System for remote game access
A system for allowing a user to remotely access a game includes: a game console; a remote console client configured to receive a game control signal; and a remote console server. The remote console server includes an audio and video encoder configured to receive an audio output and a video output from the game console and to convert the audio output and the video output to a network packet. The remote console server also includes: a game controller emulation unit and a network interface configured to send and receive the network packet. The game controller emulation unit is configured to receive a game controller signal from the game console and to send the game controller signal to the remote console client and to receive a game controller input from the remote console client and send the game controller input to the game console.
1. A networked game system comprising:
a network interface configured to receive packetized information from a packet network;
a console server system comprising a console virtualization engine, including an audio and video encoder and a memory emulator, and a memory emulation unit, the console server system including a processor, the console server system configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first game selection of a first electronic game by the user;
providing the user with access to a first of a plurality of game consoles coupled to the console server system to play the first electronic game with the user;
establishing a first game session with the first game console;
receiving via the network interface a packetized game controller signal from a remote game controller;
converting the received packetized game controller signal to a corresponding controller input signal compatible with a game controller input of the first game console;
communicating the converted game controller signal to the first game console;
receiving audio and video data output from the first game console;
encoding and packetizing the audio and video output from the first game console;
transmitting over the packet network to a client associated with the user, at least a portion of the encoded and packetized audio and video data;
determining if the first game session with the first game console is ending;
uploading a game configuration corresponding to the first game session with the first game console to a repository;
determining if a second game session is initiated by the user;
downloading the uploaded game configuration from the repository to a second game console different than the first game console to preserve continuity of game play from the first game session with the first game console to the second game session with the second game console with respect to the first electronic game.
2. The networked game system as defined in claim 1 , wherein downloading the uploaded game configuration from the repository to the second game console is preformed based at least in part in response to a user response to a query relating to whether the user wants the game configuration corresponding to the first game session to be accessed by the second game console.
3. The networked game system as defined in claim 1 , the operations further comprising preventing further access to the game configuration uploaded from the first game console to the repository after the game configuration has been downloaded to the second game console.
4. The networked game system as defined in claim 1 , the operations further comprising querying the user as to whether the user wants the game configuration corresponding to the first game session stored in the repository.
5. The networked game system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the client comprises a personal computer, a mobile computer, a handheld device, or a television set top box, wherein the client is remote from the first game console and is connected to the first game console via the packetized network and the remote game controller generates a game controller signal configured to be interpreted as a game controller function, the console server system further comprising an input, separate from the game controller input of the first game console, configured to receive an audio signal.
6. The networked game system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first game console comprises a standard computer configured to perform a plurality of functions in addition to enabling the user to play games.
7. A method for enabling a user to remotely play an electronic game, the method comprising:
receiving at a first networked game system a first game selection of a first electronic game by the user;
providing, by the first networked game system, the user with access to a first of a plurality of game consoles coupled to a console server system to play the first electronic game with the user;
establishing a first game session with the first game console;
receiving at the first networked game system a packetized game controller signal from a remote game controller;
converting the received packetized game controller signal to a corresponding controller input signal compatible with a game controller input of the first game console;
communicating the converted game controller signal to the first game console;
receiving audio and video data output from the first game console;
encoding and packetizing the audio and video output from the first game console;
transmitting over the packet network to a client associated with the user, at least a portion of the encoded and packetized audio and video data;
determining if the first game session with the first game console is ending;
uploading a game configuration corresponding to the first game session with the first game console to a repository;
determining if a second game session is initiated by the user;
downloading the uploaded game configuration from the repository to a second game console different than the first game console to preserve continuity of game play from the first game session with the first game console to the second game session with the second game console with respect to the first electronic game.
8. The method as defined in claim 7 , wherein downloading the uploaded game configuration from the repository to the second game console is preformed based at least in part in response to a user response to a query relating to whether the user wants the game configuration corresponding to the first game session to be accessed by the second game console.
9. The method as defined in claim 7 , the method further comprising preventing further access to the game configuration uploaded from the first game console to the repository after the game configuration has been downloaded to the second game console.
10. The method as defined in claim 7 , the method further comprising querying the user as to whether the user wants the game configuration corresponding to the first game session stored in the repository.
11. The method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the client comprises a personal computer, a mobile computer, a handheld device, or a television set top box, wherein the client is remote from the first game console and is connected to the first game console via the packetized network and the remote game controller generates a game controller signal configured to be interpreted as a game controller function, the console server system further comprising an input, separate from the game controller input of the first game console, configured to receive an audio signal.
12. The method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first game console comprises a standard computer configured to perform a plurality of functions in addition to enabling the user to play games.
13. A non-transitory storage medium storing program code that when executed by a computing system is configured cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first game selection of a first electronic game by the user;
providing the user with access to a first of a plurality of game consoles coupled to a console server system to play the first electronic game with the user;
establishing a first game session with the first game console;
receiving a packetized game controller signal from a remote game controller;
converting the received packetized game controller signal to a corresponding controller input signal compatible with a game controller input of the first game console;
communicating the converted game controller signal to the first game console;
receiving audio and video data output from the first game console;
encoding and packetizing the audio and video output from the first game console;
transmitting to a client associated with the user, at least a portion of the encoded and packetized audio and video data;
determining if the first game session with the first game console is ending;
uploading a game configuration corresponding to the first game session with the first game console to a repository;
determining if a second game session is initiated by the user;
downloading the uploaded game configuration from the repository to a second game console different than the first game console to preserve continuity of game play from the first game session with the first game console to the second game session with the second game console with respect to the first electronic game.
14. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 13 , wherein downloading the uploaded game configuration from the repository to the second game console is preformed based at least in part in response to a user response to a query relating to whether the user wants the game configuration corresponding to the first game session to be accessed by the second game console.
15. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 13 , the operations further comprising preventing further access to the game configuration uploaded from the first game console to the repository after the game configuration has been downloaded to the second game console.
16. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 13 , the operations further comprising querying the user as to whether the user wants the game configuration corresponding to the first game session stored in the repository.
17. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 13 , wherein the client comprises a personal computer, a mobile computer, a handheld device, or a television set top box, wherein the client is remote from the first game console and the remote game controller generates a game controller signal configured to be interpreted as a game controller function, and the console server system an input, separate from the game controller input of the first game console, configured to receive an audio signal.
18. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first game console comprises a standard computer configured to perform a plurality of functions in addition to enabling the user to play games.