Gaming controller

Game Controller

GAMING CONTROLLER

The present invention relates to a controller for interfacing with an interactive program.

The video game industry has produced many changes over the years. As computing power expands, video game developers are also creating game software that takes advantage of this computing power. To this end, video game developers have been coding games that incorporate complex operations and mathematical operations to produce a very realistic gaming experience.

Example game platforms are available for Sony Playstation®, Sony Playstation 2® (PS2), and Sony Playstation 3® (PS3), each of which is sold as a game console. As is well known, game consoles are designed to connect to a monitor (typically a television) and enable the user to interact with the palm-sized controller. An example of a palm-sized controller is the DUALSHOCK® 3 wireless controller manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Embodiments of the invention are produced in this context.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a controller that interfaces with an interactive application, such as a video game. Several inventive embodiments of the invention are described below.

In one embodiment, a controller for interfacing with an interactive application is provided, comprising: a housing having a body, a first extension extending from a first end of the body, and a second from the body An end extension extending a second extension portion defining the first extension portion and the The second extension portion is for holding by the first hand and the second hand of the user respectively; the input device is positioned along the top surface of the body; the touch sensitive panel is defined along the top surface of the body .

In one embodiment, the input device is selected from the group consisting of a joystick, a button, a trigger, and a steering wheel.

In one embodiment, the controller further includes a tracking panel defined along a front side surface of the body; and a light defined in the body to illuminate the tracking panel.

In one embodiment, the tracking panel is defined by a translucent material.

In one embodiment, the controller further includes one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

In one embodiment, the input device is a button configured to activate a common interface to share the recorded game to the user's social graph.

In one embodiment, the shared record game includes one or more of a shared image or video clip.

In one embodiment, the shared recording game includes live video of a streaming user game.

In another embodiment, a controller for interfacing with an interactive application includes a housing having a body, a first extension extending from a first end of the body, and extending from a second end of the body The second extension portion defines that the first extension portion and the second extension portion are respectively held by the first hand and the second hand of the user; the button is positioned along the top surface of the body, the button It is configured to launch a shared interface to share the recorded game to the user's social graph.

In one embodiment, the shared record game includes one or more of a shared image or video clip.

In one embodiment, the shared recording game includes live video of a streaming user game.

In one embodiment, the controller further includes a touch sensitive panel defined along the top surface of the body.

In one embodiment, the controller further includes an input device positioned along a top surface of the body.

In one embodiment, the input device is selected from the group consisting of a joystick, a button, a trigger, and a steering wheel.

In one embodiment, the controller further includes a tracking panel defined along a front side surface of the body; and a light defined in the body to illuminate the tracking panel.

In one embodiment, the tracking panel is defined by a translucent material.

In one embodiment, the controller further includes one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

In another embodiment, a controller for interfacing with an interactive application is provided, comprising: a housing having a body, a first extension extending from a first end of the body, and a a second extension extending from the two ends, the first extension portion and the second extension portion being respectively held by the first hand and the second hand of the user; the touch sensitive panel along the body a top surface defining; a button positioned along a top surface of the body, the button configured to activate a shared interface to share the recorded game to a user's social map; a tracking panel defined along a front side surface of the body And a light defined in the body to illuminate the tracking panel.

In one embodiment, the tracking panel is defined by a translucent material.

In one embodiment, the shared record game includes one or more of a shared image or video clip.

In one embodiment, the shared recording game includes live video of a streaming user game.

Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the description of the appended claims.

<p>10 Controller</p><p>12 Subject</p><p>14aExtension</p><p>14bExtension</p><p>16 button</p><p>18Joystick</p><p>20direction board</p><p>223D joystick</p><p>24Speakers</p><p>26 touch panel</p><p>30 display</p><p>50 bottom trigger</p><p>52 Tracking panel</p><p>54a top</p><p>54b bottom</p><p>56 dent</p><p>70a top board</p><p>70bfloor</p><p>71Flange</p><p>72 Compliance materials</p><p>74 Sensor</p><p>76Sensor Data Analyzer</p><p>100Controller device</p><p>102 button</p><p>104direction button</p><p>108Left joystick</p><p>110right joystick</p><p>112System button</p><p>114Speakers</p><p>116Touch sensitive board</p><p>120Share button</p><p>130 trigger button</p><p>132 trigger button</p><p>134 trigger button</p><p>136Trigger button</p><p>138Light strips</p><p>700System Unit</p><p>702 Game Controller</p><p>703game controller</p><p>704Remote control</p><p>706 keyboard</p><p>708 Mouse</p><p>710 portable entertainment device</p><p>712Camera</p><p>714Microphone headset</p><p>715 microphone</p><p>716 Memory Card Reader</p><p>718Bluetooth® Wireless Linkport</p><p>720IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless network (Wi-Fi)port</p><p>722Gigabit Ethernet Networkport</p><p>724Common Serial Bus (USB) 2.0port</p><p>726Rambus® Dynamic Random Access Memory (XDRAM) Unit</p><p>728Cell processor</p><p>730Real Synthesizer Graphics Unit</p><p>732With dedicated video random access memory (VRAM) unit</p><p>734I/O Bridge</p><p>736Removable Slot Disk Drive (HDD)</p><p>738 Memory Card Reader</p><p>740Disc Reader</p><p>740aMagnetic</p><p>742Display and sound output devices</p><p>746Speaker</p><p>748 memory card</p><p>810A, 810B, 810C, 810D, 810E, 810F, 810G, 810HCoprocessing Components (SPE)</p><p>820A, 820B, 820C, 820D, 820E, 820F, 820G, 820H Coprocessing Unit (SPU)</p><p>830A, 830B, 830C, 830D, 830E, 830F, 830G, 830H local RAM</p><p>840A, 840B, 840C, 840D, 840E, 840F, 840G, 840H Storage Flow Controller (MFC)</p><p>842A, 842B, 842C, 842D, 842E, 842F, 842G, 842H DMA controllers</p><p>844A, 844B, 844C, 844D, 844E, 844F, 844G, 844H Memory Management Unit (MMU)</p><p>850Power processing components</p><p>855PowerPC Core (PPU)</p><p>860 memory controller</p><p>862XDRAM interface</p><p>870ADouble Bus Interface</p><p>870BDouble Bus Interface</p><p>872ARambus FlexIO® System Interface</p><p>872BRambus FlexIO® System Interface</p><p>880Component interconnection bus</p><p>1102A Game Client</p><p>1102B Game Client</p><p>1104AMonitor</p><p>1104BMonitor</p><p>1106A Controller</p><p>1106B Controller</p><p>1102C Game Client</p><p>1104CMonitor</p><p>1110D Game Console</p><p>1110E Game Console</p><p>1120 Game Console</p><p>1370Information Service Provider (ISP)</p><p>1372Application Service Provider (ASP)</p><p>1374Game Processing Server (GPS)</p><p>1376Broadcast Processing Server (BPS)</p><p>1378Storage Service Provider (SSP)</p><p>1382Users</p><p>1384Client device</p><p>1386Network</p><p>1388Information exchange</p>

