Method and apparatus for facilitating group musical interaction over a network

• US 8,079,907 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: Egozy, Eran
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/560,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/358 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 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• 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 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

A method for providing real-time musical interaction among a plurality of players connected via a network includes the steps of receiving input from a local player representing a musical performance, generating audio output responsive to the received input, receiving second music performance data from a remote player representing a musical performance by the remote player, creating emulation data representing the remote musical performance, and using the emulation data to generate a local approximation of the remote musical performance.

Claims

1. An apparatus for facilitating real-time interaction between players of a game, the apparatus being a first game platform configured for (i) executing a rhythm action game, (ii) in communication with a controller, and (iii) in communication with a second game platform over a communications network, the first game platform further configured to:

(a) receive a first music performance input data from the controller, the first music performance input data representing a local musical performance;

(b) generate audio output responsive to the received first music performance input;

(c) receive, via the communications network, a second music performance input data from the second game platform, the received second music performance input data representing a non-emulated musical performance;

(d) create emulation data from the received second music performance input data; and

(e) generate a local approximation of the remote musical performance using the created emulation data, the local approximation synchronous with the local musical performance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first music performance input data from the controller includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first musical performance from a gamepad.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first music performance input data from the controller includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first musical performance from a simulated musical instrument.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first music performance input data from the controller includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first musical performance from a simulated guitar.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first music performance input data from the controller includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first musical performance from a simulated drum.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first music performance input data from the controller includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first musical performance from a simulated musical keyboard.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first music performance input data from the controller includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first musical performance from a simulated turntable.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first music performance input data from the controller includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive a first musical performance from a simulated microphone.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to generate audio output responsive to the received first music performance input includes the configuration of the first game platform to play a note to indicate a successful input.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to generate audio output responsive to the received first music performance input includes the configuration of the first game platform to play a stream of audio to indicate a successful input.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to generate audio output responsive to the received first music performance input includes the configuration of the first game platform to play an error tone to indicate unsuccessful input.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to receive, via the communications network, a second music performance input data includes the configuration of the first game platform to receive, via the communications network, a second music performance input data from an interim server.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to create emulation data from the received second music performance input data includes the configuration of the first game platform to compute a moving average of timing deltas between received second music performance events and expected timing of the second music performance events.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first game platform to create emulation data from the received second music performance input data includes the configuration of the first game platform to compute a moving average of received second music performance events.

15. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, for facilitating real-time interaction between players of a game, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a game platform to:

(a) receive, via a network, music performance input data from a remote player of a rhythm-action game, the received music performance input data representing a non-emulated musical performance by the remote player;

(b) create emulation data from the received music performance input data; and

(c) generate a local approximation of the remote musical performance using the created emulation data, the local approximation synchronous with a local musical performance.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions operable to cause a game platform to receive, via a network, music performance input data include instructions operable to cause a game platform to receive, via a network, music performance input data from an interim server.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions operable to cause a game platform to create emulation data from the received music performance input data include instructions operable to cause a game platform to compute a moving average of timing deltas between received music performance events.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions operable to cause a game platform to create emulation data from the received music performance input data include instructions operable to cause a game platform to compute a moving average of received music performance events.

19. An apparatus for facilitating real-time interaction between players of a game, the apparatus being game platform configured to:

(a) receive, via a network, music performance input data from a remote player of a rhythm-action game, the received music performance input data representing a non-emulated musical performance by the remote player;

(b) create emulation data from the received music performance input data; and

(c) generate a local approximation of the remote musical performance using the created emulation data, the local approximation synchronous with a local musical performance.