Code Execution Probability Based Server-to-Client Transfer of Game Code

• US 20130210528A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Pereira, Rui Filipe Andrade, Perry, David, Gault, Andrew Buchanan
• Granted Patent: US 9,662,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/33 using wide area network [WAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/365 Dynamic adaptation of the packet size
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A computer is operated to receive a current game state of a game being executed on a client computer system from a subset of game code. A determination is made of respective probabilities for advancement from the current game state to a set of possible later game states. Game code required for the set of possible later game states is prioritized in accordance with the determined probabilities for advancement from the current game state to each of the set of possible later game states. Game code required for the set of possible later game states is transmitted from a sever computer system to the client computer system in order of the prioritized game code.

Claims

1. A method for execution probability based server-to-client transmission of game code, comprising:

operating a computer to receive a current game state of a game being executed on a client computer system from a subset of game code;

determining respective probabilities for advancement from the current game state to a set of possible later game states;

prioritizing game code required for the set of possible later game states in accordance with the determined probabilities for advancement from the current game state to each of the set of possible later game states; and

transmitting game code required for the set of possible later game states, in order of the prioritized game code, from a sever computer system to the client computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon changing from the current game state to a new game state, determining respective probabilities for advancement from the new game state to the set of possible later game states;

re-prioritizing game code required for the set of possible later game states in accordance with the determined probabilities for advancement from the new game state to each of the set of possible later game states; and

continuing transmission of game code required for the set of possible later game states, in order of the re-prioritized game code, from the sever computer system to the client computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording game path histories for a number of game players over a period of time, each game path history identifying game state transitions during game play;

statistically analyzing the recorded game path histories to generate a probability database including game state transition probability values for each possible game state that may be encountered during game play, each game state transition probability value representing a probability of transitioning from a given game state to a particular possible next game state,

wherein determining respective probabilities for advancement from the current game state to the set of possible later game states includes querying the probability database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the statistical analysis of the recorded game path histories includes calculating each game state transition probability for a given game state as a function of prior game states through which each game path history has proceeded up to the given game state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the statistical analysis of the recorded game path histories includes calculating a probability of a future game path progression by multiplying each game state transition probability along the future game path progression.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the statistical analysis of the recorded game path histories includes calculating each game state transition probability for a given game state as a function of avatar behavior during game play.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein avatar behavior during game play includes one or more of leaving a region, traveling a distance, crossing a boundary, and changing a level of achievement.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording of game path histories for the number of game players over the period of time is performed by a state monitor operating separately from a statistics engine that statistically analyzes the recorded game path histories.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the game code is divided by one or more of directories, files, and sub-parts of files, and wherein each division of game code is associated with one or more game states.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the game code includes one or more of executable code, scripts, data structures, images, textures, geographic information, character names, object shapes, user data, and game data.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for implementing a method for execution probability based server-to-client transmission of game code, comprising:

program instructions for receiving a current game state of a game being executed on a client computer system from a subset of game code;

program instructions for determining respective probabilities for advancement from the current game state to a set of possible later game states;

program instructions for prioritizing game code required for the set of possible later game states in accordance with the determined probabilities for advancement from the current game state to each of the set of possible later game states; and

program instructions for transmitting game code required for the set of possible later game states, in order of the prioritized game code, from a sever computer system to the client computer system.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions for, upon changing from the current game state to a new game state, determining respective probabilities for advancement from the new game state to the set of possible later game states;

program instructions for re-prioritizing game code required for the set of possible later game states in accordance with the determined probabilities for advancement from the new game state to each of the set of possible later game states; and

program instructions for continuing transmission of game code required for the set of possible later game states, in order of the re-prioritized game code, from the sever computer system to the client computer system.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions for recording game path histories for a number of game players over a period of time, each game path history identifying game state transitions during game play;

program instructions for statistically analyzing the recorded game path histories to generate a probability database including game state transition probability values for each possible game state that may be encountered during game play, each game state transition probability value representing a probability of transitioning from a given game state to a particular possible next game state,

wherein the program instructions for determining respective probabilities for advancement from the current game state to the set of possible later game states includes program instructions for querying the probability database.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the statistical analysis of the recorded game path histories includes calculating each game state transition probability for a given game state as a function of prior game states through which each game path history has proceeded up to the given game state.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the program instructions for statistically analyzing the recorded game path histories includes program instructions for calculating a probability of a future game path progression by multiplying each game state transition probability along the future game path progression.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the program instructions for statistically analyzing the recorded game path histories includes program instructions for calculating each game state transition probability for a given game state as a function of avatar behavior during game play.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein avatar behavior during game play includes one or more of leaving a region, traveling a distance, crossing a boundary, and changing a level of achievement.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the program instructions for recording game path histories for the number of game players over the period of time are provided as part of a state monitor defined to operate separately from a statistics engine containing the program instructions for statistically analyzing the recorded game path histories.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the game code is divided by one or more of directories, files, and sub-parts of files, and wherein each division of game code is associated with one or more game states.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the game code includes one or more of executable code, scripts, data structures, images, textures, geographic information, character names, object shapes, user data, and game data.