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a controller 10 for interfacing with an interactive program in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

2 illustrates a user's hand grip controller 10 adjacent the display 30 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

3 illustrates a combined usage of input devices on controller 10 to control virtual perspectives in a three dimensional virtual environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

4A and 4B are respectively a side elevational view and a front elevational view of the controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A illustrates a side view of controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

5B-5M illustrate various tracking features for a tracking panel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

6 depicts a perspective view of controller 10 having a recess 56 defined along a front side of the body of the controller, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 depicts a bottom view of controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of controller 10 showing the operation of 3D joystick 22.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the back of the controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10A illustrates another perspective view of controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10B illustrates the controller 10 without the 3D joystick in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

11A is a top plan view of a controller device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11B is a perspective view of a controller device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 illustrates a hardware and user interface that can be used to provide interaction with a video game in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 13 illustrates additional hardware that can be used to process an indication in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

14 is an illustration of scenes A through E and respective users A through E interacting with a game client 1102 that is connected to the server via an internet connection, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 15 illustrates an embodiment of an information service provider architecture.

The following embodiments describe methods and apparatus for interfacing with interactive programs.

However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of such specific details. In other instances, well-known processing operations have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention.

1 is a perspective view of a controller 10 for interfacing with an interactive program in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The controller 10 includes a body 12 and extensions 14a and 14b. The extensions 14a and 14b are configured to be held by the user's left and right hands, respectively, and thus serve as a handle or handle portion to enable the user to securely grasp the controller. Various input devices, such as button 16, joystick 18, and steering plate 20, are included on the top surface of body 12. The top of the 3D joystick 22 extending from the top to the bottom by the body of the controller is also shown and is described in more detail below. A speaker 24 for playing sound is provided which provides feedback to the user.

In addition, the controller 10 includes a touch panel 26 defined along the back side of the body that faces the user when the controller is held in a conventional position. The touch panel 26 is oriented in a generally vertical manner and between the extended portions 14a and 14b such that a user holding the controller by the extension portion can easily use the touch panel with the thumb of either hand. Touch panel 26 utilizes touch sensitive techniques (eg, resistive, capacitive, etc.) to detect touch gestures. In the illustrated embodiment, the touch panel 26 also has a slight outward curvature from the bottom to the top, which provides a tactile sensation by virtue of its shape, enabling the user to easily determine that his thumb is touching based on the sensation alone. Approximate vertical position on the panel.

In another embodiment, controller 10 can include one or more microphones for capturing sound from an interactive environment. In some embodiments, the microphone can be configured as a microphone array. In one embodiment, the configuration constitutes a linear array of microphones. When three or more microphones are included in the microphone array, the position of the sound source relative to the microphone can be determined based on an analysis of the audio data captured from the microphone array. More specifically, the sound source can be positioned relative to the microphone array based on the relative time of its sound as captured by each microphone of the microphone array. In conjunction with the known position and orientation of the controller (eg, as determined based on sensors and tracking methods as defined elsewhere herein) and the known position and orientation of the derived microphone array, an interactive environment can be determined The location of the sound source. In addition, the captured sound can be processed to exclude sound from an area that is not derived from an interactive environment.

In one embodiment, touch panel 26 can be coupled to a display screen to provide a touch screen interface as part of the controller. The touch screen interface can be controlled by an interactive application to display a variety of images based on an interactive application. For example, a touch screen can display an image depicting a touch screen area corresponding to various functions of an interactive application. Also for example, the touch screen can display a line indicating a gesture that the user can perform. The user can track the line displayed on the touch screen to perform the indicated gesture. Still another example, the touch screen can be configured to display a gesture or gestures of the user by providing a visual trace of the user touching and sliding/moving their finger along the touch screen. In one embodiment, the touch screen is configured to display the most recent gesture or gesture that has been performed on the touch screen. For example, an old gesture can be eliminated from the display when a new gesture is detected, or the trace can be configured to disappear from the display over time, or eliminated from the display after a certain predetermined time has elapsed.

The setting of one or more microphones on the controller may be advantageous over alternative microphone settings (eg, close to the display, on a separate device) because the controller is held by the user and thus approaches the user. In addition, when there are multiple users, each user operates a controller, then the controller corresponding to each user approaches himself/herself to help reduce crosstalk, thereby facilitating better recognition of sounds from a particular user. In addition, when multiple controllers are utilized, audio data retrieved from multiple controllers can be combined and analyzed, along with the location of the controller. And aligning together enables the location of the sound source to be determined with a higher level of accuracy.

2 illustrates a user's hand grip controller 10 adjacent the display 30 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen, the vertical orientation of the touch panel 26 is such that the touch panel is substantially parallel to the display screen 30 when the user holds the controller in a normal manner and faces the display screen. In this manner, touch panel 26 can be utilized as an intuitive input mechanism to provide directional input in a plane parallel to display screen 30 (xy plane). For example, touch panel 26 can be used to control cursors or crosshairs on the screen, or to scroll vertically and horizontally, or to provide other types of input along the xy plane.

3 illustrates the combined use of input devices on controller 10 to control virtual viewing angles in a three dimensional virtual environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the controller 10 is operated near the display 30. In some prior art systems, a controller with two vertically oriented joysticks is utilized to control the motion and orientation of the virtual perspective associated with a character or other object in the video game. Typically, one joystick will control the x-axis translation (left and right translation) and z-axis translation (forward and backward translation) of the viewing angle, while the other joystick controls the pitch (vertical rotation) and sway (horizontal rotation) of the viewing angle. However, the use of vertically oriented joysticks to control pitch and yaw is non-intuitive, especially since the forward/reverse joystick inputs must be converted to pitch motion, which is essentially a vertically oriented motion. In fact, the system provides the "normal" setting of the forward and backward movements of the joystick corresponding to the positive and negative changes of the pitch and the opposite of the negative and positive changes of the pitch respectively. State (sometimes called aircraft configuration) is not uncommon.

