Multiplexed secure video game play distribution
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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.
94 Citations
63 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. An entertainment system, comprising:
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an electronic game library including plural games stored on a mass storage device;
multiple game engines coupled to an interactive distribution network to which multiple user devices may also be coupled, each user device remotely located from the electronic game library and the multiple game servers; and
a controller configured to receive a game selection from one of the user devices via the interactive distribution network and to assign one of the game engines to execute a game from the game library selected by the one user device, wherein the assigned game engine is configured to receive a portion of the selected game stored in the electronic game library, provide game play signals corresponding to the received game portion to the one user device over the interactive distribution network, and receive game player control signals from the one user device in response to the provided game play signals over the interactive distribution network with sufficient speed to permit the one user to play the selected game substantially in real time. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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45. A cable TV head-end for providing entertainment, comprising:
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a game library including plural games stored on a mass storage device;
multiple game engines coupled to a cable TV distribution network to communicate with multiple user devices via respective cable TV interface circuitry associated with each user device, wherein the user devices are located remotely from the cable TV head-end;
a controller configured to receive a game selection from one of the user devices via the cable TV distribution network and to assign one of the game engines to execute a game from the game library selected by the one user device, wherein the assigned game engine is configured to access a portion of the selected game stored in the game library, provide resulting game play signals to the one user device over the cable TV network, and receive game player control signals from the one user device in response to the provided game play signals over the cable TV network with sufficient speed to permit the one user to play the selected game substantially in real time. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 61, 62, 63)
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52. A method for a multi-user electronic game playing arrangement including an electronic game library including plural games stored on a mass storage device and multiple game engines coupled to the mass storage device and to an interactive distribution network to which multiple, remotely-located user devices may also be coupled, comprising:
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receiving a game selection from one of the user devices via the interactive distribution network;
assigning one of the game engines to execute a game from the game library selected by the one user device;
receiving at the assigned game engine a portion of the selected game stored in the electronic game library;
providing from the assigned game engine game play signals corresponding to the received game portion to the one user device over the interactive distribution network; and
receiving at the assigned game engine game player control signals from the one user device in response to the provided game play signals over the interactive distribution network with sufficient speed to permit the one user to play the selected game substantially in real time. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification