Partitioned game console system

• US 20080032794A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rambus Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rambus Inc.
• Inventors: Tsern, Ely K., Ware, Frederick A.
• Application Number:
  US11/492,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032794A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means

Abstract

The game console system includes a user interface module and a graphics processing module that are remotely situated from one another and solely coupled to one another via one or more communication links. The graphics processing module is positioned within a controlled environment chamber that thermally and acoustically isolates the user interface module from the graphics processing module. The user interface module includes a controller and a console coupled to the controller. The console also is configured to be coupled to a display.

Claims

1. A game console system comprising:

a first computing device configured to;

generate game objects in a three-dimensional (3D) graphical space, transform the game object into two dimensional (2D) video frames, compresses the 2D video frames into compressed video frames; and

transmit the compressed video frames to a second computing device;

a second computing device configured to;

receive the compressed video frames, decompresses the compressed video frames to decompressed video frames, and transmit the decompressed video frames to a display device, wherein the first and second computing devices are configured to operate in separate thermal environments.

2. The game console system of claim 1, wherein during use the first and second computing devices are separated from one another by a predetermined distance.

3. The game console system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is between 30 to 100 meters.

4. The game console system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device comprises a cooling mechanism configured to cool the first computing device.

5. The game console system of claim 3, wherein the cooling mechanism forms part of a housing of the first computing device.

6. The game console system of claim 3, wherein the cooling mechanism comprises at least one fan.

7. The game console system of claim 3, wherein the cooling mechanism comprises a refrigeration unit.

8. The game console system of claim 3, wherein the cooling mechanism comprises a heat pump or a heat exchanger for transferring heat to an environment exterior to the first computing device.

9. The game console system of claim 8, wherein the environment comprises a household hot water system or a heating system.

10. The game console system of claim 3, wherein the cooling mechanism is configured to dissipate at least 10 KW of heat per hour.

11. The game console system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device further comprises a power supply circuit configured to provide 240V to the first computing device.

12. The game console system of claim 1, wherein first and second commuting devices are coupled to one another via a unidirectional communication link configured to transport the compressed video frames from the first computing device to the second computing device.

13. The game console system of claim 12, wherein the unidirectional communication link is configured to transport the compressed video frames at 0.6 Gb/s or faster.

14. The game console system of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is configured to receive instructions from a controller.

15. The game console system of claim 14, further comprising a communications link between the second computing device and the first computing device for transmitting the instructions from the controller to the first computing device at 1 Mb/s or faster.

16. The game console system of claim 14, further comprising a communications link between the second computing device and the first computing device for transmitting the instructions from the controller to the first computing device at 1 Mb/s or faster, and transmitting feedback signals to the controller at 1 Mb/s or faster.

17. The game console system of claim 1, further comprising a communications link between the second computing device and the first computing device for loading game data to the first computing device at 50 MB/s or faster.

18. The game console system of claim 1, wherein during use the first and second computing devices are substantially acoustically isolated from one another.

19. The game console system of claim 1, wherein during use the first computing device produces 30 decibels or less of noise at the second computing device.

20. The game console system of claim 1, wherein during use the second computing device is configured to transmit uncompressed video to the display at 6.4 Gb/s or faster.

21. The game console system of claim 1, wherein communication links between the first and second computing devices are configured to support real-time game play at a response time of 10 ms or less.

22. The game console system of claim 1, wherein the compression and decompression is performed using a compression scheme selected from a group consisting of:

a lossless method, a lossy method, run-length encoding, variable-length encoding, entropy coding, motion prediction of pixel blocks, interpolation of pixels or pixel blocks between frames, transformation of pixel intensity into the spatial frequency domain, quantization of pixel and spatial frequency values, and any combination of the aforementioned.

23. A game console system comprising:

a first computing device configured to operate in a first thermal environment, the first computing device comprising;

a data processing module configured to generate a three-dimensional (3D) game objects;

a video processing module configured to transform the game objects into two dimensional (2D) video frames; and

a video compression module configured to compress the 2D video frames into compressed video frames for transmission to a second computing device;

a second computing device configured to operate in a second thermal environment separate from the first thermal environment, the second computing device comprising a video decompression module configured to decompress the compressed video frames to decompressed video frames.

