Method and apparatus for creating and playing soundtracks in a gaming system

• US 20040162139A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Blanco, Victor Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/778,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162139A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video

Abstract

A gaming system includes a game console that executes an application that creates and plays soundtracks through the gaming system. The application allows a user to create soundtracks by copying audio tracks from one or more audio sources. A user-created soundtrack can be associated with a particular game such that the user-created soundtrack is played during execution of the game instead of the game'"'"'s default soundtrack.

Claims

1. A user interface for a game console, comprising:

a first menu configured to identify soundtracks that are currently available to play on the game console; and

a second menu accessible from the first menu to create a soundtrack including one or more audio tracks.

2. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the second menu is further configured to facilitate association of a soundtrack with a particular game.

3. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the second menu is further configured to facilitate association of a soundtrack with a plurality of games.

4. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the first menu is a music collection menu.

5. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the second menu is a soundtrack creation menu.

6. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the second menu is further configured to facilitate association of a specific soundtrack with a game such that when the game is executed, the specific soundtrack is played instead of a default soundtrack.

7. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the first menu is further to select among a plurality of existing soundtracks.

8. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the one or more audio tracks are associated with a plurality of different sources.

9. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the second menu displays the one or more audio tracks.

10. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the first menu displays information regarding a currently selected soundtrack.

11. A user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the second menu includes a plurality of playback control icons.

12. A user interface for a game console, comprising:

a music collection menu configured to identify soundtracks that are currently available to play on the game console, wherein the music collection menu displays information regarding a currently selected soundtrack; and

a soundtrack creation menu associated with the first menu to create a soundtrack including one or more audio tracks.

13. A user interface as recited in claim 12 wherein the music collection menu is further configured to facilitate association of a soundtrack with a particular game.

14. A user interface as recited in claim 12 wherein the music collection menu is further configured to facilitate association of a soundtrack with a game such that when the game is executed, the specific soundtrack is played instead of a default soundtrack.

15. A user interface as recited in claim 12 wherein the soundtrack creation menu includes a plurality of playback control icons.

16. A user interface as recited in claim 12 wherein the soundtrack creation menu includes a list of tracks associated with a selected soundtrack.

17. A computer-readable medium for a game console comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the game console to:

display a first menu configured to identify soundtracks that are currently available to play on the game console; and

display a second menu associated with the first menu to create a soundtrack containing at least one audio track, wherein the second menu includes a list of tracks associated with a selected soundtrack.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17 wherein the second menu further includes a plurality of playback control icons.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17 wherein the first menu includes information regarding a currently selected soundtrack.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17 wherein the first menu is a music collection menu and the second menu is a soundtrack creation menu.