Cloud-Based Game Slice Generation and Frictionless Social Sharing with Instant Play

• US 20170001119A1
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Perry, David, Miura, Victor Octav Suba, Benedetto, Warren
• Granted Patent: US 9,962,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game

Abstract

Methods enable creation of a game slice from a game. Plurality of games is provided for presentation on a display device. Each game is identified by an image. Selection activity is detected at the image of one of the games. In response to the selection, game code of the selected game is executed to enable game play of an unlocked game. The selected game is streamed to the display device. User interaction related to the game play is received. A recording of the game play is examined to identify portions of the game for generating a game slice, which are returned in a suggested list for selection. Game slice is generated for a selected portion from the list. A recording of the game play for the game slice is associated as a primary video segment. The game slice and the primary video segment are provided for sharing over a network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

executing a game and receiving user interaction related to game play of the game;

generating a recording of the game play;

generating a game slice in response to selection of a portion of the recording, the game slice generated to include executable code that uses state data collected during game play of the game, the game slice being a playable version that is a subset of the game; and

sharing, in response to a share request, the game slice over a network,

wherein sharing the game slice enables viewing the portion of the recording of the game play and enables game play of the game slice.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game is executed on a game console or on a game server that is available locally or remotely on a game cloud.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing is done by providing a link to the game slice on a webpage of a game website, on a cloud game server, in a social media post, or in an interactive post.

4. The method of claim 1, further including,

saving the portion of the recording of the game play for the game slice, the recording being associated with the game slice as a primary video segment, wherein sharing the game slice includes providing an option for viewing the primary video segment, when the game slice is selected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a game slice further includes,

verifying available game slices for the game to determine if the game slice has already been defined for the portion of the game, prior to generating the game slice.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a game slice further includes,

generating artificial intelligence (AI) graphic overlays for including with the game slice, the AI graphic overlays generated by analyzing the recording of the game play for the game leading up to the portion defined in the game slice;

and

returning the AI graphic overlays for rendering with the game slice, wherein the generated AI graphic overlays are passive overlays.

7. The method of claim 1, further includes,

detecting a selection of the game slice for game play from a first user, the selection causing the loading of the executable code for the game slice to enable game play;

generating a second recording for the game slice using the game play of the first user, the second recording associated with the game slice as a secondary video segment; and

enabling sharing of the secondary video segment for the game slice with other users over the network, wherein sharing of the secondary video segment includes providing an option for selecting the secondary video segment for viewing, when the game slice is selected.

8. A method, comprising:

streaming a game to a display device and receiving user interaction related to game play of the game;

generating a recording of the game play;

examining the recording of the game play to identify portions of the game available for generating a game slice;

generating the game slice in response to selection of a portion from the identified portions, the game slice generated to include executable code that uses state data collected during game play of the game, the game slice being a playable version that is a subset of the game; and

sharing, in response to a share request, the game slice over a network,

wherein sharing the game slice enables one or more users to view the selected portion of the recording of the game play of the game and enables game play of the game slice.

9. The method of claim 8, further including,

saving the selected portion of the recording of the game play for the game slice as a primary video segment, wherein sharing the game slice includes providing an option for viewing the primary video segment, when the game slice is selected.

10. The method of claim 8, further includes,

detecting a selection of the game slice for game play by a first user, the selection causing the loading of the executable code for the game slice, to enable game play;

generating a second recording for the game slice using the game play of the first user, the second recording associated with the game slice as a secondary video segment; and

enabling sharing of the secondary video segment for the game slice with other users over the network, wherein sharing of the secondary video segment includes providing an option for selecting the secondary video segment for viewing, when the game slice is selected.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the sharing is done by providing a link to the game slice on a webpage of a game website, or on a cloud game server, or in a social media post, or in an interactive post.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein generating a game slice further includes,

generating artificial intelligence (AI) graphic overlays for including with the game slice, the AI graphic overlays generated by analyzing the recording of the game play for the game leading up to the portion defined in the game slice;

and

returning the AI graphic overlays for rendering with the game slice when the game slice is selected for game play, wherein the generated AI graphic overlays are passive overlays.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein generating a game slice further includes,

associating an image to the game slice, the image is representative of game content included in the game slice.