Abstract:
Network-based methods and apparatus are provided for rendering images to an end user. Video images are generated by receiving user input from a remote user; rendering the video in real-time in response to the user input; and transmitting the video to the user. The video may comprise, for example, video game images and the video game is executed by a centralized tendering engine. The rendering can be performed by a rendering engine that is remote from the user. The user input can be obtained, for example, from one or more of a game pad, steering wheel and joystick that is local to the user. A service provider can transmit the video to the user using a pre-existing media distribution connection between the service provider and the user

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the rendering of images, such as video games, and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for network-based rendering of such images to an end user. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Video games are typically executed by equipment located within the home of the end-user, such as a general-purpose computer or a special-purpose game console, such as Xbox, commercially available from Microsoft Corp., Playstation 3, commercially available from Sony Corporation of America, and Wii, commercially available from Nintendo of America, Inc. Generally, the computer or game console accepts input from a user and lenders the video images to a suitable display device. A console thus contains both the hardware for rendering images locally and the software for executing the desired game. Special-purpose video game consoles are becoming increasingly expensive, for example, due to the ever increasing hardware requirements of modern video games. 
         [0003]    The above-described game configuration requires that both the appropriate hardware and software are present in the user&#39;s home. This makes hardware updates, software distribution, and software license management difficult. A need therefore exists for a video game system configuration that leverages existing network connectivity and eliminates the need for expensive special-purpose game consoles in each home. A further need exists for a video game system configuration that moves the gaming equipment into the network so that it can be shared by a number of users. Yet another need exists for a video game system configuration that allows for centralized distribution, maintenance and licensing management. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Generally, network-based methods and apparatus are provided for rendering images to an end user. According to one aspect of the invention, video images are generated by receiving user input from a remote user; rendering the video in real-time in response to the user input; and transmitting the video to the user. The video may comprise, for example, video game images and the video game is executed by a centralized tendering engine. The rendering can be performed by a rendering engine that is remote from the user. The user input can be obtained, for example, from one or more of a game pad, steering wheel and joystick that is local to the user. 
         [0005]    The present invention can be provided, for example, by a service provider and the video is transmitted to the user using a pre-existing media distribution connection between the service provider and the user. According to another aspect of the invention, audio can also be rendered in realtime in response to user input and with the audio being transmitted to the user. 
         [0006]    A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages of the present invention, will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary network environment in which the present invention can operate; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary game system configuration in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides a video game system configuration that leverages existing content distribution network connectivity and eliminates the need for expensive special-purpose game consoles in each home by moving the gaming equipment into the network. In this manner; the centralized game system equipment can be shared by a number of users (thereby allowing greater game variety and/or quality). In addition, the disclosed video game system configuration allows for centralized software distribution, maintenance and licensing management. 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary network environment  100  in which the present invention can operate. As shown in  FIG. 1 , one or more end-user television devices  130 - 1  through  130 -N (hereinafter, collectively referred to as end-user television devices  130 ) are connected to a network  110 . The network  110  may be embodied, for example, as any wired or wireless network, or a combination thereof; including satellite or cable-based television networks. The network  110  may employ, for example, an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) standard. 
         [0011]    As discussed further below in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , the end-user television devices  130  may optionally require a set top box  120 -N (hereinafter, referred to as set top box  120 ) to process signals received from service provider equipment  140 . The end-user television devices  130  may be embodied as any device capable of presenting video to an end-user, such as a television, portable video device or personal computer. 
         [0012]    While the present invention is illustrated herein in the context of an exemplary video game system configuration, the present invention may be applied to any application that requires interactive and centralized computation and rendering with local display or presentation to an end-user. For example, the present invention may also be applied to a three-dimensional rendered “walk through” of a house that is for sale. As used herein, the term tendering shall indicate the real-time (i.e., “on the fly”) creation of a plurality of video frames in response to user input. 
         [0013]    In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a set top box  120 -N within a home of an end-user is employed to display (on a television device  130 ) video created by a rendering device  150  located within the network  100 . Generally, video games are executed in the network  110  on the rendering device  150  with the video being packaged for distribution in a standard video stream and transported on the network  110  in a manner consistent with existing content distribution standards, such as IPTV. The video signals may be based, for example, on the MPEG2 or H 264 video standards. In this manner, no modification is requited to the preexisting content distribution network. The audio and video generated by the rendering device  150  behaves in a fashion substantially identical to a typical television channel or video on demand (VOD) stream. 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary game system configuration  200  in accordance with the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the exemplary game system configuration  200  comprises a network legion  210  and an end-user premises region  220 . The exemplary network region  210  comprises a rendering device  230  and a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM)  240 . Generally, the DSLAM  240  is a network device, typically located near the end-user premises region  220 , that connects multiple customer Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs) to a high-speed Internet backbone line using multiplexing techniques. 