However, in contrast to the non-intuitive control scheme just described, the touch panel 26 and joystick 18 of the presently disclosed controller 10 can be utilized in a more intuitive manner to enable control of the virtual viewing angle. In one embodiment, joystick 18 is used to control x-axis translation and z-axis translation, and touch panel 26 is used to control pitch and sway. As the touch panel 26 is defined along the sides of the body of the controller and oriented vertically to be substantially parallel to the plane of the display 30, its use for controlling pitch and sway is intuitive to the user. In the illustrated embodiment In the middle, the right joystick 18 is shown for ease of description and is not limiting. In an embodiment of the controller 10 having a left joystick and a right joystick, one or both of the joysticks can be configured to control x-axis translation and z-axis translation.

In still other embodiments, it will be appreciated that touch panel 26 and joystick 28 can be combined in other ways to provide control of the virtual viewing angle. For example, touch panel 26 can be used to control pitch and x-axis translation, while joystick 18 is used to control pan and z-axis translation. Moreover, while reference has been made to the control of virtual perspectives, the currently described control schemes can be applied to control the motion, orientation, or position of any type of character, vehicle, weapon, or other object in a virtual environment.

4A and 4B are respectively a side elevational view and a front elevational view of the controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the controller 10 includes a tracking panel 52 defined along the front side of the body that is opposite the back side on which the touch panel is located. Tracking panel 52 is illuminated and can be visually tracked to determine the position and orientation of controller 10 in accordance with image recognition techniques. Tracking panel 52 can be shaped to provide a wider viewing angle. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the tracking panel 52 includes an upwardly facing top portion 54a and a downwardly facing bottom portion 54b that, in combination, provide a wider viewing angle to enable the controller 10 to be visually tracked in a wide variety of positions. Tracking panel 52 may be defined by a translucent material and internally illuminated by a light source, such as one or more LEDs.

FIG. 5A illustrates a side view of controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen, the tracking panel 52 is defined to also serve as a support for the front of the controller, thus preventing the bottom trigger 50 from being accidentally pressed.

It will be appreciated that in various embodiments, tracking panel 52 can have any of a variety of tracking features including various shapes, sizes, or forms. Some examples of such shapes and forms are provided with reference to Figures 5B-5M. In one embodiment illustrated in Figure 5B, the tracking panel can define a single rectangular shape. In other embodiments, the tracking panel can have any other shape, such as a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a square, a polygon, and the like. In another embodiment, the tracking panel can include a plurality of rectangular shapes, as shown in Figure 5C. It will be appreciated that multiple rectangular shapes can be illuminated to the same color or different colors. Although eight rectangular shapes are shown in Figure 5C, But it can have any number of rectangular shapes. In the embodiment of Figure 5D, the tracking panel is defined by a plurality of circles. In the embodiment of Figure 5DE, the tracking panel is defined by a single oval shape. In the embodiment of Figure 5F, the tracking panel includes a plurality of shapes including squares, triangles, circles, and "X", all of which are horizontally aligned. It will be appreciated that any combination of shapes may be utilized in embodiments of the invention.

When multiple tracking features are utilized (eg, multiple shapes of the same shape or different shapes), they can be individually illuminated to facilitate identification of a particular controller when multiple controllers are present. For example, the first controller can be controlled to illuminate a particular one or combination of shapes, the second controller can be controlled to illuminate a particular one or combination of different shapes, and the like. In this manner, each of the plurality of controllers can be identified and resolved from each other based on the analysis of the captured images of the tracking features, as each controller is configured to illuminate the shape present as a tracking feature on the controller Unique one or combination.

In the embodiment of Figure 5G, the tracking panel includes a plurality of vertically oriented rectangles positioned in a horizontal array. In the embodiment of Figure 5H, the tracking panel includes a plurality of horizontally oriented rectangles arranged in a vertical array. FIG. 5I illustrates an embodiment in which the tracking panel includes letters. It will be appreciated that the tracking panel can include any letter, digit, symbol or other character in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. While the illustrated embodiment includes a plurality of shapes that are separate from one another, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 5J, there may be multiple shapes disposed adjacent one another. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5J, the tracking panel defines a plurality of rectangles that are adjacent to each other with no spacing between adjacent rectangles.

It will also be appreciated that the tracking panel can be defined to have a variety of three dimensional shapes. For example, Figure 5K depicts a cross-sectional view of a tracking panel including concave features for tracking. Figure 5L depicts a cross-sectional view of a tracking panel including a convex feature for tracking. The foregoing examples, which may be defined as a feature of a portion of a tracking panel, are provided by way of example only and are not limiting. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in various other embodiments, the tracking panel can include features of any shape, size or form.

Figure 5M illustrates a tracking panel defined by a matrix of pixels, each of which can be individually illuminated. In the illustrated embodiment, the particular pattern illuminated by the pixels of the tracking panel can be configured to have any of a variety of designs and can be configured to display different controllers when multiple controllers are in operation. pattern.

6 depicts a perspective view of controller 10 having a recess 56 defined along a front side of the body of the controller, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The depression can be illuminated and utilized for visual tracking by the controller. In one embodiment, the depressions are differentially illuminated: for example, from top to bottom or side to side, with different colors or different brightness/darkness, with smooth or sharp transitions, or a combination thereof. Variations in the size, shape, or orientation of the illumination combined with the recesses in the captured image of the controller can be detected and analyzed to determine the position and orientation of the controller relative to the image capture device. In various embodiments, the particular shape of the recess 56 can vary depending on both its surface shape (the shape defined by the depression at the surface of the controller) and the shape of the recessed portion. For example, the surface shape may be a circle, a rectangle or a strip as shown, a polygon, or the like. And the recessed portion may be semi-circular, semi-oval, angular, faceted, and the like. Additionally, in some embodiments, there may be more than one recess defined on the controller.

FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The bottom of the 3D lever 22 is visible from the recess 60.

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of controller 10 showing the operation of 3D joystick 22. As mentioned, the 3D joystick 22 extends from the top surface of the body to the bottom surface thereof by the body of the controller. The 3D joystick 22 includes a top plate 70a and a bottom plate 70b for contacting a user's fingers. In one embodiment, the lever is mounted in its central position and pivots about its central position. Thus, horizontal movement of the top plate 70a causes movement of the bottom plate 70b in the opposite direction, and vice versa. Moreover, in one embodiment, the 3D joystick 22 can be translated up and down in a vertical manner. In one embodiment, the 3D joystick 22 can also be translated in a horizontal direction to move the entire joystick in a horizontal manner.

