Systems and methods for delivering content over a network

• US 20050261062A1
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gametap LLC (Metaboli SA)
• Original Assignee: Turner Broadcasting System Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diez, Eric, Lewin, Blake P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,465,231 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 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device

Abstract

A content delivery system that uses a graphical user interface and host avatar to introduce users to and allow them to select from available content. A game delivery system that uses emulators to execute software written to run on a plurality of game platforms. The systems include a scalable, dynamic interface that launches and manages emulators in a manner that is largely transparent to the user, and a combination of linear and on-demand content provides users with a managed gaming experience not unlike that of interactive television.

Claims

1. A game delivery system that allows a user to select from and receive delivery of at least one of a plurality of games via a network, said plurality of games including a first set of game software stored in a format able to be executed on one or more arcade game systems, a second set of game software stored in a format able to be executed on a video game console, and a third set of game software stored in a format able to be executed on a personal computer, said system comprising:

an asset server that stores software game code associated with said plurality of games;

a host server that directs said asset server to deliver one of said plurality of games to said user in response to a request from said user.

2. The game delivery system of claim 1, wherein said software game code comprises binary files that result from compiled source code of said plurality of games.

3. The game delivery system of claim 1, wherein said software game code is stored in an encrypted form and a decryption key is sent to a client associated with said user.

4. The game delivery system of claim 1, wherein said one delivered game is delivered via said network to a computing device associated with said user.

5. The game delivery system of claim 4, further comprising a client application that resides on said user computing device and is configured to display a list of available games and to accept from said user said request to play a game.

6. The game delivery system of claim 5, wherein said client application is configured to transmit said request to said host server and to receive said software game code from said asset server in response to said request.

7. The game delivery system of claim 6, wherein said client application executes said received software game assets by emulating a game platform for which said software game was originally written.

8. The game delivery system of claim 7, wherein said client application is configured to initiate play of said requested game from a partial download of said game assets while other of said game assets are simultaneously being downloaded.

9. The game delivery system of claim 6, wherein said client application comprises a plurality of emulators, each of said emulators configured to translate native platform machine code blocks to functionally equivalent blocks of compiled instruction set code on a target platform.

10. The game delivery system of claim 6, wherein said client application is configured to reward said user for completing a predefined task.

11. The game delivery system of claim 6, wherein said client application is configured to provide said user with access to one of a new game or a new game level in response to said user completing a predefined task.

12. The game delivery system of claim 10, wherein said client application is configured to track said rewards issued to said user and allows said user to provide indicia of said rewards to a second user.

13. The game delivery system of claim 7, wherein said client application is configured to access game assets from a local datastore residing on a device associated with said user.

14. The game delivery system of claim 13, wherein said local datastore comprises a plurality of secured virtual volumes.

15. The game delivery system of claim 5, wherein said client application comprises a first emulator configured to emulate an arcade game system, and a second emulator configured to emulate a console game system.

16. The game delivery system of claim 5, wherein said client application comprises a first plurality of emulators that are configured to emulate a plurality of arcade game systems, and a second plurality of emulators that are configured to emulate a plurality of console game systems.

17. The game delivery system of claim 16, wherein said client application further comprises a library of executable code that is common to said first and second pluralities of emulators.

18. The game delivery system of claim 15, wherein said client application includes a first game player associated with said first emulator and a second game player associated with said second emulator, said first and second game players configured to monitor a game being played via said first and second emulators, respectively.

19. The game delivery system of claim 18, wherein said first game and second game players are configured to perform a predetermined action in response to a predefined keystroke that occurs during game play.

20. The game delivery system of claim 18, wherein said client application is configured such that control of said client application passes to one of said first and second game players in response to a user command to pause or terminate an emulated game.

21. The game delivery system of claim 5, wherein said client application further comprises a plurality of graphic user interface modules, wherein each of said graphic user interface modules is configured to use a different presentation logic and to interact with a different type of user computing device.

22. The game delivery system of claim 5, wherein said client application further comprises a first and second graphic user interface module, said first graphic user interface module used to deliver said requested game to a desktop personal computer, and said second graphic user module used to deliver said requested game to a handheld computing device.

23. The game delivery system of claim 5, wherein said client application further comprises a content manager that controls a download of said software game code from said asset server to said user computing device.

24. The game delivery system of claim 5, further comprising a metadata datastore associated with said asset server, said metadata datastore including a data portion associated with a game, said data portion indicative of one or more operating requirements for running said game.

25. The game delivery system of claim 24, wherein said client application is configured to retrieve said data portion from said metadata datastore and to compare said data portion to a specification of said user computing system in response to a user request for said game.

26. The game delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a client application that resides on said user computing device and is configured to display a list of available games, said client application additionally configured to permit said user to select one of said available games and to forward said selected game to a location specified by said user.

27. The game delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a client application that resides on said user computing device and is configured to display a list of available games, said client application additionally configured to receive a selection of said one of said available games from said user and to deliver said selected game to a second user specified by said user.

