Cross-device accessory input and output for enhanced gaming experience

Abstract

In a non-limiting example of the present disclosure, systems, methods, and devices for providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution are provided. A list including identifications of a plurality of mobile games may be presented, the mobile games being executable on a mobile computing device (e.g., a smart phone, a tablet) and being controllable on the mobile computing device by one or more input devices of a host computing device (e.g., a personal computer, a game console). A selection of one of the plurality of mobile games may be received. The mobile computing device and the host computing device may be paired. A video data stream of the selected game being executed on the mobile computing device may be received. The video data stream may be displayed on a display device associated with the host computing device.

Description

Background Art

[0001] As mobile computing devices become more and more complex in their hardware, software, and processing power, the games that developers create for them are also becoming more and more complex. Today, mobile games are usually only subject to the inherent limitations of the mobile device itself, such as limited display size and limited input mechanisms. Alternatively, gamers may have a large amount of resources available to them or associated with their main game devices on their main game devices (e.g., personal computers, video game consoles), which are usually only used to play platform-specific games. Among other things, those resources can include large displays / monitors, game controllers, joysticks, and complex sound systems.

[0002] Aspects of the technology disclosed herein have been considered against this general technical environment.Furthermore, although a general environment has been discussed, it should be understood that the examples described herein should not be limited to the general environment identified in the background. Summary of the invention

[0003] This disclosure is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of design concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This disclosure is not intended to identify key features or important features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to assist in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects, features, and / or advantages of the examples will be set forth in part in the description below, and will be apparent in part from the description or may be learned through the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0004] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and devices for providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution. When a user's mobile computing device is connected to the user's main game device (e.g., a personal computer, a video game console), the main game device can determine whether a mobile game compatible with one or more input or output accessories associated with the user's main game device is installed on the mobile computing device. The user can use a game application or widget on the main game device to select from available mobile games to initiate input and / or output during the execution of the selected game by the mobile computing device using the main game device accessories. That is, the mobile computing device can perform processing of the selected mobile game, but audio, video, and / or tactile output can be presented by the accessories of the main game device, and / or control of the game can be received by the input accessories (e.g., controller, joystick, keyboard, etc.) of the main game device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples are described with reference to the following figures.

[0006] Figure 1is a schematic diagram illustrating an example distributed computing environment for providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution.

[0007] Figure 2 is another schematic diagram illustrating an example distributed computing environment for enabling utilization of personal computer and / or game console computing resources in execution of a mobile video game.

[0008] Figure 3 Another schematic diagram is shown illustrating an example distributed computing environment for utilizing personal computer output resources and associated controller input resources in the execution of a mobile video game.

[0009] Figure 4 An exemplary method for providing cooperative use of computing resources in video game execution is disclosed.

[0010] Figure 5 Another exemplary method for providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution is provided.

[0011] Figure 6 and Figure 7 is a simplified diagram of a mobile computing device that can be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 8 is a block diagram illustrating example physical components of a computing device that may be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] Fig. 9 is a simplified block diagram of a distributed computing system in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals represent the same parts and components throughout the several views. Reference to the various embodiments does not limit the scope of the appended claims. In addition, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting, but only set forth some of the many possible embodiments of the appended claims.

[0015] The non-limiting examples of the present disclosure describe systems, methods and devices for providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution. As described herein, mobile computing devices (e.g., smart phones, tablet computers), main game computing devices (e.g., personal computers, laptop computers, video game consoles), and input and output accessories (e.g., displays / monitors, speakers, controllers, joysticks, keyboards, mice) of main game computing devices can be used collaboratively in playing video games specific to mobile platforms. When the mobile computing device of the user and the main game computing device are within a connectable proximity range, those devices can be connected to each other via wired or wireless communications. The main game computing device can present a list of mobile games installed on the mobile device connected by the user (through applications, widgets, etc.), and the mobile device connected by the user can utilize the input and / or output accessories associated with the main game computing device of the user. In some examples, the main game computing device can present a list on the display and / or mobile computing device of the main game computing device.

[0016] In some examples, a user can select one of the mobile games from a list and start the execution of the selected game by the mobile device, while being able to input control of the game through an input accessory associated with the main game computing device, and having outputs presented by output accessories associated with the main game computing device, such as video display, audio output, and tactile output. In some examples, an output conversion engine can be used to convert output signals (e.g., video signals, audio signals, tactile signals) from a mobile output type to a main game computing device accessory output type. Similarly, an input conversion engine can be used to convert input signals generated by an accessory of the main game computing device into mobile device signals that can be interpreted by a corresponding mobile game engine. Operations associated with the output conversion engine can be performed by one or more of the following: a mobile computing device, a main game computing device, and / or an accessory device. Operations associated with the input conversion engine can similarly be performed by one or more of the following: an accessory device, a main game computing device, and / or a mobile computing device.

