Cloud Gaming Preload Paused Sessions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cloud gaming systems face significant load times due to increasing game complexity, requiring users to wait for games to be loaded before they can be played, and users must often purchase or play through multiple levels to access specific game features, hindering instant access and demo capabilities.

Innovation Solution

The system enables instant play of games at specific points by preloading and maintaining game sessions, allowing users to resume play from where others left off without reloading, and provides demo options at various levels, reducing wait times and resource usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If games are fully loaded and ready to play, then users can access games instantly, but server processing power and memory resources are consumed continuously

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegame load timeVSAvoidserver processing power
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading game modules and advancing gameplay to specific levels before user requests, storing these in paused states on cloud servers. This allows users to access pre-prepared game states instantly without full loading, while servers only maintain minimal paused states rather than fully active games, reducing continuous processing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments games into modular components (game modules, levels, assets) that can be independently loaded, processed, and stored. This segmentation allows the system to prepare only specific portions of games needed for demo purposes rather than entire games, reducing server resource consumption while enabling fast access to specific game segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If users can demo specific game levels without purchase, then user accessibility improves, but game content protection becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser accessibility to demoVSAvoidgame content protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates controlled copies of game content for demo purposes, allowing multiple users to access identical pre-loaded game states simultaneously. These copies are restricted to demo functionality and cannot be used for full gameplay or distribution, enabling easy user access while maintaining content protection through controlled replication rather than direct file sharing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The cloud gaming platform acts as an intermediary between game publishers and users, managing demo content delivery through centralized server control. The system mediates access by providing controlled demo sessions that prevent direct access to full game files, protecting content while enabling demonstration through the platform's controlled environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple users can resume play from different points, then user flexibility increases, but game state management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser play resumption flexibilityVSAvoidgame state management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and separates game state data from full game execution, storing only essential resume information (player position, level, inventory) in condensed formats. This extraction allows multiple user progress states to be maintained with minimal data overhead, reducing management complexity while enabling flexible resumption points for multiple users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system preliminarily prepares multiple game states at different progress points before users need them, advancing demo gameplay to anticipated levels and storing these pre-configured states. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time state management when users resume, as states are already prepared and waiting in paused configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3341098B1Multi-user demo streaming service for cloud gaming
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC
  • EP3341098B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3341098B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3341098B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for generating demonstration gameplay streaming via a cloud gaming system. The method includes executing a game from a library of games managed by the cloud gaming system. The executing causing the game to launch and progress to a gaming session where modules of the game are pre-loaded and waiting for interactive input of the game. The method includes advancing, by the cloud gaming system, in the game from a level to a later level in the game. Then pausing the game on the cloud gaming system and generating a post that is indicative of the game and the later level. The post being displayed on a website, and wherein the executing of the game, the advancing and the pausing being processed by the cloud gaming system without user input. In some embodiments, other users can advance the gameplay, and other users can resume play from where they left off, without needed to re-load the game.