the
service group; wherein the third unit is further adapted to allow all the
clients to access the
service component after determining that User Identifiers (UIDs) of clients
currently
accessing the service component comprises UIDs of all the clients in the
service group.
[0010] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a system for
controlling service access is provided. The system includes: a server, adapted
to manage
service components, search for a service component wherein the number users
allowed to
access the service component is larger than or equal to the number of clients
in a service
group, configure the service component as accessible to only the clients in
the service
group, and inform the clients in the service group that the service component
is accessible;
and at least two clients in the service group, adapted to access the service
component
searched out by the server; wherein the server is further adapted to allow all
clients to
access the service component after determining that User Identifiers (UIDs) of
clients
currently accessing the service component comprises UIDs of all the clients in
the service
group.
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=
[00111 In the present invention, the server selects a service component which
is able to
hold all members in a service group. Through restricting the service component
as being
accessible to only the clients in the service group, all the clients in the
service group can
access the service component and perform service operations, which increases
the success
ration of the invitation during creation of the service group and
implementation of the
service invitation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG 1 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of implementing an
invitation
according to the prior art.
[0013] FIG 2 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of an online game
invitation
system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of implementing an online
game
invitation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] An existing invitation procedure is as shown in FIG.1, which includes
the
following steps.
[0016] Step 101: an inviter messenger client triggers a game button on an IM
interface to
send a game invitation request to an invitee messenger client through a
messenger Server.
[0017] Step 102: after receiving the invitation sent from the inviter
messenger client, the
invitee messenger client prompts that an invitation is received and determines
whether to
accept the invitation. If the invitation is not accepted, the invitation
procedure is finished.
If the invitation is accepted, step 103 is performed.
[0018] Step 103: the invitee messenger client accepts the invitation and sends
a response
message to the inviter messenger client through the messenger Server.
[0019] Step 104: after receiving the response message, the inviter messenger
client
automatically starts an inviter game client.
[0020] Step 105: the inviter game client logs on a Game Server to authenticate
user
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information.
[0021] Step 106: after the authentication is passed, the inviter game client
selects and joins
in a game position, wherein the game position, such as game room, game table,
etc. is
selected by the inviter game client itself.
[0022] Step 107: after selecting the game position, the inviter game client
sends game
information to the inviter messenger client. The game information includes but
is not
limited to: Game Server ID, Game room ID and relevant game data, etc.
[0023] Step 108: after receiving the game information, the inviter messenger
client sends
the game information to the invitee messenger client through the messenger
Server.
[0024] Step 109: the invitee messenger client receives the game information.
[0025] Step 110: the invitee messenger client automatically starts an invitee
game client
according to the game information received.
[0026] Step 111: the invitee game client logs on the Game Server to
authenticate user
information
[0027] Step 112: after the authentication is passed, the invitee game client
joins in the
game position selected by the inviter game client.
[0028] In the above procedure, the game position is selected by the inviter
game client and
is informed to the invitee game client by the system automatically. It is
unnecessary for the
invitee game client to acknowledge. As such, a problem arises: if a game
position, such as
a seat to a game table, has been seized by another player before the invitee
joins, the
invitee cannot join in the same table but only joins the same room. In other
words, in the
existing game invitation procedure, after selecting the game table, the
inviter game client
cannot ensure that there is an available seat when the invitee game client
joins. It is quite
possible that all available seats of the game table corresponding to the
inviter game client
have been occupied by other players before the invitee game client joins, thus
the
invitation cannot be implemented.
[0029] Moreover, in the existing procedure, the game position is selected by
the inviter
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game client. Then the messenger Server forwards information of all game tables
such as
room and seat information. Finally, subsequent operations of the inviter game
client and
the invitee game client are invoked and initiated. In this way, the invitation
procedure is
relatively complicated.
[0030] In addition, in the procedure shown in FIG.1, the invitation request is
generated
through the inviter messenger client and the inviter game client will be
started directly
after the invitation information is acknowledged. In this way, the game
invitation and
response functions must be integrated in the messenger Client during
development, which
increases workload for developing the messenger Client and results in a bad
extensibility.
