Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems directed towards implementing scene tagging. In particular, scene tagging is used to characterize user generated content associated with gameplay information associated with video games. Exemplary user generated content include video recordings or screenshots from within the video game that pertain to events that have occurred. Corresponding metadata would then be used to describe substantive aspects about the user-generated content such as details about where the recording or screenshot was taken, who was included in the user-generated content, and what objects are found in the user-generated content. The associated metadata would 1) allow users to search among various uploaded user generated content and 2) search within portions of those use-generated content for particular sub-sections of interest. Furthermore, the metadata associated with the user-generated content would allow viewers to experience the same events that were recorded.

Abstract: A method is given for providing a visualization of a scene corresponding to game play. The method includes steps of receiving at a visualization server information about a scene corresponding to game play at a client computer, receiving additional information about the scene at the visualization server; and constructing a visualization at the visualization server based on the scene, the constructing based at least in part on the received information and the received additional information. In another embodiment, the visualization may be composed by the user rather than being a scene corresponding to game play. In a further embodiment, a method is given for providing a visualization of a scene corresponding to game play, including: receiving at a visualization server information about a scene corresponding to game play at a client; modifying the scene information; and constructing a visualization at the visualization server based on the modified scene information.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems directed at implementing a video thumbnail that facilitates user viewing of video content alongside additional content such as an electronic program guide. The video thumbnail would display the video content that was currently playing when the user requests access to the electronic program guide. The video thumbnail would be situated in a pre-defined portion of the display such that the information within the electronic program guide is not obscured. Furthermore, additional information (e.g. metadata) associated with the video thumbnail can be provided that provides information to the user about what is currently being displayed in the video thumbnail. Lastly, the user is able to perform actions with the electronic program guide without losing the video thumbnail so that the user is able to view the video content while the electronic program guide is displayed.

Abstract: A method includes: initiating a data channel over a networked gaming service, including generating a channel key, the channel key being used to encrypt content communicated over the data channel, and generating a first encrypted channel key by encrypting the channel key with a public key associated to an owner of the data channel; adding a participant to the data channel, including generating a second encrypted channel key by encrypting the channel key with a public key associated to the participant; wherein a message sent via the data channel includes encrypted content generated by using the channel key to encrypt content for the message, and further includes the first encrypted channel key and the second encrypted channel key.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving, from a browser executed by a client device, a request to initiate gameplay of a cloud video game; responsive to receiving the request, transmitting to the client device a web application, and initiating execution of the cloud video game by a cloud game machine to generate a first video stream including video content encoded in a first video format; transmitting the first video stream from the cloud game machine to a streaming server; identifying, by the streaming server, a type of the browser; responsive to identifying the type of the browser, transcoding the first video stream to a second video format, to generate a second video stream; transmitting, by the streaming server, the second video stream to the web application, that is configured to receive and process the second video stream to provide the video content of the cloud video game for rendering to a display.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing device including a holding unit configured to hold setting information regarding parental control for each user in association with user identification information, and a limit processing unit configured to limit usage of a predetermined function or device by the user on a basis of the setting information held by the holding unit.

Abstract: A method for controlling a character in a virtual environment of an interactive gaming application. The method including receiving characteristics of a virtual environment. The method including receiving a weight distribution profile for virtual objects carried by the character, the weight distribution profile causing an offset in a center of gravity of the character. The method including receiving input to move the character about the virtual environment, the input including a first component for moving the character along a path in the virtual environment, and a second component for providing a counter-force to reduce the offset to the center of gravity. The second component is applied when the character graphically appears to be out-of-balance while moving along the path in the virtual environment responsive to the first component.

Abstract: An application runs at a first operating frequency if the application is designed for a current version of a system and runs at a second operating frequency if the application is designed for a prior version of the system that operates at a lower frequency than the first operating frequency. The second operating frequency may be higher than the operating frequency of the prior version of the system to account for differences in latency, throughput or other processing characteristics between the two systems. Software readable cycle counters are based on a spoof clock running at the operating frequency of the prior version of the system, rather than the true operating frequency. 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: Methods and systems for providing assistance for an online game executed by a cloud gaming system includes receiving a game objective of a user playing the online game. A current location of the user in the online game is identified. A map of vector points defined for the online game is traversed in a backward direction from a vector point corresponding to location of the game objective to the current location, to identify vector points corresponding to activities performed by a plurality of prior players to achieve the game objective for the online game. A predicate list of the activities identified from the traversing is generated for presenting to the user. The predicate list specifies a sequence in which the activities need to be performed to achieve the game objective. The activities presented in the predicate list are dynamically adjusted based on changes to the current location of the user detected in the online game.

