Apparatus and method for wireless video gaming

• US 7,849,491 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: OnLive Incorporated
• Inventors: Perlman, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOKELY-COLLINS, JASMINE N
• Application Number:
  US10/315,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20040111755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,919 Days
• Field of Search: 725/78, 725/82, 725/133, 463 40- 42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• 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 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• 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 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• 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: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 : Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 : intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 : Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 : located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 : Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 : Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices

Abstract

Apparatus for video gaming includes a box having a slot with an interface that connects to a game card providing a platform to run a software video game. The game card outputs video game data through the interface at a data rate of approximately 200 Mbps or greater. A unit processes the video game data for output to a display device. A wireless transceiver is included to receive the software video game via a wireless local area network (WLAN) and to transmit game information to a remote player having access to the WLAN during interactive play of the software video game. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of operating a video game box comprising:

downloading a software video game to a storage device via a wireless transceiver, the software video game being compliant with a game platform standard;

running the software video game on a game card coupled to the video game box via an interface, the game card including a processor, a memory and a graphics engine, the game card providing a game platform compliant with the game platform standard, high twitch-action video game data being output through the interface;

processing the high twitch-action video game data for output to a display device;

compressing the high twitch-action video game data with a latency of less than approximately 80 ms, but greater than about 5 ms;

wirelessly transmitting the compressed high twitch-action video game data to a remote player via the wireless transceiver during interactive play of the software video game, the remote player being located a distance beyond a transmission distance of the wireless transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver operates in the 5 GHz band.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver operates in compliance with IEEE 802.11x specification.

4. A set-top box comprising:

an interface that connects to a game card that provides a game platform to run a software video game, the game card including a processor, a memory and a graphics engine, the game card being operable to output high twitch-action video game data through the interface;

a unit to process the high twitch-action video game data for output to a display device;

a wireless transceiver to receive the software video game via a wireless network;

a compression unit for compressing the high twitch-action video game data with a latency of less than approximately 80 ms, but greater than about 5 ms; and

wherein the wireless transceiver is further operable to wirelessly transmit the compressed high twitch-action video game data to at least one remote user, and to receive commands from the at least one remote user, via the wireless network, the remote user being located beyond a transmission range of the wireless transceiver.

5. The set-top box of claim 4 wherein the unit comprises:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a random-access memory (RAM) coupled to the CPU; and

a graphics unit coupled to the CPU.

6. The set-top box of claim 4 wherein the transceiver operates in the 5 GHz band.

7. The set-top box of claim 4 wherein the transceiver operates in compliance with IEEE 802.11x specification.

8. The set-top box of claim 4 wherein the wireless transceiver transmits game information to a remote player having access to the wireless network during interactive play of the software video game.

9. The set-top box of claim 4 further comprising an infrared (IR) receiver to receive video game commands.

10. A set-top box comprising:

an interface that connects to a game card providing a game platform to run a software video game;

a unit to process the video game video for output to a display device;

a wireless transceiver to receive the software video game via a wireless local area network (WLAN) and to wirelessly transmit game information to a remote player having access to the WLAN during interactive play of the software video game;

a compression unit for compressing the video game video with a latency of less than approximately 80 ms, but greater than about 5 ms; and

wherein the wireless transceiver is further operable to wirelessly transmit the compressed video game video to at least one remote user, and to receive commands from the at least one remote user, via the WLAN, the at least one remote user being located beyond a transmission range of the wireless transceiver.

11. The set-top box of claim 10 wherein the unit comprises:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a random-access memory (RAM) coupled to the CPU; and

a graphics unit coupled to the CPU.

12. The set-top box of claim 10 wherein the wireless transceiver operates in the 5 GHz band.

13. The set-top box of claim 10 wherein the wireless transceiver operates in compliance with IEEE 802.11x specification.

14. The set-top box of claim 10 further comprising an infrared (IR) receiver to receive video game commands.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a unit operable to execute at least one high twitch-action video game for one or more players, video game video being produced therefrom;

a compression unit for compressing the video game video with a latency of less than approximately 80 ms, but greater than about 5 ms; and

a transceiver operable to transmit the compressed video game video to, and to receive commands from, the one or more players, over a network, the one or more players being located a remote distance beyond a premises where the apparatus is located such that transmissions between the transceiver and the one or more players pass through at least one additional transceiver of the network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising an interface that connects to a game card providing a platform to run the at least one high twitch-action video game.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive the at least one high twitch-action video game from either a satellite communication link or a cable television service transmission link.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the network comprises a wireless network.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the transceiver comprises a wired transceiver.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a unit that includes a processor operable to execute at least one high twitch-action video game, video game video being produced therefrom;

a compression unit for compressing the video game video with a latency of less than approximately 80 ms, but greater than about 5 ms; and

a wireless transceiver operable to transmit the compressed video game video, and receive commands from at least one remote player, over a network, the at least one remote player being located a distance beyond a first transmission range of the wireless transceiver, the network comprising a plurality of additional wireless transceivers geographically distributed in a region extending in a transmission chain from a point within the first transmission range of the wireless transceiver to the at least one remote player.

22. An apparatus video game server comprising:

a processing unit for executing a high twitch-action video game for one or more players, video game video being produced therefrom;

a compression unit operable to compress the video game video with a latency of less than approximately 80 ms, but greater than about 5 ms; and

a transceiver to transmit the compressed video game video to the one or more players of the high twitch-action video game over a network, the one or more players being located a remote distance from the apparatus such that transmissions between the transceiver and the one or more players pass through at least one additional transceiver of the network, the transceiver also being operable to receive commands from the one or more players over the network.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) that stores the high twitch-action video game in a media library.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the transceiver comprises a wired transceiver.

25. The apparatus video game of claim 22 wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver.