Processing system, information processing apparatus, control method, program and storage medium

A first device generates, associates with a generated call, and transmits generation information for generating an object corresponding to identification information included in the call. On the other side, in a case where the received call includes unknown identification information, a second device generates and stores an object corresponding to unknown identification information based on generation information associated with the call. Next, the second device associates the unknown identification information with specification information that specifies the stored object in a memory space of the device and register that.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a processing system, an information processing apparatus, a control method, a program and a storage medium, and particularly to a technique of realizing processing over multiple devices.

BACKGROUND ART

Client devices such as personal computers (PCs) capable of network connection have become widespread. Along with the widespread use of devices, the network population of the Internet is increasing. Various services using the Internet have recently been developed for network users, and entertainment services such as games are also provided.

One of the services for network users is a multiuser online network game such as MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). In a multiuser online network game, a user connects his/her client device to a server that provides the game, thereby doing match-up play or team play with another user who uses another client device connected to the server.

In a general multiuser online network game, each client device sends/receives data necessary for game rendering to/from the server. The client device performs rendering processing using the received data necessary for rendering and presents the generated game screen to a display device connected to the client device, thereby providing the game screen to the user. Information the user has input by operating an input interface is sent to the server and used for calculation processing in the server or transmitted to another client device connected to the server.

However, some network games that cause a client device to perform rendering processing require a user to use a PC having sufficient rendering performance or a dedicated game device. For this reason, the number of users of a network game (one content) depends on the performance of the client device required by the content. A high-performance device is expensive, as a matter of course, and the number of users who can own the device is limited. That is, it is difficult to increase the number of users of a game that requires high rendering performance, for example, a game that provides beautiful graphics.

In recent years, however, there are also provided games playable by a user without depending on the processing capability, such as rendering performance, of a client device. In a game such as is described in International Publication No. 2009/138878, a server acquires the information of an operation caused in a client device and provides, to the client device, a game screen obtained by performing rendering processing using the information.

In a case where a server performs rendering processing such as in the previously described International Publication No. 2009/138878, for example, an embodiment is considered in which main processing excluding rendering processing is performed on a client device, and processing concerning rendering is caused to be processed by a server. Specifically, the client device can acquire a game screen by using a rendering capability that the server provides as needed in the course of the main processing.

As one form of achieving this kind of embodiment, a method may be considered in which a function concerning rendering processing that the server provides is used by calling the function in the main processing of the client device. However, a method of providing to a function a handler including a pointer to an object as a callback as with a conventional callback function could not be used across different devices as in the game system of International Publication No. 2009/138878. This is because each device uses an independent memory space, and a pointer to an object in one device's memory space cannot be used in the memory space of another device.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention was made in view of such problems in the conventional technique. The present invention provides a processing system, an information processing apparatus, a control method, a program and a storage medium that realize execution of processing due to a call that spans devices.

The present invention in its first aspect provides a processing system in which a first device generates a call corresponding to a function provided by a second device which is different from the first device, and causes the second device to execute processing corresponding to the function, wherein the first device comprises: allocation means for allocating identification information, that is for the processing system, for specification information that specifies an object stored in the first memory; call transmission means for generating and transmitting to the second device a call including identification information allocated by the allocation means; and information transmission means for generating, associating with the call and transmitting generation information for generating an object corresponding to identification information included in the call; and wherein the second device comprises: a second memory for storing an object; receiving means for receiving the call or the generation information; and registration means for, in a case where unknown identification information is included in a call received by the receiving means, generating based on generation information associated with the call, and storing in the second memory, an object corresponding to the unknown identification information, associating with specification information that specifies an object corresponding to the unknown identification information, and registering, the unknown identification information.

The present invention in its second aspect provides an information processing apparatus that executes processing corresponding to the function in accordance with having received a call for a function that the information processing apparatus provides from another device, the information processing apparatus comprising: a memory for storing an object; receiving means for receiving from the other device a call including identification information allocated for specification information that specifies an object that the other device retains in the other device and generation information for generating an object corresponding to identification information included in the call; and registration means for, in a case where unknown identification information is included in a call received by the receiving means, generating based on the generation information, and storing in the memory, an object corresponding to the unknown identification information, and associating with specification information that specifies an object corresponding to the unknown identification information, and registering, the unknown identification information.

The present invention in its third aspect provides a control method of an information processing apparatus that executes processing corresponding to a function that the information processing apparatus provides in accordance with having received a call for the function from another device, the control method comprising: a receiving step that receiving means of the information processing apparatus receives from the other device a call including identification information allocated for specification information that specifies an object that the other device retains in the other device and generation information for generating an object corresponding to identification information included in the call; and a registration step that registration means of the information processing apparatus, in a case where unknown identification information is included in a call received in the receiving step, generates based on the generation information, and stores in the memory, an object corresponding to the unknown identification information, and associates with specification information that specifies an object corresponding to the unknown identification information, and registers, the unknown identification information.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

Below, for the explanatory embodiments of the present invention, detailed explanation is given referring to the drawings. Note, the first embodiment, which is explained below, is an example of a processing system, and will be explained as an example in which a game system comprising a client terminal100functioning as the user operated first device and a server200functioning as the game content screen distributing second device is applied to the present invention.

FIG. 1Ais view for showing a system configuration of a game system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the client terminal100and the server200are connected via a network300. In the game system of the present embodiment the server200receives a processing instruction concerning screen generation of provided game contents from the client terminal100and performs processing corresponding to the instruction. Next the server200distributes by streaming the generated screen as encoded video data to the client terminal100.

In the present embodiment, explanation is given with the client terminal100assumed to be a home-use game console for performing processing other than processing concerning the rendering system, but implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The client terminal100may be any device that can cause the server200to perform a function by generating a call to a capability (function) that the server200provides such as a PC, a portable game device, and mobile phone, a PDA, a tablet or the like.

In the present embodiment, the server200performs processing concerning the rendering system instead of performance on the client terminal100. Here the client terminal100functions as a master that makes a processing command and the server200functions as a slave that provides a game content rendering capability corresponding to the processing command. Note, in the present embodiment, the server200is explained as something that provides a rendering capability, but the present invention is not limited to this kind of rendering capability and it should be understood that other application is possible. Also, in the present embodiment, explanation is given with the second device being the server200, but the second device is not limited to being a server and it may be any device that can receive the call for performance of the provided capability.

FIG. 2is a block diagram for showing a functional configuration of the client terminal100according to embodiments of the present invention.

A control unit101is, for example, a CPU. The control unit101controls the operation of each block of the client terminal100. Specifically, the control unit101controls operation of each block by reading out operation programs for each block stored in a ROM102, loading them into a RAM103and executing them.

The ROM102is, for example, a rewriteable non-volatile memory. The ROM102, in addition to the operation programs of each block of the client terminal100, also stores information such as parameters necessary for the operation of the blocks.

The RAM103is a volatile memory. The RAM103functions not only as a load area for operation programs of each of the blocks of the client terminal100, but also as a storage area for such things as intermediate data output in the operation of each block. Also, in the present embodiment, each type of object used in the operation of each block is stored in the RAM103. The various types of objects may be specific structures that are allocated in a program such as, for example, parameters that show the state of user operation target characters.

Also, in the present embodiment, a client handler table that manages handlers that are included in a call of a function (provided function) corresponding to a capability that the server200provides is stored in the RAM103. Specifically, the client handler table manages a correspondence between handlers included in the calls, and pointers of the various types of objects stored in the RAM103. For example, in a case where a provided function is defined to be:

it is necessary to pass three types of instances in addition to data (Data) in order to execute the function. Here, each instance is a pointer that indicates an object in RAM103, and because the memory spaces are different between the client terminal100and the server200as described above, in the server200the pointer is not correctly interpreted. Consequently, in the present embodiment, for a pointer included as an instance of a provided function, a handler that uniquely specifies the pointer is allocated, and this handler is included in a call and transmitted. As shown inFIG. 4A, in the client handler table, a pointer used as a instance and a handler allocated for the pointer are associated and managed.

A decoding unit104decodes encoded video data received from the server200, and generates screens to provide to a later described display unit107. Note, in the present embodiment explanation is given having the client terminal100be something that receives a game content screen in the form of encoded video data from the server200, but the received data is obviously not limited to this data form.