In one embodiment, such free movement of the 3D joystick 22 (including pivoting about its central position, as well as vertical and horizontal translational motion) is accomplished by means of a floating mount. For example, in one embodiment, the central portion of the lever is mounted in compliant material 72 that allows the lever to "float" and thereby facilitate such movement. In one embodiment, the lever includes a flange 71 to facilitate proper installation within the compliant material 72. The compliant material can be any type of resilient material that enables the lever 22 to be moved by the user but returns the lever to a normal centered orientation when unaffected by the user. Sensor 74 detects motion of control lever 22, and sensor profile analyzer 76 analyzes the raw data from the sensor to determine the orientation and/or motion of control lever 22.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the back of the controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10A illustrates another perspective view of controller 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10B illustrates the controller 10 without the 3D joystick in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that in various embodiments, the controller can include any of a variety of additional features including, but not limited to, haptic feedback mechanisms, such as vibrating mechanisms; various data and power connectors, such as USB connectors; various inertial sensors, Such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers, and so on. For additional details regarding the viable features that may be included in the controller, reference is made to U.S. Patent No. 12/259,181, entitled "Determining Location and Movement of Ball-Attached Controller", filed on October 27, 2008, and May 2006. U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/382,036, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIG. 11A illustrates a top view of a controller device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The controller 100 includes various buttons 102 that can be configured for various purposes, as well as direction buttons 104 for providing directional inputs. A left joystick 108 and a right joystick 110 are provided. System button 112 can perform various system functions or otherwise provide access to various system functions, such as exiting a video game, pausing or closing a game console, turning off controller device 100, and the like.

A speaker 114 is provided to allow audio output to occur at the controller, which enriches the user's game by allowing certain audio to be presented through the controller (rather than co-presenting with the remainder of the audio output of the video game). For example, ambient sound from a virtual environment of a video game can be presented by a normal audio organization (eg, as part of the video output of a video game), while audio from communication (eg, telephony, radio communication, etc.) is specifically Presented by the controller speaker 114. When multiple players participate in the game, the audio of a particular player can be routed to the controller operated by that player. In this manner, even if a player of a multi-player game participates in a game in the same local game environment, each player can receive a specific audio for it and easily discern such audio suitable for it.

The controller device 100 includes a touch sensitive pad 116 to facilitate touch based input. Option button 118 can be configured to provide access to various options that can be specific to a game console, cloud gaming platform, a particular video game, or some other background. The share button 120 can provide access to the shared interface to share the user's game to the social network, such as a screen capture or video clip sharing the user's game, or to activate the live game of the current user. In one embodiment, the shared button provides access to the user's most recent cached video of the game from which the user can select a portion or screen capture for sharing to a social network, such as a gaming social network or other social network.

FIG. 11B is a perspective view of the controller device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the controller 100 includes trigger buttons 130, 132, 134, and 136 that provide additional input to the game. Light bar 138 is defined on the front side of controller 100 to facilitate identification and tracking of controller 100. Light bar 138 can be illuminated to have a particular color and can be identified from captured images of the gaming environment. It will be appreciated that the position and orientation of the controller 100 can be determined by tracking the light bar 138.

In one embodiment, a method for storing a game is contemplated. The game may be executed in response to a user request by the game console's operating system, and the user request may appear in the form of a standard file operation of the data set associated with the desired game. Requests can be made from the game Off application transfer. The game may, for example, include video content, audio content, and/or static visual content, including wallpapers, themes, code "extended" content, or any other type of content related to the game. Such content is expected to be generated by the user or developer, free or paid, full or trial, and/or sold or rented.

One part of the game can be cached, ie temporarily stored. For example, the first 15 seconds of the previous action within the game, the previously completed level may be temporarily stored, as further described herein. The term "portion" as used herein may correspond to any game portion that can be divided into any related or any group of single or multiple bits or byte data. For example, a "part" of a game may correspond to a level, a chapter, a scene, an action, a character, a background, a structure, a route, an action, a song, a theme, a duration, a size, a file, a portion thereof, and combinations thereof. In addition, portions of the game may include screen captures or video captures for a specified duration.

In one embodiment, portions of the game may be stored by the local end in temporary or permanent memory on the game console. Alternatively or additionally, portions of the game may be transmitted over the network and stored remotely. For example, portions of the game can be transmitted over a wireless or wired network to another computing device, another game console or a remote server. Such a remote server can include a social media server.

The portion of the game that is not cached or partially recovered from a particular game interval (eg, a particular duration, level, chapter, route, etc.) may be removed from the cache, as desired. This removal process can be accomplished using standard file operations on the operating system.

Portions of the game can be displayed on any number of display devices that can access the stored game. For example, a stored game can be displayed on a television connected to a game console, and the game is retrieved from the television. In another example, the stored game can be displayed on a computer and the stored game is transferred to the computer. Stored games can be displayed separately or in conjunction with other information, such as on social media sites.

In one embodiment, portions of the game are displayed by another game console associated with a user other than the user who cached or retrieves the game. According to the embodiment, the game department The points can show that a ball is thrown from the first user to the second user from the perspective of the first user. Portions of the game can then be transmitted to the game console of the second user. Thus, the second user can then view the game from the perspective of the first user. The second user may also have a portion of the game that displays the storage that was thrown by the first user from the second user's perspective and captured by the second user. In this embodiment, the second user can view the game from both the perspective of the first user and the perspective of the second user. In addition, however, the portion of the game stored by the second user can be transmitted to the game console of the first user such that the first user can view the game from two perspectives. This embodiment is applicable to any number of users having any number of viewing angles, so the game can be viewed from any number of different angles.

In the case of storage, transmission and/or display of a portion of a game as described herein, it is contemplated that a portion of the game may be stored, transmitted, and displayed as an image or video material. However, in another embodiment, a portion of the game may be stored and transmitted as telemetry or relay material representing the image or video material, and may be recreated as an image or video by the game console or other device prior to display. .

In some embodiments, one of the games has a predetermined relationship with the executed game. For example, a portion of the game may correspond to a game that is quantified prior to the currently executed game (eg, 10 seconds before the game). In another embodiment, the first portion of the game has a predetermined relationship with the second portion of the game. For example, the first portion of the game may correspond to a game that is quantified prior to receiving a request to retrieve the second portion of the game (eg, a 10 second game prior to selecting the capture button). In each of these embodiments, the amount of game buffered prior to the current game or requested game may be configured and adjusted by the user according to their particular preferences.

