Abstract:
An emulation enhancement method in a first video game platform for enhancing execution of video games written for a second video game platform includes receiving an input signal written for the second video game platform, analyzing the input signal written for the second video game platform, intercepting a control signal from the input signal based on a set criteria, enhancing the control signal to generate an enhanced control signal for the first video game platform, and outputting the enhanced control signal. The control signal carries an audio effect component, a video effect component and a haptic effect component that are outputted on a user output display. Enhancing the control signal augments the audio effect component and the video effect component of the control signal and generates the enhanced control signal that utilizes additional platform capabilities on the first video game platform.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to co-pending U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/974,396, concurrently filed Sep. 21, 2007 entitled “Method And Apparatus For Emulation Enhancement.” This application is also related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/212,589, filed on Sep. 17, 2008, entitled “Method And Apparatus For Enhancing Entertainment Software Through Haptic Insertion.” 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to emulation enhancement of legacy games on gaming platforms. More particularly, an emulator for a video game platform facilitates the execution of video games written for another platform, while modifying and/or enhancing game play. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The process of emulating the functionality on a first computer system (the “host system”) of a second computer platform (the “target system”) so that the host system can execute programs designed for the target system is known as “emulation.” Emulation has commonly been achieved by creating software that converts program instructions designed for the target platform (target code instructions) into the native-language of a host platform (host instructions), thus achieving compatibility. More recently, emulation has also been realized through the creation of “virtual machines,” in which the target platform&#39;s physical architecture—the design of the hardware itself—is replicated via a virtual model in software. 
     Emulation of a gaming platform on another platform has been available for some time. However, in the event of a subsequent development of a host system with technical capabilities different than those of the legacy target system, there is an opportunity in emulation to enhance and supplement the gaming experience in the host system by taking advantage of the additional capabilities present in the host system. 
     This disclosure sets forth techniques for enhancing emulators. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, a Playstation®2 emulator facilitates the execution of Playstation®2 games on other more advanced platforms, such as, for example, the Playstation®3 game platform. The Playstation®2 emulator running in the Playstation®3 game platform is operable to enhance and/or modify various aspects of the game play experience by intercepting events, commands, and/or instructions and modifying their effects to further enhance the user gaming experience of Playstation®2 games in the Playstation®3 game platform. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure is directed to methods and devices for emulating and enhancing, in a first video game platform, the execution of video games written for a second video game platform. 
     Generally, an emulation enhancement method includes receiving an input signal written for the second video game platform, analyzing the input signal written for the second video game platform, intercepting a control signal from the input signal based on a set criteria, enhancing the control signal to generate an enhanced control signal for the first video game platform, and outputting the enhanced control signal. In one implementation, the control signal carries an audio effect component and a video effect component which are outputted on a user output display. The control signal may also additionally carry a haptic effect component which triggers a haptic effect on a user controller. 
     In some implementations, enhancing the control signal augments the audio effect component, the video effect component and the haptic effect component of the control signal and generates the enhanced control signal which utilizes additional platform capabilities on the first video game platform. Enhancing the control signal may redirect the tactile effect on the user controller device to generate the enhanced control signal carrying an audio or video effect in the first video game platform. The resulting video effect from the generated enhanced control signal may move or shake the user output display. Alternatively, the video effect in the first video game platform may vary the brightness of the user output display screen. The resulting audio effect from the generated enhanced control signal may be an output of a low frequency audio effect. 
     The emulation enhancement method may further include inserting a new signal carrying an audio and video effect which utilizes additional platform capabilities on the first video game platform. The control signal may control a user controller device, and the control signal may trigger a tactile effect on the user controller device. 
     In some implementations, the enhanced control signal is generated only when the control signal is intercepted more than a specific number of times. 
     Additionally, enhancing the control signal may redirect the audio effect component of the control signal to generate the enhanced control signal carrying a redirected video effect component. The enhanced control signal carrying the redirected video effect may vary color, brightness and/or contrast of the user output display. Alternatively, the enhanced control signal carrying the redirected video effect may vary the size of a user icon displayed on the user output display or any combination of the above may be used. 
