Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to the use of identity information to help avoid the occurrence of false positive speech recognition events in a speech recognition system. One embodiment provides a method comprising receiving speech recognition data comprising a recognized speech segment, acoustic locational data related to a location of origin of the recognized speech segment as determined via signals from the microphone array, and confidence data comprising a recognition confidence value, and also receiving image data comprising visual locational information related to a location of each person in an image. The acoustic locational data is compared to the visual locational data to determine whether the recognized speech segment originated from a person in the field of view of the image sensor, and the confidence data is adjusted depending on this determination.

Abstract: A content distribution system may be provided for reviewing content such as video games, music, movies, or the like that may be shared by the system. The content distribution system may receive a credential from a user and authenticate the user based on the credential to permit access to the system. The content distribution system may also receive content generated by the user if the user may be authenticated. The content distribution system may provide the received content to a content evaluation entity, for example. The content distribution system may receive a review for the content from the content review entity and then may determine whether the content passes a review process based on the review, for example. The content distribution system may provide additional access to the content if the content passes the review process.

Abstract: A multimedia system configured to receive user input in the form of a spelled character sequence is provided. In one implementation, a spell mode is initiated, and a user spells a character sequence. The multimedia system performs spelling recognition and recognizes a sequence of character representations having a possible ambiguity resulting from any user and/or system errors. The sequence of character representations with the possible ambiguity yields multiple search keys. The multimedia system performs a fuzzy pattern search by scoring each target item from a finite dataset of target items based on the multiple search keys. One or more relevant items are ranked and presented to the user for selection, each relevant item being a target item that exceeds a relevancy threshold. The user selects the indented character sequence from the one or more relevant items.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to the use of identity information to help avoid the occurrence of false positive speech recognition events in a speech recognition system. One embodiment provides a method comprising receiving speech recognition data comprising a recognized speech segment, acoustic locational data related to a location of origin of the recognized speech segment as determined via signals from the microphone array, and confidence data comprising a recognition confidence value, and also receiving image data comprising visual locational information related to a location of each person in an image. The acoustic locational data is compared to the visual locational data to determine whether the recognized speech segment originated from a person in the field of view of the image sensor, and the confidence data is adjusted depending on this determination.

Abstract: Game data is rendered in three dimensions in the GPU of a game console. A left camera view and a right camera view are generated from a single camera view. The left and right camera positions are derived as an offset from a default camera. The focal distance of the left and right cameras is infinity. A game developer does not have to encode dual images into a specific hardware format. When a viewer sees the two slightly offset images, the user's brain combines the two offset images into a single 3D image to give the illusion that objects either pop out from or recede into the display screen. In another embodiment, individual, private video is rendered, on a single display screen, for different viewers. Rather than rendering two similar offset images, two completely different images are rendered allowing each player to view only one of the images.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating diagnostics support is provided. The system includes application(s) instrumented in accordance with a built-in diagnostics (BID) framework, and, trace component(s). The trace component can selectively employ none, some and/or substantially all of the trace point(s) associated with the application. The system can facilitate instrumentation of a managed data access stack, for example, to enhance supportability of the application.

Abstract: A content distribution system may be provided for reviewing content such as video games, music, movies, or the like that may be shared by the system. The content distribution system may receive a credential from a user and authenticate the user based on the credential to permit access to the system. The content distribution system may also receive content generated by the user if the user may be authenticated. The content distribution system may provide the received content to a content evaluation entity, for example. The content distribution system may receive a review for the content from the content review entity and then may determine whether the content passes a review process based on the review, for example. The content distribution system may provide additional access to the content if the content passes the review process.

Abstract: Game data is rendered in three dimensions in the GPU of a game console. A left camera view and a right camera view are generated from a single camera view. The left and right camera positions are derived as an offset from a default camera. The focal distance of the left and right cameras is infinity. A game developer does not have to encode dual images into a specific hardware format. When a viewer sees the two slightly offset images, the user's brain combines the two offset images into a single 3D image to give the illusion that objects either pop out from or recede into the display screen. In another embodiment, individual, private video is rendered, on a single display screen, for different viewers. Rather than rendering two similar offset images, two completely different images are rendered allowing each player to view only one of the images.

Abstract: Systems and methods of digitally distributing digital game content and tracking royalties for the digital game content may include a correlated title key, retail key, and license key. The a correlated title key, retail key, and license key may be used to generate a royalty rate. For example, a royalty rate may be generated based on the license key. Additionally, a royalty price may be generated based on the title key. Then, a royalty amount may be computed by multiplying the royalty rate and the royalty price. The royalty amount may be stored in a retailer account that corresponds to the retail key.

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing digital game content to a portable game system may include a digital content source and an authentication system in communication with the portable game system. The portable game system may receive a digital game content from the digital content source. The digital game content may be stored in a storage component in the portable game system. The digital game content may be activated by a user of the portable game system, for example. After activating, the digital game content may be changed from a demonstration version when an electronic credential may be present in the portable game system.

Abstract: A gamercard associated with an integrated gamer profile to identify a gamer is provided to the gamer and other PC/console users who also participate in other online gaming community activities such as game-related web sites. The gamercard is also provided to the user in a modular fashion formatted in a way suitable for the user to display it directly within other applications of the user (such as their personal web sites and mobile device applications for display on their cell phone) without the user having to update the information within the other applications when the information changes in the central database.

Abstract: Executable content for use is preemptively loaded in order to allow the content to be used when requested by a user without the significant download delay which would otherwise be required. The executable content is downloaded without the user's specific request. When the content is to be used, additional data, such as license data or a password which may be purchased, may be required to access the full functionality of the executable content. Where the executable content is a game, the preemptive loading may be to a personal computer rather than a game console, in order to take advantage of the storage space traditionally available in such a personal computer. Content is loaded based on system information, which may include, without limitation, information about the system, the user of the system, and/or community information regarding a community the user belongs to or users similar to the user, among other information.

Abstract: Background audio for a game being played in a video game system is provided via streaming from an outside source. The background audio played is based on details regarding the state of the video game system, including information regarding the game being played on said video game system. The user can select from among several possibilities for background music, and the selection is then streamed to the video game system from the music service. Enforcement of digital rights and purchasing of tracks streamed from the music service are provided for.

Abstract: A transaction protocol is described that allows a database transaction to begin as a local, lightweight transaction without involving a distributed transaction coordinator and then be promoted to a distributed transaction only when required, e.g. when more than one database connection is required. A promotable enlistment allows a first resource to begin processing a promotable transaction. If the resource is notified that the transaction is being promoted to a distributed transaction, the resource is configured to promote the enlistment to a distributed transaction coordinator which coordinates processing of the transaction between the first resource and at least a second resource.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating diagnostics support is provided. The system includes application(s) instrumented in accordance with a built-in diagnostics (BID) framework, and, trace component(s). The trace component can selectively employ none, some and/or substantially all of the trace point(s) associated with the application. The system can facilitate instrumentation of a managed data access stack, for example, to enhance supportability of the application. The BID framework is a general purpose instrumentation framework that enables trace-point(s) to be embedded into a code base. The instrumentation thus comprises of a set of calls added throughout the code to notify trace component(s) (e.g., tracing library) of component activity(ies) associated with the application. The BID framework thus provides the means to include trace-points in code and to bind the instrumented binaries to trace component(s) (e.g., trace-library) dynamically (e.g., based on configuration).