Methods and apparatus for playing video sequences while loading game data

• US 20040229688A1
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Potter, Wesley R., Gour, Bradley James, Lucas, David Peter John
• Application Number:
  US10/818,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20040229688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• 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 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/207 for accessing game resources from local storage, e.g. streaming content from DVD

Abstract

Frames of a video sequence are interleaved with game data in a file. When the game is played, the interleaved video frames and the game data may be read from the file where a video sequence corresponding to the video frames is played while the game data is being loaded. When the video sequence has finished, the game data that is needed for a game program has been loaded. In one embodiment, the file may be stored on a medium, such as a compact disk read-only memory (CDROM) or digital versatile disk (DVD).

Claims

1. A method for loading data for a game while playing a video, the method comprising:

reading information in a plurality of sections from a file, each section including one of video information and data for a game, the video information and game data being interleaved in the file being read such that the video information may be read and used to play the video while sections including the game data are read and stored;

for each section that is read, performing the steps of;

determining if the read information is video information or game data;

if the information is video information, playing a video using the video information; and

if the information is game data, storing the game data for use by a game program for game play by a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the information in the game data has been read, enabling a user to play the game using the game data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining when a video sequence should be played and in response, performing the step of reading information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining when to play the video sequence comprising determining when a scene has changed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the file is stored on at least one of a CD-ROM and digital versatile disk (DVD).

6. A method for creating a file that allows a game device to play a video while loading data for a game, the method comprising:

determining video information for the video;

determining game data for the game;

interleaving sections of the video information with sections of the game data in an interleaved file; and

storing the interleaved file on a medium, wherein the game device can load the interleaved parts of video information and game data sequentially and play the video using the video information while loading game data from the file.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising running a program to determine a list of files that include the game data that are needed for the game.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising using the list to determine the files needed for the game, wherein game data from the files are interleaved with the parts of video information.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating a header for a file in the one or more files.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a reference count for header, the reference list indicating a number of times the file may be accessed by the game device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a data block count for the header, the data block count indicating how many data blocks are included in the file.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a number that indicates the number of files left to load number for the header.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a number that indicates the size of the file for the header.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the medium comprises at least one of a CD-ROM and a DVD.

15. A method for reading data for a game and video information from a file, the data and video information interleaved among each other in sections of the file, the method comprising:

(a) reading video information from a first section of the file;

(b) playing a video using the read video information;

(c) reading game data from a second section of the file while the video is being played;

(d) storing the game data; and

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) where sections other than the first and second section are read from the file, wherein video information for the video is read and played while data needed for a portion of the game is read.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the video information and game data is read in an alternating sections so that a video can be played continuously while game data is read and stored.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling a user to play the portion of the game using the stored game data.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein storing the data comprises linking the data with other data that has been stored.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the file is stored on at least one of a CD-ROM and digital versatile disk (DVD).

20. A game device for playing a video game, the game device comprising:

a memory; and

a game media reader configured to read information from a game media and store the information in the memory, wherein the game media includes an interleaved file that includes game information and video information interleaved in the interleaved filed,

wherein the game device is configured to read the game information and video information where the video information is read and played while the game information is read and stored in the memory.

21. The game device of claim 20, further comprising a video player configured to play the video information.

22. The game device of claim 20, wherein the memory comprises at least one of RAM and ROM.

23. The game device of claim 20, wherein the game media comprises at least one of a CD-ROM and DVD.

24. A computer readable medium for loading data for a game while playing a video, the computer readable medium comprising:

code for reading information in a plurality of sections from a file, each section including one of video information and data for a game, the video information and game data being interleaved in the file being read so that the video information can be read and used to play the video while sections including the game data are read and stored;

for each section that is read, the computer readable medium including;

code for determining if the read information is video information or game data;

if the information is video information, code for playing a video using the video information;

if the information is game data, code for storing the game data for use by a game program for game play by a user.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising:

when the information in the game data has been read, code for enabling a user to play the game using the game data.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising code for determining when a video sequence should be played and in response, code for performing the step of reading information.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the code for determining when to play the video sequence comprises code for determining when a scene has changed.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the file is stored on at least one of a CD-ROM and digital versatile disk (DVD).

29. A computer readable medium for reading data for a game and video information from a file, the data and video information interleaved among each other in sections of the file, the computer readable medium comprising:

(a) code for reading video information from a first section of the file;

(b) code for playing a video using the read video information;

(c) code for reading game data from a second section of the file while the video is being played;

(d) code for storing the game data; and

(e) code for repeating steps (a)-(d) where sections other than the first and second section are read from the file, wherein video information for the video is read and played while data needed for a portion of the game is read.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the video information and game data is read in an alternating sections so that a video can be played continuously while game data is read and stored.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 29, further comprising code for enabling a user to play the portion of the game using the stored game data.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the code for storing the data comprises code for linking the data with other data that has been stored.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the file is stored on at least one of a CD-ROM and digital versatile disk (DVD).