Abstract: A method for wagering badges. The method includes establishing badges representing an associated event, such as a window of time that the badge was available. A predetermined criteria for the badges are established, such as an activity required for a gamer to obtain a particular badge, and a determination is made that a gamer is entitled to the badge, based on the predetermined criteria. Similarly, other gamers can also obtain badges by meeting the criteria for the badge. Each gamer, is associated with their badges and a wager or trade between gamers can be established whereby the gamers wager or trade chosen badges. Ownership of the wagered badges is then transferred based on the outcome of the wager or trade.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for altering a mobile electronic device's screen timeout based on a strength of ambient wireless signals. A ringtone can be altered in addition to the password timeout time. Signals may be recognized or unknown and the time out can be adjusted based on the determined risk associated with the signals.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for altering a mobile electronic device's screen timeout based on a check-in of a mobile device at a venue. A ringtone can be altered in addition to the password timeout time. Nearby venues and/or locations may be recognized and the time out can be adjusted based on the determined risk which may include the crime risk.

Abstract: Predetermined three-dimensional video parameter settings may be dynamically adjusted based on scene content. One or more three-dimensional characteristics associated with a given scene may be determined. One or more scale factors may be determined from the three-dimensional characteristics. The predetermined three-dimensional video parameter settings can be adjusted by applying the scale factors to the predetermined three-dimensional video parameter settings. The scene may be displayed on a three-dimensional display using the resulting adjusted set of predetermined three-dimensional video parameters.

Abstract: Dynamically replaceable assets are inserted in program content and may be used for the insertion of cinematic stage props therein. Such assets can be used for advertising purposes in that images of different products and services can be inserted therein and are changeable via a network. Such assets may be created by identifying locations in the content where the assets can be inserted, establishing the assets in the identified locations, and determining location and visual effects information for each asset. Replacement images, such as images of products, may be obtained via a network. The visual appearance of each replacement image may be modified using visual effects information so the inserted objects appear natural as if they were part of the original scene.

Abstract: Measuring performance and capacity of a networked server coupled to a cluster of client machines, including: initializing each client machine of the cluster of client machines with a number of client applications; performing a first feedback process of configuring the number of client applications for the each client machine such that each client application adjusts its own operation to achieve a first balance point of a client application count for the each client machine; and performing a second feedback process in which the networked server and the cluster of client machines achieve a second balance point of a client machine count for the networked server.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for altering a mobile electronic device's screen timeout based on an acceleration event. A ringtone can be altered in addition to the password timeout time. Historical accelerations may be recognized and the time out can be adjusted based on the determined risk associated acceleration.

Abstract: Methods and systems for activating a display security application and initiating a privacy measure on a computing device are provided. A user opens and turns on an application on the computing device, which monitors the security of the screen. The security feature recognizes when an unauthorized user is within viewing range of the display of the computing device. The user is prompted to initiate a privacy measure or ignore the unauthorized user. If the user initiates the privacy measure, the unauthorized user is prevented from seeing the content on the display. The user may terminate the privacy measure when the unauthorized user is no longer within viewing range of the display.

