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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9242176-B2
Application number	US-201313839486-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A method for providing remote control of a user's gameplay is provided. A live video feed of a first user's gameplay is presented to a remote second user. A request to transition control of the first user's gameplay to the second user is processed. Control of the first user's gameplay by the second user is initiated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing remote control of a user's gameplay, comprising:
executing, by a cloud gaming server, a first user's gameplay session of a video game, wherein executing the first user's gameplay session includes processing input received over a network from a first controller device associated with the first user to direct gameplay events occurring in the first user's gameplay session;
presenting, over the network, a live video feed of the first user's gameplay to a remote second user;
processing a request to transition control of the first user's gameplay session to the second user;
initiating control of the first user's gameplay session by the second user, wherein initiating control by the second user includes deactivating control by the first controller device and activating control by a second controller device associated with the second user, wherein initiating control by the second user includes processing input received over the network from the second controller device to direct the gameplay events occurring in the first user's gameplay session;
wherein the method is executed by at least one processor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control of the first user's gameplay session by the second controller device includes receiving input commands from the second controller device and applying the input commands to define the first user's gameplay session.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the live video feed is presented through a social interface to the second user, the social interface providing access to a social graph of the second user, the first user being defined as a member of the second user's social graph.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the social interface includes a comments interface for posting comments during the first user's gameplay.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the request to transition control includes receiving an acknowledgement from the first user to allow the control of the first user's gameplay by the second user.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein presenting the live video feed of the first user's gameplay to the second user includes presenting the live video feed in a non-fullscreen format; and
wherein initiating control of the first user's gameplay by the second user includes triggering presentation of the live video feed in a fullscreen format.

7. A method for providing multiplayer gameplay, comprising:
executing, by a cloud gaming server, a first user's gameplay session of a video game, wherein executing the first user's gameplay session includes processing input received over a network from a first controller device that is associated with the first user to direct gameplay events occurring in the first user's gameplay session;
presenting, over the network, a live video feed of the first user's gameplay session to a remote second user;
processing a request for a second user to join the first user's gameplay session;
initiating gameplay by the second user in the first user's gameplay session, wherein initiating gameplay by the second user includes processing input received over the network from a second controller device that is associated with the second user to direct the gameplay events occurring in the first user's gameplay session;
wherein the method is executed by at least one processor.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein initiating gameplay by the second user in the first user's gameplay session includes initiating a multiplayer mode of a video game.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the live video feed is presented through a social interface to the second user, the social interface providing access to a social graph of the second user, the first user being defined as a member of the second user's social graph.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the social interface includes a comments interface for posting comments during the first user's gameplay.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein processing the request to join the first user's gameplay session includes receiving an acknowledgement from the first user to allow gameplay by the second user in the first user's gameplay session.

12. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein presenting the live video feed of the first user's gameplay to the second user includes presenting the live video feed in a non-fullscreen format; and
wherein initiating gameplay by the second user in the first user's gameplay session includes triggering presentation of the live video feed in a fullscreen format.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions embodied thereon for providing remote control of a user's gameplay, the program instructions including:
program instructions for executing, by a cloud gaming server, a first user's gameplay session of a video game, wherein executing the first user's gameplay session includes processing input received over a network from a first controller device associated with the first user to direct gameplay events occurring in the first user's gameplay session;
program instructions for presenting, over the network, a live video feed of the first user's gameplay session to a remote second user;
program instructions for processing a request to transition control of the first user's gameplay session to the second user;
program instructions for initiating control of the first user's gameplay session by the second user, wherein initiating control by the second user includes deactivating control by the first controller device and activating control by a second controller device associated with the second user, wherein initiating control by the second user includes processing input received over the network from the second controller device to direct the gameplay events occurring in the first user's gameplay session.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the control of the first user's gameplay session by the second controller device includes receiving input commands from the second controller device and applying the input commands to define the first user's gameplay session.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the live video feed is presented through a social interface to the second user, the social interface providing access to a social graph of the second user, the first user being defined as a member of the second user's social graph.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the social interface includes a comments interface for posting comments during the first user's gameplay.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein processing the request to transition control includes receiving an acknowledgement from the first user to allow the control of the first user's gameplay by the second user.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 ,
wherein presenting the live video feed of the first user's gameplay to the second user includes presenting the live video feed in a non-fullscreen format; and
wherein initiating control of the first user's gameplay by the second user includes triggering presentation of the live video feed in a fullscreen format.

Assignees

• Sony Comp Entertainment Us

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A63F13/73

  Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity · 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

• A63F13/12 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63F13/87

  Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat · CPC title

• A63F13/70

  Game security or game management aspects · CPC title