Interactive Game Streaming via Distribution-Node Video Encoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Game servers based on retail commodity hardware face resource constraints, limiting their ability to handle video encoding and network communication for remote play, as most resources are dedicated to running the game application.

Innovation Solution

A distribution node is introduced to offload video encoding and network communication functions, allowing game servers to focus on executing the game application without performance compromise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If game servers use retail commodity hardware to run game applications, then device accessibility and cost are improved, but computing resources for video encoding and network communication are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice accessibilityVSAvoidcomputing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the computing workload into separate segments: game application execution on the game server and video encoding/network communication on the distribution node. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling retail commodity hardware to run games while a dedicated distribution node handles encoding tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A distribution node is introduced as an intermediary component between the game server and client devices. This intermediary assumes the burden of video encoding and network protocol management, allowing the game server to focus solely on executing the game application without resource constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If game servers dedicate most computing resources to running the game application, then game performance is improved, but video encoding and network communication capabilities deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame performanceVSAvoidvideo encoding capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The video encoding function is extracted from the game server and relocated to a separate distribution node. This extraction allows the game server to dedicate all its computing resources to running the game application at optimal performance, while the distribution node independently handles video encoding and network communication tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If a distribution node is introduced to handle video encoding, then resource allocation efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The distribution node serves as a dedicated intermediary that centralizes video encoding and network communication functions. By consolidating these tasks in a single intermediate component, the system achieves efficient resource allocation while the modular nature of the distribution node keeps the overall architecture manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250281829A1Systems and methods for streaming interactive applications

Publication Date: 2025.09.11 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A method of providing interaction with a game instance of a game application by a remote user includes, at a distribution node, receiving video information from a game server, encoding the video information into encoded video information, distributing the encoded video information to a client device, receiving a user input from the client device, and transmitting the user input to the game server.