Abstract: Techniques for forking and merging of electronically presented content items, such as MMO and other video games, are described herein. In particular, a first content item session may be forked to generate a second (forked) content item session. The first and forked content item sessions may then continue to execute and evolve in separate directions from one another. In some examples, a user of the forked content item session may serve as an administrator of the forked content item session and may receive compensation in exchange for serving as an administrator. Additionally, one or more forked or other separate content item sessions may be merged together to form a merged content item session. In some examples, conflicts between merged content item sessions may be identified and resolved based, at least in part, on input from administrators.

Abstract: A game spectating system that leverages game metadata to allow spectators to join or “step into” games being broadcast. Broadcast content may include user interface elements via which spectators can order, purchase, or otherwise obtain demo or full versions of games. Game client software and game data may be obtained and downloaded to the spectator's devices via the spectating system interfaces and broadcast streams. Spectators can order, purchase, or otherwise obtain characters, avatars, and gear for participation in particular games. Using the spectating UI to obtain the game client software, game data, characters, and gear via the broadcast streams, the spectators may join live game sessions of online games, start new game sessions, and/or replay previously recorded game sessions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for presenting highlights from broadcasts in spectating environments. A highlight service determines highlight events in the broadcasts, and extracts highlight segments from the broadcasts according to the determined events. Highlight reels may be created from the highlight segments according to highlight selection criteria (genre, game title, broadcaster, time period, etc.) and/or spectator preferences. The highlight service may provide a highlight user interface (UI) via which spectators may selectively view the highlights and highlight reels. The highlight service may generate highlight reels targeted to particular spectators or groups of spectators according to spectators' specified or otherwise determined preferences, demographics, viewing history, and so on.

Abstract: A game spectating system that provides interfaces and methods for providing game content to viewers. The spectating system obtains game metadata from game systems for games being broadcast by the spectating system according to the API, and generates broadcast content based at least in part on the game metadata. The broadcast content includes user interface (UI) elements for obtaining virtual or physical objects corresponding to the game content. The broadcast content is provided to spectator devices with the broadcasts. The spectating system receives indications of spectators' interactions with the broadcast content from the spectator devices including interactions requesting the virtual or physical objects, and facilitates provisioning or delivery of the objects to respective spectator devices or spectators.

Abstract: A first content item instance may be played by one or more participants and may be presented by one or more first compute nodes to the one or more participants. Information associated with the first content item instance may be collected. The information may include, for example, game state, user inputs, and other information associated with the first content item instance. The information may be provided as input to a second content item instance executing at one or more second compute nodes. Audio and/or video information output by the second content item instance may then be collected, and data including the collected information may be transmitted to one or more third compute nodes for presentation to spectators. Spectator feedback may be received and provided back to the first content item instance, which may be presented based, at least in part, on the spectator feedback.

Abstract: A spectating system that leverages game metadata and/or broadcast metadata to provide rewards to or otherwise acknowledge participants in broadcasts. The system may analyze the metadata to detect events or other information about broadcasts, and may recognize and/or reward participants based at least in part on the analysis. Spectators may be rewarded for participating in broadcasts, or in particular events in broadcasts. Broadcasters may be rewarded for in-game achievements or for achieving levels of audience participation or support. Participants may select or vote on other participants to receive rewards. Rewards may, for example, include acknowledgement of participants via the user interface, virtual items such as in-game virtual gear, physical items such as game-related merchandise, and granting of benefits or privileges by the spectating system and/or game system such as special content for a broadcaster's channel.

Abstract: A spectating system that generates game inputs based on spectating inputs and provides the game inputs to game systems according to an application programming interface (API). The spectating inputs may include spectator participation statistics, text chat inputs, audio inputs, and spectator interactions with a spectating user interface. The game inputs may include random numbers based on the spectating inputs that may be used as entropy sources for games. The game inputs may also include parameter inputs that provide values for parameters in the game based on spectating inputs. The spectators may become involved in the games being broadcast by influencing game play via the spectating inputs. Game play for the players may be enhanced by providing interesting variations in game play based on the spectating inputs.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining highlights from broadcasts in spectating environments. A highlight service obtains highlight data for broadcasts including game- and participant-specified events, audio input, and text chat, analyzes the highlight data to determine notable events (highlights) in the broadcasts, and extracts highlight segments from the broadcasts according to the determined events. Highlight reels may be created from the highlight segments according to one or more highlight selection criteria and/or spectator preferences. The highlight service may provide access to the highlights and highlight reels via a highlight user interface (UI). The spectators may selectively view the highlights or highlight reels via the highlight UI.

Abstract: A spectating system that generates game inputs based on spectator inputs and interactions, and provides the game inputs to game systems according to an application programming interface (API). The spectating system may allow spectators to interact with and affect a game being broadcast via inputs to and interactions with user interface (UI) elements presented on the spectating UI. Spectators may affect or influence the game, objects within the game universe, events within the game, or the players in the game via the UI elements on the spectating UI. The spectators may become involved in the games being broadcast by influencing game play via the spectating inputs. Game play for the players may be enhanced by providing interesting variations in game play based on the spectating inputs.

Abstract: Techniques for forking and merging of electronically presented content items, such as MMO and other video games, are described herein. In particular, a first content item session may be forked to generate a second (forked) content item session. The first and forked content item sessions may then continue to execute and evolve in separate directions from one another. In some examples, a user of the forked content item session may serve as an administrator of the forked content item session and may receive compensation in exchange for serving as an administrator. Additionally, one or more forked or other separate content item sessions may be merged together to form a merged content item session. In some examples, conflicts between merged content item sessions may be identified and resolved based, at least in part, on input from administrators.

