Patent Description:
User interfaces for platform-based gameplay (e.g., Sony PlayStation®) may include a variety of different user interfaces used to select content (e.g., a game) to play, interact with other users, or otherwise interact with the selected content or other content in different ways. Digital games may include different modes of interaction, such as multiplayer, single-player, open world, competitive, etc. Each game title (and each gameplay mode thereof) may be associated with different user interfaces.

Presently available ways for users to begin gameplay may include steps, such as signing into a platform, selecting a game title, signing into the game, selecting one or more options on a menu, joining co-players for a multi-player session, selecting a stage, etc. Each step may be associated with different user interfaces.

The user interfaces used in digital games may also display information about the user, peers, and gameplay by the user and/or peers. Presently available user interfaces for displaying the user gameplay data may include displaying a string text and/or a specific achievement (e.g., a trophy) provided by each game.

Due to its usage in numerous aspects of digital content interaction, user interfaces can have significant impact on user experience. Such interfaces may, for example, detract from the user experience when gameplay information and statistics are not displayed or poorly displayed. Further, such interfaces may increase the time and amount of operations or steps a user must take to launch and play a selected portion of a game, and may thereby frustrate or inconvenience a user trying to launch a game. Previously proposed arrangements are disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>.

There is, therefore, a need in the art for systems and methods for launching direct gameplay and providing a dynamic interface.

Embodiments of the present invention include systems, recording medium and methods for directly launching interactive content. One or more templates may be stored in memory. Each template may define a different activity within an interactive content title. Such templates may also link to a starting point of the corresponding defined activity within the interactive content title. A set of the stored templates may be provided to a user device and a selection of a template may be received during a session established with the user device. Such selection may result in identifying the activity defined by the selected template and launching the identified activity within the interactive content title associated with the identified activity at the starting point linked to by the selected template.

Various embodiments may include methods for directly launching interactive content. Such methods may include establishing a session with a user device, wherein a set of stored templates is provided to the user device in the session. Each template may define a different activity within an interactive content title. Each template may link to a starting point of the corresponding defined activity within the interactive content title. Such methods may include receiving a selection from the user device specifying one of the provided set of templates. Such methods may include identifying the activity defined by the selected template, wherein the identified activity may be associated with an identified interactive content title. Such methods may include launching the identified activity within the interactive content title at the starting point linked to by the selected template.

Additional embodiments may include systems for directly launching interactive content. Such systems may include a network interface that establishes a session with a user device over a communication network, and a processor that executes instructions stored in memory. A set of templates may be provided to the user device in the session. Each template may define a different activity within an interactive content title and may link to a starting point of the corresponding defined activity within the interactive content title. Execution of the instructions by the processor may identify the activity defined by the selected template and the identified activity may be associated with an identified interactive content title. Execution of the instructions by the processor may launch the identified activity within the interactive content title at the starting point linked to by the selected template.

Further embodiments include non-transitory computer-readable storage media having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for directly launching interactive content as described above.

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of various configurations of the subject technology and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the technology can be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a more thorough understanding of the technology. However, it will be clear and apparent that the technology is not limited to the specific details set forth herein and may be practiced without these details. In some instances, structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the subject technology.

Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for launching direct gameplay and providing dynamic interfaces. A template of an interactive content title may be associated with an activity of the title. The template may be transmitted to and displayed on a user device. The user can select the template, which may then launch the activity associated with the template within the title and generate an object to capture and store data related to the activity. Data from the object can be displayed in real-time to show a current progress of the user participating in the activity. After completion of the activity, the activity can be displayed as a re-playable activity, and data gathered during the activity can be used to dynamically update a user profile, display activity history, or predict future templates and/or activities with which the user is likely to interact.

<FIG> illustrate a network environment <NUM> in which a system for directly launching interactive content may be implemented and a network <NUM> in which a system for directly launching interactive content may be implemented on cloud servers <NUM>. The network environment <NUM> may include one or more interactive content source servers <NUM> that provide interactive content (e.g., video games, interactive video, etc.), platform servers <NUM>, and user devices <NUM>.