Abstract: The systems and methods are directed towards delivery of third party content onto a user device having a first party portal. The first party portal service facilitates the user viewing of third party content on the user device. In particular, the first party portal service retrieves third party content (e.g., video content streams) from third party content providers and provides the third party content in a format (i.e. channels) that allows users to easily view different types of content. Furthermore, the first party portal service facilitates the user in viewing the third party content alongside other existing channels available to cable television and streaming media/video on demand content.

Abstract: Implementations of systems and methods according to present principles provide new ways to share digital objects in computing environments, improving the user experience and also enhancing communication and relationships among people. The “sharings” can occur as a transfer of an object from one user to another or the transfer of the object into an environment (or vice versa). In one example, a user in a game designs and builds a digital object for a tower and then sells the tower in the game. The tower becomes popular and is used by many other players of the game, including as a part of their own constructions, and also begins to appear in system-generated structures. The creator of the original tower, as well as creators of components constituting the tower, may be provided with compensation for their efforts from such sales of subsequent towers or constructions using such towers.

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: Methods and systems for determining behavior of a player playing a video game includes assigning a behavioral value point for the player and for each game item in a gaming scenario of the video game. An action performed by the player and directed toward a specific game item is detected in the gaming scenario. Adjustment value points defined for the action and for the effect of the action on the different game items are identified. A change in the behavioral value points for the player and for each game item affected by the action of the player is dynamically computed by applying adjustment value points defined for the action and for the effect of the action to the corresponding behavioral value points assigned to the player and for each game item affected by the action. The change in the behavioral value points of the player and of each game item affected by the action are examined to establish if the player is exhibiting good behavior or bad behavior.

Abstract: A cloud gaming system having a game console that is configured to execute video games is provided. The game console provides an interface for a remote client device to interface with the game console and request that games be played. The game console being located in a first data center. The system further includes a storage server connected to the game console over a network connection in the first data center. A save data server is also provided and is located in a second data center. Data selection logic of the game console is provided. The data selection logic is configured to retrieve save data from the save data server and cache the save data to a save data disk of the game console. The data selection logic is configured to automatically retrieve the save data upon detecting a session initiation for a user account.

Abstract: A method for streaming gameplay of a cloud video game is provided, including: executing the cloud video game to generate gameplay video; streaming the gameplay video over a network to a client device, the gameplay video being presented by the client device on a display; during the streaming of the gameplay video, transmitting one or more visual assets over the network to the client device, the visual assets being cached by the client device; wherein the cached visual assets are processed by the client device and combined into the gameplay video before being presented on the display.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enabling a head mounted display (HMD) user to view web content in 3-dimensional views. A computer-implemented method includes accessing a webpage having content items and detecting that the HMD user's field of view is being directed at one or more of the content items. The method further identifies pre-assigned depth values for one or more displayable objects of the content items, wherein the pre-assigned depth values specify an apparent depth that the one or more objects are to be displayed via the HMD. Moreover, the method applies the pre-assigned depth values to the displayable objects for rendering a 3-dimensional view with the displayable objects appearing to the HMD user at a depth corresponding to the pre-assigned depth values.

Abstract: A method includes: processing a request to execute a purchase transaction for a virtual asset of a video game, to transfer ownership of the virtual asset from a first user account to a second user account, to transfer an amount of virtual currency from the second user account to the first user account; responsive to the request, accessing a blockchain to perform an anti-fraud verification, including analyzing data of a prior transaction involving the virtual asset that is stored to the blockchain; responsive to the anti-fraud verification providing a result that does not indicate fraudulent activity, then generating transaction data based on an identifier for the first user account, an identifier for the second user account, an identifier for the virtual asset, and the amount of virtual currency, and submitting the transaction data to a node network, to write the transaction data to a block of the blockchain.

Abstract: A distributed game engine for provisioning resources for an online game includes a plurality of management nodes and a plurality of processing nodes. The management nodes are configured to distribute functional portions of the distributed game engine over the plurality of processing nodes. A resource allocation mode is constructed from user inputs game states of the online game and success criteria included in game play training data. A resource allocation agent is used to access the resource allocation model and to communicate with a configuration agent to identify the processing nodes required for processing specific ones of the functional portions for the online game, based on the resource allocation dictated by the resource allocation model. A process synchronization layer interfaces with the processing nodes and the management nodes to provision the resources for executing the functional portions for the online game in order to produce video frames for rendering at client devices of the users.

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.

Abstract: Various metrics as may be deployed in an active, passive, or hybrid validation architecture are disclosed. A computing device configured to monitor network game activity may identify an inconsistency between user game data and a particular game metric governing a particular aspect of the network gaming environment. Upon identification of an inconsistency between game data and a game metric, which may indicative of illicit game play, a validation process (e.g., active, passive, and/or hybrid) may be implemented to further confirm the existence of illicit game. Alternatively, an action to maintain integrity of the gaming community may be executed without further confirmation whereby a purportedly illicit game device may be ejected from the network.