Blockchain Game Data Offloading to Reduce Server Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current online multiplayer gaming systems face challenges in managing the high demand for computing resources and low-latency infrastructure, leading to performance issues and unsatisfactory user experiences due to the need for centralized game servers to handle all in-game processing and synchronization.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a blockchain-based system that offloads inconsequential game data to client-side local or session blockchains, allowing players to perform object and transaction checking, reducing server load and enabling synchronized gameplay experiences while ensuring data integrity through cryptographic validation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a centralized game server is used to manage all in-game processing and synchronization, then data integrity and security are ensured, but server load increases and performance degradation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidserver performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized game server functionality into distributed client-side blockchain nodes. Each player's device runs a local blockchain that independently validates and stores game state data, eliminating the single-point bottleneck while maintaining data integrity through cryptographic consensus mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a session blockchain as an intermediary layer between individual local blockchains and the traditional game server. This session blockchain aggregates state data from multiple players and performs validation, reducing the computational burden on any single node while ensuring overall system reliability through distributed consensus.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If a centralized game server is used to maintain synchronized gameplay environments, then data consistency is maintained, but infrastructure complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidinfrastructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables each player's device to autonomously maintain its own blockchain ledger and validate game state transitions locally. Players' devices self-organize into a distributed network that automatically achieves consensus on game state without requiring complex centralized coordination infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designs the blockchain protocol to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a distributed ledger, a consensus mechanism, a validation layer, and a synchronization protocol. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate centralized systems for each of these purposes, reducing overall infrastructure complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Speed

If predictive physics models are used to improve client-side processing, then responsiveness improves, but server validation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresponsivenessVSAvoidvalidation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables client devices to perform preliminary validation of game state transitions locally using the blockchain consensus mechanism before submitting to the server. This preliminary action filters out invalid states early, reducing the validation burden on the server while maintaining high responsiveness through client-side predictive physics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11044075B2Game data offloading to a blockchain
Publication Date: 2021.06.22 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • US11044075B2 patent drawing
  • US11044075B2 patent drawing
  • US11044075B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An example operation may include one or more of initiating a session between one or more users, identifying an active game status associated with the one or more users during the session, creating a link to the active games status, storing the link in a blockchain, creating a message comprising the link to the active game status, and broadcasting the message to a plurality of potential users.