[0031] The core idea of the present invention relies in that, the Game Server
implements
the selection of a final game position for the game position of the inviter
game client and
the invitee game client; after the game position is determined, the inviter
and the invitee
are informed to join in the same game position and proceed with subsequent
procedure, so
as to guarantee the success rate of the invitation.
[0032] For facilitating the communications between the messenger clients and
the game
clients respectively, and between the messenger clients and the Game Server,
and for
extension of the messenger clients, a game client Plug-in may be respectively
configured
in the inviter and the invitee in the present invention. The game client Plug-
in is adapted to
generate messages, such as the invitation message and the response message. As
such, a
uniform management can be performed. Further, in the present invention, when
the inviter
messenger client initiates the invitation, online friend information and Game
Server
related information are obtained through an invitation interface of the game
client Plug-in
to generate relevant invitation information. Thus it is unnecessary to start
the inviter game
client, which is more convenient and efficient.
[0033] In the embodiments of the present invention, the inviter game client
may be started
immediately after the invitee messenger client receives the invitation message
and
determines to accept the invitation. In this way, better experience is
obtained, and
WYTIWYG (What You Think Is What You Get) is implemented.
[0034] As shown in FIG.2, the system for implementing online game invitation
according
to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an inviter 10, an invitee
20, a
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messenger server 30 and a game server 40. The inviter 10 and the invitee 20
are both
connected with the messenger server 30 and the game server 40. The inviter 10
is a
collection of hardware and software used by a user initiating the invitation;
it may also be
called as inviter client 10. The invitee 20 is a collection of hardware and
software used by
a user being invited and may also be called as invitee client 20. The
messenger server 30 is
adapted to connect messenger clients of all users and implement functions such
as user
status query, friend list management, message forwarding, etc. The game server
40 is
adapted to connect game management clients of all users and implement
functions such as
game distribution, game rule configuration and implementation, user status
query, game
information forwarding, game account authentication and management, bill
recording,
advertisement pushing, etc. More importantly, the game server 40 is further
adapted to
implement selection of a game position, i.e. pair game players.
[0035] The inviter 10 further includes an inviter messenger client 11, an
inviter game
client 12, an inviter sub-game end 13 and an inviter game client Plug-in 14.
The inviter
messenger client 11 is adapted to receive and send information of the inviter
10. The
inviter game client 12 is adapted to implement function management of various
games of
the inviter 10, such as download, installation, configuration,
friend/blacklist, group
organization, communication, property purchase, advertisement. The inviter sub-
game end
13 is adapted to implement multi-player game of the inviter 10. The inviter
game client
Plug-in 14 is a program Plug-in compiled as required by an IM software
interface and is
adapted to generate messages, implement communications between the inviter
messenger
client 11, the inviter game client 12 and the game server 40, and is further
adapted to
implement interaction operations and content display of a user invitation
interface of the
inviter 10. Information contents generated and forwarded by the inviter game
client
Plug-in includes but is not limited to: user account, user password, game
server
information, friend information, game position information of the user, game
content
information of the user, game position information of a friend, and game
content
information of the friend.
[0036] The invitee 20 further includes an invitee messenger client 21, an
invitee game
client 22, an invitee sub-game end 23 and an invitee game client Plug-in 24.
The invitee
messenger client 21 is adapted to receive and send information of the invitee
20. The
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invitee game client 22 is adapted to implement function management of various
games of
the invitee 20, such as download, installation, configuration,
friend/blacklist, group
organization, communication, property purchase, advertisement, etc. The
invitee sub-game
end 23 is adapted to implement multi-player game of the invitee 20. The
invitee game
client Plug-in 24 is a program Plug-in compiled as required by the IM software
interface,
and is adapted to generate messages, implement communications between the
invitee
messenger client 21, the invitee game client 22 and the game server 40, and is
further
adapted to implement interaction operations and content display of a user
invitation
interface of the invitee 20. Information contents generated and forwarded by
the invitee
game client Plug-in includes but is not limited to: user account, user
password, game
server information, friend information, game position information of the user,
game
content information of the user, game position information of a friend and
game content
information of the friend.