Interactive content source servers <NUM> may maintain and provide interactive content titles available for play to a user device <NUM> over a communication network. Such servers <NUM> may be implemented on cloud servers <NUM> within a network environment <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. Each interactive content title may include one or more templates corresponding to one or more activities available within the content title. Such a template may provide a structured data set regarding the corresponding activities and that may be used as the basis for tracking and displaying information regarding the corresponding activities in real-time.

In one example, the interactive content title is a video game title, and the one or more templates may correspond to different modes of competitive gameplay available within that game title. In another example, the one or more templates may correspond to different chapters of an interactive storyline. Each template may be associated with a portion of the interactive content title where the corresponding activity starts within the interactive content title. For example, the template may include a waypoint within a portion of a game (e.g., at a specific game environment location at a specific point in time in the game storyline) where an activity starts. In another example, the template may virtually teleport a character of the user to the location within the game environment that is closest to the start of the associated activity. The template may also be associated with matchmaking so as to assign the user to a competitive match (e.g., by skill, experience level, or availability of other peers). Each template may be updated, edited, or removed, or new templates may be created. The one or more templates may be stored at the interactive content source servers <NUM> or at platform server <NUM> and retrieved therefrom.

The platform server <NUM> may be responsible for communicating with the different interactive content source servers <NUM> in order to provide one or more templates to the user device <NUM>. Such server <NUM> may be implemented on the cloud servers <NUM>. The interactive content source servers <NUM> may communicate with multiple platform servers <NUM>. The platform server <NUM> may carry out instructions, for example, for selecting a set of templates from the one or more templates to display on the user device <NUM>. Such selecting may be based on an identified user intent, which may change as the user interacts with more interactive content titles. As such, the selected set of templates can be different each time the user accesses the user device <NUM> and similarly, different sets of templates can be selected for different users. The platform server <NUM> may also carry out instructions, for example, for tracking and displaying up-to-date information or progress of a user profile or user progress within the interactive title (e.g., progress of an activity, competitive match, gameplay, storyline, etc.). The platform server <NUM> may also generate a user interface to be displayed on a specific user device <NUM> by which the user can view and select templates, interactive content, user data, history, or the like.

The interactive content titles and their corresponding one or more templates may be provided through an application programming interface (API) <NUM>, which allows various types of interactive content sources server <NUM> to communicate with different platform servers <NUM> and different user devices <NUM>. API <NUM> may be specific to the particular computer programming language, operating system, protocols, etc., of the interactive content source servers <NUM> providing the interactive content titles, the platform servers <NUM> providing the associated templates, and user devices <NUM> receiving the same. In a network environment <NUM> that includes multiple different types of interactive content source servers <NUM> (or platform servers <NUM> or user devices <NUM>), there may likewise be a corresponding number of APIs <NUM>.

The user device <NUM> may include a plurality of different types of computing devices. For example, the user device <NUM> may include any number of different gaming consoles, mobile devices, laptops, and desktops. Such user devices <NUM> may also be configured to access data from other storage media, such as, but not limited to memory cards or disk drives as may be appropriate in the case of downloaded services. Such devices <NUM> may include standard hardware computing components such as, but not limited to network and media interfaces, non-transitory computer-readable storage (memory), and processors for executing instructions that may be stored in memory. These user devices <NUM> may also run using a variety of different operating systems (e.g., iOS, Android), applications or computing languages (e.g., C++, JavaScript). An exemplary user device <NUM> is described in detail herein with respect to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method <NUM> for directly launching interactive content. The method <NUM> of <FIG> may be embodied as executable instructions in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium including but not limited to a CD, DVD, or non-volatile memory such as a hard drive. The instructions of the storage medium may be executed by a processor (or processors) to cause various hardware components of a computing device hosting or otherwise accessing the storage medium to effectuate the method. The execution of the instructions may be implemented on the cloud servers <NUM> (e.g., the steps identified in <FIG> are performed in the cloud). The steps identified in <FIG> (and the order thereof) are exemplary and may include various alternatives, equivalents, or derivations thereof including but not limited to the order of execution of the same.

