Method and apparatus for creating and playing soundtracks in a gaming system

• US 7,331,869 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blanco, Victor Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel; Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US11/068,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20050159218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 463/35, 463/25, 463/29, 463 36- 39, 463 40- 42, 463/43, 369/63, 369/30.01, 446/397, 705/14, 707/102, 707/104.1, 700/86, 700/94, 434/307.A
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video

Abstract

A gaming system includes a game console that executes an application that creates and plays soundtracks through the gaming system. The application allows a user to create soundtracks by copying audio tracks from one or more audio sources. A user-created soundtrack can be associated with a particular game such that the user-created soundtrack is played during execution of the game instead of the game'"'"'s default soundtrack. During execution of a game, a user may change the soundtrack being played.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

executing a game application and playing a first soundtrack on a gaming system, wherein the first soundtrack is associated with the gaming application;

receiving a request to select a different soundtrack;

displaying a selectable list of soundtracks which are accessible by the gaming system, the selectable list including one or more soundtracks created by a user apart from the game application using a console application to choose from among a plurality of sources for audio files to create the soundtracks by copying selected audio files to a mass storage component of the gaming system, such that audio files of each soundtrack are accessible from the mass storage component to;

playback directly using a media player component of the console application; and

playback during execution of associated game applications;

determining a new soundtrack selected by a user via the list to be played, wherein the new soundtrack is not associated with the game application and has not previously been associated with the game application by a user;

assigning the new soundtrack to the gaming application, wherein the new soundtrack is played by default instead of a default soundtrack provided with the game application; and

continuing execution of the game application and playing the new soundtrack on the gaming system, wherein the new soundtrack is stored on and played from the mass storage component.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the selectable list of soundtracks is generated by identifying soundtracks stored in the gaming system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a new soundtrack to be played includes receiving information regarding a selected soundtrack.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first soundtrack is a user-associated soundtrack.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first soundtrack is the default soundtrack.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1 wherein the new soundtrack is stored on a hard disk contained in the gaming system.

14. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1 wherein the new soundtrack is stored on a portable memory unit coupled to the gaming system.

15. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1 wherein the new soundtrack is available from an online source coupled to the gaming system.

6. A computer-readable medium for a game console comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the game console to:

execute a game application and play a first soundtrack associated with the game application;

receive a request to select a different soundtrack;

responsive to the request, display a selectable list of soundtracks which are accessible by the gaming system, the selectable list including a plurality of soundtracks created by a user apart from the game application using a console application to choose from among a plurality of sources for audio files to create the soundtracks by copying selected audio files to a mass storage component of the gaming system, such that audio files of each soundtrack are accessible from the mass storage component to;

playback directly using a media player component of the console application; and

playback during execution of associated game applications;

determine a new soundtrack selected by a user via the list to play, wherein the new soundtrack is not provided with the game application and has not previously been associated with the game application by a user; and

resume execution of the game application and play the new soundtrack,

wherein the new soundtrack is assigned to be played by default instead of a default soundtrack provided with the game application.

7. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6 wherein the selectable list of soundtracks is stored on the computer-readable medium.

8. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further retrieve information regarding the new soundtrack.

9. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6 wherein the first soundtrack is associated with a user of the game console.

10. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6 wherein the first soundtrack is the default soundtrack.

11. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6 wherein the new soundtrack is stored on a hard disk contained in the game console.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6 wherein the new soundtrack is stored on a portable memory unit coupled to the game console.

16. A method comprising:

executing a game application on a gaming system and playing a default soundtrack provided with the game application;

receiving a request to select a new soundtrack;

displaying a selectable list of soundtracks including at least one soundtrack available from a hard disk that is a built-in part of the gaming system, the at least one soundtrack from the hard disk created using a console application to choose from among a plurality of sources for audio files to create the soundtracks by copying selected audio files the hard disk of the gaming system, such that audio files of the soundtrack are accessible from the hard disk to;

playback directly using a media player component of the console application; and

playback during execution of associated game applications;

displaying in the selectable list at least an additional soundtrack available from an additional source, the at least additional soundtrack from the additional source not associated with the gaming application;

determining, based upon a user selection via the selectable list, a new soundtrack to be played as either the at least one soundtrack or the at least additional soundtrack; and

assigning the new soundtrack to the gaming application, wherein the new soundtrack is played by default instead of the default soundtrack provided with the game application.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the additional source is an online source accessible by the gaming system.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising continuing execution of the game application and playing the new soundtrack.