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Game method and apparatus for enabling a video game system console to execute video game programs originally written for execution on architecturally different video game platforms

  • US 8,187,099 B2
  • Filed: 08/17/2005
  • Issued: 05/29/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A home video game system and game delivery communications system arrangement comprising:

  • a network server machine located remotely from the home video game system;

    at least one handheld controller;

    at least one memory device;

    at least one central processor unit (CPU);

    at least one dedicated graphics processing (GPU) unit for rendering video game graphics in accordance with data provided by a video game program for display on a home-use television receiver;

    an audio subsystem for producing sounds in accordance with data provided by a video game program;

    a video game selection program that communicates with a remote network server and displays a game selection menu for requesting video games from the remote server; and

    a bi-directional communications link providing access via the network to said remote network server, wherein the remote network server transmits said video game selection program to the home video game system and said video game selection program enables the home video game system to communicate corresponding player information to said remote network server and obtain a listing of video game titles of video game programs that are stored on said server and which are available for selectively downloading from said server along with appropriate corresponding video game system emulators for controlling said CPU and said GPU to emulate operations of a hardware architecture different from said home video game system, an emulation being at least in part responsive to signals provided by said at least one handheld controller, said video game selection program displaying a menu of game titles on said home-use television receiver comprising at least a list of video game titles selectable by a user using said handheld controller, wherein one or more of said server-stored video games written for one or more different video game systems having a hardware architecture different from said home video game system, and said video game selection program transmitting said player information and identification data representative of a selected game title to the server apparatus, and wherein the server saves information regarding each emulator program type transmitted to a particular player'"'"'s home video game system, and wherein based on received player-selected game title information the server apparatus transmits a copy of the selected game program and determines a particular corresponding emulator program kind that is required for running the player-selected game program on the home video game system and, based on a server-saved relationship of a correspondence between an emulator kind previously transmitted to a player and the player information received from a player'"'"'s home video game machine currently accessing the server, the server conditionally transmits a copy of said corresponding emulator program to said appropriate home video game system if that player has not previously been provided with the same emulator type.

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