         [0015]    According to one aspect of the invention, video games awe executed in the network  210  on the rendering device  230  with the video being packaged for distribution to an end-user in a standard video stream and transported on the network  210  in a manner consistent with existing content distribution standards. The video signals may be based, for example, on the MPEG2 or H 264 video standards. The rendering device  230  may be embodied, for example, as a special-purpose game console, such as Xbox, commercially available from Microsoft Corp., or Playstation 3, commercially available from Sony Corporation of America, or Wii, commercially available from Nintendo of America, Inc., connected to a hardware encoder that encodes the game console output signal within a standard media transport stream for distribution to the end user. 
         [0016]    The rendering device  230  will execute the selected game software. The rendering device  230  will stream a sequence of video frames to the end user, for example, encapsulated within an MPEG2 stream. In one implementation, the rendering device  230  can implement an API similar to those provided by personal computer video hardware devices. Games will execute on the rendering device  230  and calls to the API will produce the MPEG2 stream. As discussed below, the set top box (STB)  260  in the user premises  220  will display the MPEG2 stream on the television  270  of the end-user. As previously indicated, the rendering device  230  produces industry standard media streams. Thus, the hardware within the user premises used to view other media streams (such as IPTV, or Video on Demand (VOD)) need not be modified. The game types and communications protocols used can be selected to ensure latency issues do not affect game play. 
         [0017]    The exemplary end-user premises region  220  comprises a residential gateway (RG)  250  (e.g., for an Ethernet connection), an optional set-top box  260 , a television  270  and control hardware  280 . The set top box  260  connects to the television  270  and the DSLAM  240  as the source of the signal. The set top box  260  turns the signal into content that is presented to an end-user on the screen of the television  270 . In an IPTV network, for example, the set top box  260  is generally a small computer that provides two-way communications on an IP network, with the primary function of decoding video streaming media. The set top box  260  may be embodied, for example, using the set top boxes commercially available from Scientific-Atlanta or Motorola. It is noted that the functionality of the set top box  260  can be provided in an alternate device, such as a digital video recorder; the television  270  itself or a decoder; such as an MPEG2 decoder. 
         [0018]    The control hardware  280  provides a mechanism for user input to indicate movement within the game the control hardware  280  may be embodied, for example, as a game pad, steering wheel or joystick. Upstream signals from the control hardware  280  will be used to drive the game and rendering engine  230 . In this manner, the tendering engine  230  will generate a plurality of video frames in real-time in response to the user input. The games and other applications offered by the service provider can be selected, for example, based on the bandwidth available on the back channel from the control hardware  280  to the tendering engine  230 . 
         [0019]    The tendering hardware  230 , game execution, and game software will remain within the network region  210  of a given service provider; and be managed directly by the service provider. In this manner, the service provider provides the same functionality as currently provided by local game consoles, using the existing connectivity to the end-user. 
         [0020]    Among other benefits, the centralized game configuration of the present invention allows an end-user to change his or her location for the same game. For example, an instantaneous game status can be transferred to a new location or the output stream from the rendering device  230  can be transferred or rerouted to anew location. 
         [0021]    System and Article of Manufacture Details 
         [0022]    While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described with respect to digital blocks, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art, various functions may be implemented in the digital domain as processing steps in a software program, in hardware by circuit elements or state machines, or in combination of both software and hardware. Such software may be employed in, for example, a digital signal processor, micro-controller, or general-purpose computer. Such hardware and software may be embodied within circuits implemented within an integrated circuit. 
         [0023]    Thus, the functions of the present invention can be embodied in the form of methods and apparatuses for practicing those methods. One or more aspects of the present invention can be embodied in the form of program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a machine, or transmitted over some transmission medium, wherein, when the program code is loaded into and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose processor, the program code segments combine with the processor to provide a device that operates analogously to specific logic circuits. The invention can also be implemented in one or more of an integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, a microprocessor, and a micro-controller. 
         [0024]    As is known in the art, the methods and apparatus discussed herein may be distributed as an article of manufacture that itself comprises a computer readable medium having computer readable code means embodied thereon. The computer readable program code means is operable, in conjunction with a computer system, to carry out all or some of the steps to perform the methods or create the apparatuses discussed herein. The computer readable medium may be a recordable medium (e.g., floppy disks, hard drives, compact disks, memory cards, semiconductor devices, chips, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)) or may be a transmission medium (e.g., a network comprising fiber-optics, the world-wide web, cables, or a wireless channel using time-division multiple access, code-division multiple access, or other radio-frequency channel). Any medium known or developed that can store information suitable for use with a computer system may be used. The computer-readable code means is any mechanism for allowing a computer to read instructions and data, such as magnetic variations on a magnetic media or height variations on the surface of a compact disk. 
         [0025]    The computer systems and servers described herein each contain a memory that will configure associated processors to implement the methods, steps, and functions disclosed herein. The memories could be distributed or local and the processors could be distributed or singular. The memories could be implemented as an electrical, magnetic or optical memory, or any combination of these or other types of storage devices. Moreover, the term “memory” should be construed broadly enough to encompass any information able to be read from or written to an address in the addressable space accessed by an associated processor. With this definitions information on a network is still within a memory because the associated processor can retrieve the information from the network. 
         [0026]    It is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.