Abstract: Mechanisms are disclosed that allow for the communication between closed computing systems and other computing systems. Gaming consoles, for instance, can use the present mechanisms to communicate with PCs, especially when unsigned content is sent from the PCs to the gaming consoles. The disclosed communication mechanism can have multiple channels to send information (which may include code and/or data associated with the unsigned content) from the PCs to the gaming consoles. Such information may be distributed over several channels on the communication mechanism. For instance, the communication mechanism can first send a subset of a set of information from a computing system to a closed computing system. Then, depending on the closed system resources, the remaining set of information can be sent to the closed system.

Abstract: Mechanisms are disclosed that allow for execution of unsigned content and the securing of resources in a closed system when such unsigned content is executing on the system. For example, an access layer is used between an operating system layer of the closed system and the actual unsigned content. This access layer may contain various sub-layers, such as a graphics layer, an audio layer, an input layer, and a storage layer. These layers can control access that the unsigned content can have to the native operating system layers and the associated resources of the closed system. By providing such an access layer, unsigned content, e.g., video games, can run on the closed system that is typically designed to run only signed content.