IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,623,156
Granted Patent B2
US 12,623,156 · App. 18/132,880 · Granted May 12, 2026

Online video game service with split clients

Inventor: Tim Cotter (Sunnyvale, CA)
A63F13/86A63F13/352A63F13/355H04L67/131H04L69/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,623,156
App. No.
18/132,880
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for an online video game or application service system includes running a video game or application on an application host server at a data center, an uncompressed video stream being produced therefrom. The uncompressed video stream is encoded into compressed video stream, which is then transmitted over the Internet to an output client device of a user. The output client device decompresses the compressed video stream and displays live video on a screen. User control input transmitted from an input client device is delivered to the application host server. The user control input includes game or application commands. The input client device is associated with the user and is separate from the output client device. Responsive to receiving the game or application commands, the application host server generates a new uncompressed video stream.

Claims (57)

1 . A method comprising:

establishing, by a server, a game session with an output display device;

sending, from the server, an authentication code via a computer network to the output display device;

receiving, by the server, a response to the authentication code via the computer network from an input device to be bound to the output display device; and

synchronizing, by the server and based on the response from the input device, the output display device and the input device, wherein the synchronizing includes applying a binding between the input device and the output display device for the game session.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the game session is established when the output display device communicates with a game service provided by an online game service.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the output display device communicates with the online game service in response to an initiation received from a user or in response to a power up of the output display device.

4 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said sending the authentication code includes sending the authentication code for display of the authentication code on the output display device,

wherein the input device includes a camera, wherein the response to the authentication code includes an image of the authentication code, wherein the image is captured by the camera, the method further comprising:

authenticating the image of the authentication code,

wherein the input device is bound with the game session in response to said authenticating the image of the authentication code.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the output display device includes a speaker, wherein said sending the authentication code includes sending the authentication code for output as sounds via the speaker, wherein the input device is configured to record the sounds, wherein the response includes a pattern of the sounds, the method further comprising:

authenticating the pattern of the sounds,

wherein the input device is bound with the game session in response to said authenticating the pattern of the sounds.

6 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said sending the authentication code includes sending the authentication code for display of the authentication code on the output display device,

wherein the input device includes a plurality of buttons, wherein the response to the authentication code includes indications of selections of the plurality of buttons, the method further comprising:

authenticating the selections of the plurality of buttons,

wherein the input device is bound with the game session in response to said authenticating the selections of the plurality of buttons.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the output display device presents output to a user and wherein the input device receives input from the user.

8 . A server comprising:

a processor configured to:

establish a game session with an output display device;

send an authentication code via a computer network to the output display device;

receive a response to the authentication code via the computer network from an input device to be bound to the output display device; and

synchronize based on the response from the input device, the output display device and the input device, wherein the synchronization includes applying a binding between the input device and the output display device for the game session; and

a memory device coupled to the processor.

9 . The server of claim 8 , wherein the game session is established when the output display device communicates with a game service provided by the processor.

10 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the output display device communicates with the game service in response to an initiation received from a user or in response to a power up of the output display device.

11 . The server of claim 8 , wherein the authentication code is a QR code.

12 . The server of claim 8 ,

wherein to send the authentication code, the processor is configured to send the authentication code for display of the authentication code on the output display device,

wherein the input device includes a camera, wherein the response to the authentication code includes an image of the authentication code, wherein the image is captured by the camera, wherein the processor is configured to:

authenticate the image of the authentication code,

wherein the input device is bound to the game session in response to the authentication of the image of the authentication code.

13 . The server of claim 8 , wherein the output display device includes a speaker, wherein to send the authentication code, the processor is configured to send the authentication code for output as sounds via the speaker, wherein the input device is configured to record the sounds, wherein the response includes a pattern of the sounds, wherein the processor is configured to:

authenticate the pattern of the sounds,

wherein the input device is bound to the game session in response to the authentication of the pattern.

14 . The server of claim 8 ,

wherein to send the authentication code, the processor is configured to send the authentication code for display of the authentication code on the output display device,

wherein the input device includes a plurality of buttons, wherein the response to the authentication code includes indications of selections of the plurality of buttons, wherein the processor is configured to:

authenticate the selections of the plurality of buttons,

wherein the input device is bound to the game session in response to the authentication of the selections of the plurality of buttons.

15 . A system comprising:

an output display device configured to establish a game session with a server,

wherein the output display device is configured to receive an authentication code via a computer network from the server; and

an input device, wherein the input device is configured to send a response to the authentication code via the computer network to the server to be bound to the output display device,

wherein the output display device and the input device are synchronized based on the response, wherein synchronization includes facilitate application of a binding between the output display device and the input device for the game session.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the game session is established when the output display device communicates with a game service provided by the server.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the output display device communicates with the game service in response to an initiation received from a user or in response to a power up of the output display device and wherein the input device is in a same room as the output display device.

18 . The system of claim 15 ,

wherein the output display device is configured to display the authentication code,

wherein the input device includes a camera, wherein the response to the authentication code is an image of the authentication code, wherein the camera is configured to capture the image of the authentication code, wherein to send the response, the input device is configured to send the image of the authentication code via the computer network to the server to facilitate authentication of the authentication code, wherein the input device is bound to the game session when the image of the authentication code is authenticated.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the output display device includes a speaker, wherein the speaker is configured to output sounds when the authentication code is received, wherein the input device is configured to record the sounds, wherein the response includes a pattern of the sounds, wherein to send the response, the input device is configured to send the pattern of the sounds via the computer network to the server to facilitate authentication of the authentication code, wherein the input device is bound to the game session when the pattern of the sounds is authenticated.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the output display device is configured to display the authentication code,

wherein the input device includes a plurality of buttons, wherein the input device is configured to generate indications of selections of the plurality of buttons, wherein to send the response, the input device is configured to send the indications of selections of the plurality of buttons via the computer network to the server to facilitate authentication of the authentication code, wherein the input device is bound to the game session when the selections of the plurality of buttons is authenticated.

Continuity (5)
Continuation 16808313 · Mar 3, 2020
Continuation 15981143 · May 16, 2018
Continuation 15145727 · May 3, 2016
Continuation 14172069 · Feb 4, 2014
Related Publication 20230241517A1 · Aug 3, 2023
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