In step <NUM>, one or more templates are stored in memory in the platform servers <NUM> and/or interactive content source servers <NUM> in association with a corresponding one or more activities of an interactive content title. Each activity may be a progress type, where the user or a group of users completes a single or multiple discrete actions (e.g., one or more quests within a game); an open-ended type, where the player or group of players has no given task to complete (e.g., an open world game where users build objects or explore a gaming world); or a competitive type, where at least two players cooperatively or competitively participate in an activity, and a result is captured (e.g., a head to head match or a team versus boss match). Each template may directly link to the portion of the content title where the user can begin the activity within the title or begin a matchmaking process which matches the user to a competitive match. Such link may, for example, allow the user to skip navigational steps conventionally required to begin interacting with a specific portion of a title or to enter a competitive activity, such that the user simply selects the desired template and immediately begin interacting with the title or is immediately entered into matchmaking. For competitive type templates or templates for multi-player interactions, the templates may include information such as number of players that can participate in the interactive content, number of players per party/team, prizes available, and time limits.

In step <NUM>, the one or more templates may be transmitted from the platform server <NUM> to the user device <NUM> when a session is established, where in step <NUM>, a set of templates selected from the one or more templates is provided for display on a display of the user device <NUM>. The set of templates can be displayed on the user interface. Each template may have a status of either available or unavailable. The status may be updated in real-time on the user device <NUM> by the interactive content servers <NUM> or platform servers <NUM>. Each template may display information about the corresponding activity (e.g., activity type, time limit, number of players, or payload). The set of templates provide a display of available activities across various interactive content titles in a single interface (e.g., the user interface) without requiring the user to select and launch each interactive content title to view each title's activities. Stated differently, the user can view and select an activity directly, without conventionally launching or access the title first.

As previously described, the set of templates selected can be based on the user intent, which may be stored and maintained in memory. The user intent may include user history (e.g., past activities the user has participated in), as well as third party data (e.g., social media data). The user intent can be analyzed to predict which templates the user may be more likely to interact with. As such, the selected set of templates can be based on the prediction and can be modified as the user intent changes. The set of templates selected based on the prediction can be displayed on the user device <NUM>. In another example, the selected set of templates may be randomly generated.

In step <NUM>, the user may select one of the templates, and in step <NUM>, the activity associated with the selected template may be launched on the user device <NUM>. Such launching allows the user to begin interacting with the interactive content title at the start of the activity linked to the selected template or allows the user to be entered into matchmaking for a competitive match. Data related to the user, interactions, and progress of interactions may be tracked and stored.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method <NUM> for tracking user data and progress after an activity is launched for use in providing a dynamic interface. The method <NUM> of <FIG> may be embodied as executable instructions in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium including but not limited to a CD, DVD, or non-volatile memory such as a hard drive. The instructions of the storage medium may be executed by a processor (or processors) to cause various hardware components of a computing device hosting or otherwise accessing the storage medium to effectuate the method. The execution of the instructions may be implemented on the cloud servers <NUM> (e.g., the steps identified in <FIG> are performed in the cloud). The steps identified in <FIG> (and the order thereof) are exemplary and may include various alternatives, equivalents, or derivations thereof including but not limited to the order of execution of the same.

At step <NUM>, an activity of an interactive content title is launched. The activity can be associated with a template selected by a user as described in the method <NUM> of <FIG>. The activity can have single-player or multi-player interactions and participation.

At step <NUM>, an object stored in memory is generated based on the type of activity corresponding to the selected template. The object may have a unique identification. At step <NUM>, the object may capture data in accordance with the template upon which the object was based. Such captured data may be related to the activity and associated with the unique identification. At step <NUM>, the object may store the captured data in memory or a database. The data can be related to a progress of the activity, which may be displayed in real-time on the user device <NUM> and updated by the interactive content servers <NUM>. The object may also store user-generated content generated during the user's participation in the activity. The user-generated content can be, for example, a video, a broadcast, a commentary, a screenshot, or the like. The object may dynamically update a user profile stored in memory and/or displayed on the user device <NUM> and may be displayed on the user interface. For example, user statistics during the activity can be used to update a user skill displayed on the user profile.

