Location based game state synchronization

• US 9,002,992 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. (Razer Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nextbit Systems, Inc. (Razer Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chan, Michael A., Quan, Justin, Bornstein, Daniel R., Moss, Tom, Tong, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US14/252,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 709/219, 463/24, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42, 463/40, 455/41.1
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A technique and apparatus for backing up and restoring game application state across multiple devices are disclosed herein. The method includes running an instance of a game application at a first device. Based on any of various criteria, such as the proximity between the first device and a second device, a computer makes a determination to synchronize the application state between the two devices. The computer causes the application state data, which represents an application state of the game application running on the first device, to be saved and made available to the second device, such as by saving the application state data to cloud storage. The second device receives the application state data and restores the game application state.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing state between devices based on location comprising:

receiving an indication that a first instance of a mobile game application is being run at a first mobile device;

receiving, by the first mobile device, first device location information indicative of a location of the first mobile device;

receiving, by the first mobile device, an indication that a second mobile device is within range of direct short range wireless communication with the first mobile device;

receiving, by the first mobile device, an indication that the mobile game application is installed at the second mobile device;

receiving, by the first mobile device, second device location information indicative of a location of the second mobile device;

determining, by the first mobile device, a proximity between the first mobile device and the second mobile device based on a relationship between the first device location information and the second device location information;

in response to the determined proximity, saving, by the first mobile device, an application state data of the mobile game application being executed at the first mobile device;

determining, by the first mobile device, whether the second mobile device has adequate resources to execute an instance of the mobile game application that is to be initiated with a state based on the application state data;

determining, by the first mobile device, a likelihood that a user associated with both the first mobile device and second mobile device will begin to run the mobile game application at the second mobile device based on a past history of usage of the first mobile device and the second mobile device by the user;

determining, by the first mobile device, to synchronize the application state data between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, based on the determination of the likelihood, and a determination that the second mobile device has the adequate resources;

in response to the determination to synchronize the application state data, sending the application state data, by the first mobile device and via short range wireless communication, to the second mobile device to enable the instance of the mobile game application to be initiated, based on the application state data, at the second mobile device; and

receiving, by the first mobile device, an indication that the instance of the mobile game application was initiated at the second mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, by the first mobile device, the instance of the mobile game application at the second mobile device to be initiated based on the application state data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device is any one of a smart phone, a tablet computer, a portable media device, a wearable computing device, or a laptop, and wherein the second mobile device is any one of a smart phone, a tablet computer, a portable media device, a wearable computing device, or a laptop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application state data is stored at a cloud storage server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range communication includes communication via any of Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), near field communication (NFC), or an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the second mobile device is within the range of the direct short range wireless communication includes any of the first mobile device and the second mobile device being able to communicate via the direct short range wireless communication, the determined proximity being a separation distance between the first mobile device and the second mobile device that is less than the range of the direct short range wireless communication, or the first mobile device and the second mobile device both being able to communicate via a same IEEE 802.11 WLAN at substantially a same time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device location information includes any of a GPS coordinate representing a location of the second mobile device, a short range wireless communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, the first mobile device and the second mobile device both being able to communicate via a same IEEE 802.11 WLAN at substantially a same time, or the first mobile device and the second mobile device both being within a same geo-fence at substantially a same time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the mobile game application is paused, wherein the saving of the application state data includes saving the application state data in response to both the determined proximity and the determination that the mobile game application is paused.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the first mobile device is no longer being used to play the mobile game application, wherein the saving of the application state data includes saving the application state data in response to both the determined proximity and the indication that the first mobile device is no longer being used to play the mobile game application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication that the first mobile device is no longer being used to play the mobile game application is any of a message from a motion sensing device embedded in the first mobile device that indicates that the first mobile device is substantially motionless, an indication that the first mobile device is being powered off or put in a low power mode, or an indication that a screen lock has started on the first mobile device.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, an indication that a first instance of a mobile game application is being run at a first mobile device, the first mobile device being associated with a user;

receiving, by the computer system, first device location information indicative of a location of the first mobile device;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that a second mobile device is within range of direct short range wireless communication with the first mobile device, the second mobile device also being associated with the user;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the mobile game application is installed at the second mobile device;

receiving, by the computer system, second device location information indicative of a location of the second mobile device;

