Abstract: A system and method for preparing entertainment software for reduced network delivery time includes analyzing entertainment software to identify a first stage implementing a subset of the functionality of the entertainment software such that the first stage is deliverable to an entertainment platform across a network more quickly than the delivery of the entire entertainment software, and preparing the identified first stage for download, such that the identified first stage may be downloaded and used on the entertainment platform.

Abstract: Simplification of run-time program translation for emulating complex processor pipelines is disclosed. Dynamic pipeline states are moved into a cache lookup process leaving a code translation process to deal only with static pipeline states. With dynamic pipeline states removed from the translation process, translation becomes more simple and efficient like that of a non-pipelined processor.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing entertainment software for reduced network delivery time includes analyzing entertainment software to identify a first stage implementing a subset of the functionality of the entertainment software such that the first stage is deliverable to an entertainment platform across a network more quickly than the delivery of the entire entertainment software, and preparing the identified first stage for download, such that the identified first stage may be downloaded and used on the entertainment platform.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing entertainment software for reduced network delivery time includes analyzing entertainment software to identify a first stage implementing a subset of the functionality of the entertainment software such that the first stage is deliverable to an entertainment platform across a network more quickly than the delivery of the entire entertainment software, and preparing the identified first stage for download, such that the identified first stage may be downloaded and used on the entertainment platform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adding trophy support games that do not have trophies without modifying the original game. The method and apparatus are used to detect particular disk access, use the detected disk access as potential trophy triggers in games, and recognize the triggers while a game is played. Trophies are awarded based on the triggers, and the awarded trophies are stored.

Abstract: Emulation of a target system with a host system is disclosed. Two or more target system code instructions may be grouped into one or more fragments. A main translation function may be implemented by translating each fragment into a corresponding set of position-independent instructions executable by the host system. A target processor may be emulated by executing the corresponding set of position-independent executable instructions with the host system.

Abstract: Methods and systems for register mapping in emulation of a target system on a host system are disclosed. Statistics for use of a set of registers of a target system processor are determined. Based on the statistics a first subset of the target system registers, including one or more most commonly used registers is determined. The registers in the first subset are directly mapped to a first group of registers of a host system processor. A second subset of the set of target system registers is dynamically mapped to a second group of registers of the host system processor.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing entertainment software for reduced network delivery time includes analyzing entertainment software to identify a first stage implementing a subset of the functionality of the entertainment software such that the first stage is deliverable to an entertainment platform across a network more quickly than the delivery of the entire entertainment software, and preparing the identified first stage for download, such that the identified first stage may be downloaded and used on the entertainment platform.

Abstract: Methods and systems for resolving clock management issues in emulation of a target system on a host system are disclosed. A first set of code instructions of a target program is emulated to generate a first set of emulated instructions that emulate a first component on the host system. A second set of code instructions is emulated to generate a second set of emulated instructions that emulate a second component of the target system on the host system. The first set is executed based on a first clock (which may be a fixed clock) and the second set is executed based on a second clock (which may be a variable clock). The host system adjusts the first or second clock, execution of the first or second sets of instructions or a memory access to maintain a desired synchronization between the first and second sets of instructions.

Abstract: An emulator schedules emulation threads for DMA emulation and other emulation functions in a time-multiplexed manner. Emulation threads are selected for execution according to a load balancing scheme. Non-DMA emulation threads are executed until their execution time period expires or they stall. DMA emulation thread execution is allowed to execute indefinitely until the DMA emulation thread stalls. The DMA emulation thread prefetches additional adjacent data in response to target computer system DMA requests. Upon receiving a target computer system DMA request, the DMA emulation thread first checks to the prefetched data to see if this data matches the request. If so, the request is fulfilled using the prefetched data. If the prefetched data does not match the target computer system DMA request, the DMA emulation thread fetches and stores the requested data and additional adjacent data for potential future use.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing entertainment software for reduced network delivery time includes analyzing entertainment software to identify a first stage implementing a subset of the functionality of the entertainment software such that the first stage is deliverable to an entertainment platform across a network more quickly than the delivery of the entire entertainment software, and preparing the identified first stage for download, such that the identified first stage may be downloaded and used on the entertainment platform.

Abstract: Emulation of a target system with a host system is disclosed. Two or more target system code instructions may be grouped into one or more fragments. A main translation function may be implemented by translating each fragment into a corresponding set of position-independent instructions executable by the host system. A target processor may be emulated by executing the corresponding set of position-independent executable instructions with the host system.