     Similarly, an emulation enhancement device in a first video game platform enhances execution of video games written for a second video game platform. The emulation enhancement device includes a signal interceptor which receives an input signal written for the second video game platform, analyzes the input signal, and intercepts a control signal to be enhanced in the first video game platform from the input signal; a control signal enhancer which enhances the control signal and generates an enhanced control signal for the first video game platform; and an output controller which controls an output of the enhanced control signal. The control signal may carry an audio effect component and a video effect component which are outputted on a user output display. The control signal may also additionally carry a haptic effect component which triggers a haptic effect on a user controller. 
     Furthermore, the signal interceptor may intercept the control signal based on a set criterion. The control signal enhancer may augment the audio effect component, the video effect component, and the haptic effect component of the control signal and generate the enhanced control signal which utilizes additional platform capabilities on the first video game platform. The control signal may control a user controller device, and the control signal may trigger a tactile effect on the user controller device. The control signal enhancer may redirect the tactile effect on the user controller device to generate the enhanced control signal carrying an audio or video effect in the first video game platform. The resulting video effect from the generated enhanced control signal may move or shake the user output display. Alternatively, the resulting video effect from the generated enhanced control signal may vary the brightness of the user output display screen. The resulting audio effect from the generated enhanced control signal may be an output of low frequency audio effect. 
     The emulation enhancement device may further include a signal inserter which generates a new signal carrying an audio and video effect which utilizes additional platform capabilities on the first video game platform. 
     In some implementations, the output controller outputs the enhanced control signal only when the control signal is intercepted more than a specific number of times. 
     The control signal enhancer may redirect the audio effect component of the control signal to generate the enhanced control signal carrying a redirected video effect component. The enhanced control signal carrying the redirected video effect may vary color, brightness and/or contrast of the user output display. Alternatively, the enhanced control signal carrying the redirected video effect may vary a size of a user icon displayed on the user output display or any combination of the above may be used. 
     Similarly, a computer-readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for emulation enhancement in a first video game platform for enhancing execution of video games written for a second video game platform. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for emulation enhancement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes computer-executable instructions for receiving an input signal written for the second video game platform, computer-executable instructions for analyzing the input signal written for the second video game platform, computer-executable instructions for intercepting a control signal from the input signal based on a set criteria, computer-executable instructions for enhancing the control signal to generate an enhanced control signal for the first video game platform; and computer-executable instructions for outputting the enhanced control signal. 
     The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a block diagram of a target device that is to be emulated; 
         FIG. 1B  is a block diagram of an emotion engine of the target device of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a host device that emulates the target device of  FIGS. 1A-1B ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an emulation enhancement device; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating emulation enhancement. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, by way of example,  FIG. 1A  depicts a block diagram of a target system  100  in the form of a game console device. The target system is built around a main processor module  102  referred to as an emotion engine, a Graphic Synthesizer  104 , an input/output (I/O) processor (IOP)  106  and a sound processor unit  108 . The emotion engine (EE)  102  typically includes a CPU core, co-processors and a system clock and has an associated random access memory (RAM)  110 . The emotion engine  102  performs animation calculation, traverses a scene and converts it to a two-dimensional image that is sent to the Graphic Synthesizer (GS)  104  for rasterization. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , the EE  102  includes a CPU core  122 , with an associated floating point unit (FPU) coprocessor  124 , first and second vector co-processors  126 ,  128 , a graphics interface controller  130  and an interrupt controller (INTC)  132 . The CPU  122 , vector co-processors  126 ,  128 , GIF  130  and INTC  132  are coupled to a 128-bit main bus  134 . The FPU  124  is directly coupled to the CPU  122 . The CPU  122  is coupled to a first vector co-processor (VUO)  126 , which is, in turn, coupled to a second vector co-processor (VUI)  128 . The second vector co-processor VUI  128  is coupled to a graphics interface (GIF)  130 . The EE  102  additional includes a timer  136 , a direct memory access controller (DMAC)  138 , an image data decompression processor (IPU)  140  a DRAM controller  142  and a sub-bus interface (SIF)  144  that facilitates communication between the EE  102  and the IOP  106 . 
