Method and system providing spectator information for a multimedia application

• US 8,874,661 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wild, Nicholas B., Langan, Thomas A., Lim, Tian F., Hingne, Vipul V.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAILEY, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/187,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20100035691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,273 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 463/42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC

Abstract

A method and system for allowing spectators to experience multimedia information over a network generated by an online video game running on a participant'"'"'s device comprises a participant system and a universal spectator client system. A participant may utilize a device to experience game play. Each spectator may also have an associated device, which may allow the spectator to receive multimedia information generated by the participant system over a network. A spectator may experience multimedia information generated by a participant regardless of whether the spectator has the same title installed on an associated device and regardless of whether the associated spectator device provides the same capabilities and functionality as the participant device.

Claims

1. A method for providing media information associated with a participant of a multimedia game application to a first spectator, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) to the participant operating a participant device on which the multimedia game application is installed, the GUI indicating a plurality of allowed spectators for the multimedia game application, wherein the GUI enables the participant to choose whether or not to transmit the media information to each of the plurality of allowed spectators by selecting, using the GUI, which of the plurality of allowed spectators to which the media information will be transmitted;

setting a timer;

upon expiration of the timer, capturing, the media information from the multimedia game application;

encoding the media information for transmission over a network; and

transmitting the media information over the network to the first spectator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the media information is performed by bypassing a rendering buffer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an online status for the first spectator; and

providing information to the participant indicating the online status for the first spectator.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving permission information for the participant for a user, the permission information indicating whether the user may act as a spectator for the multimedia game application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media information comprises video information and audio information captured respectively from a frame buffer and an audio buffer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding the media information comprises compressing the media information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the GUI further indicates an online status for the first spectator.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising retrieving the online status for the first spectator from a network server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the network server stores the online status for the first spectator and an online status for the participant.

10. A system for providing media information associated with a participant of a multimedia game application to a first spectator, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed to the participant operating a participant device on which the multimedia game application is installed, the GUI indicating a plurality of allowed spectators for the multimedia game application, wherein the GUI enables the participant to choose whether or not to transmit the media information to each of the plurality of allowed spectators by selecting, using the GUI, which of the plurality of allowed spectators to which the media information will be transmitted;

a processor;

memory having stored therein instructions that, upon execution by the processor, at least cause the system to;

set a timer;

upon expiration of the timer, capture the media information from the multimedia game application;

encode the media information for transmission over a network; and

transmit the media information over the network to the first spectator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the system to:

transmit an online indicator to a server;

receive an identifier of the first spectator;

display the identifier of the first spectator; and

receive input regarding the first spectator.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein capturing the media information is performed by bypassing a rendering buffer.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the system to:

determine an online status for the first spectator; and

provide information to the participant indicating the online status for the first spectator.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the system to receive permission information for the participant for a user, the permission information indicating whether the user may act as a spectator for the multimedia game application.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the media information comprises video information and audio information captured respectively from a frame buffer and an audio buffer.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the system to compress the media information.

17. A computer readable storage medium bearing instructions for providing media information associated with a participant of a multimedia game application to a first spectator, the instructions, upon execution by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least:

display a graphical user interface (GUI) to the participant operating a participant device on which the multimedia game application is installed, the GUI indicating a plurality of allowed spectators for the multimedia game application, wherein the GUI enables the participant to choose whether or not to transmit the media information to each of the plurality of allowed spectators by selecting, using the GUI, which of the plurality of allowed spectators to which the media information will be transmitted;

set a timer;

upon expiration of the timer, capture the media information from the multimedia game application;

encode the media information for transmission over a network; and

transmit the media information over the network to the first spectator.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein capturing the media information is performed by bypassing a rendering buffer.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the one or more processors of the computer system, further cause the computer system to:

determine an online status for the first spectator; and

provide information to the participant indicating the online status for the first spectator.