[0017] The systems, methods and devices described herein provide technical advantages for video game execution. In some examples, by utilizing the input and output accessory devices of the gaming device specially customized for playing video games, processing resources can be efficiently distributed across device types through the collaborative mechanism described herein. For example, the mobile device can delegate the processing associated with the video / graphic display to the main game computing device, rather than occupying the limited processing resources of the mobile computing device to display the game activity on the limited display space of the mobile device. Similarly, the processing of audio signals and their corresponding outputs can be delegated to the speaker output device associated with the main game computing device, rather than utilizing the limited audio resources of the mobile device. In some examples, more complex commands can be executed by the mobile video game through the mechanism described herein compared to other possible ways. For example, controllers, joysticks and other input accessory devices designed specifically for the main game computing device can provide input control to the mobile game executed on the mobile device through the main game computing device. Therefore, the conversion engine associated with the main game computing device and its associated controller accessories can provide enhanced control for the mobile video game executed by the mobile computing device, rather than being limited to the small form factor input mechanism of the mobile computing device. Memory costs may also be saved by eliminating the need to download two different versions of the same game (e.g., one that can be played on the mobile device and one that can be played on the main gaming computing device).

[0018] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example distributed computing environment 100 for providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution. The computing environment 100 includes a mobile device subenvironment 102, a host computing device subenvironment 106, and a device accessory subenvironment 112. Figure 1 Any and all computing devices and accessories shown in the figure can communicate with each other through wired or wireless connections (e.g., the Internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.). Mobile device subenvironment 102 includes mobile computing device 104 (e.g., smart phone, tablet). Main computing device subenvironment 106 includes personal computer 108 and video game console 110. Device accessory subenvironment 112 includes console controller 114, joystick 116, speaker 118, and external monitor 120.

[0019] In this example, the user has a car racing video game installed on or otherwise accessed by mobile computing device 104. Computing device 104 and its associated user are physically proximate to one or both of personal computer 108 and / or video game console 110, as well as one or more accessories shown in device accessory subenvironment 112. As a result, the user may prefer to play the car racing video game using one or more accessories shown in device accessory subenvironment 112 and / or utilizing the processing power provided by personal computer 108 and / or video game console 110 to play the car racing video game.

[0020] In some examples, when the mobile computing device 104 is within communication range of a personal computer 108 or a video game console 110 (“master device”, “master computing device”, or “master game computing device”), and a user opens a mobile video game, such as a racing video game, the user may be prompted from the mobile computing device 104 to select whether the user wants to continue playing the video game from one of the master devices. In other examples, when the mobile computing device 104 is within communication range of one of the master devices, the user may access a game selection menu on one of the master devices (e.g., through a game application, through a widget, etc.) that allows the user to begin playing a mobile video game installed or otherwise accessed on one of the master devices through the mobile computing device 104. For example, the user may open a mobile game selection menu on one of the master computing devices, the game selection menu may be displayed on an external monitor 120 that may be paired with one or both of the master computing devices, and the game selection menu may display a list of mobile video games installed on the computing device 104. The user may select a game from the list of mobile video games, and upon making a selection, the game may be launched on the mobile computing device 104. However, in addition to or in lieu of displaying the launched video game on mobile computing device 104, a video data stream from the mobile video game may be transmitted from mobile computing device 104 to the host computing device, which may then display the video data stream of the game on its respective display (e.g., external monitor 120). In examples where the host computing device does not have an external monitor associated therewith, the mobile video game may continue to be displayed on mobile computing device 104.

[0021] In examples where the host computing device has one or more input or output accessories associated therewith, those input or output accessories may be used to interact with or provide functionality associated with a mobile video game. For example, if a user has selected to use one of the host devices (i.e., personal computer 108, video game console 110) to interact with a mobile video game executed on mobile computing device 104, the accessory of the selected host device may be used to control the mobile video game and / or provide output (e.g., video output, audio output, tactile output) associated with the mobile video game. Thus, if console controller 114 is connected to video game console 110, the console controller may be used to control a mobile video game being executed on mobile computing device 104, whether the mobile video game is displayed on mobile computing device 104 and / or on external monitor 120. In another example, if joystick 116 is connected to personal computer 108, joystick 116 may be used to control a mobile video game being executed on mobile computing device 104, whether the mobile video game is displayed on mobile computing device 104 and / or on external monitor 120.

[0022] In some examples, an input conversion list including a set of instructions for converting input signals from one of the accessory input devices (e.g., console controller 114, joystick 116) to corresponding mobile game input / controls can be stored on one or more of: the accessory input device itself, the host computing device, and / or the mobile computing device. Thus, in an example, if user input is received through one of the accessory devices, the input can be sent to the host computing device to which the accessory device is connected and the input can be sent from the host computing device to the mobile computing device, where the input is used to control the mobile video game. The conversion of the input can occur at the input accessory, the host computing device, or the mobile computing device.