[0037] In the system as shown in FIG.2, the inviter game client Plug-in 14 and
the invitee
game client Plug-in 24 are optional. If the inviter game client Plug-in and
the invitee game
client Plug-in are not configured in the inviter or the invitee, the
generation and the
reception of the invitation message and the response message, the interaction
operations
and the contents display of the user invitation interface can be implemented
by the inviter
messenger client and the invitee messenger client respectively.
[0038] Based on the system shown in FIG2, a method for implementing an online
game
invitation in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
is shown in
FIG.3, which includes the following steps.
[0039] Step 301: when desiring to send a game invitation to the invitee 20,
the inviter 10
firstly starts the inviter messenger client 11 and starts the inviter game
client Plug-in 14
embedded in the inviter messenger client 11 to generate an invitation
interface.
[0040] Step 302: the inviter game client Plug-in 14 obtains a game list
directly from the
game server 40 and presents the game list to the inviter 10.
[0041] Step 303: the inviter messenger client 11 obtains an online status of
the invitee 20
through the messenger server 30. If the invitee 20 is online, the inviter 10
generates an
invitation message through the inviter game client Plug-in 14 to initiate a
game invitation
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and create a service group.
[0042] The step of generating the invitation message includes: the inviter
game client
Plug-in 14 selects and determines game information such as game type and game
room etc.
according to a game list obtained, and generates the invitation message in a
fixed format
according to the game information.
[0043] Step 304: the inviter messenger client 11 sends the generated
invitation message to
the invitee game client Plug-in 24 through the messenger server 30. The
invitation
message includes but is not limited to: inviter identity (UID), game
information, game area
information, game room information and network environment information, etc.
[0044] Step 305: after receiving the invitation message of the inviter
messenger client 11,
the invitee game client Plug-in 24 prompts that an invitation is received and
determines
whether to accept the invitation. If the invitation is not accepted, the
invitation procedure
will be finished directly; if the invitation is accepted, step 306 is
performed, and the
invitee game client Plug-in 24 joins in the service group.
[0045] Before step 305, the invitee 20 may firstly start the invitee messenger
client 21 and
the invitee game client Plug-in 24 embedded in the invitee messenger client
21, so that the
invitee game client Plug-in 24 is in a working state.
[0046] Step 306: the invitee messenger client 21 accepts the invitation, sends
a response
message to the inviter game client Plug-in 14 through the messenger server 30
to indicate
that the invitation is accepted, and starts the invitee game client 22. In
this way, the inviter
10 and the invitee 20 generates a service group for performing game services.
The service
group includes more than one client. Afterwards, the inviter 10 and the
invitee 20
respectively perform steps 307a-307d and steps 308a-308b.
[0047] Steps 307a-307b: the inviter game client Plug-in 14 receives the
response message
and starts the inviter game client 12. The inviter game client 12 logs on the
game server 40
to authenticate user information. The information used in the authentication
includes
invitation-related information, such as an ID assigned for the invitation and
a LAD which
accepts the invitation. After the authentication is passed, join in a
determined game area or
room according to the game room selected in step 303, and wait the game server
to
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determine a final game position.
[0048] Steps 308a-308b: the invitee game client 22 logs on the game server 40
to
authenticate user information. The information used in the authentication
includes
invitation-related information, such as an ID assigned for the invitation and
a UID which
initiating the invitation. After the authentication is passed, the invitee
game client 22 joins
in the game area or room designed by the inviter 10 according to the
invitation message,
and waits the game server to determine the final game position.
[0049] In the above steps 307a-307d and 308a-308b, if the inviter game client
12 has
already logged on the game server before sending the invitation message, the
invitation-related information such as the ID assigned for the invitation and
the UID which
accepts the invitation may be sent to the game server by the inviter game
client Plug-in 14.
If the inviter 10 is not equipped with the inviter game client Plug-in 14, the
invitation-related information may be sent to the game server by the inviter
messenger
client 11.
[0050] Step 309: the game server 40 stores the invitation-related information
such as the
ID assigned for the invitation, the UID which initiates the invitation and the
UID which
accepts the invitation, etc., and determines the final game position according
to an
available seat preferable principle. The game server 40 automatically sends
pair
information, i.e. the selected final game position, to the inviter game client
12 and the
invitee game client 22.
