Adaptive Application Streaming In Cloud Gaming

• US 20120283017A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Numecent Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Approxy Inc., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahiska, Yavuz, Ahiska, Bartu
• Granted Patent: US 9,517,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/358 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 13/60 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 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• 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: A63F 2300/6036 for offering a minigame in combination with a main game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• 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 9/44568 Immediately runnable code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data

Abstract

Methods and systems for remotely provisioning immediately executable games with license control in secure environments. Immediately initially executable portions of games are pushed onto user desktops, and when games are selected for play, additional components of selected games are streamed to said desktops.

Claims

1. A method for providing a remote gaming service, comprising the actions of:

when a user selects a particular game from available games on a game station,

a) executing software corresponding to said particular game, said particular game being initially playable without download immediately following said selecting; and

if said particular game comprises additional components not immediately playable without download,

b) streaming over a network to said game station at least one of said additional components, said streaming beginning contemporaneously with and continuing at least partially concurrently with said executing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein ones of said additional components are immediately executable once they are streamed to said game station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein whether said additional components are resident in or streaming to said game station is hidden from users of said game station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said software corresponding to said particular game is a pre-virtualized packaged version of said particular game.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein additional components may be selected by a user to be streamed to said game station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one choice made during play of said particular game causes streaming of at least one additional component of said particular game or of optional additional content of said particular game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said available games are determined at least partially by at least some of availability of space in said game station and usage patterns of at least one user of at least one game station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein playability of said game or said additional components depends at least partially on availability and details of applicable permissions.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling, without explicit user designation, deletion of portions, components and complete games from said game station.

10. The method claim 1, wherein once a portion of a game has been pushed or streamed to said game station, said game station can act as an application source with respect to said portion.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, direct a computing apparatus to:

perform the steps of claim 1.

12. A method for managing remote gaming, comprising the actions of:

using at least one game pusher to push software over a network to a game station, said software corresponding to games chosen to be available for play on said game station, said software being initially playable without download immediately after selection using said game station, said game station being physically separated from said game pusher; and

when a user selects a particular game for play, if said particular game requires additional components to provide aspects of said particular game available to a user upon selection but said additional components are not immediately playable without download,

using said game pusher to control streaming to said game station of said additional components, said streaming beginning contemporaneously with said selection and continuing at least partially concurrently with said play.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein whether said additional components are resident in or streaming to said game station is hidden from users of said game station.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one choice made during play of said particular game causes streaming of at least one additional component of said particular game or of optional additional content of said particular game.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said available games are determined at least partially by at least some of availability of space in said game station and usage patterns of at least one user of at least one game station.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling, without explicit user designation, deletion of portions, components and complete games from said game station.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling, without explicit user designation, creation and update of a list of games available for play on said game station.

18. The method claim 12, wherein once a portion of a game has been pushed or streamed to said game station, said game station can act as an application source with respect to said portion.

19. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, direct a computing apparatus to:

perform the steps of claim 12.

20. A remote game push control system, comprising:

a) a plurality of software-implemented games, at least one of said games comprising an immediately initially playable portion and at least one additional component separately transmissible from said portion, said components being integral to extended play of corresponding ones of said games; and

b) at least one game pusher which;

pushes portions of at least one of said games over a network to a game station, said portions of games including at least said immediately initially playable portions, said game station being physically separated from said game pusher;

when a particular game is selected to be played on said game station, if respective components corresponding to said particular game are not immediately playable without download, streams at least one of said respective components to said game station.

21-87. -87. (canceled)