[0023] In examples where a host computing device (e.g., personal computer 108, video game console 110) is associated with one or more output devices (e.g., speakers 118, external monitor 120), a video game executed on an associated mobile computing device (e.g., mobile computing device 104) may use one or more of those output devices to present game content (e.g., video, audio, haptics). Thus, if external monitor 120 is connected to personal computer 108 and / or video game console 110, a video game executed on mobile computing device 104 may be displayed by external monitor 120. In another example, if speakers 118 are connected to personal computer 108 and / or video game console 110, a video game executed on mobile computing device 104 may have corresponding audio produced by speakers 118.

[0024] In some examples, an output conversion list including an instruction set for converting an output signal (video signal, audio signal, haptic signal) from a mobile computing device to a corresponding output device may be stored on one or more of the following: a mobile computing device, a main computing device, and / or an output computing device. Thus, in an example, if a mobile video game audio or video output signal is generated by a mobile video game executed on a mobile computing device, the signal may be sent to a main computing device that the user has selected to play the mobile video game, and the main computing device may transmit the signal to one or more corresponding output accessories. The conversion of the output signal from the mobile computing device to the accessory device may occur at any device associated with the signal transmission. In some examples, the conversion of the signal may provide an enhancement to the original content. Thus, in the example shown, the external monitor 120 displays additional video content that is not present in the mobile computing device video signal of the racing video game. That is, the external monitor 120 provides a wider field of view, and the mobile video game video signal is converted to provide additional video content to fill the field of view of the external monitor 120. In other examples, the video content from the mobile computing device may be mirrored onto the external monitor instead of being enhanced in its conversion.

[0025] Figure 2 2 is another schematic diagram illustrating an example distributed computing environment 200 for initiating the use of personal computer and / or game console computing resources in the execution of a mobile video game. The distributed computing environment 200 includes a mobile game selection subenvironment 202, an input / output accessory subenvironment 208, and a mobile game execution subenvironment 206. The mobile game selection subenvironment 202 includes a personal computer 204, which is incorporated into a display and is the same computing device as the personal computer 212; and a mobile computing device 206, which is the same computing device as the mobile computing device 218. The input / output accessory subenvironment 208 includes a controller 210 and the personal computer 212. The mobile game execution subenvironment 206 includes a mobile computing device 218, which is the same computing device as the mobile computing device 206 in the mobile game selection subenvironment 202.

[0026] In this example, the mobile computing device 202 and the personal computer 204 have formed a connection (e.g., a Bluetooth connection, a Wi-Fi connection). Once the connection has been established, the user accesses the game application and / or widget on the personal computer 204, which is shown as presenting a mobile game library on the display of the personal computer 204. In the example, the personal computer 204 can determine whether one or more mobile video games installed on the mobile computing device 206 are compatible with one or more input and / or output accessory devices associated with the personal computer 204 (including an integrated display) through the connection with the mobile computing device 202. In the illustrated example, the personal computer 204 has determined that four mobile video games (i.e., GAME A, GAME B, GAME C, GAME D) that are compatible with one or more input and / or output accessory devices associated with the personal computer 204 are installed on the mobile computing device 206. The user can then select one of the games from the mobile game library list displayed by the personal computer 204, and the game can begin to run on the mobile computing device 206, while being displayed and interactive through the personal computer 204. In this example, the user selects “GAMEB” from the mobile game library list displayed by personal computer 204 , which corresponds to a mobile racing game installed on mobile computing device 206 , and execution of the mobile racing game is then initiated by mobile computing device 202 .

[0027] In this example, the display output conversion engine 203 receives a video signal from a mobile car game executed on the mobile computing device 202 and converts it to be produced on the display of the personal computer 212. The output conversion engine 203 can perform one or more operations to convert the audio, video and / or tactile signals of the video game executed on the mobile computing device 206 so as to be produced on one or more accessory devices associated with the main computing device. According to the example, the output conversion engine 203 can be associated with a conversion list including the identification of multiple mobile video games and the identification of multiple accessory devices that can be used to control and / or provide the output of the corresponding mobile video game. In some examples, the operations associated with the conversion engine 203 can be performed on one or both of the mobile computing device 206 and / or the personal computer 212. In this example, the display output conversion engine 203 enhances the video signal from the car game to expand the field of view on the entire display space of the personal computer 212. In other examples, the display output conversion engine 203 can provide a one-to-one mapping of the mobile video game to the external display. In another example, the conversion engine may not be used when the output from the mobile computing device is provided to the output accessory.

