Remote control of a first user's session by a second user

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10016677-B2
Application number	US-201715690027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A method is provided, including: receiving a request to initiate a session of a cloud application for a first user; executing, by a cloud server computer, the first user's session of the cloud application to generate video content; streaming the video content to the first client device for rendering to a first display device; receiving a request from a second client device associated with a remote second user to view the video content; streaming the video content over the network to the second client device; processing a request to transition control of the first user's session to the second user; initiating control of the first user's session by the second user, wherein initiating control by the second user includes deactivating control by the first client device and activating control by the second client device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, over a network, a request from a first client device associated with a first user to initiate a session of a cloud application for the first user;
executing, by a cloud server computer, the first user's session of the cloud application to generate video content, wherein executing the first user's session includes processing input data received over the network from the first client device associated with the first user to direct events occurring in the first user's session;
streaming the video content over the network to the first client device for rendering to a first display device;
receiving, over the network, a request from a second client device associated with a remote second user to view the video content generated from the execution of the first user's session of the cloud application;
streaming the video content over the network to the second client device for rendering to a second display device;
processing a request to transition control of the first user's session to the second user, wherein processing the request includes processing a permission of the first client device to allow the transition of control of the first user's session;
initiating control of the first user's session by the second user, wherein initiating control by the second user includes deactivating control by the first client device and activating control by the second client device associated with the second user, wherein initiating control by the second user includes processing input data received over the network from the second client device to direct the events occurring in the first user's session.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the input data received from the first client device is defined from input commands received by the first client device from a first input device interfaced with the first client device;
wherein the input data received from the second client device is defined from input commands received by the second client device from a second input device interfaced with the second client device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first input device or the second input device is a controller, keyboard, mouse, or touchscreen.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the streaming of the video content to the second client device is presented through a social interface at the second client device.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein rendering of the video content to the second display device is in a non-fullscreen format; and
wherein initiating control of the first user's by the second user includes triggering rendering of the video content to the second display device in a fullscreen format.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving the request from the first client device to initiate the session, verifying ownership of the cloud application by the first user, wherein verifying ownership of the cloud application by the first user includes accessing a user account of the first user to identify an access privilege for the cloud application.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
verifying ownership of the cloud application by the second user, wherein verifying ownership of the cloud application by the second user includes accessing a user account of the second user to identify an access privilege for the cloud application;
wherein initiating control of the first user's session by the second user is responsive to the verifying ownership of the cloud application by the second user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein streaming the video content to the first client device or the second client device includes performing video compression processing of the video content for transmission over the network.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rendering of the video content to the second display device is defined through an interface providing live views of activity of users of a cloud system that includes the cloud server computer, the live views being selectable, the rendered video content defining one of the live views, the request to transition control being processed after selection of the one of the live views that is defined by the rendered video.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the session of the cloud application defines a virtual space, the events occurring in the virtual space, and wherein the video content defines a view of the virtual space.

11. A method, comprising:
receiving, over a network, a request from a first client device associated with a first user to initiate a session of a cloud application for the first user;
executing, by a cloud server computer, the first user's session of the cloud application to generate video content, wherein executing the first user's session includes processing input data received over the network from the first client device associated with the first user to direct events occurring in the first user's session;
streaming the video content over the network to the first client device for rendering to a first display device;
streaming the video content over the network to a second client device associated with a second user for rendering to a second display device;
processing a request, received over the network from the second client device, for the second user to join the first user's session;
initiating interactivity by the second user in the first user's session, wherein initiating interactivity by the second user includes processing input data received over the network from the second client device that is associated with the second user to direct the events occurring in the first user's session.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein initiating interactivity by the second user in the first user's session includes initiating a multiplayer mode of the cloud application.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the streaming of the video content to the second client device is presented through a social interface at the second client device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein processing the request includes processing a permission of the first client device to allow the interactivity by the second user in the first user's session.

15. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein rendering of the video content to the second display device is in a non-fullscreen format; and
wherein initiating interactivity by the second user in the first user's session includes triggering rendering of the video content to the second display device in a fullscreen format.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the rendering of the video content to the second display device is defined through an interface providing live views of activity of users of a cloud system that includes the cloud server computer, the live views being selectable, the rendered video content defining one of the live views, the request to join the first user's session being processed after selection of the one of the live views that is defined by the rendered video.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the session of the cloud application defines a virtual space, the events occurring in the virtual space, and wherein the video content defines a view of the virtual space.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions embodied thereon, the program instructions configured, when executed by a cloud server computer, to cause the cloud server computer to perform a method including:
receiving, over a network, a request from a first client device associated with a first user to initiate a session of a cloud application for the first user;
executing,

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment America Llc

Inventors

• Miura Victor Octav Suba
• Perry David
• Dias Philippe
• Yong Kelvin

Classifications

• A63F13/23

  for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console · CPC title

• A63F13/53

  involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game · CPC title

• A63F2009/2488

  Remotely playable · CPC title

• A63F2009/2457

  Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays · CPC title

• A63F13/355 Primary

  Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client · CPC title