     The CPU core  122  may be a 128-bit processor operating at a 300 megahertz clock frequency using a MIPS instruction set with 64-bit instructions operating as a 2-way superscalar with 128-bit multimedia instructions. The CPU  122  may include a data cache, an instruction cache and an area of on-chip memory  123  sometimes referred to as a scratchpad. The scratchpad  123  serves as a small local memory that is available so that the CPU  122  can perform certain operations while the main bus  134  is busy transferring code and/or data. The first vector unit  126  may be used for animation and physics calculations. The second vector unit  128  may be used for geometry transformations. The GIF  130  serves as the main interface between the EE  102  and the GS  104 . 
     The IOP  106  may include a processor for backwards compatibility with prior versions of the target system  100  and its own associated RAM  112 . The IOP  106  handles input and output from external devices such as controllers, USB devices, a hard disc, Ethernet card or modem, and other components of the system such as the sound processor unit  108 , a ROM  114  and a CD/DVD unit  116 . A target program  118  may be stored on a CD/ROM disc loaded in the CD/DVD unit  116 . Instructions from the target program  118  may be stored in EE RAM  108  or IOP RAM  112  and executed by the various processors of the target system  100  in a native machine code that can be read by these processors. 
     In some implementations, the target system  100  may be emulated using a parallel processing host system  200  so that the host system  200  can run programs written in code native to the target system  100  such as target program  118 .  FIG. 2A  depicts an example of a host system  200  based on a cell processor  201  that may be configured to emulate the target system  100 . The cell processor  201  includes a main memory  202 , a single power processor element (PPE)  204  and eight synergistic processor elements (SPE)  206 . However, the cell processor  201  may be configured with more than one PPE and any number of SPE&#39;s. Each SPE  206  includes a synergistic processor unit (SPU) and a local store (LS). The memory  202 , PPE  204 , and SPEs  206  can communicate with each other and with an I/O device  208  over a ring-type element interconnect bus (EIB)  210 . The PPE  204  and SPEs  206  can access the EIB  210  through bus interface units (BIU). The PPE  204  and SPEs  206  can access the main memory  202  over the EIB  210  through memory flow controllers (MFC). The memory  202  may contain an emulation program  209  that implements interpretation and translation of coded instructions written for the target system  100 . The emulation program  209  may also include hardware emulation code, i.e., software code that emulates certain hardware on the target system  100 . The coded instructions written for the target system  100  may be read from a CD/ROM disc in a CD/DVD reader  211  coupled to the I/O device  208 . A CD/ROM disc containing the target program  118  may be loaded into the CD/DVD reader  211 . At least one of the SPE  206  may receive in its local store emulated IOP code  205  having instructions that emulate the IOP  106  described above with respect to  FIGS. 1A-1B . 
     By way of example, a translator  212  running on the PPE  204  may emulate the EE  102  of the target system  100  by translating EE instructions of the target program  118  into machine code  213  that can be run on the SPU. In this embodiment of the invention the SPU also implements an interpreter  214  that emulates the IOP  106  by interpreting IOP instructions of the target program  118 . When device requests are performed on the IOP  106 , some of the requests are forwarded to the PPE  204 . When this information is passed to the PPE  204 , such requests (e.g., haptic events and the like) may be intercepted and redirected, modified, enhanced, and the like. 
     Different aspects of the emulation enhancement will now be described in detail. 
     Application-Specific Emulator Configuration 
     When a target program  118  is executed using an emulation of a target system  100 , as opposed to executing the target program directly on an actual target system, its behavior may differ. For example, a host system  200  emulating target system  100  may include capabilities that differ from that of the target system, including but not limited to, different execution speeds, different timings between components, different memory sizes, different processing capabilities, different input/output capabilities, and the like. 
