Abstract: A system and method of playing a video game in a streaming mode includes executing a selected video game on an assigned game server, receiving execution control signals corresponding to user inputs to a client device to generate multiple video frames. Encoding the video frames in a shared hardware compression. Some of the encoded video frames depend on a preceding frame. A first and a second encoded video frame are transmitted to the client device. A first feedback signal from a decoder in the client device identifies that the second encoded video frame was not received the decoder. A third encoded video frame dependency is adjusted to produce an adjusted third encoded video frame that depends from the first encoded video frame and the adjusted third encoded video frame is transmitted to the client device.

Abstract: An apparatus is described comprising a Power-over-Ethernet interface, a High-Definition Media Interface (HDMI), a Bluetooth interface, a means for decompressing low-latency streaming interactive video and audio from an Internet-based hosting service and outputting the decompressed audio and video through HDMI, and a means for transmitting to the Internet-based hosting service user control information and statistics from received packets. Further, the apparatus is able to receive two interleaved streams of low-latency streaming interactive video.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for retaining system state of an online application such as a video game. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: executing a application on a server in response to user input from a client; transmitting video generated by the application over a network connection from the server to the client; detecting that the network connection has become unusable or impaired; responsively pausing the execution of the application from a current point of execution; and resuming the execution of the application from the current point of execution upon detecting that the network connection has become usable or unimpaired.

Abstract: Methods for hosting and operating a twitch service and systems are provided. One method includes running a twitch video game or real-time application at a hosting service center. The twitch video game or real-time application is configured to be played or used by a user on a client device remote to the hosting service center via compressed streaming interactive video. The hosting service center processes input received from the user, wherein the compressed streaming interactive video is compressed with a worst-case, round-trip latency from a user control input to display of a response to the user control input on the client device of the user. The method further includes broadcasting the twitch action video game or real-time application in one or more streams of real-time compressed digital video from the hosting service center to one or more viewing client devices over the Internet. The method also includes selectively overlaying, by the hosting service center, feedback data (e.g.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for hosting online video games, performing video compression, and streaming video for video games are provided. One method includes receiving a request from a user for playing a low latency video game. Then processing control signals received from a client in response to an input device of the client being actuated by the user as the user is playing the low latency video game. Routing the control signals to a server on which the requested video game is to be executed. The method includes, responsively executing the low latency video game on the server to generate video output comprising a sequence of images of the low latency video game. Then, compressing the sequence of images of the low latency video game to generate a compressed video stream that is streamed to the client. The client is configured to decompress the compressed video stream.

Abstract: Methods for hosting low-latency streaming interactive audio/video (A/V) include executing one or more video games or applications on a server communicatively coupled to a data network. Packet streams are received from a plurality of users and routed to the one or more video games. The packet streams include user control input that are used to compute A/V data in response. The A/V data are received from the video games or applications. Portions of the A/V data are compressed in parallel using processing units resulting in low-latency streaming compressed A/V data. The low-latency streaming compressed A/V data are routed to each of the users over a corresponding data network communication channel. The executing of video games, receiving of packet streams and A/V data, compressing portions of the A/V data and routing the compressed A/V data are performed with a latency such that at least one user has the perception that the controlled video game is responding instantly.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing the state of an online video game. A method includes initiating a new online video game in response to user input from a client device, the online video game being in a first state on a first server when initiated; executing the online video game on the server, thereby causing the online video game to enter a second state; pausing or terminating the online video game; determining differences between the first state and the second state and generating difference data containing the differences; transmitting the difference data over a network to a second server; and recreating the second state from the difference data and the first state in response to user input indicating that the user wishes to resume the online video game and in response to the second server being selected as the server on which to execute the video game.

Abstract: A method by which a streaming interactive video user session is handed off from one streaming interactive video server to another without noticeable disruption to the video stream or the user interactivity.

