Saving audio source identifiers for soundtracks in a gaming system

• US 7,708,643 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blanco, Victor Keith, Sharpe, Tracy, Helm, James N., Allard, James E., Stone, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINHEIRO, JASON PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/609,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20040005923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,504 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30, 463/35, 463/40, 463 42- 44
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect of saving audio source identifiers for soundtracks in a gaming system, an audio track is obtained from an audio source and the audio track is saved so that a copy of the audio track is available when the audio source is no longer accessible to a game console. The audio track is at least part of a user-created soundtrack and/or a user-selected soundtrack. The identifier of the audio source is also saved, and when a database containing meta data associated with the audio track is available, the meta data associated with the audio track is obtained from the database, based at least in part on the identifier saved on the storage device, and the obtained meta data is stored.

Claims

1. A method, implemented in a game console, the method comprising:

obtaining an audio track from an audio source;

saving the audio track without saving at least some meta data associated with the audio track on a storage device of the game console, so that a copy of the audio track is available when the audio source is no longer accessible to the game console, wherein the audio track is at least part of a user-created soundtrack;

saving an identifier of the audio source on the storage device;

after saving the audio track, determining when an online service that provides a database containing meta data associated with the audio track is available,

connecting to the online service, obtaining the meta data associated with the audio track from the database and storing the meta data associated with the audio track on the storage device, wherein the meta data is obtained from the online service based at least in part on the identifier saved on the storage device;

associating the user-created soundtrack with a game application;

executing the game application on the game console; and

during execution of the game application, playing the user-created soundtrack and displaying information regarding the soundtrack based on the meta data.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises an internal hard disk drive of the game console.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the database is stored on the storage device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

saving an indicator of the audio track; and

wherein the meta data is obtained based at least in part on both the saved identifier and the saved indicator on the storage device.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio source comprises an audio CD.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio source comprises an audio DVD.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifier of the audio source comprises table of contents (TOC) information for the audio source.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the metadata is obtained from removable media readable by a media drive of the game console.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the removable media comprises an optical disc.

10. A computer-readable medium for a game console comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the game console to:

obtain an audio track from an audio source;

save the audio track, without saving at least some meta data associated with the audio track, to a storage device of the game console, so that a copy of the audio track is available when the audio source is no longer accessible to the game console, wherein the audio track is at least part of a user-selected soundtrack;

save an identifier of the audio source and the audio track;

after the audio track is saved, determine when an online service that provides a database containing meta data associated with the audio track is available,

connect to the online service when the online service is available, obtain the meta data associated with the audio track from the database and store the meta data associated with the audio track, wherein the meta data is obtained from the online service based at least in part on the identifier saved on a storage device;

associating the user-selected soundtrack with a game application;

executing the game application in the game console; and

during execution of the game application playing the user-created soundtrack and displaying information regarding the soundtrack based on the meta data.

11. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the storage device comprises an internal hard disk drive of the game console.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the database is stored on the storage device.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, further direct the game console to:

save an indicator of the audio track; and

wherein the meta data is obtained based at least in part on both the saved identifier and the saved indicator.

14. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the audio source comprises an audio CD.

15. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the audio source comprises an audio DVD.

16. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the identifier of the audio source comprises table of contents (TOC) information for the audio source.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the metadata is obtained from a removable media readable by a media drive of the game console.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the removable media comprises an optical disc.

19. A method, implemented in a game console, the method comprising:

copying an audio track from an audio source without copying at least some meta data associated with the audio track to a storage device of the game console, wherein the audio track is at least part of a user-selected soundtrack;

using an identifier of the audio source to retrieve meta data associated with the audio track from a database over a network connection from an online service when the database is accessible;

saving the identifier of the audio source on the game console when the database is not accessible and using the saved identifier to retrieve meta data associated with the audio track from the online service when the database is subsequently available;

associating the user-selected soundtrack with a game application;

executing the game application in the game console; and

during execution of the game application playing the user-created soundtrack and displaying information regarding the soundtrack based on the meta data.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

saving, on the game console, an indicator of the audio track; and

using both the saved identifier and the saved indicator to retrieve the meta data.

21. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the audio source comprises an audio CD.

22. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the audio source comprises an audio DVD.

23. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the storage device comprises an internal hard disk drive of the game console.

24. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the identifier of the audio source comprises table of contents (TOC) information for the audio source.

25. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the metadata is obtained from a removable media inserted in the game console.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the removable media comprises an optical disc.

27. A computer-readable medium for a game console comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the game console to:

copy an audio track from an audio source, without copying at least some meta data associated with the audio track, to a storage device of the game console, wherein the audio track is at least part of a user-created soundtrack;

after copying the audio track, use an identifier of the audio source to retrieve meta data associated with the audio track from a database over a network connection from an online service if the database is accessible;

save the identifier of the audio source on the game console if the database is not accessible;

executing a game application on the game console;

pausing execution of the game application in response to receiving a request to select a new soundtrack to playback during execution of the game application; and

displaying information regarding the user-created soundtrack based on the meta data to assist a user in selecting the new soundtrack.

28. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 27, wherein the instructions further direct the game console to use the saved identifier to retrieve the metadata associated with the audio track when the database is subsequently available.

29. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 28, wherein the instructions further direct the game console to:

save, on the game console, an indicator of the audio track; and

use both the saved identifier and the saved indicator to retrieve the meta data.

30. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the audio source comprises an audio CD.

31. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the audio source comprises an audio DVD.

32. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the storage device comprises an internal hard disk drive of the game console.

33. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the identifier of the audio source comprises table of contents (TOC) information for the audio source.

34. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein at least a portion of the metadata is obtained from a removable media inserted in the game console.

35. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the removable media comprises an optical disc.