Generic companion-messaging between media platforms

• US 9,381,427 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Shaikh, Baber M., Elliott, John Darren, Jackson, Wyatt Douglas, Liou, Hansen, Maillot, Alain P., Xu, Zhangwei, Black, Neil Warren, Discolo, Anthony Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US13/744,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20140201378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/404 characterized by a local network connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Various embodiments, methods, and systems for communicating via a generic companion-messaging session are provided. The generic companion-messaging session includes a base platform running a base platform application and a companion platform running a companion platform application. An initialization message that automatically pairs the companion platform application and the base platform application is sent from the companion platform to the base platform for a generic companion-messaging session. The companion platform is connected to an encrypted communication channel for the generic companion-messaging session with the base platform. The encrypted communication channel supports bidirectional communication over a plurality of connections. A connection from the plurality of connections is determined for routing a message. The message is routed via a direct connection when the direct connection with the base platform is determined and the message is routed via an indirect connection when the indirect connection with the base platform is determined.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method for communicating via a generic companion-messaging session, the method comprising:

sending an initialization message to a base platform for the generic companion-messaging session between a companion platform application and a base platform application, wherein, the generic companion-messaging session automatically pairs the companion platform application and the base platform application;

connecting to an encrypted communication channel for the generic companion-messaging session with the base platform, wherein the encrypted communication channel supports bidirectional communication over a plurality of connections;

determining a connection, from the plurality of connections for routing a message, to cause different types of generic companion-messaging functionality, of the companion platform application and the base platform application using the encrypted communication channel, to be available based on the connection that is determined,

wherein the message is routed via a direct connection when the direct connection with the base platform is determined and the message is routed via an indirect connection when the indirect connection with the base platform is determined, and wherein the direct connection is a local network connection with the base platform and the indirect connection is an Internet-service connection; and

communicating the message such that the message is routed based on the connection with the base platform.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein, the generic companion-messaging session automatically pairs the companion platform application and the base platform application based on a generic companion-messaging abstraction layer that facilitates platform-independent communication between the companion platform application and the base platform application.

3. The media of claim 2, wherein the generic companion-messaging abstraction layer comprises a companion platform-side API (Application Program Interface) for the companion platform application that corresponds to a base platform-side API for the base platform application.

4. The media of claim 3, wherein the companion platform-side API provides abstraction for the generic companion-messaging session to support dynamic scriptable rendering on the companion platform application.

5. The media of claim 1, wherein connecting to the encrypted communication channel further comprises receiving an encryption key associated with the base platform.

6. The media of claim 1, further comprising:

upon failure of the direct connection, automatically communicating the message such that the message is routed via the indirect connection.

7. The media of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to communicating the message such that the message is routed, sending to the base platform a connection establishment notification of the generic companion-messaging session.

8. One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method for communicating via a generic companion-messaging session, the method comprising:

receiving an initialization message from a companion platform for the generic companion-messaging session between a companion platform application and a base platform application, wherein the generic companion-messaging session automatically pairs the companion platform application and the base platform application based on a generic companion-messaging abstraction layer that facilitates platform-independent communication between the companion platform application and the base platform application;

connecting to an encrypted communication channel for the generic companion-messaging session with the companion platform, wherein the encrypted communication channel supports bidirectional communication over a plurality of connections;

determining a connection from the plurality of connections for routing a message, to cause different types of generic companion-messaging functionality, of the companion platform application and the base platform application using the encrypted communication channel, to be available based on the connection that is determined, wherein the message is routed via a direct connection when the direct connection with the companion platform is determined and the message is routed via an indirect connection when the indirect connection with the companion platform is determined, and wherein the direct connection is a local network connection and the indirect connection is an Internet-service connection; and

communicating the message such that the message is routed based on the connection with a base platform.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein receiving the initialization message is based at least in part on an association with a user account on the companion platform.

10. The media of claim 8, wherein receiving the initialization message is based at least in part on an association with a service discovery protocol.

11. The media of claim 8, further comprising:

simultaneously routing a first message via the direct connection to a first companion platform when the direct connection with the first companion platform is determined; and

routing a second message via the indirect connection to a second companion platform when the indirect connection with the second companion platform is determined.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein communicating the message to the companion platform provides companion functionality of the base platform application on a first device in association with the companion platform application on a second device.

13. The media of claim 8, further comprising:

broadcasting to one or more companion platform applications a broadcast message based on the connection associated with the companion platform running the companion platform application.

14. A method for communicating via a generic companion-messaging session, the method comprising:

sending an initializing message for the generic companion-messaging session from a base platform to a companion platform, wherein the generic companion-messaging session automatically pairs a companion platform application on the companion platform with a base platform application on the base platform based on a generic companion-messaging abstraction layer that facilitates platform-independent communication between the companion platform application and the base platform application;

receiving an encryption key at the base platform for an encrypted communication channel for the generic companion-messaging session with the companion platform associated with the encryption key, wherein the encrypted communication channel supports bidirectional communication over a plurality of connections;

prior to routing a base platform message, receiving at the base platform from the companion platform a connection establishment notification for the generic companion-messaging session;

automatically communicating the base platform message such that the base platform message is routed based on a connection with the companion platform, wherein different types of generic companion-messaging functionality, of the companion platform application and the base platform application using the encrypted communication channel, are available based on the connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the generic companion-messaging session abstraction layer functions to supports transparency between base platform application and the companion platform application such that the base platform application and the companion platform application do not communicate with one or more platform-specific interfaces.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining the connection from the plurality of connections for routing a companion platform message, wherein the companion platform message is routed via the direct connection when the direct connection with the base platform is determined and the companion platform message is routed via the indirect connection when the indirect connection with the base platform is determined, and wherein the direct connection is the local network connection with the base platform and the indirect connection is the Internet-service connection; and

routing the companion platform message based on the connection with the base platform.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the companion platform message is routed to the base platform such that companion functionality of the companion platform application on a first device is provided to the base platform application on a second device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the companion functionality comprises a secondary display screen at the companion platform associated with a primary display screen at the base platform.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the companion functionality comprises navigation of the base platform application via the companion platform application.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the companion platform is a touch-screen device and the base platform is a game console.