Abstract: A system and method for performing video compression and streaming video from an online hosted video game or application. The online hosted video game or application is streamed to the client with a latency such that the user has the perception that the selected video game or application is responding instantly to the control signals received from the client device. In addition, feedback information received from the client device is used to determine characteristics of a communication channel between a server and the client. The video stream encoding is adjusted based on the detected communication channel characteristics, while maintaining a latency such that the user has the perception that the selected video game or application is responding instantly.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for online game streaming is provided. One example method includes receiving a request from a remote client to access a user account. The user account identifies information regarding the user and digital content available for the user to access from the remote client. The request is received over an Internet connection at a hosting service that includes one or more servers and the digital content including a video game. The method includes receiving selection of the game by the hosting service from the remote client and initiating, by the hosting service, a data rate test of the remote client. The data rate test is configured to identify a maximum available data rate between the remote client and one or more servers of the hosting service. The data rate test includes gradually increasingly the data rate and then gradually decreasing the data rate to identify an active data rate for streaming interactive content of the video game.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for retaining system state of an online application such as a video game. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: executing a application on a server in response to user input from a client; transmitting video generated by the application over a network connection from the server to the client; detecting that the network connection has become unusable or impaired; responsively pausing the execution of the application from a current point of execution; and resuming the execution of the application from the current point of execution upon detecting that the network connection has become usable or unimpaired.

Abstract: A method is described comprising: applying a random pattern to specified regions of an object; tracking the movement of the random pattern during a motion capture session; and generating motion data representing the movement of the object using the tracked movement of the random pattern.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described to concurrently utilize actively used spectrum for new TDD or FDD networks, and also for enabling Distributed-Input Distributed Output (DIDO) techniques to be used with both the new networks and the existing networks in the same spectrum.

Abstract: A system and method are described below for encoding interactive low-latency video using interframe coding. For example, one embodiment of a computer-implemented method for performing video compression comprises: logically subdividing each of a sequence of images into a plurality of tiles, each of the tiles having a defined position within each of the sequence of images, the defined position remaining the same between successive images; detecting motion or high scene complexity within the sequence of images occurring at each of the positions of each of the tiles; and encoding each tile within each image of the sequence of images using a specified number of bits, the number of bits selected based on the detected amount of motion at the position of each tile across the sequence of images.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for streaming video from a server to a client are described. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: receiving at the server a request for video content from the client; in response to the request, determining the hardware/software configuration of the client; generating and/or selecting a temporary decoder based on the hardware/software configuration of the client; transmitting the temporary decoder to the client, the client installing the temporary decoder; encoding and streaming the requested video content from the server to the client, the video content being encoded based on the capabilities of the temporary decoder, the video content being decoded by the temporary decoder and rendered on the client; detecting that the client has ended the session with the server; and in response to detecting that the client has ended the session, temporarily disabling and/or removing the temporary decoder from the client.

Abstract: A system and method are described below for reducing the effects of packet loss in a video communication system. For example, one embodiment of a computer-implemented method comprises: logically subdividing each of a sequence of images of a video stream into a plurality of tiles, each of the tiles having a defined position within each of the sequence of images; and packing the tiles into a plurality of data packets to maximize the number of tiles which are aligned with boundaries of each of the data packets; and transmitting the data packets containing the tiles over a communication channel from a server to a client.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described for managing the state of an online video game. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: initiating a new online video game in response to user input from a client device, the online video game being in a first state on a first server when initiated; executing the online video game on the server, thereby causing the online video game to enter into a second state; pausing or terminating the online video game; determining differences between the first state and the second state and generating difference data containing the differences; transmitting the difference data over a network to a second server, the second server; and recreating the second state from the difference data and the first state in response to user input indicating that the user wishes to resume the online video game and in response to the second server being selected as the server on which to execute the video game.

Abstract: A method by which a streaming interactive video user session is handed off from one streaming interactive video server to another without noticeable disruption to the video stream or the user interactivity.

Abstract: A method comprising broadcasting a live game tournament in the form of a multicasted streaming interactive video stream from a hosting service to a plurality of viewers over the Internet. Audio from an announcer is overlaid by the hosting service onto the multicasted video stream.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for mapping Virtual Radio Instances (VRIs) into physical volumes of coherencein a Multiple Antenna System (MAS) with Multi-User (MU) transmissions (“MU-MAS”). These mapping methods enable communications through simultaneous non-interfering data streams in the same frequency band between the MU-MAS and multiple users, within their own volume of coherence. As the users move, their VRIs follow their respective volumes of coherence via teleportation to adjacent MU-MAS networks, thereby eliminating the need for handoffs as in conventional cellular systems and unnecessary control data overhead.