     Timing differences may result in behavior that differs from that intended. At the simplest level, timing problems may simply cause execution of the target program  118  to be too fast or too slow. If the emulation is too fast, the speed of the entire emulation may be reduced to make the target program  118  usable. However, timing issues may be difficult to identify and correct when asynchronous communications are involved. When two components communicate asynchronously, software that operates directly on the target system  100 , may fail to operate correctly during emulation of the target system on the host system  200 . 
     Furthermore, differences in input/output capabilities of the host system  200  may prevent an emulation from mimicking execution on the target system  100 . For example, an input device on the host system  200 , such as a keyboard, a mouse, a controller, and the like, may include differing numbers or arrangements of buttons, sensors, and the like. Additionally, such devices may provide differing outputs, such as, lights, sensors, haptics, and the like. 
     To some extent, an emulation may compensate for differences between target systems  100  and host systems  200  automatically; however, some differences create application-specific deviations. Such differences may be handled using application-specific configurations. One skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many mechanisms that may be used to implement application-specific configurations of an emulator. One such mechanism is to use application-specific metadata to identify such changes, configurations, modifications, and the like, to be used to during emulation. 
     Consider, for purposes of example, a target program  118  that is designed to be read from a CD-ROM by a target system  100 . One way to modify the behavior of the target program&#39;s  118  emulation is to create a layer of abstraction between CD-ROM reads and the data that is actually provided to the emulated target system  100 . In this example, metadata corresponding to the target program  118  is loaded onto the host system  200  for use by an emulator. This metadata may be stored in any format, such as, an XML file, a binary file, or the like. When the emulator on the host system  200  executes the target program  118 , the emulator receives and processes “READ” instructions. Metadata may be used to vary the data returned as a result of a READ instruction. For example, when the target program  118  includes a programming error, such error may be fixed by including metadata that instructs the emulator to modify or to insert alternate code when the erroneous code is read during emulation. This use of metadata is given for purposes of example, and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. This use of metadata may be used with the techniques set forth below to modify and/or enhance emulation. 
     Effect Redirection and Enhancement 
     Effects, such as, for example, video, audio, and/or tactile interactions may be enhanced and/or modified in an emulator. This allows an emulator to, among other things, enhance a user&#39;s experience, take advantage of additional platform capabilities, and/or overcome platform limitations. 
     Redirection entails a measure of simulating the original effect. For example, a redirection of an audio effect into a video effect involves simulating the waveform of the original audio effect in a video context. As such, the simulation may be achieved through modeling of the physics by transposing the aspects of the waveform in the audio signal into a video signal which most closely tie into the original audio signal. 
     In one implementation, audio effects are redirected or augmented through visual effects. For example, as a video game running on an emulator attempts to vary the intensity of audio output, the emulator redirects the audio and varies aspects of the video image, such as, for example, the color, brightness, and the like. Likewise, video effects may be redirected or augmented through audio effect. For example, it is common during a video game play that a blinking of a display screen is triggered by an event during game play. In such instances, the emulator redirects the video signal and instead varies the speed of the background music or creates a unique sound effect corresponding to the event during game play. 
     In another implementation, a video overlay is displayed to convey audio information visually. For example, an icon&#39;s size may be varied with the intended audio intensity. When the intended audio intensity is low, the size of the icon is small; however, as intensity increases, the icon&#39;s size is similarly increased to convey the audio information. Likewise, when there is a triggering event during game play which results in an output of an audio effect in the target system  100 , the emulator may redirect the audio signal and instead display a pop-up screen which graphically displays the intended audio effect. These techniques may be applied to divert or modify effects or to augment effects. Such redirection may be advantageous since each of the redirected effect may be enhanced to take advantage of additional platform capabilities present in the host system  200 . 
     Alternatively, audio or video effect may be enhanced without redirection, as described below. 
     Controller Enhancement 
     One way for an emulator to enhance game play experience is to modify controller interactions. The capabilities of video game platforms and controllers may vary. For example, different controllers may have different buttons, different configurations, different sensors, and/or different feedback capabilities. 