In other embodiments, the buffer is "smart" or "elastic" so that it can capture the game based on variables without regard to time. In one such embodiment, the first portion of the game has a predetermined relationship with game related events. For example, the first part of the game can be buffered to include statistical anomalies, such as reaching very high scores, collecting a large number of points in a short period of time, selecting multiple buttons on the controller, and other rare events. Such statistical anomaly This can be determined by comparing game metrics to the average metric of a particular game or all games. Such average metrics can be stored locally or remotely for comparison. For example, the game console can track the global high scores of a particular game and buffer the game that the user approaches and exceeds the high score. In another example, the remote server can track the global high scores for a particular game and pass the information to the game console, which buffers the game for the user to approach and exceed the high score.

In another example, a portion of the game may be buffered to include achievements, such as prizes won or other landmarks that arrive. Such prizes or landmarks commemorate any goal or game achievement, such as a certain number of points obtained, a certain level of arrival, and the like. For example, the game can be buffered to include prizes for reaching level 10, reaching 100,000 points, and the like.

Similarly, in addition to actually getting a prize or statistical anomaly, advancing towards an event can be buffered to be included in one of the games. For example, screen captures can be taken at each of levels 1 to 10, creating an album to commemorate the receipt of prizes up to level 10. As another example, the user can be photographed for the first to fifth wins of the game, and five of them win the prize.

Thus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of the executed game can remain in the running buffer at all times. In other words, when a request to share a portion of the game is received, one of the previous games has been retrieved to include the previous footage. For example, if a request to share a game is received after the user crosses the finish line of the game, the buffered game may include a continuous shot of the user crossing the finish line. In other words, the user will be able to retrieve the moment that occurred before the request to share the game.

It should be appreciated that a user may share a game (eg, a selected screen capture, video, or live game stream) with one or more specially selected friends, the entire social map, or any user in the social network. The social network may be a social network associated with the platform on which the video game is running, or a third party social network independent of the video game or its platform. The social network can be accessed by an API defined to allow interfacing with a social network. Users who have shared the game can receive notifications that inform their shared games. Such notifications can be mailed to social news feeds, private messages via social networks, in-game notifications, emails, chats Day notice and other forms. Sharing a game with a social network would require that the game be used by other subsets of social network users that may or may not be part of the social graph of the shared user. For example, for a given video game, any user of the social network (which also owns the video game) may share or use the game and is thus granted access to the shared game of the video game. Such shared games can be accessed via online forums, chat rooms, or other online channels that are only open to video game players. In one embodiment, the video game may have a dedicated page or website on the social network. The shared game can be opened to users who access the video game page or website. Of course, it will be appreciated that from the perspective of the shared user, an option can be provided to allow the user to clarify and adjust who and what forum the game will be shared with.

While various interfaces for sharing may be accessed by pressing a dedicated button (eg, pressing a controller common button), it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, some or all of these interfaces may not be required to illustrate the user. Social graph sharing game. For example, in one embodiment, the controller share button can be configured to capture a screenshot of the user's game when it is pressed. The captured screenshots can then be automatically uploaded and shared to the user's social graph.

In another embodiment, pressing the common button on the controller initiates recording of the game video. When the share button is pressed a second time, the recording of the game video is stopped, and the video clip can be uploaded and shared to the user's social graph. In one embodiment, the uploading and sharing of the video clip to the user's social graph may occur automatically after the end of the video recording operation. However, in another embodiment, when the shared button is pressed a second time to stop recording, an interface is presented that allows the user to customize various options (eg, tailoring the video, selecting a representative screen shot for the video), determining Add a text description or title to a specific user who shares the video. After being customized by the user, the video can be shared with other people or can be used for viewing.

In one embodiment, the share button on the controller can be configured to share game video of a predetermined duration over the social network. For example, the user can specify when the share button is pressed At the time, 10 seconds before the game video will be shared with the user's social graph. In another embodiment, it may be specified that when the common button is pressed, a 10 second below the game video will be recorded and shared to the social graph. It should be appreciated that the options for tailoring video and performing other types of customizations can be applied to recorded game video. In addition, the game video recorded for a predetermined duration after the button is triggered may be combined with the game video buffered as described.

In yet another embodiment, the common button on the controller device can be configured to begin live video streaming of the user active game. The live video stream can be pre-defined as only members of the user's social graph, or other smaller or larger groups of users, such as a specific subset of the user's social graph, possessing or having access to all uses of the same video game. , any game platform users, etc. are available.

12 illustrates a hardware and user interface that can be used to provide interaction with a video game, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a schematic illustration of the overall system architecture of a Sony® Playstation 3® entertainment device that is compatible to interface the control device with a computer program executing at the base computing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A system unit 700 is provided with various peripheral devices connectable to the system unit 700. System unit 700 includes: Cell processor 728; Rambus® dynamic random access memory (XDRAM) unit 726; real synthesizer graphics unit 730 with dedicated video random access memory (VRAM) unit 732; and I/O bridge 734. The system unit 700 further includes a Blu Ray® magnetic disk BD-ROM® optical disk reader 740 and a removable slot hard disk drive (HDD) 736 for reading from the magnetic sheet 740a, which is supported by an I/O bridge. 734 is accessible. Alternatively, system unit 700 further includes a memory card reader 738 for reading a compact flash memory card, a Memory Stick® memory card, etc., which is similarly accessible by I/O bridge 734.

The I/O bridge 734 is also connected to six universal serial bus (USB) 2.0port724; Gigabit Ethernet port722; IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless network (Wi-Fi) port720; and can support multiple Up to seven Bluetooth connected Bluetooth® wireless links port718.

In operation, I/O Bridge 734 handles all wireless, USB and Ethernet data, including Information from one or more game controllers 702-703. For example, when the user is playing a game, the I/O bridge 734 receives the material from the game controllers 702-703 via the Bluetooth link and directs it to the Cell processor 728, which updates the current state of the game accordingly. .

In addition to game controllers 702-703, wireless, USB, and Ethernet networks also provide connections to other peripheral devices, such as remote control device 704, keyboard 706, mouse 708, portable entertainment device 710 (eg, Sony Playstation). Portable® entertainment device), camera 712 (eg, EyeToy® camera), microphone headset 714, and microphone 715. In principle, such peripheral devices can thus be wirelessly connected to system unit 700; for example, portable entertainment device 710 can communicate via a Wi-Fi dedicated connection, while microphone headset 714 can communicate via a Bluetooth link.