Abstract: A multi-player game environment is created for single-player use. A user may select a single-player game or a multi-player game. When the user chooses a multi-player game, the user is prompted to select one or more customized AI characters. The AI characters may be available individually or in themed “packs.” The selected AI character or pack may be downloaded, stored, or otherwise made accessible to an electronic entertainment system. The user may select a mode or skill level for each AI character. The user may begin playing the game in a multi-player mode with the game environment populated with an avatar effectuating behaviors of the selected AI character or characters.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering content over a network is provided. Content may be primary content (e.g., music or a movie) or ancillary content (e.g., an advertisement). The ancillary content may further be classified as universal ancillary content that all users of the present system will receive; targeted ancillary content that particular users of the present system will receive; and context-specific ancillary content that users of the present system and viewing particular primary content will receive. The type of primary and/or ancillary content delivered to the user will depend, in part, on indicia of the user of a device receiving the content. The present invention seeks to ensure that a user has relevant and up-to-date ancillary content notwithstanding the nature or date of the primary content.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for automatically sending a popup or other message to another person's electronic device upon finishing a predetermined goal in a video game. The predetermined goal can be, for example, killing a first boss in under five minutes. The message to the friend can include a link or button enabled such that the friend can begin the game on his device in the same room, mission, scenario, etc. that the first player started out in so that the friend can attempt to duplicate or ‘one up’ the first player's achievement. Friends who are interested in receiving such messages can be determined from existing social networking sites.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cataloging and recognizing gestures are disclosed. A gesture may be detected using sample motion data. An energy value and baseline value may be computed. The baseline value may be updated if the energy value is below a calm energy threshold. The sample motion data may be adjusted based on the updated baseline value. A local variance may be calculated over a number of samples. Sample motion data values may be recorded if the local variance exceeds a threshold. Sample motion data recording may stop if a local variance scalar value falls below a drop threshold. Input Gestures may be recognized by computing a total variance for sample values in an Input Gesture; calculating a figure of merit using sample values from the Input Gesture and one or more Catalog Gestures; and determining whether the Input Gesture matches a Catalog Gesture from the figure of merit.

Abstract: Scheduling an online session including: determining desired time slots for an online session; determining potential users to participate in the online session; sending invitations to the potential users; receiving responses to the invitations thereby identifying participants for the online session; and entering the online session into the calendars of the participants of the online session.

Abstract: Automatic player profile generation may be implemented for an interactive online game in which one or more players interact via one or more client devices connected to a server device via a network. Information relating to game activity may be collected for the one or more players during one or more game sessions with the server device. One or more player statistics relevant to the game activity may be calculated for each of the one or more players during the game session based on the information relating to game activity with the server device. A player profile may be generated for each of the one or more players with the server. Each player profile may include the one or more player statistics for a corresponding one of the one or more players.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe automatically changing an output mode of an output device from a first output mode to a latency reduction mode. An initiation signal and the output data may be received from a client device platform or a signal distributor. Upon receiving the initiation signal, the output device may change the output mode from the first output mode to the latency reduction mode. Thereafter, the output device may receive an end latency reduction mode signal. The output device may then revert back to the first output mode. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores one or more computer programs adapted to cause a processor based system to execute steps that include analyzing an image, identifying one or more faces in the image using a face recognition technique, designating at least one of the identified faces collectively as a first area of interest, and determining whether an insertion area exists in the image where additional content can be inserted without obstructing the first area of interest. Another computer program is adapted to cause a processor based system to execute steps that include determining whether the insertion area can be divided into two or more regions based on color. Methods and processor based apparatuses that perform one or more of these steps are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for attention-based rendering on an entertainment system are provided. A tracking device captures data associated with a user, which is used to determine that a user has reacted (e.g., visually or emotionally) to a particular part of the screen. The processing power is increased in this part of the screen, which increases detail and fidelity of the graphics and/or updating speed. The processing power in the areas of the screen that the user is not paying attention to is decreased and diverted from those areas, resulting in decreased detail and fidelity of the graphics and/or decreased updating speed.

Abstract: A system and method for actively validating a network device is provided. Nodes in a network game community are prompted to engage in interrogation and response to facilitate the identification of nodes operating with hacked, modified and non-typical game configurations. In one embodiment, a query is presented to a user's machine which triggers a response, and where the response indicates whether certain data at the user is valid and wherein invalid data is suggestive of illegal community behavior. Functions are triggered and data is queried to determine whether the state of game environment is operating according to known metrics or constraints.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for at least partially automating content generation of blog entries chronicling an entity's interaction with a multiuser environment. The same may combine automatic data generation with user-generated and/or user-edited or created narrative. The systems and methods may be employed for automatically generating and publishing descriptions, such as posting blog articles. In one implementation, a system automatically posts blog articles with automatic screenshots and automatically-generated descriptive copy of events that occur within a video game, such as in a massive multiplayer online role-playing game.

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.