Game having a plurality of engines

• US 9,132,354 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hermann, Gregory A., Ayoub, Daniel M., Ries, Dennis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, BACH V
• Application Number:
  US13/334,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering

Abstract

A game having a plurality of engines is described. In one or more implementations, a computing device displays an output of a first engine of a game by a computing device. An input is received by the computing device to switch from the output of the first engine of the game to an output of a second engine of the game, the first and second engines being executed concurrently by the computing device. Responsive to the receipt of the input, the computing device switches from displaying of the output of the first engine of the game to displaying the output of the second engine of the game.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computing device that includes a processor, the method comprising:

displaying first graphics provided by a first engine of a game in a portion of a display device coupled to the computing device;

displaying second graphics provided by a second engine of the game in another portion of the display device, the game being configured for execution using both the first engine and the second engine such that the first engine provides the first graphics and first audio corresponding to a first version of the game and the second engine provides the second graphics and second audio corresponding to a second version of the game;

receiving an input by the computing device to switch from simultaneously displaying the first graphics of the first engine and the second graphics of the second engine to displaying solely the second graphics provided by the second engine, the first and second engines being executed concurrently by the computing device; and

responsive to the receiving, switching, at the computing device, from the simultaneous displaying of the first graphics of the first engine and the second graphics of the second engine to displaying solely the second graphics and outputting the first audio provided by the first engine.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first engine is executed concurrently with the second engine during the displaying solely the second graphics provided by the second engine.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the switching includes replacing the displaying the first graphics of the first engine and the second graphics of the second engine with the displaying solely the second graphics of the second engine of the game.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the concurrent execution of the first and second engines enables the switching to be performed in real time.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the concurrent execution of the first and second engines is synchronized such that the first and second engines execute corresponding versions of the game concurrently.

6. A method as described in claim 5, wherein the concurrent execution is synchronized at a frame-by-frame rate.

7. A method as described in claim 1, the first version being an earlier version of the game than the second version.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the input is captured via a game controller, keyboard, touchscreen functionality, or a camera.

9. A system comprising:

a first engine of a game configured for execution by a computing device to output first graphics and first audio corresponding to a first version of the game;

a second engine of the game configured for execution with the first game engine by the computing device, the second engine being configured to provide second graphics and second audio corresponding to a second version of the game; and

a synchronization module of the game configured for synchronizing output of the first and second engines such that the first graphics of the first engine and the second graphics of the second engine switch from simultaneous display to displaying solely the second graphics and outputting the first audio provided by the first engine.

10. A system as described in claim 9, wherein the first graphics of the first engine and the second graphics of the second engine switch from simultaneous display to displaying solely the second graphics responsive to an input received by the computing device.

11. A system as described in claim 10, wherein the switching includes replacing the first graphics of the first engine of the game with the second graphics of the second engine of the game.

12. A system as described in claim 10, wherein the execution of the first and second engines is configured to be performed concurrently to enable the switching to be performed in real time.

13. A system as described in claim 9, wherein the execution is synchronized at a frame-by-frame rate.

14. A system as described in claim 9, the first version being an earlier version of the game than the second version.

15. One or more computer-readable storage devices comprising instructions stored thereon that responsive to execution by a computing device causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

displaying first graphics of a first engine of a game on a portion of a display device coupled to the computing device;

displaying second graphics of a second engine of the game on another portion of the display device, the game being configured for execution using both the first engine and the second engine such that the first engine provides the first graphics and first audio corresponding to a first version of the game and the second engine provides the second graphics and second audio corresponding to a second version of the game;

receiving an input by the computing device to switch from simultaneously displaying the first graphics of the first engine and the second graphics of the second engine to displaying solely the second graphics provided by the second engine, the first and second engines being executed concurrently by the computing device; and

responsive to the receiving, switching, at the computing device, from the simultaneous displaying of the first graphics of the first engine and the second graphics of the second engine to displaying solely the second graphics and outputting the first audio provided by the first engine.

16. One or more computer-readable storage devices as described in claim 15, wherein the concurrent execution of the first and second engines enables the switching to be performed in real time.

17. One or more computer-readable storage devices as described in claim 15, wherein execution of the first and second engines is synchronized to execute corresponding portions of the game concurrently by the computing device, respectively.

18. One or more computer-readable storage devices as described in claim 15, wherein the second engine of the game corresponds to an earlier version of the game than the first engine of the game.

19. One or more computer-readable storage devices as described in claim 15, wherein the first engine of the game corresponds to an earlier version than the second engine of the game.

20. One or more computer-readable storage devices as described in claim 15, wherein the first and second engines correspond to different versions of a single game.