Video game forward compatibility including software patching

• US 8,943,488 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Oberg, Gregory Keith, Booth, Jesse Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Li B
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACASIANO, JOANNE GONZALES
• Application Number:
  US11/967,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,584 Days
• Field of Search: 717/178
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Methods for updating video game software or handheld game devices, and systems for performing the methods. In some embodiments a first handheld game device with a later version of a game update software of a second handheld game device with an earlier version of the game.

Claims

1. A method of updating handheld device video game software, comprising:

determining, by a second handheld device, a version of video game software stored on a first handheld device;

determining, by the second handheld device, information to update portions of the video game software version of the game on the first handheld device to make the video game software on the first handheld device forward compatible with a version of the video game software on the second handheld device to allow for multiplayer game play between the first and second handheld devices, based at least on a version of video game software of a game stored on the second handheld device;

transmitting the information to update the video game software version of the game from the second handheld device to the first handheld device along with instructions as to where in memory of the first handheld device to store the information, the instructions including at least one memory address for storage of the information in the first handheld device and at least one flag indicating removal of the information after termination of multiplayer game play;

commanding the first handheld device to write the information to memory of the first handheld device in accordance with the received instructions, so as to modify the video game software on the first handheld device; and

communicating, by the second handheld device, with the first handheld device for multiplayer game play.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising deleting the information from the first handheld device after termination of multiplayer game play in accordance with the at least one flag.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising requesting a memory allocation from the first handheld device, receiving at least one memory address of allocated memory from the first handheld device, and wherein the at least one memory address for storage of the information includes the at least one memory address of allocated memory.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information to update the video game software version of the game comprises program instructions for use in execution of the game by the first handheld device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information comprises data for use by program instructions.

6. A handheld game device configured to perform software patching of video game software of another handheld device, having a different version of the video game software, in wireless communication with the handheld game device, comprising:

a processor;

wireless communication circuitry;

memory including program instructions to configure the processor to determine information to provide to another handheld game device in order to modify a portion of video game software of the other handheld device based on a version of video game software of the handheld game device so as to make the older version of the video game software of the other handheld device forward compatible for multiplayer game play with video game software stored on the handheld device to allow for multiplayer game play between the handheld device and the other handheld device, wherein the other handheld device has an older version of the same video game software stored thereon as compared to the video game software stored on the handheld device;

wherein the memory further includes program instructions to provide the information to the other handheld game device using the wireless communication circuitry; and

wherein the program instructions to provide the information to the other handheld game device using the wireless communication circuitry includes program instructions to provide the information and to provide at least one memory address of memory of the other handheld game device to which the other handheld game device should write the information and at least one flag indicating removal of the information after termination of multiplayer game play.

7. The handheld game device of claim 6 wherein the program instructions to provide the information to the other handheld game device using the wireless communication circuitry includes program instructions to provide a retention flag as to retention of the information in memory to the other handheld game device.

8. The handheld game device of claim 6 wherein the memory further includes program instructions to request an allocation of memory from the other handheld game device.

9. The handheld game device of claim 6 wherein the information includes program instructions.

10. The handheld game device of claim 6 wherein the information includes program instructions to replace program instructions of the video game software of the other handheld game device.

11. The handheld game device of claim 10 wherein the program instructions are to replace some but not all of the program instructions of the video game software of the other handheld game device.

12. A method including updating handheld device video game software, comprising:

determining, by a first handheld device, a version of video game software stored on a second handheld device;

determining, by the first handheld device, information to update portions of the video game software version of the game on the second handheld device to make the video game software version of the game on the second handheld device forward compatible with video game software stored on the first handheld device to allow for multiplayer game play between the handheld devices, based at least on a version of video game software of a game stored on the first handheld device, the information including program instructions;

transmitting, from the first handheld device to the second handheld device, at least one memory address identifying a location in memory of the second handheld device for storage of at least some of the information;

transmitting the information, including the program instructions, to update the video game software version of the game from the first handheld device to the second handheld device along with at least one flag indicating removal of information after termination of multiplayer game play;

engaging, by the first and second handheld devices, in multiplayer game play; and

deleting at least some of the information from the second handheld device in accordance with the at least one flag after completion of multiplayer game play.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory address is a memory address provided to the first handheld device from the second handheld device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the program instructions include program instructions which replace program instructions resident in memory of the second handheld device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the program instructions include program instructions which supplement program instructions resident in memory of the second handheld device.