DELIVERING INTERACTIVE APPLICATIONS

• US 20090158374A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: S Aqua Semiconductor LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: S Aqua Semiconductor LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kydd, Richard Andrew, Cornwell, Simon Anthony Vivian, Malaure, Jason Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/171,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20090158374A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/114
• 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 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A method of delivering an interactive application to a plurality of target platforms (2). The method comprises

• • providing a set of application components;
  • converting the set of application components into a plurality of streams of broadcast data, each stream of broadcast data conforming with a respective target platform (2); and

delivering each stream of broadcast data to its respective target platform (2).

Claims

1. A method performed by a television broadcast system having a processor for delivering an interactive application to multiple target platforms including different television broadcast networks, at least two of the television broadcast networks operating with different television broadcast protocols, the method comprising

providing a set of application components;

converting the set of application components into multiple streams of broadcast data, each stream of broadcast data conforming with television broadcast protocol of the respective target platform; and

delivering each stream of broadcast data to its respective target platform.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising;

manually inputting real-time application data;

converting by the processor the real-time application data into multiple streams of real-time broadcast data, each stream of real-time broadcast data conforming with a respective target platform; and

delivering each stream of real-time broadcast data to its respective target platform.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the application components and/or real-time application data in a data store;

and retrieving the application components and/or real-time application data from the data store before converting it into a stream of broadcast data.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of converting comprises translating, substituting, selecting, time managing, or adapting for different data transmission mechanisms.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving and processing return data from one or more of the target platforms.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the application comprises a game and the return data comprises game-play input.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each target platform comprises an application processor.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising interrogating the application processor to determine the data capabilities of the application processor;

and downloading data from the stream of broadcast data in accordance with the determined data capabilities of the application processor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the application components comprise one or more of executable program files, bit maps, sound samples, real-time data instructions, and video chips.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein each target platform comprises multiple application processors.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the converting compensates for timing differences between the television broadcast networks in handling the broadcast data so as to temporally synchronise the broadcast data at each application processor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the compensation is achieved by selectively delaying broadcast of data to the target platforms.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the compensation is achieved by including timing information in the broadcast data.

15. The method of claim 4 further comprising substituting an application component with an alternative component on one of the broadcast data streams.

9. An apparatus for delivering an interactive application to multiple target platforms including different television broadcast networks, at least two of the broadcast networks operating with different television broadcast protocols, the apparatus comprising

a system for providing a set of application components;

multiple broadcast systems interfaces each converting the set of application components into a respective stream of broadcast data

conforming with the television broadcast protocol of the respective target platform; and

a system for delivering each stream of broadcast data to its respective target platform.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a component that substitutes an application component with an alternative component on one of the broadcast data streams.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each target platform comprises an application processor.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each target platform comprises multiple application processors.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the broadcast systems interfaces compensate for timing differences between the television broadcast networks in handling the broadcast data so as to temporally synchronise the broadcast data at each application processor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the broadcast systems interfaces carry out the compensation step by selectively delaying the broadcast of data to the target platforms.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the broadcast systems interfaces carry out the compensation step by including timing information in the broadcast data.

22. A television broadcast system having a processor and memory for delivering an interactive application to multiple target platforms including different television broadcast networks, at least two of the television broadcast networks operating with different television broadcast protocols, comprising

a component configured to provide a set of application components;

a component configured to convert the set of application components into multiple streams of broadcast data, each stream of broadcast data conforming with the television broadcast protocol of the respective target platform; and

a component configured to deliver each stream of broadcast data to its respective target platform.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the converting comprises translating, substituting, selecting, time managing, or adapting for different data transmission mechanisms.