Providing such interfaces means that the Playstation 3 device can also be used with other peripheral devices such as digital video recorders (DVRs), set-top boxes, digital cameras, portable media players, IP voice phones, mobile phones, printers, and The scanner is compatible.

In addition, a conventional memory card reader 716 can be coupled to the system unit via a USB port 724 to enable reading of a memory card 748 of the type used by the Playstation® or Playstation 2® device.

The game controllers 702-703 are operable to wirelessly communicate with the system unit 700 via a Bluetooth link, or to a USB port to charge the battery of the game controllers 702-703 by USB power. Game controllers 702-703 may also include memory, processors, memory card readers, permanent memory (eg, flash memory), light emitters (eg, illuminated spherical portions, LEDs, or infrared light), Microphones and speakers for ultrasound communication, soundproof rooms, digital cameras, internal clocks, identifiable shapes (eg spherical parts for game consoles) and usage agreements such as Bluetooth®, WiFi^TMWireless communication, etc.

The game controller 702 is a controller designed to be used in both hands, and the game controller 703 is a one-hand controller with an accessory. In addition to one or more analog joysticks and conventional control buttons, the game controller is susceptible to three-dimensional position determination. Therefore, in addition to or instead of the conventional button Or the joystick command, the gestures and actions of the game controller user can be converted into game input. Alternatively, other peripherals that support wireless (eg, Playstation)^TMA portable device can be used as a controller. In the Playstation^TMIn the case of a portable device, additional game or control information (eg, control commands or number of lives) may be provided on the screen of the device. Other alternative or supplemental controls may also be used, such as a dance mat (not shown), a light pen (not shown), a steering wheel and pedal (not shown), or a predetermined controller, such as a single or several for a quick response game. Big button (also not shown).

Remote control device 704 is also operative to wirelessly communicate with system unit 700 via a Bluetooth link. Remote control device 704 includes a suitable for Blu Ray^TMThe operation of the magnetic sheet BD-ROM reader 540 and the control for the magnetic sheet content navigation.

In addition to the well-known pre-recorded and recordable CDs and the so-called Super Audio CD, Blu Ray^TMThe magnetic disk BD-ROM reader 740 is operable to read CD-ROMs compatible with Playstation and Playstation 2 devices. In addition to conventional pre-recorded and recordable DVDs, the reader 740 is also operative to read DVD-ROMs compatible with Playstation 2 and PlayStation 3 devices. Reader 740 can be further operative to read BD-ROMs that are compatible with Playstation 3 devices and conventional pre-recorded and recordable Blu-Ray discs.

The system unit 700 is operative to provide audio and video generated or decoded by the Playstation 3 device via the real synthesizer graphics unit 730 to the display and sound output device 742 via an audio and video connector, such as having a display 744 and one or more speakers 746 monitor or TV. The audio connector 750 can include conventional analog and digital outputs, and the video connector 752 can differently include component video, S video, composite video, and one or more high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) outputs. Therefore, the video output can be in high definition such as PAL or NTSC format, or 720p, 1080i or 1080p.

Audio processing (generation, decoding, etc.) is performed by the Cell processor 728. The Playstation 3 unit's operating system supports Dolby® 5.1 surround sound, Dolby® Cinema Surround (DTS), and decoding of 7.1 surround sound from Blu-Ray® discs.

In the present embodiment, the camera 712 includes a single charge coupled device (CCD), an LED indicator, and a hardware-based real-time data compression and encoding device such that it can be based on an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standard within an image. The appropriate format of the class is to transmit the compressed video material for decoding by system unit 700. The camera LED indicator is configured to illuminate in response to appropriate control data from system unit 700, for example, to indicate adverse lighting conditions. Embodiments of camera 712 can be connected to system unit 700 via a USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication port, differently. Embodiments of the camera may include one or more associated microphones and are also capable of transmitting audio material. In an embodiment of the camera, the CCD may have a resolution suitable for high definition video capture. In use, the image captured by the camera can be incorporated, for example, into a game or interpreted as a game control input. In another embodiment, the camera is an infrared camera adapted to detect infrared light.

In general, in order to successfully communicate data with peripheral devices (eg, cameras or remote controls) via one of the communication ports of system unit 700, suitable software, such as device drivers, should be provided. Device driver technology is well known and will not be described here, merely indicating that the skilled person will appreciate that a device driver or similar software interface may be required in the described embodiment.

Figure 13 illustrates additional hardware that can be used to process an indication in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Cell processor 728 has an architecture comprising four basic components: an external input and output structure including memory controller 860 and dual bus interface controllers 870A, 870B; a main processor called Power processing component 850; The eight auxiliary processors of the co-processing elements (SPE) 810A-H; and the loop data bus that connects the above elements and are referred to as the component interconnection bus 880. The total floating point performance of the Cell processor is 218GFLOP compared to the floating point performance of the 6.2GFLOP of the emotion engine of the Playstation 2 device.

The Power Processing Element (PPE) 850 is based on a bidirectional simultaneous multi-thread Power 570 that accommodates a PowerPC core (PPU) 855 operating with an internal clock of 3.2 GHz. It includes a 512kB level 2 (L2) cache and a 32kB level 1 (L1) cache. PPE 850 can perform eight clock cycles per clock Operated in a separate position, converted to 25.6GFLOP at 3.2 GHz. The primary task of the PPE 850 is to act as a controller for the coprocessing elements 810A-H that handle most of the computational effort. In operation, the PPE 850 maintains a queue of jobs, schedules jobs for the co-processing elements 810A-H, and monitors their progress. Thus, each co-processing component 810A-H runs a kernel that functions to get work, perform work, and synchronize with PPE 850.

Each of the co-processing elements (SPE) 810A-H includes a respective co-processing unit (SPU) 820A-H, and a corresponding storage flow controller (MFC) 840A-H, which in turn includes a corresponding dynamic storage device Access controllers (DMAC) 842A-H, corresponding memory management units (MMUs) 844A-H, and bus interface (not shown). Each SPU 820A-H is a RISC processor with a clock of 3.2 GHz and includes 256 kB of local RAM 830A-H, which can be expanded to 4 GB in principle. Each SPE gives a single precision performance that is theoretically 25.6 GFLOP. The SPU can process 4 single-precision floating-point numbers, 4 32-bit numbers, 8 16-bit integers, or 16 8-bit integers in a single clock cycle. The storage operation can also be performed in the same clock cycle. The SPU 820A-H does not directly access the system memory XDRAM 726; the 64-bit address formed by the SPU 820A-H is passed to the MFC 840A-H, which indicates that its DMA controller 842A-H is interconnected by components The bus 880 and the memory controller 860 access the memory.

