Abstract: A computing system is configured to execute a computer program on a server and to provide a video stream of the program output to a geographically remote client over a communication network. An add-on manager is provided to facilitate the use of add-ons to extend the functionality of the computer program. The add-on manager is responsive to commands received from the client and is configured to associate individual add-ons and add-on data with specific user accounts. The add-ons can be located on the server or some other location remote from the client.

Abstract: A method for generating a gameplay video of a video game is provided. The method initiates with recording a user's gameplay of the video game. The user's recorded gameplay is analyzed to determine a region of interest, the region of interest being a region of the video game having social network sharing levels that exceed a predefined threshold. Boundaries are defined within a gameplay context of the video game based on the determined region of interest that define options for selection of a beginning and an end for the gameplay video. The gameplay video of the video game is generated based on the selection defined from the boundaries. The gameplay video of the video game is shared over the social network to one or more additional client devices for viewing by one or more additional users.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are provided for performing video compression including encoding a plurality of video frames or portions thereof according to a first encoding format; transmitting the plurality of encoded video frames or portions to a client device; receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to detect whether one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded; determining, in response to detecting that one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded, whether to encode a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format or to encode the new video frame to be dependent on the last video frame or portion thereof known to have been successfully received and/or decoded.

Abstract: A video generation system is configured to provide streaming video as a cloud processed service to viewers over a computing network. In response to a request from a viewer, a video source is configured to provide video and an identifier source is configured to provide an identifier for inclusion in the video. A video encoder is configured to convert the video from a first format to a second format, apply the identifier to the video, and otherwise encode the video in real-time while streaming the encoded video to the viewer. The identifier may be stored in association with the account information of the viewer and used for identifying the viewer a source of an unauthorized video copy.

Abstract: A targeted in-game advertising system is provided where advertising content may be delivered to a video game network environment. Advertisements may be delivered through the tagging of advertising assets in the video game environment according to one or more characteristics including user geographical location, personal preferences, a personal profile, video game preferences or video game genre. Methodologies for tracking advertising impressions are also provided based on monitoring the video game environment to determine the quality of impression to which the user is exposed in the video game environment.

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: A system, method, and graphical user interface for playing games and/or executing applications on a tablet-based client. One embodiment of a graphical user interface (GUI) for playing a video game on a tablet-based client device comprises: a virtual controller rendered on a display of the tablet computer, the virtual controller substantially mimicking the control provided by a thumb stick of a physical game controller and providing omnidirectional, free-form movement in a synchronous direction in which a user moves a finger on the display of the tablet-based client.

Abstract: A method for sharing recorded gameplay of a video game to a social graph, including the following: recording, by a game console, video of a user's gameplay during a gameplay session that is defined by execution of the video game by the game console; receiving, by the game console, a command to initiate a sharing operation during the gameplay session, wherein receiving the command to initiate the sharing operation is in response to button input triggered from a controller device; in response to receiving the command, presenting, by the game console, a user interface configured to enable identification and sharing of at least a portion of the recorded video; processing, by the game console, input received via the user interface to determine a user-defined selection of the recorded video; sharing the user-defined selection of the recorded video to a social graph of the user.

Abstract: A podcast system and method are provided to select and deliver media ads over a network to a user device and to insert the media ads in media content subscribed to and delivered over the network to the user device.

Abstract: Graphics processing systems and methods are disclosed which may minimize invocations to a pixel shader in order to improve efficiency in a rendering pipeline. In implementations of the present disclosure, a plurality of samples within a pixel may be covered by a primitive. The plurality of samples may include one or more color samples and a plurality of depth samples. The nature of the samples which were covered by the primitive may be taken into account before invoking a pixel shader to perform shading computations on the pixel. In implementations of the present disclosure, if at least one sample is covered by a primitive, but none of the samples are color samples, an invocation to a pixel shader may be avoided.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing and sharing console gaming data is described. Embodiments capture gameplay data directly at the gaming console, without the need for external hardware. This allows users to easily capture rich console gaming experiences and share them across a variety of outlets. In one embodiment, the methods described herein can be implemented with a patch or driver on the operating system of the user device, rendering it unnecessary to heavily modify the source code of the game.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing remote gaming services are provided. One system includes a virtual machine for executing game logic that is configured to define game environments in response to game commands for client devices. The system also includes virtual drivers associated with the virtual machine, a non-virtual driver associated with a hardware graphics processing unit (GPU), and a shared memory. The GPU is configured to render video streams for the game environments. One or more dynamic encoding pipelines (DEPs) are used to retrieve the video streams from the shared memory and for encoding the video streams for communicating encoded video streams to the client devices.

Abstract: Incorporating player-generated audio in an electronic game is disclosed. Incorporation may include receiving an audio clip from art electronic game player, applying a modification to the audio clip to generate a chant, associating the chant to the execution of an event in the electronic game, retrieving the chant when the event in the electronic game is executed, and initiating the play of the chant upon execution of the event in the electronic game.

Abstract: Methods for managing video game title and user play metrics for video game titles executed on a game cloud system includes determining that the video game title has been obtained from an online retailer, by a user. The method further includes enabling execution of game play of the video game title on the game cloud system. Game play metrics for the video game title during execution of game play, is monitored. Selected game play metrics for the video game title are identified. The selected game play metrics are communicated to the online retailer to enable classification of the user that obtained the video game title from the online retailer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for executing multiple video games, or other sources of video, include a cloud game execution environment in which each game application is executed on the same operating system but within a virtual I/O shell. The virtual I/O shell includes virtual video, audio and input channels that allow each game application to operate as if it had dedicated drivers. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the invention are used to provide video streams to a plurality of clients over the internet.

Abstract: To prevent legitimate message recipients from forging new messages and to encrypt messages for a specific set of recipients (channel), a root key is encrypted and combined with a base session management key to render a combined root key, which in turn is encrypted with a public key of at least one recipient device to render a session management key. The public key of each of “N” intended recipient device encrypts the combined root key to render “N” session management keys. The session management keys are then combined with the combined root key to render a multicast root key, which is signed with a private key of a sending device. The signed multicast root key is combined with the session management keys to render an encrypted, signed multicast root key that is used to encrypt digital information prior to transmitting the digital information.

Abstract: A root key of a computing device that is typically “burned” into the device hardware at time of manufacture is used to establish a master key and if desired a Transport Layer Security pre-shaped key, a WiFi configuration key, and application verification keys. The keys established from the root key are stored in a region of flash memory, and this region of flash memory is then encrypted using a random encryption code.

Abstract: A method comprising: packing commands comprising a plurality of data symbols into a data stream in a manner which allows the commands to be interpreted and executed at a receiver even when a sorting function is applied to sort the data symbols upon arrival at the receiver.

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: Systems and methods for enabling a visitor to access VR representations authored by different authors of images at different quality levels at various locations in a virtual universe via a computer network are provided. A plurality of data sets may be stored in memory. Each VR data set may define a VR representation of a location and may be independently authored by a respective author different from the other authors. In addition, each VR dataset may have a speed and quality metric to assist the visitors in an optimized experience. One or more VR data servers may access and transmit the VR data sets of various quality and speeds, each of which may be associated with a VR data server having 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.