Abstract: A first content item instance may be played by one or more participants and may be presented by one or more first compute nodes to the one or more participants. Information associated with the first content item instance may be collected. The information may include, for example, game state, user inputs, and other information associated with the first content item instance. The information may be provided as input to a second content item instance executing at one or more second compute nodes. Audio and/or video information output by the second content item instance may then be collected, and data including the collected information may be transmitted to one or more third compute nodes for presentation to spectators. Spectator feedback may be received and provided back to the first content item instance, which may be presented based, at least in part, on the spectator feedback.

Abstract: A first content item instance may be played by one or more participants and may be presented by one or more first compute nodes to the one or more participants. Information associated with the first content item instance may be collected. The information may include, for example, game state, user inputs, and other information associated with the first content item instance. The information may be provided as input to a second content item instance executing at one or more second compute nodes. Audio and/or video information output by the second content item instance may then be collected, and data including the collected information may be transmitted to one or more third compute nodes for presentation to spectators. Spectator feedback may be received and provided back to the first content item instance, which may be presented based, at least in part, on the spectator feedback.

Abstract: A first content item instance may be played by one or more participants and may be presented by one or more first compute nodes to the one or more participants. Information associated with the first content item instance may be collected. The information may include, for example, game state, user inputs, and other information associated with the first content item instance. The information may be provided as input to a second content item instance executing at one or more second compute nodes. Audio and/or video information output by the second content item instance may then be collected, and data including the collected information may be transmitted to one or more third compute nodes for presentation to spectators. Spectator feedback may be received and provided back to the first content item instance, which may be presented based, at least in part, on the spectator feedback.

Abstract: A spectating system that generates game inputs based on spectator inputs and interactions, and provides the game inputs to game systems according to an application programming interface (API). The spectating system may allow spectators to interact with and affect a game being broadcast via inputs to and interactions with user interface (UI) elements presented on the spectating UI. Spectators may affect or influence the game, objects within the game universe, events within the game, or the players in the game via the UI elements on the spectating UI. The spectators may become involved in the games being broadcast by influencing game play via the spectating inputs. Game play for the players may be enhanced by providing interesting variations in game play based on the spectating inputs.

Abstract: A spectating system that generates game inputs based on spectating inputs and provides the game inputs to game systems according to an application programming interface (API). The spectating inputs may include spectator participation statistics, text chat inputs, audio inputs, and spectator interactions with a spectating user interface. The game inputs may include random numbers based on the spectating inputs that may be used as entropy sources for games. The game inputs may also include parameter inputs that provide values for parameters in the game based on spectating inputs. The spectators may become involved in the games being broadcast by influencing game play via the spectating inputs. Game play for the players may be enhanced by providing interesting variations in game play based on the spectating inputs.

Abstract: A game spectating system that provides interfaces and methods for providing game content to viewers. The spectating system obtains game metadata from game systems for games being broadcast by the spectating system according to the API, and generates broadcast content based at least in part on the game metadata. The broadcast content includes user interface (UI) elements for obtaining virtual or physical objects corresponding to the game content. The broadcast content is provided to spectator devices with the broadcasts. The spectating system receives indications of spectators' interactions with the broadcast content from the spectator devices including interactions requesting the virtual or physical objects, and facilitates provisioning or delivery of the objects to respective spectator devices or spectators.

Abstract: A game spectating system that leverages game metadata to allow spectators to join or “step into” games being broadcast. Broadcast content may include user interface elements via which spectators can order, purchase, or otherwise obtain demo or full versions of games. Game client software and game data may be obtained and downloaded to the spectator's devices via the spectating system interfaces and broadcast streams. Spectators can order, purchase, or otherwise obtain characters, avatars, and gear for participation in particular games. Using the spectating UI to obtain the game client software, game data, characters, and gear via the broadcast streams, the spectators may join live game sessions of online games, start new game sessions, and/or replay previously recorded game sessions.

Abstract: A spectating system that exposes an application programming interface (API) to game systems. The spectating system obtains game metadata from the game systems for games being broadcast by the spectating system according to the API, and generates content for the broadcasts based at least in part on the game metadata. The broadcast content is provided to spectator devices with the broadcasts. The spectating system receives indications of spectators' interactions with the broadcast content from the spectator devices, and provides indications of the interactions to the game systems according to the API.

Abstract: A spectating system that leverages game metadata and/or broadcast metadata to provide rewards to or otherwise acknowledge participants in broadcasts. The system may analyze the metadata to detect events or other information about broadcasts, and may recognize and/or reward participants based at least in part on the analysis. Spectators may be rewarded for participating in broadcasts, or in particular events in broadcasts. Broadcasters may be rewarded for in-game achievements or for achieving levels of audience participation or support. Participants may select or vote on other participants to receive rewards. Rewards may, for example, include acknowledgement of participants via the user interface, virtual items such as in-game virtual gear, physical items such as game-related merchandise, and granting of benefits or privileges by the spectating system and/or game system such as special content for a broadcaster's channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting three phase AC voltages on first, second and third input lines to DC voltage across positive and negative DC buses, the apparatus comprising a rectifier including first, second and third rectifier legs, each leg including a switch and a diode wherein the switch is linked between the positive DC bus and an cathode of the diode, an anode of the diode is linked to the negative DC rail and the first, second and third diode cathodes are linked to the first, second and third input lines, respectively, a DC bus voltage sensor linked to the positive DC bus and measuring the DC bus voltage to generate a measured DC bus voltage and a rectifier controller that receives the measured DC bus voltage, a reference voltage value and the three phase AC voltages wherein, when the measured DC bus voltage is at least equal to the reference voltage value, the controller turns on the switches in the first, second and third rectifier legs when the voltages on the first, second and third input li