Method and system for providing interactive services over a wireless communications network

• US 8,819,740 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hutcheson, S. Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US11/635,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20070180477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,819 Days
• Field of Search: 725/24, 725/62, 725/81, 725/86, 725/88, 725/123, 463/41
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others

Abstract

A system for providing one or more interactive applications to one or more users via a wireless communications network, the system including: one or more servers cooperating with the network to substantially deliver one or more interactive applications to one or more wireless access devices each corresponding to at least one of the users; wherein, after the one or more wireless access devices receive the substantially delivered one or more applications, upon request of one of the users the one or more corresponding wireless access devices receives communication from the server to facilitate the one of the users accessing the one or more interactive applications using the corresponding wireless access device.

Claims

1. A system for providing one or more interactive applications to one or more users via a wireless communications network, said system comprising:

one or more servers cooperating with said network to download one or more interactive applications over the wireless communications network to one or more wireless access devices each corresponding to at least one of said users; and

the one or more wireless access devices configured to execute at least one of the one or more interactive applications in response to a request received over said wireless communications network,

wherein an interactive application is initiated in response to a request received over the wireless communication network, and state information is cached corresponding the interactive application for transmission over the wireless communication network to a server at a predetermined interval, and

wherein the cached state information is communicated to the server in accordance with the predetermined interval, the cached state information indicating changes in state of one or more degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application, wherein each degree of freedom includes multiple states, and storing, in a memory, information relating to changes in state relating to the one or more degrees of freedom caching the state information, wherein a maximum of the one or more degrees of freedom is determined based on a specific game being played to enable a dynamic calculation of an optimal frame size, wherein a maximum latency for a fast-paced interactive application or a slow-paced interactive application is determined based on the specific game being played to further enable a calculation of allowable frames per second to and from the server.

2. The system of claim 1,wherein the one or more wireless access devices are provided with access to wireless service over said wireless communications network,

wherein the one or more servers are configured to select a data rate of providing to the one or more wireless access devices updates associated with the downloaded one or

more interactive applications

wherein communications are received from the server, indicative of synchronization of the interactive application and cached state information to at least one of said one or more degrees of freedom, and updates at a data rate are received as selected by the server, the updates associated with the interactive application,

wherein said one or more interactive applications comprise graphics, wherein at least one of said wireless access devices comprises a telephone, wherein each said wireless access device comprises a microprocessor, and

wherein the interactive application comprises an interactive gaming application.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more users comprises a plurality of simultaneous users, wherein said plurality of users comprises three or more users,

wherein at least a portion of communications from said network to at least one of said wireless access device is at a full frame rate or a half frame rate, wherein said application offers each of said users at least three degrees of freedom, and

wherein said application is substantially stored on at least one of said wireless access devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless access devices are provided with access to wireless service over said wireless communications network based on a fixed fee subscription, wherein the fixed fee subscription for wireless service is utilized for actions independent of downloading of content, and wherein the fixed fee subscription is independent of the one or more interactive applications downloaded over said wireless communication network, wherein the flat-rate further comprises a pre-paid, monthly rate offering provided in conjunction with one or more other wireless communications services.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the request further comprises:

an anonymous challenge, wherein the wireless service over said wireless communications network includes text messaging, and

wherein the one or more servers are configured to provide at least one update per second to the one or more wireless access devices, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to prioritize communications to the one or more wireless access devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication of the cached state information to the server further comprises:

representing, for each available degree of the one or more degrees of freedom, the state of the degree of freedom using a single bit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a service price and margin is determined to calculate a maximum cost of services, wherein an amount of data to be transmitted is calculated based on a determination of a cost of delivering a unit of data, wherein an average data rate is determined based on an average time of game play.

8. A method for executing an interactive application using a wireless communication device, said method comprising:

initiating an interactive application in response to a request received over a wireless communication network;

caching state information corresponding to the interactive application for transmission over the wireless communication network to a server at a predetermined interval; and

communicating the cached state information to the server in accordance with the predetermined interval, the cached state information indicating changes in state of one or more degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application, wherein each degree of freedom includes multiple states, and storing, in a memory, information relating to changes in state relating to the one or more degrees of freedom caching the state information, wherein a maximum of the one or more degrees of freedom is determined based on a specific game being played to enable a dynamic calculation of an optimal frame size, wherein a maximum latency for a fast-paced interactive application or a slow-paced interactive application is determined based on the specific game being played to further enable a calculation of allowable frames per second to and from the server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving communications, from the server, indicative of synchronization of the interactive application and cached state information to at least one of said one or more degrees of freedom; and

receiving updates at a data rate selected by the server, the updates associated with the interactive applications,

wherein said wireless communication device comprises a telephone and said method further comprises storing said software on said telephone, wherein each said wireless communication device comprises a microprocessor, and