The component interconnect bus (EIB) 880 is a logical loop communication bus inside the Cell processor 728, which is connected to the above processor components, namely, PPE 850, memory controller 860, dual bus interface 870A, B, and 8 SPE 810A-H, a total of 12 participating components. The participating components can simultaneously read and write to the busbar of 8 bytes per clock cycle. As previously mentioned, each SPE 810A-H includes a DMAC 842A-H for scheduling a longer read or write sequence. The EIB consists of 4 channels, two of which are clockwise and counterclockwise. Therefore, for the 12 participating components, the longest step-by-step data flow between any two participating components is 6 steps in the appropriate direction. Therefore, the theoretical peak transient EIB bandwidth of the 12-slot is 96B per clock in the case of full utilization between the participating components. This is equivalent to 3.2GHz The theoretical peak bandwidth of the clock rate is 307.2 GB/s (thousands of bytes per second).

Memory controller 860 includes an XDRAM interface 862 developed by Rambus Corporation. The memory controller interfaces with Rambus XDRAM 726 at a theoretical peak bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s.

The dual bus interface 870A, B includes the Rambus FlexIO® system interface 872A, B. The interface is organized into 12 channels, each channel being 8 bits wide, five of which are inbound and seven are outbound. This provides a theoretical peak bandwidth of 62.4 GB/s between the Cell processor and I/O bridge 734 via controller 870A and between the Cell processor and real simulator graphics unit 730 via controller 870B (of which 36.4 GB/ s is outbound, 26GB/s is inbound).

The material sent by the Cell Processor 728 to the Real Simulator Graphics Unit 730 typically includes a display list that is a sequence of commands for drawing vertices, applying textures to polygons, specifying lighting conditions, and the like.

14 is an illustration of scenes A through E and respective users A through E interacting with a game client 1102 that is connected to the server via an internet connection, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The game client allows the user to connect to the server application and processing device via the internet. The game client allows users to access and play online entertainment content such as, but not limited to, games, movies, music, and photos. In addition, the game client provides access to online communication applications such as VOIP, text chat protocols and email

The user interacts with the game client via the controller. In some embodiments, the controller is a game client specific controller, while in other embodiments, the controller can be a combination of a keyboard and a mouse. In one embodiment, the game client can output audio and video signals to create a separate device for the multimedia environment via the monitor/television and associated audio devices. For example, the game client can be, but is not limited to, a thin client, an internal PCI expansion card, an external PCI expansion device, an expansion card device, an internal, external or wireless USB device, or a Firewire device or the like. In other embodiments, the game client integrates a television or other multimedia device (eg, a DVR, Blu-Ray player, DVD player, or multi-channel receiver).

In scenario A of FIG. 14, user A interacts with the client application displayed on monitor 1104A using controller 1106A paired with game client 1102A. Similarly, in scenario B, user B interacts with the client application displayed on monitor 1104B using controller 1106B paired with game client 1102B. Scene C shows the scene viewed from the back of the user C when the user C views the monitor displaying the game and the buddy list from the game client 1102C. In one embodiment, when Figure 14 shows a single server processing module, there are multiple server processor modules worldwide. Each server processing module includes a sub-module for user session control, sharing/communication logic, user geographic location, and load balancing processing services. In addition, the server processing module includes network processing and distributed storage.

User session control can be used to authenticate the user when the game client 1102 is connected to the server processing module. Certified users can have associated virtualized decentralized storage and virtualized network processing. Example projects that can be stored as part of a user's virtualized decentralized storage include purchased media such as, but not limited to, games, video, and music. In addition, decentralized storage can be used to save game state for multiple games, custom settings for individual games, and custom settings for game clients. In one embodiment, the server-processed user geographic location module is used to determine the geographic location of the user and their respective game clients. The geographic location of the user can be used by the sharing/communication logic and load balancing processing server to optimize performance based on the geolocation and processing requirements of the plurality of server processing modules. Virtualizing one or both of network processing and network storage will allow the game client's processing tasks to be dynamically transferred to underutilized server processing modules. Therefore, load balancing can be used to minimize latency associated with data transfer from storage recalls and server processing modules to game clients.

The server processing module has an instance of the server application A and the server application B. The server processing module can support multiple server applications, such as server application X.₁And server application X₂As indicated. In one embodiment, the server processing is based on a cluster computing architecture that allows multiple processors within the cluster to process server applications. In another embodiment, different classes A multi-computer processing scheme is used to process server applications. This allows the server to handle scaling to accommodate a large number of game clients executing multiple client applications and corresponding server applications. Alternatively, the server processing can be scaled to accommodate the increased computational demands required for more demanding graphics processing or gaming, video compression, or application complexity. In one embodiment, the server processing module performs most of the processing via the server application. This allows relatively expensive components (such as graphics processors, RAM, and general purpose processors) to be centrally located and reduces the cost of the game client. The processed server application data is sent back to the corresponding game client via the Internet for display on the monitor.

Scene C illustrates an exemplary application executable by the game client and server processing module. For example, in one embodiment, game client 1102C allows user C to create and view a buddy list 1120 that includes user A, user B, user D, and user E. As shown, in scenario C, user C can see an instant image or avatar of each user on monitor 1104C. The server processes the corresponding application executing the game client 1102C and executes it with the corresponding game client 1102 of User A, User B, User D, and User E. Since the server process knows that the game client B is executing the application, the user A's buddy list can indicate which game the game user B is playing. Furthermore, in one embodiment, user A can view the real scene in the game video directly from user B. This can be achieved by sending only the processed server application data of user B to game client A, in addition to being sent to game client B.

In addition to being able to view video from friends, the communication application can allow instant communication between friends. As used in the previous example, this allows User A to provide encouragement or prompts when viewing User B's instant video. In one embodiment, two-way instant voice communication is established by the client/server application. In another embodiment, the client/server application supports text chat. In yet another embodiment, the client/server application converts the speech to text for display on the friend's screen.

Scene D and scene E respectively show the respective user D and user E and the game console 1110D and 1110E interact. The game consoles 1110D and 1110E are both connected to the server processing module and depict a network in which the server processing module coordinates the game for the game console and the game client.

