System for Optimizing Processing Capacity for a Group of Gaming Applicances Engaged in Play of an Online Game

• US 20130017889A1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roblox Corp.
• Original Assignee: Roblox Corp.
• Inventors: Kozlov, Semen
• Granted Patent: US 9,044,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• 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 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6615 using models with different levels of detail [LOD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A network-connected system serving digital games includes a game server having a first software application executing from a non-transitory physical medium coupled to the server, the server serving a digital game to individual ones of network-connected digital appliances, and distributed client software applications executing from non-transitory physical mediums coupled to the network-connected digital appliances. The client software applications monitor local processing capability for real-time processing of served objects and effects, communicate capability information to the game server, and the game server serves objects and effects compatible with a higher level of processing capability or objects and effects compatible with a lower level of processing capability depending on the capability information communicated.

Claims

1. A network-connected system serving digital games, comprising:

a first software application executing from a non-transitory physical medium optionally coupled to a game server, the server serving a digital games to individual ones of network-connected digital appliances; and

distributed client software applications executing from non-transitory physical mediums coupled to the network-connected digital appliances;

wherein the client software applications monitor local processing capability for real-time processing of served objects and effects, communicate capability information to the game server, and the game server serves objects and effects compatible with a higher level of processing capability or objects and effects compatible with a lower level of processing capability depending on the capability information communicated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein digital appliances include but are not limited to a game box, a personal computer, a laptop, a smart phone, an iPad, an android device, an iPhone or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein multiple different versions of the objects and effects for a game are maintained separately by the game server for the purpose of serving the objects and effects according to the communicated processing capabilities of the digital appliances.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein adjustable parameters of objects and effects served include but are not limited to pixel count, zoom capabilities, object size, effect particle resolution, rates of animation of objects and effects, and visual effects and rendering quality.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein processing capability is measured by averaging percentage of CPU usage and or graphics accelerator card usage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communicated processing capacity determines whether the sever will raise the level, lower the level, or continue to maintain the current level of quality and complexity relative to the game objects and effects served to the digital appliance.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the server operates by preprogrammed levels, each associated with objects and effects appropriate to that level, and also creates custom levels for specific appliances during game play based on a processing capability average outside the preprogrammed levels.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein individual objects and effects have selectable parameters, and the server adjusts parameters including but not limited to pixel size, zoom capabilities, object size, particle resolution, rate of animation, and visual effects and rendering quality.

10. A method adjusting digital games to capability of digital appliances, comprising steps of:

(a) providing monitoring software monitoring capability of individual, network-connected digital appliances to operate in playing a game served by a network-connected server;

(b) during play of a game served by the server, determining by the monitoring software capability for individual digital appliances to process objects and effects in playing the game;

(c) sending information regarding the capability determined in step (b) to the server; and

(d) selecting by the server objects and effects for individual digital appliances depending on the capability information sent by the digital appliances in step (c).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network is the Internet network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein digital appliances include but are not limited to a game box, a personal computer, a laptop, a smart phone, an iPad, an android device, an iPhone or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

13. The method of claim 10, wherein multiple different versions of the objects and effects for a game are maintained separately by the game server for the purpose of serving the objects and effects according to the communicated processing capabilities of the digital appliances.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein adjustable parameters of objects and effects served include but are not limited to pixel count, zoom capabilities, object size, effect particle resolution, rates of animation of objects and effects, and visual effects and rendering quality.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein processing capability is measured by averaging percentage of CPU usage and or graphics accelerator card usage.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the communicated processing capacity determines whether the sever will raise the level, lower the level, or continue to maintain the current level of quality and complexity relative to the game objects and effects served to the digital appliance.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the server operates by preprogrammed levels, each associated with objects and effects appropriate to that level, and also creates custom levels for specific appliances during game play based on a processing capability average outside the preprogrammed levels.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein individual objects and effects have selectable parameters, and the server adjusts parameters including but not limited to pixel size, zoom capabilities, object size, particle resolution, and rate of animation.