A communication unit105is a communication interface of the client terminal100. The client terminal100can connect to the server200over the network300via the communication unit105, and can perform data communication according to a defined protocol.

An operation input unit106is a user interface of the client terminal100such as, for example, an operation button or a touch panel. When the operation input unit106detects operation input from the user, control signals corresponding to the operation input are output to the control unit101.

The display unit107is a display apparatus of the client terminal100such as an LCD, for example. A game content screen received from the server200is provided to a user by being presented on the display unit107.

FIG. 3is a block diagram for showing a functional configuration of the server200according to embodiments of the present invention.

A server control unit201is, for example, a CPU, and it controls the operation of each block of the server200. Specifically, the server control unit201controls the operation of each block stored in a server ROM202by reading out an operation program of the block, loading it into a server RAM203, and executing it.

The server ROM202is, for example, a rewritable, non-volatile memory. The server ROM202, in addition to the operation programs of each block of the server200, also stores information such as parameters necessary for the operation of the blocks. Also, in the server ROM202account information of users of services that the server200provides is managed. A user of the client terminal100can receive the provision of screens that correspond to progress status on the terminal by performing a service login to the server200using the account information when using the game content.

The server RAM203is a volatile memory. The server RAM203functions not only as a load area for operation programs of each of the blocks of the server200, but also as a storage area for such things as intermediate data output in the operation of each block. Also, in the present embodiment, each type of object used in the operation of each block is stored in the server RAM203. Some of the various types of objects correspond to objects stored in the RAM103of the client terminal100.

Also, in the server RAM203, a server handler table that manages handlers that are included in a call of a provided function. Specifically, the server handler table manages a correspondence between handlers included in the calls, and pointers of objects stored in the server RAM203corresponding to these handlers. The server handler table, as shown in FIG.4B, associates with pointers to corresponding objects in the server RAM203and manages handlers allocated in the client terminal100. Note, there is generally a 1 to 1 correspondence between the server handler table and the client handler table. In other words, on the client terminal100and the server200for common handlers, pointers to corresponding objects in each memory space are managed using tables.

A server rendering unit204is, for example, a GPU, and it renders game screens for game content of a provided service. For example, in a case where content in which a 3 dimensional scenes are provided as game screens, the server rendering unit204receives information of a rendering object included in a rendering scope from the server control unit201, and generates game screens rendering to a VRAM (not shown) in order. Note, such things as model data and texture data used in game screen generation are stored in a server storage medium205.

A server encoding unit206generates encoded video data by encoding game screens generated by the server rendering unit204. In the present embodiment a game screen provided from the server200to the client terminal100is transmitted as a frame of encoded video data of a predetermined format.

A server communication unit207is a communication interface of the server200. The server200can connect to servers200over the network300via the server communication unit207, and can perform data communication according to a defined protocol. In the present embodiment the server200transmits encoded video data generated in the server encoding unit206using a streaming format to the client terminal100.

Here an overview of handler table update operation of the previously described client handler table and the server handler table will be explained using the operation flow ofFIG. 5. Note, the processing of this operation flow is performed when the control unit101, in the processing performed on the client terminal100, determines to generate a call to a provided function that the server200provides.

In step S501the control unit101extracts instances included in a call (in other words pointers to objects stored in the RAM103).

In step S502, the control unit101determines, for each pointer extracted in step S501, whether or not a handler has already been allocated referring to the client handler table.

In step S503, the control unit101allocates and registers in the client handler table a new handler for pointers for which a handler was not yet allocated.

In step S504, the control unit101generates generation information necessary for generating the object for an object specified by a pointer for which a new handler was allocated. As with the present embodiment, in order to reference a single object in different memory spaces, it is necessary to generate the same object in each of the memory spaces. In other words, in order to allow reference of an object generated in the client terminal100in the server200, the control unit101may transmit generation information for causing generation in the server200of the object, and the server control unit201may generate the same object. Note, the generation information may be information to which an allocated handler is associated that generates parameters, processing order and the like necessary for generation of the object, for example.