[0028] As shown in this example, the controller 210 is associated with a personal computer 212, and the controller 210 is compatible with a racing video game (i.e., GAME B). Therefore, when a user uses one of the buttons and / or controls on the controller 210, the input is received by the control input conversion engine 214, which converts the input to interact with the racing video game executed on the mobile computing device 218. The control input conversion engine 214 can perform one or more operations to convert the button and / or control input signals from the controller 210 to control or otherwise interact with the video game executed on the mobile computing device 206. According to an example, the control input conversion engine 214 can be associated with a conversion list including the identification of multiple mobile video games and the identification of multiple accessory devices that can be used to control and / or provide output for the corresponding mobile video games. In some examples, the operations associated with the control input conversion engine 214 can be performed on one or more of the controller 210, the mobile computing device 218, and / or the personal computer 212. For example, the controller 210 may receive an “A” button input, which may be converted by the control input conversion engine 214 into an acceleration input for a racing video game executed on the mobile computing device 218, the acceleration input / command may be executed by the mobile computing device 218, and a video corresponding to the acceleration command modification in the game may be transmitted to the display of the personal computer 212 via the display output conversion engine 220, which may be the same conversion engine as the display output conversion engine 203.

[0029] Figure 3 Another schematic diagram is shown that illustrates an example distributed computing environment 300 for using personal computer output resources and associated controller input resources in the execution of a mobile video game. Distributed computing environment 300 includes an input accessory subenvironment 304, a host computing device subenvironment 310, and an accessory output subenvironment 316. Accessory subenvironment 304 includes a mobile computing device 308 executing a racing video game and a joystick 304 associated with the host computing device, and a control input conversion engine 306. The host computing device subenvironment 310 includes a personal computer 312 connected to the joystick 304, and an output conversion engine 314. Accessory output subenvironment 316 includes an external monitor 318 and speakers 320.

[0030] In this example, a connection (e.g., Bluetooth connection, Wi-Fi connection) has been formed between mobile computing device 308 and personal computer 312. A user associated with those devices has chosen to use personal computer 312 and its associated input and output devices to play a racing mobile video game on mobile computing device 308. The racing mobile video game thus begins execution by mobile computing device 308, which may receive input signals from input devices (e.g., joystick 304) associated with personal computer 312 and provide audio, video, and / or tactile output via output devices (e.g., external monitor 318, speakers 320) associated with personal computer 312.

[0031] As shown in this example, the joystick 304 (which is connected to the personal computer 312) is compatible with a mobile racing video game. Therefore, when a user uses one of the buttons and / or motion controls on the joystick 304, the input is received by the control input conversion engine 306, which converts the input to interact with the racing video game executed on the mobile computing device 308. The control input conversion engine 306 can perform one or more operations to convert the button and / or motion control input signals from the joystick 304 to control or otherwise interact with the video game executed on the mobile computing device 308. According to the example, the control input conversion engine 306 can be associated with a conversion list including the identification of multiple mobile video games and the identification of multiple accessory devices that can be used to control and / or provide output for the corresponding video games. In some examples, the operations associated with the control input conversion engine 306 can be performed on one or more of the joystick 304, the mobile computing device 308, the personal computer 312, and / or the external monitor 318. As an example, the joystick 304 may receive a motion control input to turn right, which may be converted by the control input conversion engine 306 to a "turn right" input for a racing video game executed on the mobile computing device 308, which "turn right" input / command may be executed by the mobile computing device 308 and / or a game engine associated with the mobile video game executed on the mobile computing device 308. In this example, the input from the joystick 304 is shown as being sent directly from the joystick 304 to the mobile computing device 308, which may execute the input / command. That is, the joystick 304 may be connected (e.g., via Bluetooth) to the mobile computing device 308, and the control input conversion engine 306 may convert the input command on the mobile computing device 308. In other examples, the joystick 304 may send the input / command to the personal computer 312, which may convert the input / command and send it to the mobile computing device 308.

[0032] In this example, when the mobile computing device 308 executes a "turn right" command from the joystick 304, the resulting video and audio signals for the car racing video game are sent from the mobile computing device 308 to the personal computer 312. The output conversion engine 314 (which may perform one or more output conversion operations on the personal computer 312, the external monitor 318, and / or the speaker 320) then converts the video and audio signals for the car racing video game and converts them for presentation on the corresponding audio and video devices associated with the personal computer 312. Thus, in this example, the car in the car racing video game may be made to turn right and the corresponding video may be displayed by the external monitor 318, while the tire sounds associated with the turn may be produced by the speaker 320. In some examples, the audio may be modified to accommodate the additional audio channels supported by the speaker 320.

[0033] Figure 4 An exemplary method 400 for providing cooperative use of computing resources in video game execution begins at a start operation and flow moves to operation 402 .