     In one implementation, a Playstation®2 emulator intercepts (traps) control signals meant to enable the rumble feature of the Playstation®2 Dual-Shock controller, and provides an alternative effect, such as, for example, one or more of the following: (i) Video Shake—the emulator modifies video output to appear to move or shake; (ii) Video Cue—the emulator modifies video output by, for example, varying the brightness and/or intensity, or by displaying an icon or other notation of the effect; (iii) Audio Effect—the emulator generates audio signals to convey the rumble effect. 
     More specifically, an intercepted control signal which enables a haptic effect in the target system  100  may be simulated and redirected into an audio effect in the host system  200 . In such instances, the redirected audio effect output in the host system  200  may be in the form of an output of sound in varying intensity to simulate the vibration of an off-centered weight used to carry the tactile effect in the target system  100 . 
     Further, a subwoofer may be used with audio effect redirection to intercept rumble effect signals and generate a low-frequency effect that is conveyed by the subwoofer. Such implementation may be advantageous in a host platform  200  which may not provide a tactile interface in its controller. 
     Controller enhancements may be implemented in a Playstation®2 emulator by modifying the Playstation®2 input-output processor  106  emulation which takes place in the IOP interpreter  214  to identify and intercept certain control signals sent to the controller. For example, a control signal to turn on the rumble feature may be intercepted by the emulator in the IOP interpreter  214  and be processed accordingly. Such control signal, once intercepted by the emulator is redirected and enhanced according to one of the many ways described above. 
     Further, a host system  200  may include a user controller equipped with a linear actuator or any other similar haptic devices. Such user controller may be connected to the host system  200  through various medium, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB port, Infrared (IR), and the like. In such instances, the control signal which enables the haptic effect can be intercepted and further enhanced with additional video and/or audio effect in addition to the triggering of the haptic effect in the host system  200 . Additionally, the library functions can be amended to provide alternative functionality based upon the trapped commands and the desired event in the associated device. 
     In some implementations, it may be desirable to enhance a series of control signals as opposed to an individual control signal. For example, the emulator may be configured to identify a pattern, such as, a periodic activation of the rumble feature of a controller. By intercepting a pattern of events or control signals, the emulator may provide more appropriate effects for a particular situation. Consider, for example, an emulator that intercepts rumble control signals. If each rumble control signals are converted to video shake effects, then the video output may be shaking too often. This effect may not be desirable in some games. Instead of merely detecting rumble control signals, the emulator may be configured to detect rumble enablement for greater than a predefined period of time (e.g., 1.5 seconds). If the pattern occurs, then the video shake effect is used; otherwise, an alternative effect is performed. In the emulator of the present implementation, the output controller  306  handles the actual output of the enhanced control signal. 
     Likewise, any of the other effect redirection or enhancement that may prove to be disruptive if it were to be used too frequently may be controlled by the output controller  306 . 
     Audio-Visual Enhancement 
     In another embodiment, it may be desirable to enhance audio and/or video output using an emulator. For example, a legacy target system  100  may have been limited by video processing, storage, and/or display capabilities when developed and released. Such games may be augmented and/or modified to improve game play experience to take advantage of enhanced platform capabilities. As described previously, enhancement of signals can also take place whenever there is an effect redirection of signals. In other words, whatever the redirected signal (i.e. video or audio) is outputted in the host system  200 , the redirected signal can take advantage of the additional platform capabilities present in the host system  200 . 
     In one implementation, the emulator intercepts texturing controls at the PPE  204  which emulates the EE  102  of the target system  100  and applies new textures to improve graphic quality. This may allow, for example, a legacy video game to take advantage of advances in display capabilities present in the host system  200 . For example, a Playstation®2 game could be enhanced to take advantage of high-definition display capabilities without rewriting legacy video games. 
     Similarly, audio capability of the host system  200  may be much more advanced than that of the legacy target system  100 . As such, it is possible to perform digital signal processing to improve the quality of audio output to take advantage of additional capabilities present in the host system  200 . 