In step S505, the control unit101packages and transmits to the communication unit105the handlers allocated for each pointer extracted in step S501thereby causing them to be transmitted to the server200as a call. Here, in a case where a pointer for which a handler was newly allocated exists amongst the extracted pointers, the control unit101includes generation information for the pointer in the call.

Note, in the present embodiment explanation is made having transmission done including generation information, but so long as association between the generation information and the call can be distinguished, it should be understood that they can be transmitted separately. Also, in the present embodiment, explanation is made having handler information associated with the generation information, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, in a case where only one handler is included in a call, if it is possible to distinguish an association with the generation information, there is no need for the handler information to be associated with the generation information.

In step S506, the server control unit201receives the call sent from the client terminal100.

In step S507the server control unit201determines whether or not a handler that does not exist in the server handler table (an unknown handler) is included in the received call.

In step S508, the server control unit201references generation information included in the call, generates an object corresponding to the unknown handler, and stores it in the server RAM203.

In step S509, the server control unit201associates a pointer to the object generated in step S508with the unknown handler and registers it to the server handler table.

In step S510, the server control unit201executes the provided function that was called. At this point the server control unit201references the server handler table, passes as an instance of the provided function a pointer corresponding to the handlers included in the call, and executes.

With this, it is possible to realize an execution instruction due to a call to a function that another device provides between devices having different memory spaces. Also, because specification of a pointer by a handler is possible, it is possible to reduce data communication volume for the call.

Concrete Example

Here, explanation of an operation example of the above described operation flow is given. The case in which a call to the provided function:

is performed in a case where, for example, not a single handler or pointer is registered in the client handler table is considered.

In this case, because handlers are not yet allocated for pointers pObject1, pObject2 or pObject3, the control unit101allocates to each pointer and registers in the client handler table600a handler, as shown inFIG. 6A. Next, the control unit101, as a call601to the InitialisationMethod function, packages:

Data (including generation information of Object1, Object2 and Object3);

a handler “1” allocated for pObject1;

a handler “2” allocated for pObject2; and

a handler “3” allocated for pObject3,

and transmits them to the server200by transferring them to the communication unit105.

On the other hand, when on the server200the call601is received, first the server control unit201references the generation information included in the call and generates objects611,612and613(Object1, Object2 and Object3) which correspond to the handlers in the server RAM203. Next, the server control unit201associates the corresponding handlers to the pointers for the generated objects and registers them this in the server handler table610.

With this, on top of generating in the server RAM203the same objects as Object1, Object2 and Object3 existing in the RAM103of the client terminal100, handlers that are common between each of the client terminals100and the server200can be allocated. Specifically, after being registered in the handler tables, each of the objects can be specified by the handler alone.

Also, a case in which, in a case where, for example, the client handler table is as inFIG. 6A, a call to a function:

that defines an operation corresponding to a particular object is performed in considered.

In this case, because the handler is not yet allocated for the pointer pObject4, the control unit101allocates the handler “4” and registers it in the client handler table700, as shown inFIG. 7A. Next, the control unit101as a call701to the InitialisationMethod function packages:

Data (including generation information of Object4);

a handler “2” allocated for pObject2; and

a handler “4” allocated for pObject4,

and transmits them to the server200by transferring them to the communication unit105.

On the other hand, when on the server200, the call701is received, firstly the server control unit201references the generation information included in the call and generates an object711(Object4) which corresponds to handler “4” in the server RAM203. Next, the server control unit201associates the corresponding handler “4” to the pointer (pObject4 on server200) for the generated object and registers it in the server handler table710.

In this way, by updating the data configuration of a call, even a function that defines operation corresponding to a particular object can be associated.

As explained above, the processing system of the present embodiment is able to realize the execution of processing due to a call that spans multiple devices. Specifically, in the processing system, the first device allocates identification information, that is for the processing system, for specification information specifying a storage object in the memory space of the device. Next a call to a function which the second device provides which includes the allocated identification information is generated and transmitted. In this case the first device generates generation information in order to generate an object corresponding to the identification information included in the generated call, associates it with the call, and transmits it. Meanwhile, in a case where unknown identification information is included in the received call, the second device generates and stores an object corresponding to unknown identification information based on generation information associated with the call. Next, the second device associates unknown identification information with specification information that specifies a stored object in the memory space of the device and registers it.