[0034] At operation 402, a list including identifications of a plurality of mobile games that can be executed on a mobile computing device and that can be controlled by one or more input devices of a host computing device is presented. The list can be presented on a display of a host computing device (e.g., a personal computer, a laptop computer, a video game console). In an example, the list can be presented in response to a user opening a game application on the host computing device. In other examples, the list can be presented in response to determining that the user's mobile computing device is within a connectable proximity of the host computing device and / or the user is playing a mobile video game within a connectable proximity of the host computing device.

[0035] Flow continues from operation 402 to operation 404, where a selection of one of the plurality of mobile games is received. For example, the user may select one of the mobile games using a touch gesture, a verbal command, and / or a mouse click on the displayed list.

[0036] Flow continues from operation 404 to operation 406, where the mobile computing device is paired with the host computing device. In some examples, the mobile computing device and the host computing device may be paired only when a mobile video game is selected. In other examples, the mobile computing device and the host computing device may be paired before the mobile video game is selected (e.g., when the user opens the game application on the host device, when the mobile computing device comes into a connectable proximity of the host device, etc.).

[0037] Flow continues from operation 406 to operation 408, where a video data stream of a selected game being executed on a mobile computing device is received. In an example, the video data stream may be received by a host computing device (e.g., a personal computer, a video game console). The video data stream may be sent from the mobile computing device without the mobile computing device displaying the video stream of the video game. In other examples, in addition to sending the video data stream to the host computing device, the mobile computing device may also display the video on its display.

[0038] The process continues from operation 408 to operation 410, where the video data stream is displayed on a display device associated with the host computing device. That is, the video data stream can be displayed on a display / monitor connected to or integrated in the host computing device. In some examples, the video data stream can be converted by a display output conversion engine before it is displayed on the display of the host computing device. The conversion engine can modify the video data stream from a form compatible with the display size of the mobile computing device to a form compatible with the size of the display of the host computing device (e.g., to provide a wider field of view for the main game console display). In other examples, the conversion engine can modify the frame rate, resolution and / or pixel count of the video game based on the specifications of the main game console display compared to the mobile computing device.

[0039] Flow moves from operation 410 to an end operation and method 400 ends.

[0040] Figure 5 Another exemplary method 500 for providing cooperative use of computing resources in video game execution begins at a start operation and flow moves to operation 502 .

[0041] At operation 502, the first computing device identifies a second computing device executing a mobile game. In an example, the first computing device may include a host computing device (e.g., a personal computer, a laptop computer, a video game console), and the second computing device may include a mobile computing device (e.g., a smart phone, a tablet computer). In an example, a user may have started playing a mobile game on a second computing device while traveling, and arrives at a home where the first computing device is located. The user may therefore want to use resources / accessories of the first computing device that are now available to the user.

[0042] From operation 502, the process continues to operation 504, where the first computing device is paired with the second computing device. For example, the pairing of the first computing device and the second computing device can be achieved through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, the Internet, or a wired connection. Pairing can be completed automatically when the two devices are within pairing distance, or pairing occurs only when the user manually selects to pair the devices.

[0043] Flow continues from operation 504 to operation 506, where control input is received from an input device connected to the first computing device. The control input may come from an accessory associated with the first computing device. For example, the first computing device may be connected to a joystick, a video game controller, a keyboard, and / or a mouse, and a user may input control to the first device through one of those accessories.

[0044] Flow continues from operation 506 to operation 508, where the control input is transmitted from the first computing device to the second computing device. In some examples, the conversion engine can obtain the control input from the accessory that generates the input and convert the input to control one or more operations / actions associated with the mobile game executed on the second computing device. The conversion engine can be included in one or more of the following: the accessory that generates the input, the host computing device (i.e., the first computing device), and / or the mobile computing device (i.e., the second computing device).

[0045] Flow continues from operation 508 to operation 510, where an operation corresponding to the control input is performed on the second computing device in the mobile game. For example, if the accessory generating the input is a steering wheel, and the input is a left turn, the car in the mobile game may be turned left by executing the control in the video game by the second computing device. In a different example, if the game is a flight simulator, and the input is a trigger pull on a joystick, the mobile game may be launched by executing the control in the video game. Other examples should be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0046] Flow moves from operation 510 to an end operation and method 500 ends.