24. The game console system of claim 23, wherein during use the first and second computing devices are separated from one another by a predetermined distance of between 30 to 100 meters.

25. The game console system of claim 23, wherein the first computing device comprises a cooling mechanism configured to cool the first computing device, wherein said cooling device is selected from a group consisting of:

at least one fan, a refrigeration unit, a heat pump, a heat exchanger, and any combination of the aforementioned.

26. The game console system of claim 23, wherein the cooling mechanism is configured to dissipate at least 10 KW of heat per hour.

27. The game console system of claim 23, wherein the first computing device further comprises a power supply circuit configured to provide 240V to the first computing device.

28. The game console system of claim 23, wherein first and second commuting devices are coupled to one another via a unidirectional communication link configured to transport the compressed video frames from the first computing device to the second computing device at 0.6 Gb/s or faster.

29. The game console system of claim 23, wherein the second computing device is configured to receive instructions from a controller.

30. The game console system of claim 29, further comprising a communications link between the second computing device and the first computing device for transmitting data between the controller and the first computing device at 1 Mb/s or faster.

31. The game console system of claim 23, further comprising a communications link between the second computing device and the first computing device for loading game data to the first computing device at 50 MB/s or faster.

32. The game console system of claim 23, wherein during use the first and second computing devices are substantially acoustically isolated from one another, such that the first computing device produces 30 decibels or less of noise at the second computing device.

33. The game console system of claim 23, wherein during use the second computing device is configured to transmit uncompressed video to the display at 6.4 Gb/s or faster.

34. The game console system of claim 23, wherein communication links between the first and second computing devices are configured to support real-time game play at a response time of 10 ms or less.

35. A game console system comprising:

a first means for computing configured to operate in a first thermal environment, the first means for computing comprising;

means for generating game objects in a three-dimensional (3D) graphical space;

means for transforming the game objects into two dimensional (2D) video frames; and

means for compressing the 2D video frames into compressed video frames for transmission to a second computing device;

a second means for computing configured to operate in a second thermal environment separate from the first thermal environment, the second means for computing comprising;

means for decompressing the compressed video frames to decompressed video frames; and

means for transmitting the decompressed video frames to a means for displaying.

36. The game console system of claim 35, wherein during use the first and second means for computing are separated from one another by a predetermined distance of between 30 to 100 meters.

37. The game console system of claim 35, wherein the first means for computing comprises a means for cooling the first means for computing, wherein said means for cooling is selected from a group consisting of:

at least one fan, a refrigeration unit, a heat pump, a heat exchanger, and any combination of the aforementioned.

38. The game console system of claim 35, wherein first and second means for computing are coupled to one another via a means for communicating the compressed video frames from the first means for computing to the second means for computing at 0.6 Gb/s or faster.

39. The game console system of claim 35, wherein the second means for computing is configured to receive instructions from a means for controlling.

40. The game console system of claim 39, further comprising a communications link between the second means for computing and the first means for computing for transmitting data between the means for controlling and the first means for computing at 1 Mb/s or faster.

41. The game console system of claim 35, further comprising a means for communicating communications between the second means for computing and the first means for computing for loading game data to the first means for computing at 50 MB/s or faster.

42. The game console system of claim 35, wherein during use the first and second means for computing are substantially acoustically isolated from one another, such that the first means for computing produces 30 decibels or less of noise at the second means for computing.

43. The game console system of claim 35, wherein during use the second means for computing is configured to transmit uncompressed video to means for displaying at 6.4 Gb/s or faster.

44. The game console system of claim 35, wherein means for communicating between the first and second means for computing are configured to support real-time game play at a response time of 10 ms or less.

45. A gaming method, comprising:

at a first computing device;

generating game objects in a three-dimensional (3D) graphical space;

transforming the game object into two dimensional (2D) video frames;

compressing the 2D video frames into compressed video frames; and

transmitting the compressed video frames to a second computing device;

at a second computing device;

receiving the compressed video frames from the first computing device;

decompressing the compressed video frames to decompressed video frames; and

transmitting the decompressed video frames to a display device, wherein the first and second computing devices are configured to operate in separate thermal environments.