[0051] The available seat preferable principle means that: when selecting
seats, the game
server 40 most preferably selects a game table with all seats currently
available for the
inviter game client and the invitee game client to join in; less preferably,
select the game
table with one seat occupied. And then, select the game table with two seats
occupied. In
the same way, until select the game table with only two seats available. As
such, the
success of the invitation may be ensured. Certainly, if multiple users are
invited, the game
table with multiple available seats may be selected according to the available
seat
preferable principle to guarantee the success of the invitation. In the
embodiments of the
present invention, the final game position is obtained by a following manner:
according to
the available seat preferable principle, the game server searches for a game
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component which allows a number of users to access, wherein the number is
larger than or
equal to the number of users in the invitation. If such game thread or the
component is
found, the game thread or component is taken as a target game table, i.e. the
final game
position.
[0052] Step 310: the game server 40 sends the determined final game position
to the
inviter game client 12 and the invitee game client 22. After receiving the
final game
position, the inviter game client 12 and the invitee game client 22
respectively join in the
determined game position.
[0053] After determining the final game position, the game server 40 may
temporarily
lock the game position to prevent the position from being occupied by other
users before
the inviter and the invitee join. Specifically, it is possible to configure an
access control
parameter of the game position, i.e. the game thread or the component, as
access according
to an Access Control List, i.e. according to the UIDs in a white list. When
determining that
all the clients corresponding to the UIDs in the white list have accessed the
game thread or
the component, the game server 10 configures the access control parameter as
accessible
to all clients. The white list is a table in an access attribute of the game
thread or
component. Only the client whose UID is in the white list is allowed to access
the game
thread or component.
[0054] Step 311: the inviter sub-game end 13 and the invitee sub-game end 23
are
respectively started to play the game.
[0055] In the procedure shown in FIG.3, if the inviter game client Plug-in and
the invitee
game client Plug-in are not configured in the inviter and the invitee, the
generation and
reception of the invitation message and response message, the interaction
operations and
content display of the user invitation interface may be implemented by the
inviter
messenger client and the invitee messenger client respectively.
[0056] In practical applications, the inviter game client Plug-in may start
the inviter game
client before sending the invitation message or before generating the
invitation message.
The inviter game client logs on the game server to authenticate the user
information. After
the authentication, the inviter game Plug-in sends the invitation message to
the invitee
through the messenger server, or generates the invitation message and sends
the generated
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invitation message to the invitee through the messenger server. In this case,
after receiving
the response message returned by the invitee, the inviter game client Plug-in
informs the
inviter game client to join in the game room selected in advance and to join
in the final
game position after the game server determines the final game position.
[0057] The present invention has the following advantages and characteristics:
1) in the present invention, the game server implements the final game pair
and
determines the final game position, which increases the success ratio of the
invitation;
2) in the present invention, the inviter game client Plug-in and the
invitee game
client Plug-in are configured in the inviter and the invitee to integrate the
information forwarding between the messenger clients and their respective
game clients and between the messenger clients and the game server,
generate the invitation message and response message, etc., so as to
facilitate
management of communication information. Further, the usage of the
Plug-ins meets the extension requirements of the messenger clients.
3) in the present invention, related information in the game server, such
as the
game list, may be directly obtained by the inviter game client Plug-in without
opening the inviter game client, which improves response sensitivity for user
operates; further, the inviter may implement further selection according to
the
related information obtained, which is flexible and convenient.
4) in the present invention, after the invitee accepts the invitation the
invitee
game client rather than that of the inviter may be started first, which
provides
the user with better experience and is simple and more efficient.
[0058] In view of the above, the present invention optimizes the whole
invitation
procedure and automatically generates complete invitation data according to
the inviter's
will by the client program or background server. Meanwhile, the present
invention ensures
that the invitation procedure is not affected by actions of other external
users, which not
only increases the success ratio of the invitation but also brings better
experience for the
user.
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[0059] The foregoing are only preferred embodiments of the present invention
and are not
for use for limiting the protection scope of the present invention.
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