determining, by the computer system, a proximity between the first mobile device and the second mobile device based on a relationship between the first device location information and the second device location information;

causing, by the computer system, application state data of the mobile game application being executed at the first mobile device to be saved;

determining, by the computer system, whether the second mobile device has adequate resources to execute an instance of the mobile game application that is to be initiated with a state based on the application state data;

accessing, by the computer system, sync information associated with a synchronization scheme defined by the user, the synchronization scheme being one or more rules that indicate when to synchronize a current state of execution of a given application between a plurality of devices;

determining, by the computer system, to synchronize the application state data between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, based on a determination that the second mobile device has the adequate resources, and based on the sync information indicating that the application state data should be synchronized between the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

in response to the determination to synchronize the application state data, causing, by the computer system, the application state data to be sent to the second mobile device to enable the instance of the mobile game application to be initiated, based on the application state data, at the second mobile device; and

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the instance of the mobile game application was initiated at the second mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more synchronization rules include a first rule that indicates to synchronize the current state of execution of the given application between the first mobile device and the second mobile device when the determined proximity indicates that the first mobile device and the second mobile device are separated by less than a pre-determined distance.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first rule indicates to synchronize the current state of execution of the given application when the determined proximity indicates that the first mobile device and the second mobile device are separated by less than a pre-determined distance, and an indication is received that indicates that the first mobile device is no longer being used to play the mobile game application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the indication that the first mobile device is no longer being used to play the mobile game application is any of a message from a motion sensing device embedded in the first mobile device that indicates that the first mobile device is substantially motionless, an indication that the first mobile device is being powered off or put in a low power mode, or an indication that a screen lock has started on the first mobile device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication that the second mobile device is within the range of the direct short range wireless communication includes any of the first mobile device and the second mobile device being able to communicate via the direct short range wireless communication, the determined proximity being a separation distance between the first mobile device and the second mobile device that is less than the range of the direct short range wireless communication, or the first mobile device and the second mobile device both being able to communicate via a same IEEE 802.11 WLAN at substantially a same time.

16. A first mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a communication interface coupled to the processor, through which to communicate with remote devices; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the system to perform operations including;

receiving an indication that a first instance of a mobile game application is being run at the first mobile device;

receiving first device location information indicative of a location of the first mobile device;

receiving, via the communication interface, an indication that a second mobile device is within range of direct short range wireless communication with the first mobile device;

receiving, via the communication interface, an indication that the mobile game application is installed at the second mobile device;

receiving, via the communication interface, second device location information indicative of a location of the second mobile device;

determining a proximity between the first mobile device and the second mobile device based on a relationship between the first device location information and the second device location information;

saving an application state data of the mobile game application being executed at the first mobile device;

determining whether the second mobile device has adequate resources to execute an instance of the mobile game application that is to be initiated with a state based on the application state data;

determining to synchronize the application state data between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, based on the proximity and a determination that the second mobile device has the adequate resources;

in response to the determination to synchronize the application state data, sending the application state data, via the communication interface, to the second mobile device to enable the instance of the mobile game application to be initiated, based on the application state data, at the second mobile device; and

receiving, via the communication interface, an indication that the instance of the mobile game application was initiated at the second mobile device.

17. The first mobile device of claim 16, further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the processor, wherein the first device location information includes a GPS coordinate, that indicates the location of the first mobile device, received from the GPS receiver.

18. The first mobile device of claim 16, wherein the operations further include:

determining a likelihood that a user associated with both the first mobile device and second mobile device will begin to run the mobile game application at the second mobile device based on a past history of usage of the first mobile device and the second mobile device by the user, wherein the determination to synchronize the application state data is further based on the likelihood.

19. The first mobile device of claim 16, wherein the communication interface is capable of communicating via any of Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), near field communication (NFC), an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN), or a cellular telecommunication network.

20. The first mobile device of claim 16, wherein the indication that the second mobile device is within the range of the direct short range wireless communication includes any of the first mobile device and the second mobile device being able to communicate via the direct short range wireless communication, the determined proximity being a separation distance between the first mobile device and the second mobile device that is less than the range of the direct short range wireless communication, or the first mobile device and the second mobile device both being able to communicate via a same IEEE 802.11 WLAN at substantially a same time.