VIDEO GAME FORWARD COMPATIBILITY INCLUDING SOFTWARE PATCHING

• US 20090172659A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• 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 a version of a game on a handheld device;

determining information to update the version of the game on the handheld device; and

commanding the handheld device to write the information to memory of the handheld device so as to modify the game on the handheld device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein commanding the handheld device to write the information to memory of the handheld device comprises transmitting the information and at least one memory address for storage of the information to the handheld device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by another handheld device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein commanding the handheld device to write the information to memory of the handheld device further comprises transmitting a retention flag to the handheld device.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising requesting a memory allocation from the handheld device, receiving at least one memory address of allocated memory from the 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.

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

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

8. A handheld game device configured to perform software patching of video game software of another handheld 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 video game software of the other handheld device.

9. The handheld game device of claim 8 wherein the memory further includes program instructions to provide the information to the other handheld game device using the wireless communication circuitry.

10. The handheld game device of claim 9 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.

11. The handheld game device of claim 10 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.

12. The handheld game device of claim 10 wherein the memory further includes program instructions to request an allocation of memory from the other handheld game device.

13. The handheld game device of claim 10 wherein the information includes program instructions.

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

15. The handheld game device of claim 14 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.