Multimedia-based video game distribution

• US 20070021211A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Walter, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/338 using television networks
• 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 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games

Abstract

A method and system are provided. The method includes providing a multimedia data stream including a first channel having video content representing a first list of video games and corresponding channel identifiers and a second channel having video game data associated with a first video game of the first list. The second channel is associated with a first channel identifier corresponding to the first video game. The system includes one or more storage devices to store video game data, a list generation module to generate video content representing a first list of video games and corresponding channel identifiers and a multimedia stream generator. The multimedia stream generator generates a multimedia data stream including at least a first channel having data representative of the video content representing the first list of video games and a second channel having video game data associated with a first video game of the first list.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a multimedia data stream for reception by a display device, wherein the multimedia data stream comprises a first channel having video content representing a first list of available video games and corresponding channel identifiers and a second channel having video game data associated with a first video game of the first list, wherein the second channel is associated with a first channel identifier corresponding to the first video game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia data stream further comprises a third channel having video game data associated with a second video game of the first list, wherein the third channel is associated with a second channel identifier corresponding to the second video game.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia data stream further comprises a third channel having video content representing a second list of available video games and corresponding identifiers and a fourth channel having video game data associated with a second video game of the second list, wherein the fourth channel is associated with a second channel identifier corresponding to the second video game.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first list represents video games associated with a first category and the second list represents video games associated with a second category.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting the video game data of the second channel prior to providing the multimedia data stream to the display device; and

providing a decryption key used to decrypt the video game data to the display device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

verifying an identification of the display device prior to providing the decryption key.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the video game data associated with the first video game is provided in a continuous loop as the second channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the video game data associated with the first video game is provided in response to a request for the video game data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a television having a game console modular card to process the video game data, wherein the television is operable to display video content promptly upon receipt of a request to power up the television.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the multimedia data stream comprises providing the multimedia data stream to the television via a packet-based network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the packet-based network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the television further comprises a decoder to decode the first channel to generate display data representative of the video content of the first channel, wherein the display data is provided to a display of the television.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the multimedia data stream comprises providing the multimedia data stream as a digital television transmission.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital television transmission comprises at least one of a terrestrial transmission or a satellite transmission.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the multimedia data stream comprises providing the multimedia data stream to the display device via a packet-based network.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising billing for a service that includes providing the multimedia data stream.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, at a system including a display device, a multimedia data stream, wherein the multimedia data stream comprises a first channel having video content representing a first list of available video games and corresponding channel identifiers and a second channel having video game data associated with a first video game of the first list, wherein the second channel is associated with a first channel identifier corresponding to the first video game;

providing the video content representing the first list of available video games for display;

receiving a user input indicating a selection of the first channel identifier associated with the first video game of the first list in response to display of the video content; and

obtaining the video game data associated with the first video game from the second channel for storage at the system in response to receiving the user input.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the multimedia data stream further comprises a third channel having video game data associated with a second video game of the first list, wherein the third channel is associated with a second channel identifier corresponding to the second video game.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a user input indicating a selection of the second channel identifier associated with the second video game of the first list in response to display of the video content; and

obtaining the video game data associated with the second video game from the third channel in response to receiving the user input.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying video content representing a second list of available video games;

receiving user input signals indicating a selection of a second channel identifier associated with a second video game; and

obtaining the video game data associated with the second video game for storage at the display device.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the user input comprises a remote control command received via a remote control interface of the system.

22. A system comprising:

one or more storage devices to store video game data associated with a plurality of video games;

a list generation module to generate video content representing a first list of video games and corresponding channel identifiers;

a multimedia stream generator coupled to the one or more storage devices and the list generation module, the multimedia stream generator to generate a multimedia data stream for output, the multimedia data stream comprising at least a first channel having data representative of the video content representing the first list of video games and a second channel having video game data associated with a first video game of the first list, wherein the second channel is associated with a first channel identifier corresponding to the first video game.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the multimedia data stream further comprises a third channel having video game data associated with a second video game of the first list.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the multimedia stream generator provides the video game data associated with the first video game in response to a request for the video game data from a user.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the system is coupled to the one or more remote display devices via a packet-based network and wherein the multimedia stream generator provides the multimedia data stream to the one or more display devices as a packet-based transmission.

26. A television comprising:

a display;

a first interface to receive a multimedia data stream, wherein the multimedia data stream comprises a first channel having video content representing a first list of available video games and a second channel having video game data associated with a first video game of the first list;

a decoder to provide the video content to the display;

a control interface to receive a user input indicating a selection of a channel identifier associated with the first video game of the first list in response to display of the video content;

a video game storage unit to obtain the video game data associated with the first video game from the second channel in response to the user input;

a first modular card receptacle coupled to the first interface; and

a game console modular card coupled to the first modular card receptacle, wherein the game console modular card processes the video game data and wherein the game console modular card comprises;

one or more controller inputs to receive user control signals related to game play; and

an output to provide video data associated with the game play;

wherein the television is operable to display video content on the display promptly upon receipt of a request to power up the television.

27. The television of claim 26, wherein the user control interface comprises a remote control interface to receive remote control commands from a remote control device and wherein the user input includes a remote control command.

28. The television of claim 26, wherein the game console modular card includes the video game storage unit.

29. The television of claim 26, wherein the video game storage unit further is to decrypt the video game data of the second channel using a predetermined decryption key.

30. The television of claim 26, wherein the first interface comprises at least one of a network interface to a packet-based network or a cable interface to receive a digital cable television transmission including the first multimedia data stream.