[0047] Figure 6 and Figure 7 A mobile computing device 600 is shown that can be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure, such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a wearable computer (e.g., smart glasses), a tablet computer, an e-reader, a laptop computer, or other AR-compatible computing device. Figure 6, shows one aspect of a mobile computing device 600 for implementing these aspects. In a basic configuration, the mobile computing device 600 is a handheld computer having both input elements and output elements. The mobile computing device 600 typically includes a display 605 and one or more input buttons 610 that allow a user to input information to the mobile computing device 600. The display 605 of the mobile computing device 600 may also be used as an input device (e.g., a touch screen display). If included, an optional side input element 615 allows further user input. The side input element 615 may be a rotary switch, a button, or any other type of manual input element. In alternative aspects, the mobile computing device 600 may incorporate more or fewer input elements. For example, in some embodiments, the display 605 may not be a touch screen. In yet another alternative embodiment, the mobile computing device 600 is a portable telephone system, such as a cellular phone. The mobile computing device 600 may also include an optional key 635. The optional key 635 may be a physical key or a "soft" key generated on the touch screen display. In various embodiments, output elements include: a display 605 for showing a graphical user interface (GUI), a visual indicator 620 (e.g., a light emitting diode), and / or an audio transducer 625 (e.g., a speaker). In some aspects, the mobile computing device 600 incorporates a vibration transducer for providing tactile feedback to the user. In yet another aspect, the mobile computing device 600 incorporates input and / or output ports, such as an audio input (e.g., a microphone jack), an audio output (e.g., a headphone jack), and a video output (e.g., an HDMI port) for sending or receiving signals to or from an external device.

[0048] Figure 7 700 is a block diagram illustrating an architecture of one aspect of a mobile computing device. That is, a mobile computing device 700 may incorporate a system (e.g., architecture) 702 to implement some aspects. In one embodiment, the system 702 is implemented as a "smart phone" capable of running one or more applications (e.g., browsers, email, calendars, contact managers, messaging clients, games, and media clients / players). In some aspects, the system 702 is integrated into a computing device, such as an integrated personal digital assistant (PDA) and wireless phone.

[0049] One or more application programs 766 may be loaded into the memory 762 and run on or in association with the operating system 864. Examples of application programs include: a phone dialer, an email program, a personal information management (PIM) program, a word processing program, a spreadsheet program, an Internet browser program, a messaging program, etc. The system 702 also includes a non-volatile storage area 768 within the memory 762. The non-volatile storage area 768 may be used to store persistent information that should not be lost if the system 702 loses power. The application programs 766 may use and store information in the non-volatile storage area 768, such as emails or other messages used by the email application, etc. A synchronization application (not shown) is also located on the system 702 and is programmed to interact with a corresponding synchronization application resident on the host computer to keep the information stored in the non-volatile storage area 768 synchronized with the corresponding information stored at the host computer. It should be understood that other applications may be loaded into the memory 762 and run on the mobile computing device 700, and these applications include instructions for providing and operating cross-device resource collaboration applications.

[0050] System 702 has a power source 770, which can be implemented as one or more batteries. Power source 770 can also include an external power source, such as an AC adapter or a powered dock that replenishes or recharges the batteries.

[0051] The system 702 may also include a radio interface layer 772 that performs the function of sending and receiving radio frequency communications. The radio interface layer 772 facilitates wireless connectivity between the system 702 and the "outside world" through a communications carrier or service provider. Transmissions to and from the radio interface layer 772 are performed under the control of the operating system 764. In other words, communications received by the radio interface layer 772 may be propagated through the operating system 764 to the application 766, and vice versa.

[0052] The visual indicator 620 can be used to provide visual notifications, and / or the audio interface 774 can be used to generate audible notifications through the audio converter 625. In the illustrated embodiment, the visual indicator 620 is a light emitting diode (LED), and the audio converter 625 is a speaker. These devices can be directly coupled to the power supply 770, so that when activated, they remain turned on for a period of time indicated by the notification mechanism, even if the processor 760 and other components may be turned off to save battery power. The LED can be programmed to remain turned on until the user takes action to indicate the power-on state of the device. The audio interface 774 is used to provide audible signals to the user and receive audible signals from the user. For example, in addition to being coupled to the audio converter 625, the audio interface 774 can also be coupled to a microphone to receive audible input, such as to facilitate telephone conversations. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, as will be described below, the microphone can also be used as an audio sensor to facilitate control of notifications. The system 702 can also include a video interface 776, which starts the operation of the camera 630 on the board to record still images, video streams, etc.

[0053] The mobile computing device 700 implementing the system 702 may have additional features or functionality. For example, the mobile computing device 700 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and / or non-removable), such as magnetic disks, optical disks, or tapes. These additional storage units may be stored in the form of a computer program product. Figure 7 , shown by non-volatile storage area 768.

[0054] Data / information generated or captured by the mobile computing device 700 and stored by the system 702 may be stored locally on the mobile computing device 700 as described above, or the data may be stored on any number of storage media accessible by the device through the radio interface layer 772 or through a wired connection between the mobile computing device 700 and a separate computing device associated with the mobile computing device 700 (e.g., a server computer in a distributed computing network such as the Internet). It should be appreciated that such data / information may be accessed by the mobile computing device 700 through the radio interface layer 772 or through a distributed computing network. Similarly, such data / information may be readily transferred between computing devices for storage and use according to well-known data / information transmission and storage means, including electronic mail and collaborative data / information sharing systems.