wherein the interactive application comprises an interactive gaming application.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said interactive application comprises graphics, and wherein said receiving communications is at a full frame rate or a half frame rate.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein receipt of the executable instructions necessary to execute the interactive application is associated with a fixed fee subscription associated with providing access to a wireless service, the fixed fee subscription independent of the one or more interactive applications downloaded over said wireless communication network, wherein communicating the cached state information to the server further comprises representing, for each available degree of freedom, the state of the degree of freedom using a single bit.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing data being indicative of changes in state of the one or more degrees of freedom to be communicated via said wireless communication network; and

storing data being indicative of received communications indicative of synchronization of said interactive application and cached updates to at least one of the one or more degrees of freedom.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a service price and margin is determined to calculate a maximum cost of services, wherein an amount of data to be transmitted is calculated based on a determination of a cost of delivering a unit of data, wherein an average data rate is determined based on an average time of game play.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to perform one or more operations comprising:

initiating an interactive application in response to a request received over a wireless communication network;

caching state information corresponding to the interactive application for transmission over the wireless communication network to a server at a predetermined interval; and

communicating the cached state information to the server in accordance with the predetermined interval, the cached state information indicating changes in state of one or more degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application, wherein each degree of freedom includes multiple states, and storing, in a memory, information relating to changes in state relating to the one or more degrees of freedom caching the state information, wherein a maximum of the one or more degrees of freedom is determined based on a specific game being played to enable a dynamic calculation of an optimal frame size, wherein a maximum latency for a fast-paced interactive application or a slow-paced interactive application is determined based on the specific game being played to further enable a calculation of allowable frames per second to and from the server.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more operations further comprise:

receiving, from the server;

communications indicative of synchronization of the interactive application and cached state information to at least one of said one or more degrees of freedom; and

receiving updates at a data rate selected by the server, the updates associated with the interactive applications,

wherein the interactive application includes instructions or graphics that are received by a wireless communication device over the wireless communication network and are stored in the memory associated with the wireless communication device,

wherein said wireless communication device comprises a telephone and said method further comprises storing said software on said telephone, wherein each said wireless communication device comprises a microprocessor,

wherein said receiving communications is at a full frame rate or a half frame rate, and

wherein said interactive application comprises an interactive gaming application.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein receipt of the executable instructions necessary to execute the interactive application is associated with a fixed fee subscription associated with providing access to a wireless service, the fixed fee subscription independent of the one or more interactive applications downloaded over said wireless communication network, wherein communicating the cached state information to the server further comprises:

representing, for each available degree of freedom, the state of the degree of freedom using a single bit.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more operations further comprise:

storing data being indicative of changes in state of the one or more degrees of freedom to be communicated via said wireless communication network; and

storing data being indicative of received communications indicative of synchronization of said interactive application and cached updates to at least one of the one or more degrees of freedom.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a service price and margin is determined to calculate a maximum cost of services, wherein an amount of data to be transmitted is calculated based on a determination of a cost of delivering a unit of data, wherein an average data rate is determined based on an average time of game play.

19. A wireless communication device for executing an interactive application responsive to a user request and in cooperation with a wireless communication network, said device comprising:

a storage medium configured to store the interactive application received over the wireless communication network; and

a processor configured to initiate the interactive application in response to a request received over the wireless communication network, and cache state information corresponding the interactive application for transmission over the wireless communication network to a server at a predetermined interval,

wherein the cached state information is communicated to the server in accordance with the predetermined interval, the cached state information indicating changes in state of one or more degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application, wherein each degree of freedom includes multiple states, and storing, in a memory, information relating to changes in state relating to the one or more degrees of freedom caching the state information, wherein a maximum of the one or more degrees of freedom is determined based on a specific game being played to enable a dynamic calculation of an optimal frame size, wherein a maximum latency for a fast-paced interactive application or a slow-paced interactive application is determined based on the specific game being played to further enable a calculation of allowable frames per second to and from the server.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication device is provided with access to wireless service over the wireless communication network in association with a flat-rate charge,

wherein the interactive application comprises an interactive gaming application, and wherein the wireless service comprises a wireless gaming service, and

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate game play based upon an interaction with a text message, wherein the processor is further configured to receive at least one update per second from the server.

21. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein said wireless communication device comprises a telephone and said method further comprises storing said software on said telephone, wherein each said wireless communication device comprises a microprocessor,

wherein said receiving communications is at a full frame rate or a half frame rate, and

wherein said interactive application comprises graphics.

22. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the initiation of the interactive application is associated with a fixed fee subscription associated with providing access to a wireless service, the fixed fee subscription independent of the one or more interactive applications downloaded over said wireless communication network.

23. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein communicating the cached state information to the server further comprises:

representing, for each available degree of freedom, the state of the degree of freedom using a single bit.

24. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the storage medium is further configured to:

store data being indicative of changes in state of the one or more degrees of freedom to be communicated via said wireless communication network; and

store data being indicative of received communications indicative of synchronization of said interactive application and cached updates to at least one of the one or more degrees of freedom.

25. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein a service price and margin is determined to calculate a maximum cost of services, wherein an amount of data to be transmitted is calculated based on a determination of a cost of delivering a unit of data, wherein an average data rate is determined based on an average time of game play.