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.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for enabling cross platform access to a previously purchased product (PPP) are provided. Cross platform access to the PPP can be accomplished by using a datacenter capable of locally rendering content of the PPP and distributing the rendered content for consumption by a platform other than the platform for which the PPP was designed. This advantageously enables end users to use other platforms and experience the PPP in a manner that emulates or substantially replicates the same experience the user enjoys when interacting with the PPP on its designed platform.

Abstract: A method includes multicasting by a server center of streaming interactive video/audio streams to multiple destinations via an outbound Internet traffic interface. A given video/audio stream is routed to multiple destinations simultaneously. At least one of the video/audio streams is received at a delay buffer of the server center, the delay buffer storing a replayable portion of at least one of the video/audio streams.

Abstract: A method comprising running a web browser on one or more servers of a service center, and hosting files for a web page on a storage unit associated with the one or more servers. Upon receiving user input from a client device to the web browser at the service center, streaming interactive video web page is transmitted to the client device with substantially no detectable latency.

Abstract: A method comprising executing a program on a server of a server center that generates and streams a user page in the form of streaming interactive video on a display of a user computer connected to the server via the Internet, the user page including a plurality of video windows, one or more of the video windows including streaming interactive video as well as simultaneously recorded video segments which are replayable by the user.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system for providing a virtualized application hosting environment comprising: a plurality of application/game servers each having a memory for storing application program code and data and a processor for executing the application program code and processing the data on behalf of a client; a virtualization service executed on each of the application/game servers, the virtualization service comprising a file redirection module for redirecting file read/write operations generated by the application program code to one or more virtualized file locations; and a registry redirection module for intercepting registry operations generated by the application program code and executing the registry operations on behalf of the application program code at one or more virtualized registry locations.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described for performing video compression. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: encoding a plurality of video frames or portions thereof according to a first encoding format, the first encoding format being optimized for transmission to a client device over a current communication channel; transmitting the plurality of encoded video frames or portions to the client device over the communication channel; concurrently encoding the first plurality of video frames according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format having a relatively higher-quality compressed video and/or a lower compression ratio than the first encoding format; storing the first plurality of video frames encoded in the second encoding format on a storage device; and making the first plurality of video frames encoded in the second encoding format available to the client device and other client devices for playback of the video stream.

Abstract: A game server comprising a central processing unit to process video game program code and a graphics processing unit (GPU) to process graphics commands; back buffers to store video frames in response to the execution of the graphics commands; a front buffer to receive a video frame for rendering on a display after the video frame has been completed in one of the one or more back buffers, the front buffer outputting the video frame for display one scan line at a time at a designated scan out frequency, a subset of scan lines stored in the front buffer being associated with a VBI; a frame processing module to increase the number of scan lines to increase the likelihood that a new frame will be completed in a back buffer and ready for transfer to the front buffer at a time during the VBI.

Abstract: A system and method are described below for encoding interactive low-latency video using interframe coding.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a server that generates a stream of streaming interactive video and/or audio. Means for multicasting the stream to a plurality of client devices accommodating different device video, audio and/or network characteristics, and means for allowing input from one or more of the client devices to control the streaming interactive video.

Abstract: A server center for hosting low-latency streaming interactive audio/video (NV) includes a plurality of servers that run one or more applications an inbound routing network that receives packet streams from users via a first network interface and routes the packets to one or more of the servers. The packet streams include user control input. One or more of the servers are operable to compute A/V data responsive to the user control input. A compression unit is coupled to receive the A/V data from the one or more of the servers and output compressed A/V data therefrom. An output routing network that routes the compressed A/V data to each of the users over a corresponding communication channel via a second interface, the compression unit is operable to modify a compression rate responsive to current characteristics of the corresponding communication channel for each user so as to optimize performance of the one or more applications.