Figure 15 illustrates an embodiment of an information service provider architecture. The Information Service Provider (ISP) 1370 transmits a large amount of information services to users 1382 that are distributed throughout the network and connected via the network 1386. An ISP can only transmit one type of service (such as stock price updates) or various services (such as broadcast media, news, sports, games, etc.). In addition, the services provided by each ISP are dynamic, ie the service can be added or removed at any point in time. Thus, an ISP that provides a particular type of service to a particular individual can change over time. For example, when the user is in his hometown, the user can be served by an ISP near the user, and when the user travels to a different city, the user can be served by a different ISP. The home ISP will transfer the required information and information to the new ISP, so that the user information "follows" the user to the new city to make the data closer and more accessible to the user. In another embodiment, a host-server relationship can be established between a host ISP that manages user information and a server ISP that interfaces directly with the user under the control of the host ISP. In other embodiments, when the client moves around the world, the data is transferred from one ISP to another so that the ISP serving the user at a better location is the ISP that delivered the services.

The ISP 1370 includes an Application Service Provider (ASP) 1372 that provides computer-based services to customers via the Internet. Software provided using the ASP model is sometimes referred to as on-demand software or software as a service (SaaS). The simple way to provide access to a particular application, such as customer relationship management, is through the use of standard protocols such as HTTP. The application software resides in the provider's system and is accessed by the user via a web browser using HTML, a proprietary client software provided by the provider, or other remote interface (eg, a thin client).

Services that are transmitted over a wide geographic area often use cloud computing. Cloud computing is a type of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided by the Internet as a service. Users do not need to be experts in supporting the technical structure in their "cloud." Cloud computing can Divided into different services, such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Cloud computing services often provide a common commercial online application that can be accessed from a web browser, while software and data are stored on the server. The term "cloud" is used to describe the Internet, based on the abstraction of the complex infrastructure of how the Internet is portrayed and hidden in computer network diagrams.

Further, ISP 1370 includes a Game Processing Server (GPS) 1374 that is used by the game client to play single or multi-person video games. Most video games played over the Internet are operated by connections to the game server. Typically, games use a dedicated server application that collects data from players and distributes them to other players. This is more efficient and efficient than a point-to-point configuration, but requires a separate server to host the server application. In another embodiment, the GPS establishes communication between the player and their respective gaming devices and exchanges information without relying on central GPS.

The dedicated GPS is independent of the server running on the client. Such servers are typically run on dedicated hardware located in the data center, providing more bandwidth and dedicated processing power. Dedicated servers are the preferred method of hosting game servers for most PC-based multiplayer games. Large multiplayers run on dedicated servers that are typically hosted by software companies, which have game rights that allow them to control and update content.

A Broadcast Processing Server (BPS) 1376 distributes the audio or image signals to the listener. Broadcasting to a narrow range of listeners is sometimes referred to as narrowcasting. The final station of the broadcast distribution is how the signal arrives at the listener or viewer, which can be transmitted to the antenna and receiver in the air like a radio or television station, or via cable or cable broadcast (or "wireless cable"). The radio spreads or comes directly from the Internet. The Internet can also bring broadcast or television to the audience, especially with multicast, allowing for shared signals and bandwidth. Historically, broadcasts have been delineated by geographic regions, such as national broadcasts or regional broadcasts. However, with the proliferation of fast Internet, broadcasts are not geographically restricted and their content can reach almost any country in the world.

The Storage Service Provider (SSP) 1378 provides computer storage and related management services. SSP also provides periodic backup and archiving. By providing storage as a service, users can order more storage as needed. Another major advantage is that the SSP includes a backup service and the user does not lose all of their data when the computer's hardware drive is damaged. Further, multiple SSPs may have all or part of a copy of the user profile, which allows the user to access the data in an efficient manner, independent of the location of the user or the device being used. For example, a user can access a personal document from a computer at home, or can be accessed by a mobile phone when the user is outside.

Communication provider 380 provides a connection to the user. One type of communication provider is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides Internet access. ISPs connect their customers with data transfer technologies (such as dial-up, DSL, cable modems, wireless or dedicated high-speed interconnects) that are suitable for transporting Internet Protocol packets. Communication providers can also provide messaging services such as email, instant messaging and SMS text. Another type of communication provider is a Network Service Provider (NSP) that sells broadband or network access by providing direct backbone access to the Internet. Internet service providers can be composed of telecommunications companies, data carriers, wireless communication providers, Internet service providers, and cable operators that provide high-speed Internet access.

Data exchange 1388 and several modules within ISP 1370 are interconnected and connected to user 1382 via network 1386. The data exchange 1388 can cover a small area, in which all modules of the ISP 1370 are close to each other, or cover a large geographical area when different modules are scattered in different places. For example, data exchange 1388 may include a fast one billion bit Ethernet (or faster) or an intercontinental virtual local area network (VLAN) located within the data center mainframe.

The user 1382 accesses the remote service using the client device 1384, which includes at least one CPU, a display, and I/O. The client device can be a PC, a mobile phone, a netbook, a PDA, or the like. In one embodiment, the ISP 1370 identifies the type of device used by the client and adjusts the communication method employed. In other cases, client devices use standards A communication method (eg, html) is used to access the ISP 1370.

Embodiments of the present invention can be used with a variety of computer system configurations, including handheld devices, microprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, small computers, large computers, and the like. The present invention can also be practiced in a distributed computing environment where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are connected by a wired or wireless network.

In view of the above embodiments, it will be appreciated that the present invention may employ various computer-implemented operations involving data stored by a computer system. These operations require the physical processing of physical quantities. Any of the operations described herein that form part of the present invention are useful machine operations. The invention also relates to a device or device for performing such operations. The device may be specially constructed for the desired purpose, or the device may be a general purpose computer selectively activated or configured by a computer program stored in the computer. In particular, various general purpose machines may be used with computer programs written in accordance with the teachings herein, or more convenient to construct more specialized devices to perform the desired operations.

The invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium. A computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data, which can thereafter be read by a computer system. Examples of computer readable media include hard disk drives, network attached storage (NAS), read only memory, random access memory, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, and other optical and non-optical materials. Storage device. The computer readable medium can include a computer readable tangible medium distributed over a network coupled computer system so that the computer readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

Although the method operations are described in a particular order, it should be understood that other housekeeping operations may be performed between operations, or that the operations may be adjusted so that they occur at slightly different times, or may be distributed at intervals that allow processing operations to occur at processing-related intervals. Within the system, as long as the processing of the overlay operation is performed in the desired manner.

Although the invention described above has been described in considerable detail for clarity of understanding, it is obvious that modifications and variations may be made within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, this embodiment should be considered It is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and the scope of the invention