Multiplexed secure video game play distribution

• US 20040097288A1
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Lindseth, Kelly N., Sloate, Jim A., Kamada, Hiroshi, Elliott, Scott, McCarten, David, Link, Patrick J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,878,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges

Abstract

Multiple video game players access an encrypted video game library stored on a shared mass storage device. A multiplexer multiplexes data read from the mass storage device to provide output streams to multiple video game playing units consuming video game instructions. A secure bus communicates video game instructions from the shared mass storage device to each of the video game playing units. Video game software or other entertainment content is distributed to the shared mass storage device via electronic download in multi-level encrypted form. Before being transported, the content is encrypted and then further encrypted. Once the content has been successfully transported, it is decrypted to remove the further encryption layer—leaving the first encryption layer intact for protecting the video game during storage on mass storage at the remote distribution location

Claims

1. A method of distributing video game software or other entertainment content via electronic download comprising:

encrypting the video game program with a first encryption to provide first ciphertext;

further encrypting the first ciphertext with a second encryption to provide further ciphertext;

transmitting the further ciphertext;

receiving and decrypting the further ciphertext to recover said first ciphertext;

storing said first ciphertext in a library;

receiving a request to execute said video game program; and

in response to receive of said execution request, reading said first ciphertext from said library and dynamically decrypting only portions of said first ciphertext on demand to recover portions of said video game program for execution on demand.

4. The environment of claim 1 wherein said mass storage device is disposed within a plug-in module, and said multiplexer is disposed on a printed circuit board mounted on or within said plug-in module.

2. A multi-user video game playing environment comprising:

plural video game playing units each consuming video game instructions;

mass storage device storing a video game library; and

a multiplexer coupled between said mass storage device and said plural video game playing units, said multiplexer multiplexing data read from the mass storage device to provide independent output streams to each of said plural video game playing units.

3. The environment of claim 2 further including a secure bus communicating video game instructions from the multiplexer to the plurality of video game playing units.

5. A distributed optical disk emulator comprising:

a hard drive;

interface logic coupled to said hard drive;

a buffer; and

a game engine coupled to said buffer,

wherein said buffer comprises a command interface, a streaming audio data buffer, a serializer, and an optical disk interface.

6. The distributed optical disk emulator of claim 5 wherein said hard drive is shared among plural game engines and associated buffers.

7. An on-demand video game server comprising:

a plurality of modular video game playing engines each capable of playing an interactive video game;

a mass storage arrangement coupled to said plurality of video game playing engines, said mass storage arrangement storing a library of video game programs that are at least in part encrypted, said mass storage arrangement providing multiplexed access to said stored library by said video game playing engines,

wherein said mass storage arrangement presents, to said plural video game playing engines, interfaces that emulate optical disk drives dedicated to each of said video game playing engines.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said mass storage arrangement includes:

a magnetic disk drive;

buffers coupled to each of said video game playing engines; and

a communications bus that couples said magnetic disk drive to said buffers.

9. The system of claim 7 further including means for decrypting portions of video game programs as they are read from said mass storage arrangement.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said mass storage arrangement includes at least one application-specific integrated circuit.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein each of said video game playing engines comprises a slightly-modified commercially available home video game player.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein said video game playing engines each provides a video output, and said system further includes means for distributing said video outputs to remote locations over different channels of a television distribution system.

13. The system of claim 7 further including user interface circuitry that receives remotely-generated user input control signals and routes said signals to appropriate video game playing engines.

14. The system of claim 7 further including a controller that temporarily assigns said video game playing engines for use by particular remote video game players.

15. The system of claim 7 further including means for charging for video game play on a per-use basis.

16. The system of claim 7 further including a video signal router that routes video signals generated by said video game playing engines to remote display devices.

17. The system of claim 7 further including a wide area distribution network that is at least in part non-terrestrial, said wide area distribution network conveying said video game programs to said mass storage arrangement.

18. The system of claim 7 further including a billing arrangement.

19. A video game playing method comprising:

receiving a video game play request from a remote user;

in response to said request, temporarily assigning shared video game playing hardware for use by said remote user;

reading and decrypting video game instructions stored on a shared mass storage device on an as-needed basis; and

supplying said decrypted video game instructions for consumption by said assigned video game playing hardware via an interface that emulates an optical disk drive.