[0055] Figure 8is a block diagram illustrating the physical components (e.g., hardware) of a computing device 800 that can be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure. The computing device components described below may have computer-executable instructions for facilitating cross-device resource collaboration. In a basic configuration, the computing device 800 may include at least one processing unit 802 and a system memory 804. Depending on the configuration and type of the computing device, the system memory 804 may include, but is not limited to, volatile storage units (e.g., random access memory), non-volatile storage units (e.g., read-only memory), flash memory, or any combination of such memories. The system memory 804 may include an operating system 805 suitable for running one or more cross-platform transformation programs. For example, the operating system 805 may be suitable for controlling the operation of the computing device 800. In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in conjunction with a graphics library, other operating systems, or any other application, and is not limited to any particular application or system. This basic configuration is Figure 8 808. The computing device 800 may have additional features or functionality. For example, the computing device 800 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and / or non-removable), such as magnetic disks, optical disks, or tapes. Such additional storage units may be located in the Figure 8 8 is shown by a removable storage device 809 and a non-removable storage device 810.

[0056] As described above, a plurality of program modules and data files may be stored in the system memory 804. When executed on the processing unit 802, the program module 806 (e.g., the collaborative game resource application 820) may perform processes including but not limited to aspects as described herein. According to an example, the compatibility engine 811 may perform one or more operations associated with determining whether the mobile game is compatible with one or more input and / or output accessories of the main game computing device. The video enhancement engine 813 and / or the display output conversion engine 815 may perform one or more operations associated with the following: when the video data stream is transmitted from the mobile game to the main game computing device, the visual field is expanded, and the frame rate and / or pixel count of the mobile game is increased. The control input conversion engine 817 may perform one or more operations associated with the following: the input from the main game computing device accessories (e.g., mouse, keyboard, joystick, controller, etc.) is converted, and those inputs are transformed into controls / inputs that can be interpreted by the mobile game executed on the mobile computing device.

[0057] In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in circuits including discrete electronic components, packaged or integrated electronic chips containing logic gates, circuits using microprocessors, or on a single chip containing electronic components or microprocessors. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented via a system on a chip (SoC) in which: Figure 8 Each or many of the components shown may be integrated onto a single integrated circuit. Such a SOC device may include one or more processing units, a graphics unit, a communication unit, a system virtualization unit, and various application functions, all of which may be integrated (or "burned") onto a chip substrate as a single integrated circuit. When operated by a SOC, the functions described herein for the ability of a client to switch protocols may be operated by an application-specific logic unit integrated with other components of the computing device 800 on a single integrated circuit (chip). Embodiments of the present disclosure may also be implemented using other technologies capable of performing logical operations (such as, for example, AND, OR, and NOT), including but not limited to mechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum technologies. In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in a general-purpose computer or in any other circuit or system.

[0058] The computing device 800 may also have one or more input devices 812, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, a sound or voice input device, a touch or swipe input device, etc. Output devices 814 such as a display, a speaker, a printer, etc. may also be included. The aforementioned devices are examples, and other devices may be used. The computing device 800 may include one or more communication connections 816 that allow communication with other computing devices 850. Examples of suitable communication connections 816 include, but are not limited to: radio frequency (RF) transmitters, receivers, and / or transceiver circuits, universal serial buses (USB), parallel and / or serial ports.

[0059] The term computer-readable media as used herein may include computer storage media. Computer storage media may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures or program modules. System memory 804, removable storage device 809 and non-removable storage device 810 are all examples of computer storage media (e.g., memory storage units). Computer storage media may include: RAM, ROM, electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage unit, cassette, magnetic tape, disk storage unit or other magnetic storage device, or any other product that can be used to store information and can be accessed by computing device 800. Any such computer storage medium may be part of computing device 800. Computer storage media does not include carrier waveforms or other propagated or modulated data signals.

[0060] Communication media may be embodied as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier waveform or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term "modulated data signal" may describe a signal that has one or more characteristics set or changed in a manner that encodes information in the signal. By way of example and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared and other wireless media.

[0061] Fig. 9 One aspect of the architecture of a system for processing data received at a computing system from a remote source (e.g., a personal / general purpose computer 904, a tablet computing device 906, or a mobile computing device 908 as described above) is shown. The content displayed at the server device 902 can be stored in different communication channels or other storage unit types. For example, a directory service 922, a portal website 924, a mailbox service 926, an instant messaging storage unit 928, or a social networking site 930 can be used to store various documents. The program module 806 can be used by a client communicating with the server device 902, and / or the program module 806 can be used by the server device 902. The server device 902 can provide data to or from client computing devices such as personal / general purpose computers 904, tablet computing devices 906, and / or mobile computing devices 908 (e.g., smart phones) via a network 915. By way of example, the above description of the present invention is directed to Figure 6-Figure 8 The depicted computer system may be embodied in a personal / general purpose computer 904, a tablet computing device 906, and / or a mobile computing device 908 (e.g., a smartphone). In addition to receiving graphics data that may be used for pre-processing at a graphics originating system or post-processing at a receiving computing system, any of these embodiments of the computing device may obtain content from a storage unit 916.

