Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling a visitor to access VR representations authored by different authors of locations in a virtual universe via a computer network are provided. A plurality of VR data sets may be stored. Each VR data set comprise web or IP camera VR datasets and may be independently authored by a respective author different from the other authors. One or more VR data servers may be adapted to access and transmit the VR data sets, and each VR data set may be associated with a VR data server for access to the VR data set. A domain server may be adapted to access and transmit domain data comprising the location within the universe of each VR representation and the network address of the VR data server associated with the VR representation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described for performing video compression by an online video game service is provided. One example method includes receiving user input by a server and the user input is received from a client device over a network established between the client device and the server. The user input is from an input device associated with the client device and the client device and the input device are used to access the server to play a video game. The method further includes executing the video game on the server while receiving user input from the input device, and the video game produces a video output including a sequence of video images of the video game.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for streaming video from a server to a client are described. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: receiving at the server a request for video content from the client; in response to the request, determining the hardware/software configuration of the client; generating and/or selecting a temporary decoder based on the hardware/software configuration of the client; transmitting the temporary decoder to the client, the client installing the temporary decoder; encoding and streaming the requested video content from the server to the client, the video content being encoded based on the capabilities of the temporary decoder, the video content being decoded by the temporary decoder and rendered on the client; detecting that the client has ended the session with the server; and in response to detecting that the client has ended the session, temporarily disabling and/or removing the temporary decoder from the client.

Abstract: Methods enable creation of a game slice from a game. Plurality of games is provided for presentation on a display device. Each game is identified by an image. Selection activity is detected at the image of one of the games. In response to the selection, game code of the selected game is executed to enable game play of an unlocked game. The selected game is streamed to the display device. User interaction related to the game play is received. A recording of the game play is examined to identify portions of the game for generating a game slice, which are returned in a suggested list for selection. Game slice is generated for a selected portion from the list. A recording of the game play for the game slice is associated as a primary video segment. The game slice and the primary video segment are provided for sharing over a network.

Abstract: A first application is executed on a cloud computing system for a first period of time. User input signals associated with execution of the first application during the first period of time are recorded. A second application is generated to correspond to a portion of the first application as executed during a second period of time within the first period of time. The second application is defined by program instructions of the first application executed during the second period of time. A miniapp is generated to include the second application and the user input signals recorded during execution of the first application during the second period of time.

Abstract: A system and method are described for storing program code and data within an application hosting center. For example, one embodiment of a computer-implemented method comprises: subdividing program code and/or data used to execute an online application into a first type and a second type; storing program code and data of the first type in a first type of memory, the first type of memory providing relatively low latency memory access; storing program code and data of the second type in a second type of memory, the second type of memory providing relatively higher latency memory access compared to the first type of memory; retrieving program code and data from the first memory and the second memory in response to a client request to execute an online application; and transmitting a streaming interactive video stream representing images generated by the application to the client.

Abstract: A method for generating a hybrid reality environment includes receiving data of a first user and a second user at different locations. The method also includes generating a scene of an augmented reality (AR) based environment that includes the first user and a virtual object related to the second user; and generating a scene of an augmented virtuality (AV) based environment that includes the virtual object related to the second user and a virtual object related to the first user. The method further includes sending signals for displaying the scene of the AR based environment to the first user and displaying the scene of the AV based environment to the second user such that the first user can interact with the virtual object related to the second user in real time and the second user can interact with the virtual object related to the first user in real time.

Abstract: A video server is configured to provide streaming video to players of computer games over a computing network. The video server can provided video of different games to different players simultaneously. This is accomplished by rendering several video streams in parallel using a single GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The output of the GPU is provided to graphics processing pipelines that are each associated with a specific client/player and are dynamically allocated as needed. A client qualifier may be used to assure that only clients capable of presenting the streaming video to a player at a minimum level of quality receive the video stream. Video frames provided by the video server optionally include overlays added to the output of the GPU. These overlays can include voice data received from another game player.

Abstract: A communication device communicates with an originating device during an originating session and receives originating data from the originating device over a wireless communication link and then communicates with a receiving device during a receiving session and sends the originating data to the receiving device over a wireless communication link, such that the originating session and the receiving session occur at different times, and at least one of the sessions is an ad hoc communication session.

Abstract: A video server is configured to provide streaming video to players of computer games over a computing network. The video server can provided video of different games to different players simultaneously. This is accomplished by rendering several video streams in parallel using a single GPU. The output of the GPU is provided to graphics processing pipelines that are each associated with a specific client/player and are dynamically allocated as needed. A client qualifier may be used to assure that only clients capable of presenting the streaming video to a player at a minimum level of quality receive the video stream.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described for managing audio chat for an online video game or application. For example, a system according to one embodiment comprises: an online video game or application execution engine to execute an online video game or application in response to input from one or more users of the video game or application and to responsively generate audio and video of the video game or application; and a chat subsystem to establish audio chat sessions with the one or more users and one or more spectators to the video game or application, the chat subsystem establishing a plurality of audio chat channels including a spectator channel over which the spectators participate in audio chat and a user channel over which the users participate in audio chat.

