System and method for creating, editing, and sharing video content relating to video game events

• US 8,187,104 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Online Entertainment LLC (Enad Global 7 AB)
• Inventors: Pearce, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thien F
• Application Number:
  US12/360,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 463/43
• 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 13/12 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• 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: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for at least partially automating generation of video clips chronicling a character'"'"'s interaction with a video game. The same may combine automatic video clip generation with automatic or user-generated and/or user-edited or created narrative. Multiple video clips may be combined into a video reel prior to or subsequent to uploading the same to a file-sharing site. The video game may be a massive multiplayer online role-playing game.

Claims

1. A system for automatically recording and storing a video clip of events occurring in a video game, comprising:

a. a cache for caching a video scene of events in a video game;

b. an input module configured to receive a start indication from a user that a video clip is to be stored, wherein upon receipt of the start indication, at least a portion of the video scene stored in the cache is marked for transfer to a storage module as a video clip; and

c. a storage module in which to store the video clip;

d. such that the stored video clip includes;

i. at least a portion of video data cached prior to the start indication; and

ii. at least a portion of video data cached or stored subsequent to the start indication.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring module for monitoring events occurring in a video game, wherein if an event occurs that matches a predetermined criterion, the storage module is directed to store a video clip of the event from the cache, such that the stored video clip includes at least a portion of video data cached prior to the event and at least a portion of video data cached subsequent to the event.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined criteria includes one or more of the following:

a. whether a subject player character has reached a predetermined geographic boundary within the multiplayer game;

b. whether a subject player character has interacted with a predetermined non-player character or item;

c. whether a subject player character has interacted with a predetermined player character or item;

d. whether a subject player character has defeated a predetermined player character or non-player character;

e. whether a subject player character has achieved a predetermined level, or changed levels, within the multiplayer game; and

f. whether a subject player character has accumulated at least a predetermined number of points or items within the multiplayer game.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an upload module, the upload module to upload one or more stored video clips to a blog, a web page, a social networking site, or a file-sharing site.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an editing module, to enable editing of the one or more stored video clips prior to upload.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the editing module combines two or more video clips into a video reel.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the upload module uploads metadata associated with the video clip to the blog, web page, social networking site, or file-sharing site.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the upload module is configured to accept metadata edits by a user.

9. A system for automatically recording and storing a video clip of events occurring in a video game, comprising:

a. a cache for caching a video scene of events in a video game;

b. a monitoring module for monitoring events occurring in the video game, wherein if an event occurs that matches a predetermined criterion, a storage module is directed to store a video clip of the event from the cache, such that the stored video clip includes at least a portion of video data cached prior to the event and at least a portion of video data cached subsequent to the event; and

c. a storage module in which to store the video clip.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an input module configured to receive a start indication from a user that a video clip is to be stored, wherein upon receipt of the start indication, at least a portion of the video scene stored in the cache is marked for transfer to a storage module as a video clip.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising an upload module, the upload module to upload one or more stored video clips to a blog, a web page, a social networking site, or a file-sharing site.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined criteria includes one or more of the following:

a. whether a subject player character has reached a predetermined geographic boundary within the multiplayer game;

b. whether a subject player character has interacted with a predetermined non-player character or item;

c. whether a subject player character has interacted with a predetermined player character or item;

d. whether a subject player character has defeated a predetermined player character or non-player character;

e. whether a subject player character has achieved a predetermined level, or changed levels, within the multiplayer game; and

f. whether a subject player character has accumulated at least a predetermined number of points or items within the multiplayer game.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising an editing module, to enable editing of the one or more stored video clips prior to upload.

14. A method of automatically recording and storing a video clip of events occurring in a video game, comprising:

a. caching video image data rendered by a video game;

b. if a user indicates that the video image data is to be stored, then storing a video clip corresponding to the video image data, the video clip beginning at a time prior to the user indication and ending at a time subsequent to the user indication;

or

c. if an event occurs that matches a predetermined criterion, then storing a video clip corresponding to the video image data, the video clip beginning at a time prior to the event and ending at a time subsequent to the event.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting a notification of the video clip, or the video clip itself, to one or more users.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising uploading the stored video clip to a blog, a web page, a social networking site, or a file-sharing site.

17. The method of claim16, further comprising uploading metadata associated with the video clip to the blog, web page, social networking site, or file-sharing site.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the uploading includes accepting metadata edits from a user.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined criteria includes one or more of the following:

a. whether the subject player character has reached a predetermined geographic boundary within the multiplayer game;

b. whether the subject player character has interacted with a predetermined non-player character or item;

c. whether the subject player character has interacted with a predetermined player character or item;

d. whether the subject player character has defeated a predetermined player character or non-player character;

e. whether the subject player character has achieved a predetermined level, or changed levels, within the multiplayer game; and

f. whether the subject player character has accumulated at least a predetermined number of points or items within the multiplayer game.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising editing the stored video clip.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least two video clips are stored, and wherein the editing combines the at least two video clips into a video reel.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a computer to implement the method of claim 14.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a computing device to implement a method of automatically recording and storing a video clip of events occurring in a video game, the instructions causing the computing device to:

a. continuously capture video image data during gameplay of a video game;

b. during the capture;

i. mark a video clip for storage based on a received input from a user;

or

ii. mark a video clip for storage based on the occurrence of an event that matches a predetermined criterion;

c. following the marking step, store the video clip;

d. wherein the stored video clip includes at least a portion of a video scene that was rendered prior to the marking step.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to upload the stored video clip to a blog, a web page, a social networking site, or a file-sharing site.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein at least two video clips are stored, and wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to combine the at least two video clips into a video reel.