Add-on Management Methods

• US 20120064976A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gault, Andrew Buchanan, Pereira, Rui Filipe Andrade, Perry, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• 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 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• 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: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/241 Operating system [OS] processes, e.g. server setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games

Abstract

A computing system is configured to execute a computer program on a server and to provide a video stream of the program output to a geographically remote client over a communication network. An add-on manager is provided to facilitate the use of add-ons to extend the functionality of the computer program. The add-on manager is responsive to commands received from the client and is configured to associate individual add-ons and add-on data with specific user accounts. The add-ons can be located on the server or some other location remote from the client.

Claims

1. A method of executing an add-on, the method comprising:

installing the add-on on a game server system configured to provided a video stream to a client, the video stream being a result of execution of game logic whose functionality the add-on is configured to extend, the client being geographically remote from the game server system;

executing the game logic;

receiving a game command from the client at the game logic;

passing the received game command from the game logic to the add-on;

generating add-on data using the add-on; and

storing the add-on data in a location geographically remote from the client, the add-on data being associated with an account of a user of the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video stream includes video data generated as a result of the add-on.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating video based on the add-on data; and

providing the generated video to the client as part of the video stream.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the add-on with a specific account of a user of the client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the game logic is a client of a game server configured to support a multiplayer game.

6. A method of installing an add-on, the method comprising:

identifying the add-on to be installed;

establish an add-on environment configured for the add-on to be accessed by a computer program, the computer program being executed using a client and being located on a server geographically remote from the client;

placing the add-on in the add-on environment;

associating the add-on with an account of a user of the client;

identifying storage for add-on data generated by the add-on; and

associating the storage or the add-on data with the account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the add-on to be installed includes receiving a request from the client for the add-on.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the computer program is a video game program.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the computer program is configured to provide streaming video to the client, the streaming video being based on commands received from the client.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising retrieving the add-on from a storage location remote from the client.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the add-on environment is configured such that computing instructions of the add-on can be shared by a plurality of users.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the add-on environment includes computing instructions configured to redirect communications between the add-on and the computer program over the internet.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the add-on environment includes a directory structure.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising confirming that the add-on is on an approved add-on list.

15. A method of automatically updating an add-on, the method comprising:

receiving an updated version of a game logic at a video source, the video source being configured to generate a video stream based on game commands received from a geographically remote client and to provide the video stream to the remote client;

determining that an add-on is used to augment functionality of the game logic;

sending a request for an updated version of the add-on to a third party, the request including an identity of the add-on and an address to which the update should be provided;

receiving the updated version of the add-on via a computing network, the updated version of the add-on being configured to augment the updated version of the game logic; and

automatically installing the add-on in an add-on environment configured for the add-on to be used by the game logic.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining that an add-on is used to augment functionality of the game logic includes identifying an add-on that is previously associated with a user, client, or user account.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein sending a request for an updated version of the add-on occurs between a time the updated version of the game logic received and a time a first request to execute the updated version of the game logic is received.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the updated version of the add-on occurs between a time the updated version of the game logic received and a time a first request to execute the updated version of the game logic is received.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein more than one add-on is requested and received in response to receiving the update version of the game logic.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the game logic is disposed on a different computing device than the updated add-on is installed.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the add-on is installed on a computing device geographically remote from the client.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising sending further requests to the third party until the update of the add-on is received.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising adding a request to donate to a publisher of the add-on to the video stream.