Abstract: In graphics processing data is received representing one or more vertices for a scene in a virtual space. A projection of the vertices onto a screen space of a display device is performed. The projection approximates a projection of the vertices onto a curved viewport. Primitive assembly is performed on the vertices to generate a one or more primitives in screen space from the projection of the vertices onto the screen space. Scan conversion is performed on the one or more primitives to determine which pixel or pixels of the plurality of pixels are part of corresponding primitives of the one or more primitives. A finished frame is then generated by performing pixel processing to assign pixel values to the pixel or pixels that are part of the corresponding primitives. In some implementations, the finished frame can be stored in the memory or displayed on the display device.

Abstract: A video service is provided by one or more servers which communicate directly with one more clients over a network. The service may provide digital optical disc data storage formatted video, such as for example a Blu-ray format video, and allows Blu-ray video to be streamed to a client device over the network. The system may utilize direct and fast content delivery of content typically found on a high definition digital optical disc. The content may include a movie as well as featurettes and other content. The video service may also include augmented content and may provide overlay content. In addition to these features, the video streaming service may also provide community content as an overlay to improve a user's viewing experience.

Abstract: A method for handling communication for a computer game is provided. Once example method includes executing the computer game for game play by a user. The computer game has an interface for recording audio signatures to use during game play based specific qualifying events. During game play, the method detects that a qualifying event has occurred by examining metadata associated with the game play. The method includes generating a message in response to detecting the qualifying event. The message is configured to include an audio signature that was associated with the qualifying event. Then, transmit the message including the audio signature to a predefined recipient that is playing the computer game via a second computing device. The audio signature is output by a speaker associated with the second computing device upon receiving the message.

Abstract: Video server systems and methods for providing video streams to a plurality of remote clients are described. In one implementation, the video streams are based on game states received from a remote game server. The game states are dependent on game commands received by the video server system from the remote clients and forwarded to the remote game server. The video server system is configured to appear, from the point of view of the game server, as more than one client. For example, the video server system may receive game states from the remote game server at more than one different Internet Protocol address and each of these Internet Protocol addresses may be associated with a different game session.

Abstract: Methods and systems for assigning a data center in a second geo location for migrating data in anticipation of receiving a request from a user account from the second geo location includes receiving an indication of a change in geo location of a user from a first geo location to the second geo location. Save data for the user is identified at the first geo location. The save data is analyzed to determine usage trend of the user for the plurality of games. A portion of the save data is identified, based on the usage trend, and transmitted to a second data center in the second geo location in anticipation of the user's likely access of the save data at the second geo location. The save data is made available to game logic of one or more games, when executed on a cloud gaming system, so as to provide current state of game play of the respective one or more games for rendering on a client device of the user used to access the game.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling an augmented reality character to maintain and exhibit awareness of an observer are provided. A portable device held by a user is utilized to capture an image stream of a real environment, and generate an augmented reality image stream which includes a virtual character. The augmented reality image stream is displayed on the portable device to the user. As the user maneuvers the portable device, its position and movement are continuously tracked. The virtual character is configured to demonstrate awareness of the user by, for example, adjusting its gaze so as to look in the direction of the portable device.

Abstract: The system is directed towards an interactive events platform. The interactive events platform may discover current in-game events associated with different video games currently available (or active). The platform may further notify a user of the discovered in-game events associated with different video games and facilitate the user joining a particular in-game event. The interactive events platform may also discover and notify the user of future in-game events associated with different video games. In some embodiments, the discovery and notification of any in-game events are based on games currently being played (or registered) with the user.

Abstract: A device may be run in a timing testing mode in which the device is configured to disrupt timing of processing that takes place on the one or more processors while running an application with the one or more processors. The application may be tested for errors while the device is running in the timing testing mode.

Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods for server management are provided. An exemplary system comprises a plurality of servers, with each server having the ability to access a database or, in some embodiments, be configured to perform a calculation, computation or make a determination of a particular value, values or other information. A communications network delivers queries to each server whereby a look-up table directs query processing by the servers. Further embodiments of the system feature a program logic controller for rebalancing the workload of the network servers. Exemplary methods of processing queries on the system comprise submitting a query to the network, communicating the query to each server in the network and each server looking-up on a look-up table the processing responsibilities of the servers in the network. The query is processed by the server having primary responsibility for processing the query while other the servers monitor query processing.