     Audio and/or Video Insertions 
     In some implementations, it is desirable for an emulator to augment an executed game by adding audio and/or video information during game play. For example, the emulator may add product placements, modify product placements, add informational displays, and the like. Such insertion of new signals may be warranted in the host system  200 , since the target system  100  may have been technologically unsuitable for taking on such newly added signals. The newly added signals may be video and/or audio signals that take advantage of the additional platform capabilities in the host system  200 . In the emulator of the present implementation, the Signal Inserter  307  handles the insertion of new signals. 
     Implementation Techniques 
     Implementation of the above concepts, and others, can be done in various ways. For example, and not by way of limitation, the commands can be intercepted (trapped) at the Application Layer via an emulator program so that the command can generate the same or a different function. Similarly, a command can be intercepted and replaced with a new command or routine at the device level (serial I/O). In this way, enhanced communication with existing or additional external peripheral devices can be accomplished. 
     It is also to be noted that any combination of the enhanced and/or redirected signal may be selectively generated based on a user preference setting. That is, for example, a user running the emulator in the host system  200  may prefer to redirect the haptic effect component intended for the target system  100  to a video effect output in the host system  200 . Another user may prefer to redirect such haptic effect component intended for the target system  100  to an audio effect component output in the host system  200 . 
     There are at least two ways through which the user may configure the user preference setting. First, the user may choose among multiple alternatives to select how redirection and enhancement of signals may occur. For example, a user may choose, among other effects, to redirect a haptic effect signal into a visual shake and a corresponding audio effect to be output in the target system  200 . Alternatively, the user may configure the user preference setting by inhibiting certain effect from being output in the host system  200 . For example, the user may find a particular audio or video effect to be undesirable. In such instance, the user may configure the user preference setting so that the undesirable audio or video effect will not be generated in the host system  200 . 
     As such, based on the user preference setting of redirection and enhancement, further enhancement of gaming experience during emulation can be achieved. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an emulation enhancement device  300  at a high level. It is to be noted that the depicted emulation enhancement device may be implemented with computer-executable instructions recorded in a computer-readable medium and/or hardware elements which logically correspond to the depicted elements. 
     An input signal  301  is inputted through the emulator device. By way of example, the input signal  301  may be either EE translated machine code  213  or the IOP instructions interpreted by the IOP interpreter  214 . Once the input signal  301  is inputted, the Signal Interceptor  302  intercepts the control signal which is to be intercepted. Once the control signal is intercepted, the control signal  303  is outputted to the Control Signal Enhancer  304  for enhancement. The Control Signal Enhancer  304  handles the effect redirection, controller enhancement, and audio/visual enhancement of the control signal  303 , as described in detail above. The Control Signal Enhancer  304  outputs an enhanced control signal  305  to the Output Controller  306 . The emulator device may also include a Signal Inserter  307 . The Signal Inserter  307  allows for an insertion of an audio and/or video information during game play by generating the inserted signal  308 . The Output Controller  306  controls the output of either the enhanced control signal  305  or the inserted signal  308 . 
       FIG. 4  exemplarily depicts a flow chart illustrating the emulation enhancement method. 
     The input signal which may be either the EE translated machine code  213  or the IOP instructions interpreted by the IOP interpreter  214  is analyzed in step  401 . In step  402 , it is determined whether the input signal contains a control signal which is to be enhanced. If there is a control signal to be enhanced, the effect redirection, controller enhancement, and audio/visual enhancement of the control signal is performed in step  403 . Upon enhancement of signals, the enhanced control signal is outputted in step  404 . 
     As shown above, enhancement of existing signals and addition of new signals allow for an enhanced gaming experience for a user emulating a target system game in a host system  200 . Such enhanced emulation according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention enables the user to experience the advanced technological features of the host system  200  previously not available in the legacy target system  100 . 
     While the above is a complete description of the preferred implementations, it is possible to use various alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be determined not with reference to the above description but should, instead, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with their full scope of equivalents. Any feature described herein, whether preferred or not, may be combined with any other feature described herein, whether preferred or not. In the claims that follow, the indefinite article “A” or “An” refers to a quantity of one or more of the item following the article, except where expressly stated otherwise. The appended claims are not to be interpreted as including means-plus-function limitations, unless such a limitation is explicitly recited in a given claim using the phrase “means for.”