Abstract: A system and method are described below for encoding interactive low-latency video using interframe coding. For example, one embodiment of a computer-implemented method for performing video compression comprises: detecting a maximum data rate of a communication channel between a server and a client; dynamically selecting a tile size for encoding a sequence of images based on the detected maximum data rate; logically subdividing each of the sequence of images into a plurality of tiles sized according to the selected tile size, each of the tiles having a defined position within each of the sequence of images; encoding each tile within each image of the sequence of images using a first compression format or a second compression format, wherein a tile at a particular position of a first image in the sequence of images is encoded using the first compression format and the same tile within one or more subsequent images is encoded using the second compression format.

Abstract: A system for hosting video games comprising: a game server comprising a central processing unit to process video game program code and a graphics processing unit (GPU) to process graphics commands; one or more back buffers to store video frames in response to the execution of the graphics commands; a front buffer to receive a video frame for rendering on a display and outputting the video frame for display one scan line at a time at a designated scan out frequency, a subset of scan lines stored in the front buffer being associated with a vertical blanking interval (VBI); a frame processing module to increase the number of scan lines associated with the VBI to increase the likelihood that a new frame will be completed in a back buffer and ready for transfer to the front buffer at a time during the VBI.

Abstract: A system comprises: an application/game server comprising a central processing unit to process application/video game program code and a graphics processing unit (GPU) to process graphics commands and generate a series of video frames for the application/video game; one or more back buffers to store video frames as the video frames are being created in response to the execution of the graphics commands; a front buffer to receive a video frame for rendering on a display after the video frame has been completed in one of the one or more back buffers, the front buffer outputting the video frame for display one scan line at a time at a designated scan out frequency, a subset of scan lines stored in the front buffer being associated with a vertical blanking interval (VBI); and a frame processing module.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request by a hosting service center from a remote user to loin a multiplayer interactive twitch game or application already in progress, the multiplayer interactive twitch game or application running on a first server of the hosting service center and being played remotely by other players via first compressed streaming interactive video. Following a determination that the user may join the multiplayer interactive twitch game or application based on a set of criteria, an inbound routing network transfers control signals received from the remote user to the first server. Compression of the first compressed streaming interactive video is then synchronized as between the remote user and the other players such that the remote user has the perception that the multiplayer interactive twitch game or application is responding instantly to the request.

Abstract: A touch-screen apparatus and method are described for controlling an online video game.

Abstract: An application/game server comprising a central processing unit to process application/video game program code and a graphics processing unit (GPU) to process graphics commands and generate a series of video frames for the application/video game; one or more back buffers to store video frames as the video frames are being created in response to the execution of the graphics commands; a front buffer-outputting the video frame for display one scan line at a time at a designated scan out frequency, a subset of scan lines stored in the front buffer being associated with a vertical blanking interval (VBI); and a frame processing module to begin copying a newly completed frame from the back buffer to the front buffer before the video data for a prior video frame stored in the front buffer has not been fully scanned out.

Abstract: A method for delivering video over a network includes encoding, by a server, a sequence of video frames as a compressed video stream comprising an initial I-frame followed by a plurality P-frames, the sequence having a skipped frame which is not encoded. The compressed video stream is transmitted over a network to a client device, the skipped frame not being transmitted. In response to detecting the skipped frame, the client device generating a predicted frame that replaces the skipped frame in the compressed video stream, the predicted frame being generated based on extending delta information from one or more previous frames decoded by the client device.

Abstract: A method for delivering video over a network includes encoding, by a hosting service, a moving picture which includes a sequence of video frames as a primary compressed video stream and a secondary compressed video stream comprising a subset of the primary compressed video stream. The primary and secondary compressed video streams are then and the secondary compressed video stream transmitted over a network to a client device. The client device selects the primary compressed video stream for decoding in the absence of packet loss; however, if packet loss is detected, the client device selects the secondary compressed video stream for decoding.

Abstract: A plurality of servers whose video output is coupled to video compression apparatus that transmits streaming interactive video to a plurality of users, with a feedback loop whereby the streaming interactive video is recursively combined within the video output of the plurality of servers.