Method and system for improving the efficiency of state information transfer over a wireless communications network

• US 9,112,893 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hutcheson, S. Douglas, Robinson, Richard, Caliguri, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le H
• Application Number:
  US13/769,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 455/518, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/566, 455/414.2, 463/39, 463/40, 463/42, 340/573.1, 715/236, 370/465, 370/328, 370/310
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/217 using environment-related information, i.e. information generated otherwise than by the player, e.g. ambient temperature or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0273 adapting protocols for flow control or congestion control to wireless environment, e.g. adapting transmission control protocol [TCP] wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation, e.g. wireless application protocol H04W80/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 : Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for managing state information related to an interactive application to accommodate one or more users participating in an interactive application session, wherein the state information comprises local state information specific to each of the one or more user'"'"'s unique view of the interactive application and global state information. The system of the present invention may comprise a telecommunications network; an application server in communication with the telecommunications network for managing the global state information relative to all of the users participating in the interactive application session; and at least one mobile client device in communication with the application server over the telecommunications network for managing the local state information for each of the one or more users. The method of the present invention may comprise the steps of structuring the state information for optimized delivery over the telecommunications network; and transferring the state information over the telecommunications network.

Claims

1. A method for managing global state information related to an interactive application relative to local state information received from one or more mobile client devices over a wireless communications network during an interactive application session, comprising:

receiving the local state information from each of the one or more mobile client devices;

comparing the received local state information with the global state information and updating the global state information; and

structuring the updated global state information for optimized delivery over the wireless communications network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local state information corresponds to a subset of the global state information based on an ability of the mobile client device to process global state information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising time synchronizing the updated global state information delivered to each of the one or more mobile client devices over said wireless communications network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the updated global state information to each of the one or more mobile client devices, wherein delivering is performed in accordance with a peer-to-peer distribution model.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising structuring the updated global state information based upon degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application.

6. A system for managing global state information related to an interactive application relative to local state information received from one or more mobile client devices over a wireless communications network during an interactive application session, comprising:

a communication interface for receiving the local state information from each of the one or more mobile client devices;

a global modeler for comparing the received local state information with the global state information and updating the global state information; and

a server state manager for structuring the updated global state information for optimized delivery over the wireless communications network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said communication interface delivers the updated global state information to each of the one or more mobile client devices.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising synchronization logic to time synchronize the updated global state information delivered to each of the one or more mobile client device over said wireless communications network, wherein said synchronization means comprises a server system clock.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said server state manager structures the updated global state information based upon degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application.

10. An apparatus for managing global state information related to an interactive application relative to local state information received from one or more mobile client devices over a wireless communications network during an interactive application session, comprising:

a server device having;

a communication interface for receiving the local state information from each of the one or more mobile client devices;

a global modeler for comparing the received local state information with the global state information and updating the global state information; and

a server state manager for structuring the updated global state information for optimized delivery over the wireless communications network.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said communication interface delivers the updated global state information to each of the one or more mobile client devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said server device further comprises synchronization logic to time synchronize the updated global state information delivered to each of the one or more mobile client device over said wireless communications network, wherein said synchronization means comprises a server system clock.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said server state manager structures the updated global state information based upon degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application.

14. A method for managing local state information related to an interactive application relative to global state information maintained by an application server during an interactive application session between users over a wireless communications network, comprising:

comparing the local state information to the global state information, wherein differences between the local state information and the global state information comprise changed state information;

structuring the changed state information for optimized delivery over the wireless communications network; and

delivering the changed state information to the application server over the wireless communications network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the local state information corresponds to a subset of the global state information based on an ability of the mobile client device to process global state information.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising time synchronizing the changed state information delivered to the application server over the wireless communications network.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising structuring the changed state information based upon degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing the interactive application; and

interfacing with the interactive application.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising selecting one or more of a plug-in memory module and a memory stick.

20. A system for managing local state information related to an interactive application relative to global state information maintained by an application server during an interactive application session between users over a wireless communications network, comprising:

a local modeler for comparing the local state information to the global state information, wherein differences between the local state information and the global state information comprise changed state information;

a client state manager for structuring the changed state information for optimized delivery over the wireless communications network; and

a communication interface for delivering the changed state information to the application server over the wireless communications network.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising synchronization logic to time synchronize the changed state information delivered to the application server over the wireless communications network, wherein said synchronization means comprises a server system clock.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said client state manager structures the changed state information based upon degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a memory to store the interactive application; and

an input/output to facilitate interfacing with the interactive application.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said memory is selected from one or more of a plug-in memory module and a memory stick.

25. An apparatus for managing local state information related to an interactive application relative to global state information maintained by an application server during an interactive application session between users over a wireless communications network, comprising:

a mobile client device having;

a local modeler for comparing the local state information to the global state information, wherein differences between the local state information and the global state information comprise changed state information;

a client state manager for structuring the changed state information for optimized delivery over the wireless communications network; and

a communication interface for delivering the changed state information to the application server over the wireless communications network.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the mobile client device further comprises synchronization logic to time synchronize the changed state information delivered to the application server over the wireless communications network, wherein said synchronization means comprises a server system clock.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said client state manager structures the changed state information based upon degrees of freedom associated with the interactive application.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, a mobile client device further comprises:

a memory to store the interactive application; and

an input/output to facilitate interfacing with the interactive application.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said memory is selected from one or more of a plug-in memory module and a memory stick.