Gaming interface techniques for media centers

• US 8,821,285 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lippincott, Louis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US10/701,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,956 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/40, 463/29, 463/39, 348/555, 348/563, 348/705, 348/706, 700/5, 700/6, 700/83, 273/438, 273/434, 273/148
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/404 characterized by a local network connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

A media center may include an interface to receive video game information including first and second tags from a communication link. The media center may also include a module to separate the video game information based on the first and second tags. A first modulator may modulate first video game information corresponding to the first tag at a first frequency on a media communication link, and a second modulator may modulate second video game information corresponding to the second tag at a second frequency on the media communication link.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing at least one media center to provide electronic game data for one game to at least two game players of said game who play the game at the same time in concert;

separating the game data so that separate game images may be provided for each of the game players who play the same game and such that the game images for each of the players may be different in at least some respects; and

receiving, wireless game control commands from said players using separate wireless controllers and identifying which commands originate with each of said game players by decoding tags appended to said wireless game control commands so that a command from one player is distinguished by said media player from a game control command received from the other player using said tags appended to said wireless game control commands.

2. The method of claim 1 including associating game data with tags, each tag indicative of a different player.

3. The method of claim 2 including providing controls which each game player may utilize to provide input commands to the media center.

4. The method of claim 1 including enabling a controller for each player to wirelessly use a different frequency to wirelessly communicate with said media center and enabling said media center to provide game data to each controller using a different and distinct frequency for each game controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detection and steering module to route time multiplexed video game data with a particular tag to a particular buffer based on the detected tag.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a media center to provide electronic game data for one game to at least two players of said game who play the game at the same time in concert;

a detection and steering module to separate the game data so that separate game images may be provided for each of the game players who play the same game and such that the game images for each of said players may be different in at least some respects, said detection and steering module to receive game commands from said players using separate wireless controllers and to identify which commands originate with each of said game players by detecting tags appended to game commands that identify the originating controller and distinguish commands from one controller from those of the other controller; and

a plurality of buffers to store video game data routed from the detection and steering module.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, said detection and steering module to associate game data with tags, each tag indicative of a different player.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, said apparatus further including controls which each player may utilize to provide input commands to the module.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, said controls to append tags that allow game control commands from one player to be distinguished by said interface from game control commands received from the other player.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 including a controller for each player to wirelessly use a different frequency to wirelessly communicate with said module and to enable said module to provide game data to each controller using a different and distinct frequency for each game controller.