Second Embodiment

In the above described first embodiment, explanation was given for an example in which a single client terminal100is connected to a server200. In the present embodiment, an example in which, for example, game content that the server200provides is an online game of a type in which multiple people can simultaneously participate, and in which multiple client terminals100are connected to the server200will be explained.

Note, in the present embodiment, explanation will be given having the server200be something that provides an online game of a type in which multiple people can simultaneously participate, but the present invention is not limited to content in which a plurality of users can simultaneously participate in a single game space in this way. The invention according to the present can be adopted to a case in which calls made from a plurality of client terminals handlers for common objects are included.

In a case where, as with an online game of a type in which multiple people can simultaneously participate, game content is provided to a plurality of client terminals, it is possible that common objects are used in rendering processing of such things as screens that are provided to the client terminals, and characters, terrain and the like that are included in screens. In this case, even if the object is the same, a different handler is allocated for each client terminal and managed, in a case where as in the first embodiment a handler table is allocated and managed for each client terminal. In other words, in the memory space of the server200, the same object will be generated multiple times, and furthermore, a different handler will be allocated for each instance, and managing handler tables will exist for each. This leads to unnecessary memory space occupation due to multiple occurrences in the memory space of the server200for what is in fact only a single object, and so this is undesirable.

In the present embodiment, in view of this kind of problem, in a system in which execution of processing due to a call over multiple devices being performed, a game system that realizes better memory usage efficiency is provided.

FIG. 1Bshows the system configuration of the game system of the present embodiment. As shown in the drawing, a plurality of client terminals100are connected to the server200via the network300. Note, in the game system of the present embodiment, because the functional configuration of the client terminal100and the server200is common to that of the first embodiment other than the fact that the communication unit105of the client terminal100performs communication with other client terminals100, explanation is omitted.

In the client terminal100of the present embodiment, in a case where a pointer for which a handler is not yet allocated is included in a call to a function provided by the server200, the following processing is performed. The control unit101transmits, as handler allocation information, information indicating a newly allocated handler for a pointer for which a handler is not yet allocated and generation information for an object indicating the pointer to not only the server200but also to other client terminals100that are connected to the server200. In other words, by transmitting the object for which the handler was newly allocated and information of the handler to the other client terminals100, it is possible to synchronize the client handler tables between the client terminals.

In the present embodiment, client handler tables are synchronized between client terminals in this way, and each terminal is made to hold a common handler table. By doing this, because it eliminates the same object being multiply generated in the server RAM203of the server200and furthermore because it eliminates the necessity of the server200having server handler tables for each terminal, it makes for efficient memory usage.

Here, client handler table update processing executed on the client terminal100according to the present embodiment will be explained in detail using the flowchart ofFIG. 8. The processing corresponding to this flowchart can be realized by the control unit101reading out a corresponding processing program stored in the ROM102for example, loading it into the RAM103and executing it. Note, explanation will be given with this client handler table update processing being initiated when an application for, for example, game content is executed, and being repeatedly executed in a processing loop corresponding to a single frame in the application.

In step S801, the control unit101determines whether or not the communication unit105received handler allocation information indicating that a handler was allocated for a new object from another client terminal100. In a case where the control unit101determined that the communication unit105received handler allocation information from another client terminal100, it moves the processing to step S802, and in a case where it determined that the communication unit105did not receive handler allocation information from another client terminal100, it moves the processing to step S803.

In step S802, the control unit101generates a new object in the RAM103based on generation information included in the handler allocation information, associates the handler specified in the handler allocation information with the pointer to the object, and registers this in the client handler table.

In step S803, the control unit101determines whether or not a pointer for which a handler has yet to be allocated exists in the pointers included in the call transmitted to the server200in the processing of the current frame. In a case where the control unit101determined that a pointer for which a handler has yet to be allocated exists in the pointers included in the call transmitted to the server, it moves the processing to step S804, and in a case where the control unit101determined that a pointer for which a handler has yet to be allocated does not exist in the pointers included in the call transmitted to the server, it terminates this client handler table update processing.