28. A content delivery system for providing linear and on-demand content to a user, said content delivery system comprising:

an asset server that stores at least a portion of said linear and on-demand content, said asset server being adapted to deliver said linear and on-demand content to said user via a network; and

a client application in communication with asset server, said client application adapted to receive and present said linear and on-demand content to said user;

wherein said linear content comprises an audiovisual presentation of a graphical user interface and a host avatar, said host avatar comprising an electronic representation of an animated character, wherein further at least one of said graphical user interface and said host avatar is manipulable to provide access to said on-demand content.

29. The content delivery system of claim 28, wherein said client application presents said host avatar as an animated character that is capable of speech.

30. The content delivery system of claim 28, wherein said client application presents said host avatar as a three-dimensional electronic image that speaks and provides information about said on-demand content.

31. The content delivery system of claim 28, wherein said client application presents said host avatar as an animated character with a human or human-like appearance.

32. The content delivery system of claim 28, wherein said graphic user interface comprises a plurality of user interface layers, each user interface layer being associated with a subset of said on-demand content.

33. The content delivery system of claim 28, further comprising a host sever in communication with said asset server that controls said delivery of said linear and on-demand content.

34. The content delivery system of claim 33, wherein said host server initiates delivery of said linear content to said client application in response to a user entry to said content delivery system, and said delivery of linear content continues until said user leaves said content delivery system or interacts with said graphic user interface.

35. The content delivery system of claim 28, wherein said client application is adapted to present a plurality of versions of said linear content and a determination of which version is presented to said user depends at least in part on a specification of a computing device associated with said user.

36. The content delivery system of claim 28, wherein said client application is configured to detect at least one specification of a computing device associated with a user, and modifies said linear content presentation if said at least one specification does not satisfy a threshold requirement.

37. The content delivery system of claim 28, wherein said client application is configured to detect at least one specification of a computing device associated with a user, and modifies said graphic user interface such that only that subset of said on-demand content that is compatible with said computing device is presented to said user.

38. A method of delivering game content to a computing device associated with a user, said method comprising:

delivering a graphical user interface that displays a list of available games and allows said user to select a game from said list;

receiving input indicative of a first game selection by said user;

choosing one emulator from a plurality of emulators to emulate a hardware configuration of a game platform for which said first selected game was written;

launching said one emulator and initiating game play of said first selected game;

monitoring user input during said game play of said first selected game; and

returning said user to said graphical user interface upon identifying in said user input one of a predefined set of user inputs.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said graphical user interface is configurable such that said user can select and initiate game play with a single click of a mouse on a game title.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of launching said emulator and initiating game play occurs without requiring additional user input.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of returning said user to said graphical user interface upon identifying in said user input one of a predefined set of keystrokes from said user comprises returning said user to said graphical user interface upon identifying in said user input a keystroke predefined as a game pause key.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of marking a pause point in said first selected game and saving at least one game play parameter such that said first selected game can be resumed at said pause point, said pause point reflecting a progress point in said game play.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of returning said user from said graphical user interface to said first selected game and resuming said game play of said first selected game at said pause point.

44. The method of claim 38, further comprising the steps of terminating said game play of said first selected game and allowing said user to initiate play of a second selected game.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the steps of:

choosing a second emulator from said plurality of emulators, said second emulator configured to emulate a hardware configuration of a game platform for which said second selected game was written;

launching said second emulator and initiating game play of said second selected game;

monitoring said user input during said game play of said second selected game; and

taking a game delivery system related action if said user input includes one of said predefined set of user inputs.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said predefined set of user inputs comprise keystrokes that correspond to at least one of the game-related functions of starting, stopping, pausing or exiting from said game.

47. The method of claim 38, wherein said graphical user interface is a common interface that is manipulable by said user to access a plurality of game assets that are executable on a plurality of gaming platforms.

48. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

accessing an account associated with said user in response to said first game selection;

verifying that said account permits said user access to said first game selection; and

notifying said user if said user does not have access right to said first selected game.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

offering said user an option to upgrade said account to give said user access to said first selected game.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

offering said user a version of said first selected game to try on a trial basis.

51. A system for delivering game content to a user device via a network, said system comprising:

an asset server that stores a game file for a game written for a console gaming system;

a datastore that includes game metadata associated with said game file, said metadata comprising a plurality of index points that logically divide said game file into a plurality of portions, a first index point identifying a portion of said game file that is required to initiate game play of said game, and one or more subsequent index points that identify one or more additional portions of said game file; and

a client application that resides on said user device and comprises;

A. a content manager that monitors a progress of a transfer of said game file from said asset server to said user device; and

B. a game manager that manages said game play of said game on said user device;

wherein said game manager receives said metadata from said datastore and periodic updates of said game transfer progress from said content manager, and initiates said game play of said game in response to an indication that a portion of said game file identified by said first index point has been transferred successfully to said user device.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said client application is configured to allow game play as a foreground process while said content manager continues transferring an additional portion of said game file as a background process.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein said client application is configured to deliver transitional content to said user device when said game file is being transferred and before said game play has begun.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said transitional content is identified in said metadata and is associated with said game file.

55. The system of claim 51, wherein said content manager is configured to transfer updates to a dynamic graphic user interface as a background process while said game is played as a foreground process.