Abstract: In emulation of a target system on a host system one or more blocks of target system code may be translated with the host system to produce one or more corresponding blocks of translated code. Translating the target system code may include linking two or more blocks of translated code together to form a chain such that a look-up in a first translated block in the chain will directly branch to a second translated block. The target system code may be analyzed for the presence of one or more native target system instructions indicating modification of the target system code during execution. If such native target system instructions are present some or all of the blocks of translated code may be marked potentially invalid. The one or more blocks marked as potentially invalid may be re-translated and one or more instructions in the blocks of translated code may be overridden without undoing the chain.

Abstract: An emulation enhancement method in a first video game platform for enhancing execution of video games written for a second video game platform includes receiving an input signal written for the second video game platform, analyzing the input signal written for the second video game platform, intercepting a control signal from the input signal based on a set criteria, enhancing the control signal to generate an enhanced control signal for the first video game platform, and outputting the enhanced control signal. The control signal carries an audio effect component, a video effect component and a haptic effect component that are outputted on a user output display. Enhancing the control signal augments the audio effect component and the video effect component of the control signal and generates the enhanced control signal that utilizes additional platform capabilities on the first video game platform.

Abstract: Processor emulation using fragment level translation is disclosed. A target system having a main target processor, a secondary target processor element and an instruction memory associated with the secondary target processor element may be emulated with a host system having one or more host processors and a host memory. Two or more target system code instructions for the secondary target processor may be grouped into one or more fragments with known starts and ends. A data structure that maps the host memory locations of the starts and ends may be maintained. Each fragment may be translated into a corresponding set of position-independent translated fragments executable by the host system. The translated fragments may be loaded into one or more of the host processors. If a memory layout for target system code corresponding to the one or more fragments has changed, the fragments may be dynamically re-linked, without re-translation, and executed.

Abstract: In emulation of a target system on a host system one or more blocks of target system code may be translated with the host system to produce one or more corresponding blocks of translated code. Translating the target system code may include linking two or more blocks of translated code together to form a chain such that a look-up in a first translated block in the chain will directly branch to a second translated block. The target system code may be analyzed for the presence of one or more native target system instructions indicating modification of the target system code during execution. If such native target system instructions are present some or all of the blocks of translated code may be marked potentially invalid. The one or more blocks marked as potentially invalid may be re-translated and one or more instructions in the blocks of translated code may be overridden without undoing the chain.

Abstract: Emulation systems and method involving invalidating blocks of translated code in emulation of a target system on a host system in are disclosed. One or more blocks of target system code are translated by the host system to produce one or more corresponding blocks of translated code. The host system uses one or more native target system instructions as hints to invalidate or potentially invalidate one or more blocks of translated code. Blocks containing such hints cause the host system to mark some or all of the one or more blocks of translated code as potentially invalid. The potentially invalid blocks may be re-translated immediately. Alternatively, the potentially invalid blocks may be checked to see if the code in these blocks has been modified. If the code has been modified, corresponding blocks of target code may be re-translated.

Abstract: Methods and systems for register mapping in emulation of a target system on a host system are disclosed. Statistics for use of a set of registers of a target system processor are determined. Based on the statistics a first subset of the target system registers, including one or more most commonly used registers is determined. The registers in the first subset are directly mapped to a first group of registers of a host system processor. A second subset of the set of target system registers is dynamically mapped to a second group of registers of the host system processor.

Abstract: Emulation systems and method involving invalidating blocks of translated code in emulation of a target system on a host system in are disclosed. One or more blocks of target system code are translated by the host system to produce one or more corresponding blocks of translated code. The host system uses one or more native target system instructions as hints to invalidate or potentially invalidate one or more blocks of translated code. Blocks containing such hints cause the host system to mark some or all of the one or more blocks of translated code as potentially invalid. The potentially invalid blocks may be re-translated immediately. Alternatively, the potentially invalid blocks may be checked to see if the code in these blocks has been modified. If the code has been modified, corresponding blocks of target code may be re-translated.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically changing a state of a device coupled to a headphone device is provided. The system comprises a means for detecting if at least one earpiece of the headphone device is activated or deactivated. Based on an activation state or a change in an activation state of the at least one earpiece, a state change may occur in the device. The state change is determined by a preset of a control module.