A task object may be generated when a task begins for progress type and open-ended type activities. For example, in a video game, the task may be to complete a chapter or quest of a storyline game. Tasks may be paused, and the incomplete tasks may be displayed in conjunction with the set of templates displayed on the user device <NUM> and available for selection by the user. The user may be able to resume their interaction from the paused portion after selecting the incomplete task. Another user may also view a task in progress without interacting with the task. Completed tasks may be displayed as re-playable tasks. Task history (e.g., task statistics, user statistics, prizes or other achievements awarded, number of players, etc.) may be stored in memory and/or displayed on the user device <NUM>.

A match object may be generated when a match begins for competitive type activities. The match may include a start, an end, and a result. The start and end can be provided by the interactive content servers <NUM> or can be determined from metadata of the user-generated content. For example, the user-generated content may be a video that may begin recording when the match starts and may stop recording when the match ends. The match start and match end may then be defined by the start and end of the user-generated content. The match result may be a success or failure and/or may include at least one of a final score, ranking, and team/player information. A match in progress can be displayed on the user device <NUM> or another user device and the match progress can be updated in real-time by the interactive content servers <NUM>. Another user may also view a match in progress without interacting with the match. A prediction of a result of the match can be generated based on current and/or past match data and current and/or past user data. A completed match may be displayed in conjunction with the set of templates displayed on the user device <NUM> as a re-playable match.

The match history (e.g., final result, team players, player statistics, match statistics, etc.) can be stored and/or displayed on the user device <NUM> or stored in memory. Further, user-generated content captured during the match can be stored and/or displayed with the match or in memory. Each user may view user-generated content from other users in the same match, which may, for example, provide videos with different points of views or different commentary of the same match. Match data may be used to match users to matches. For example, users above a certain skill level may be matched together for a particular match. A match may include sub-matches. The sub-matches may be formatted such that a winner is determined based on the outcomes of the sub-matches. For example, a winner of the match may need to win two out of three sub-matches. A match may include any level of sub-matches below the initial sub-match. For example, a match can include a sub-sub match of a sub-match. Matches and corresponding sub-matches can be tracked for multiple games at the platform system <NUM> and displayed on the user interface.

Data gathered during the task/match by the task/mask objects may be used to update or generate the user intent or separately used to predict future templates, in progress tasks/matches, or re-playable tasks/matches that the user may be likely to interact with, which may then be displayed on the user device <NUM>.

As described, the set of templates displayed on a dynamic interface of the user device <NUM> can be a mixture of templates (e.g., activities available to interact with, but the user has not yet started), in progress tasks or matches (e.g., activities that the user has started interacting with but has either paused or left), or completed tasks or matches that are re-playable that the user can select from to directly launch the selected template, task, or match within the interactive content title. As such, a user can access various types of activities at different stages of completion across multiple interactive content titles at a single interface (e.g., the user interface). For example, a user interface can display multiple templates for various match activity modes from a first title and also display in progress tasks from a second title, or any combination thereof. Further, task histories and/or match histories can be displayed on the user interface on the user device <NUM>, providing an interactive and rich display of information on the user interface. User profiles may also be displayed on the user interface and updated in real-time as a user progresses through different tasks and/or matches.

<FIG> is an exemplary user electronic entertainment system that may be used in launching interactive content and providing dynamic interfaces. The entertainment system <NUM> of <FIG> includes a main memory <NUM>, a central processing unit (CPU) <NUM>, vector unit <NUM>, a graphics processing unit <NUM>, an input/output (I/O) processor <NUM>, an I/O processor memory <NUM>, a peripheral interface <NUM>, a memory card <NUM>, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface <NUM>, and a communication network interface <NUM>. The entertainment system <NUM> further includes an operating system read-only memory (OS ROM) <NUM>, a sound processing unit <NUM>, an optical disc control unit <NUM>, and a hard disc drive <NUM>, which are connected via a bus <NUM> to the I/O processor <NUM>.

Entertainment system <NUM> may be an electronic game console. Alternatively, the entertainment system <NUM> may be implemented as a general-purpose computer, a set-top box, a hand-held game device, a tablet computing device, a virtual reality device, an augmented reality device, or a mobile computing device or phone. Entertainment systems may contain more or less operating components depending on a particular form factor, purpose, or design.

