Abstract: Methods and systems for providing gaming services are provided. One system embodiment includes an operating system for executing a first and second instance of game logic for defining a game environment for a video game. The first and second instances game logic process game commands for a first and second user, respectively. A hardware GPU is configured for rendering video frames of a first video stream for the first game logic and video frames of a second video stream for the second game logic. Video frames of the first video stream are configured to be rendered on a display associated with the gaming system, and in some embodiments, without being encoded. An encoder of the system encodes the video frames of the second video stream, which are transmitted to a client device of the second user for game play.

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: Methods and systems for providing gaming services are provided. One system includes a operating system for executing a first game logic that is configured to define a game environment in response to game commands for a first user as well as for executing a second instance of game logic for the game environment for the game. The system also includes virtual drivers associated with the operating system, a non-virtual driver associated with a hardware graphics processing unit (GPU), and a shared memory. The GPU is configured to render a first video stream for the first game logic and a second video stream for the second game logic. One or more dynamic encoding pipelines (DEPs) are used for encoding video frames of the second video stream for transmission to a client device of the second user. The gaming system also includes an I/O device for communicating the first video stream to a display of the first user and for communicating the second video stream to the client device.

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: Video server systems and methods for providing video streams to a plurality of remote clients are described. In one implementation, the video streams are based on game states received from a remote game server. The game states are dependent on game commands received by the video server system from the remote clients and forwarded to the remote game server. The video server system is configured to appear, from the point of view of the game server, as more than one client. For example, the video server system may receive game states from the remote game server at more than one different Internet Protocol address and each of these Internet Protocol addresses may be associated with a different game session.

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: Methods and systems for providing gaming services are provided. One system includes a operating system for executing a first game logic that is configured to define a game environment in response to game commands for a first user as well as for executing a second instance of game logic for the game environment for the game. The system also includes virtual drivers associated with the operating system, a non-virtual driver associated with a hardware graphics processing unit (GPU), and a shared memory. The GPU is configured to render a first video stream for the first game logic and a second video stream for the second game logic. One or more dynamic encoding pipelines (DEPs) are used for encoding video frames of the second video stream for transmission to a client device of the second user. The gaming system also includes an I/O device for communicating the first video stream to a display of the first user and for communicating the second video stream to the client device.

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: 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. 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.

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: Video server systems and methods for providing video streams to a plurality of remote clients are described. In one implementation, the video streams are based on game states received from a remote game server. The game states are dependent on game commands received by the video server system from the remote clients and forwarded to the remote game server. The video server system is configured to appear, from the point of view of the game server, as more than one client. For example, the video server system may receive game states from the remote game server at more than one different Internet Protocol address and each of these Internet Protocol addresses may be associated with a different game session.

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: 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: 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: Video server systems and methods for providing video streams to a plurality of remote clients are described. In one implementation, the video streams are based on game states received from a remote game server. The game states are dependent on game commands received by the video server system from the remote clients and forwarded to the remote game server. The video server system is configured to appear, from the point of view of the game server, as more than one client. For example, the video server system may receive game states from the remote game server at more than one different Internet Protocol address and each of these Internet Protocol addresses may be associated with a different game session.

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. 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.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing H.264 compliant video that lacks B Frames include decoding without the use of a significant video frame buffer. This variant of the H.264 standard may include a flag indicating that the video does not include B Frames. The video may be used in applications, such as computer games, in which processing of B Frames introduces undesirable lag.

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: A computer is operated to receive a current game state of a game being executed on a client computer system from a subset of game code. A determination is made of respective probabilities for advancement from the current game state to a set of possible later game states. Game code required for the set of possible later game states is prioritized in accordance with the determined probabilities for advancement from the current game state to each of the set of possible later game states. Game code required for the set of possible later game states is transmitted from a server computer system to the client computer system in order of the prioritized game code.

Abstract: Video server systems and methods for providing video streams to a plurality of remote clients are described. In one implementation, the video streams are based on game states received from a remote game server. The game states are dependent on game commands received by the video server system from the remote clients and forwarded to the remote game server. The video server system is configured to appear, from the point of view of the game server, as more than one client. For example, the video server system may receive game states from the remote game server at more than one different Internet Protocol address and each of these Internet Protocol addresses may be associated with a different game session.