In step S804, the control unit101transmits, as handler allocation information, to other client terminals100that are connected to the server200, by transferring information indicating the handler allocated for the pointer for which a handler was not yet allocated, and generation information of the object that the pointer indicates to the communication unit105, and terminates this client handler table update processing.

With this, it is possible to generate a call to a function provided by the server200using a handle common to all of the client terminals connected to the server200. Note, explanation was given having handler information allocated for an object be something that was shared by all of the client terminals connected to the server200, but working of the present invention is not limited to this. For the present invention, handler information may be shared amongst only some client terminals out of the client terminals connected to the server200such as, for example, a group of client terminals for which the operation character is located in a specific field in the game, or for a group of client terminals for which the users are performing cooperative play in the game.

Third Embodiment

In the second embodiment described above, an embodiment in which when a plurality of client terminals100are connected to the server200, client handler tables are synchronized between client terminals, and used was explained. In the present embodiment, explanation of an embodiment whereby synchronization of the client handler table between client terminals is unnecessary will be given.

FIG. 9shows the system configuration of the game system of the present embodiment. In the game system of the present embodiment, on the point that a plurality of client terminals100are connected to the server200via the network300, this embodiment is the same as the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the server200is further connected to a rendering server400. In the example ofFIG. 9, the server200and the rendering server400are shown to be directly connected. However, it should be easy to envision that the server200and the rendering server400may be connected via a network300.

Note, in the game system of the present embodiment, the processing that the client terminal100, the server200, and the rendering server400handle differs from that of the two embodiments described above. In the present embodiment, in contrast to the above described embodiments, the rendering server400executes processing concerning the game content rendering system that is performed in the server200. Also, the server200generates a call to a function provided by the rendering server400, thereby causing the rendering server400to perform the processing. In other words, in the present embodiment, there is no need to perform specific processing of game content such as rendering instructions in the client terminal100. The client terminal100performs playback of encoded video data received from the server200. Also, the client terminal100associates user operation input related to the game content, and transmits this operation input to the server200.

In other words, in the game system of the present embodiment, the client terminal100only needs an operation input interface with the application that performs playback of the encoded video data provided from the server200such as a browser, for example, and does not need to save or execute a particular game program. The specific processing for game content is performed by the server200and out of that, for processing concerning the rendering system, the server200causes the rendering server400to execute the processing by transmitting a call to it. Of course the handler table update operation explained in the embodiments described above is performed by the server200and the rendering server400, and the server200manages a table corresponding to the client handler table, and the rendering server400manages a table corresponding to a server handler table.

In the game system of the present embodiment, the specific processing for each of the plurality of client terminals100, is executed in the server200. In this case, the server control unit201does not need to manage a table corresponding to the client handler table for processing of each client terminal, but rather only needs to manage a single table and generation information for each object for the plurality of client terminals. In other words, by using a common table in the same memory space for the processing of the plurality of client terminals, it is possible to share handler information allocated for a new object processing of one of them without performing the client handler table update processing described above.

By doing this, it is possible to generate a call to a function provided by the rendering server400using a common handler in the processing for the plurality of client terminals that are connected to the server200in the same was as in the second embodiment described above. Note, in this case, because the object that the processing for the plurality of client terminals references exists in the same memory space in the server200, there is no need to newly generate, based on generation information, or store an object. When the server control unit201needs to newly generate an object, it references generation information for previously generated objects in the memory space, and in the case where a match exists, the previously generated object may be used without the necessity of generating the object.

Note, in the first and second embodiments described above, and the in the third embodiment, explanation was given wherein the handler allocated for the pointer was included in the call, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention eliminates not obtaining a desirable result by including an address reference to the object in the call in order that the same object be stored in a different address in a memory space of a different device In other words, the target of allocation of identification information such as the handler, is not limited to a pointer, and may be specifying information that specifies a particular address in a memory space.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Also, the processing system according to the present invention can be realized by a program that causes a computer to function as each of the devices in the processing system. This program can be provided/distributed via an electronic communication circuit by storing it in a computer readable storage medium.

This application claims the benefits of U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 61/661,499, filed Jun. 19, 2012, U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 61/664,313, filed Jun. 26, 2012, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-183575, filed Aug. 22, 2012, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.