The CPU <NUM>, the vector unit <NUM>, the graphics processing unit <NUM>, and the I/O processor <NUM> of <FIG> communicate via a system bus <NUM>. Further, the CPU <NUM> of <FIG> communicates with the main memory <NUM> via a dedicated bus <NUM>, while the vector unit <NUM> and the graphics processing unit <NUM> may communicate through a dedicated bus <NUM>. The CPU <NUM> of <FIG> executes programs stored in the OS ROM <NUM> and the main memory <NUM>. The main memory <NUM> of <FIG> may contain pre-stored programs and programs transferred through the I/O Processor <NUM> from a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical disc (not shown) using the optical disc control unit <NUM>. I/O Processor <NUM> of <FIG> may also allow for the introduction of content transferred over a wireless or other communications network (e.g., <NUM>, LTE, <NUM>, and so forth). The I/O processor <NUM> of <FIG> primarily controls data exchanges between the various devices of the entertainment system <NUM> including the CPU <NUM>, the vector unit <NUM>, the graphics processing unit <NUM>, and the peripheral interface <NUM>.

The graphics processing unit <NUM> of <FIG> executes graphics instructions received from the CPU <NUM> and the vector unit <NUM> to produce images for display on a display device (not shown). For example, the vector unit <NUM> of <FIG> may transform objects from three-dimensional coordinates to two-dimensional coordinates, and send the two-dimensional coordinates to the graphics processing unit <NUM>. Furthermore, the sound processing unit <NUM> executes instructions to produce sound signals that are outputted to an audio device such as speakers (not shown). Other devices may be connected to the entertainment system <NUM> via the USB interface <NUM>, and the communication network interface <NUM> such as wireless transceivers, which may also be embedded in the system <NUM> or as a part of some other component such as a processor.

A user of the entertainment system <NUM> of <FIG> provides instructions via the peripheral interface <NUM> to the CPU <NUM>, which allows for use of a variety of different available peripheral devices (e.g., controllers) known in the art. For example, the user may instruct the CPU <NUM> to store certain game information on the memory card <NUM> or other non-transitory computer-readable storage media or instruct a character in a game to perform some specified action.

The present invention may be implemented in an application that may be operable by a variety of end user devices. For example, an end user device may be a personal computer, a home entertainment system (e.g., Sony PlayStation2® or Sony PlayStation3® or Sony PlayStation4®), a portable gaming device (e.g., Sony PSP® or Sony Vita®), or a home entertainment system of a different albeit inferior manufacturer. The present methodologies described herein are fully intended to be operable on a variety of devices. The present invention may also be implemented with cross-title neutrality wherein an embodiment of the present system may be utilized across a variety of titles from various publishers.

The present invention may be implemented in an application that may be operable using a variety of devices. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media refer to any medium or media that participate in providing instructions to a central processing unit (CPU) for execution. Such media can take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile and volatile media such as optical or magnetic disks and dynamic memory, respectively. Common forms of non-transitory computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM disk, digital video disk (DVD), any other optical medium, RAM, PROM, EPROM, a FLASHEPROM, and any other memory chip or cartridge.

Claim 1:
A method for direct activity launch within interactive content, the method comprising:
storing data in memory of a platform server (<NUM>) regarding a plurality of interactive content titles, each interactive content title including a virtual environment and associated with one or more templates each linking to a specified starting point of an activity within the virtual environment;
establishing a session between a user device (<NUM>) and the platform server, wherein a set of templates is provided to the user device during the session, the set of templates including one or more templates associated with a first interactive content title and one or more templates associated with another interactive content title;
providing an interface display to the user device, the interface display including a set of activities corresponding to the set of templates;
receiving a selection of one of the set of activities in the interface display, the selection received from the user device;
identifying which of the set of templates and which of the plurality of interactive content titles are associated with the selected activity; and
launching the virtual environment of the identified interactive content title at the specified starting point, specified by the identified template associated with the selected activity, wherein launching the virtual environment at the specified starting point includes skipping a portion of the identified interactive content title, wherein the identified template associated with the selected activity corresponds to a chapter of a game storyline and the specified starting point of the selected activity is at a specific location within the virtual environment of the identified interactive content title and at a specific point in time in the game storyline, or wherein the specified starting point of the selected activity begins with matching a user of the user device to a competitive match.