[0062] For example, aspects of the present disclosure are described above with reference to the block diagrams and / or operational descriptions of the methods, systems, and computer program products according to aspects of the present disclosure. The functions / actions indicated in these frames may not occur in the order shown in any flow chart. For example, two frames shown as successive may actually be substantially executed in parallel, or these frames may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions / actions involved.

[0063] The description and explanation of one or more aspects provided in this application are not intended to limit or restrict the scope of the disclosure claimed in any way. The aspects, examples and details provided in this application are considered to be sufficient to convey possession, and enable others to make and use the best mode of the disclosure claimed. The disclosure claimed should not be interpreted as being limited to any aspect, example or detail provided in this application. Regardless of whether it is shown and described in combination or separately, it is intended to selectively include or omit each feature (in both structure and method) to produce an embodiment with a specific set of features. Description and explanation of the disclosure have been provided, and those skilled in the art may conceive of variants, modifications and alternative aspects within the spirit of the broader aspects of the general inventive concept embodied in this application that do not depart from the broader scope of the disclosure claimed.

[0064] The above-mentioned various embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and changes may be made without following the example embodiments and applications shown and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution, comprising: A memory for storing executable program codes; as well as one or more processors functionally coupled to the memory, the one or more processors responsive to computer executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to: identifying a mobile computing device by a personal computer (PC) device, wherein the mobile computing device is executing a mobile game; Pairing the PC device and the mobile computing device; receiving a control input in a first format executable by the PC device from an input device connected to the PC device; transmitting the control input in the first format from the PC device to the mobile computing device; converting the control input from the first format to a second format executable by a game engine associated with the mobile game on the mobile computing device; executing the converted control input by the game engine on the mobile computing device; and An operation in the mobile game corresponding to the converted control input is performed on the mobile computing device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more processors are also responsive to the computer executable instructions contained in the program code and are operable to: receiving an audio data stream of the mobile game from the mobile computing device; as well as The audio data stream is audibly produced on at least one speaker device associated with the PC device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The control input is received from one of the following: a game controller input device; a steering wheel controller input device; a joystick input device; a mouse input device; and keyboard input devices.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more processors are also responsive to the computer executable instructions contained in the program code and are operable to: A control input list including identifications of a plurality of input devices of the PC device that are compatible with the mobile computing device is maintained by the mobile computing device.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein: The one or more processors are also responsive to the computer executable instructions contained in the program code and are operable to: A set of instructions for controlling a gaming application for each of the plurality of input devices is maintained by the mobile computing device.

6. A method of providing collaborative use of computing resources in video game execution, the method comprising: identifying, by a game console device, a mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device is executing a mobile game; pairing the game console device and the mobile computing device; receiving, from an input device connected to the game console device, a control input in a first format executable by the game console device; transmitting the control input in the first format from the game console device to the mobile computing device; converting the control input from the first format to a second format executable by a game engine associated with the mobile game on the mobile computing device; executing the converted control input by the game engine on the mobile computing device; and An operation in the mobile game corresponding to the converted control input is performed on the mobile computing device.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: A control input list is maintained that includes identifications of a plurality of input devices that are computing devices compatible with the mobile computing device.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: A set of instructions for controlling a gaming application for each of the plurality of input devices is maintained.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: identifying a display device associated with the game console device; streaming video game data from the mobile game on the mobile computing device to the display device; as well as The video data stream is caused to be displayed on the display device.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: identifying a display device connected to the game console device; streaming video game data from the mobile game on the mobile computing device to the mobile console device; as well as The video data stream is caused to be displayed on the display device.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: identifying a speaker device associated with the game console device; streaming audio game data from the mobile game on the mobile computing device to the speaker device; as well as The audio data stream is caused to be audibly produced by the speaker device.

12. A computer readable storage device comprising executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, assist in providing cooperative use of computing resources in video game execution, the computer readable storage device comprising instructions executable by the one or more processors to: The mobile computing device is identified by the game console device, wherein The mobile computing device is executing a mobile game; pairing the game console device and the mobile computing device; receiving, from an input device connected to the game console device, a control input in a first format executable by the game console device; transmitting the control input in the first format from the game console device to the mobile computing device; converting the control input from the first format to a second format executable by a game engine associated with the mobile game on the mobile computing device; executing, by the game engine on the mobile computing device, the converted control input; as well as An operation in the mobile game corresponding to the converted control input is performed on the mobile computing device.

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