Social Networking Server Mediates High-Performance Game Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of high-performance games are isolated from users of casual social network games due to limitations in computing power and graphics resources, preventing seamless interaction between the two groups.
Innovation Solution
A networking system and method that allows a high-performance game on an entertainment device to communicate with a social networking server, which supplies a casual game application to a social networking client, enabling users to interact and contribute to the high-performance game outcome through their preferred modes of play.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-performance games are run on entertainment devices with superior processing and graphical abilities, then game performance and graphics quality are improved, but the ability to play within social networking web browser platforms is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a social networking server as an intermediary that hosts game applications and facilitates communication between entertainment devices and social networking clients. The server receives game initiation requests from entertainment devices, provides access to game applications, and enables social networking users to participate without requiring the high-performance entertainment device itself to run within the browser platform
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the gaming system into distinct components: the entertainment device handles high-performance game execution, the social networking server manages game application hosting and user coordination, and social networking clients provide interface access to users. This segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal environment while maintaining overall system functionality
2Ease of operation
If casual games are played within social networking web browser platforms, then accessibility and ease of operation are improved, but game performance and graphics quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges casual gaming within the social networking platform with high-performance gaming capabilities from external entertainment devices. Social networking users can casually interact with the game through their web browsers while the entertainment device handles high-performance rendering, combining the accessibility of browser-based games with the power of dedicated gaming hardware
3Device complexity
If users of high-performance games are isolated from users of casual games, then device complexity and platform requirements are reduced, but networking capability and user interaction are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the gaming system universal by enabling multiple types of users (entertainment device users and social networking users) to participate in the same game experience through different platforms. The system accommodates both high-performance and casual gaming modes, allowing users with different device capabilities to interact and collaborate in the same gaming environment
Data Source
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AI summary
A networking system comprises a data communication network, an entertainment device operable to communicate over the data communication network and operable to run a first application, a social networking server operable to communicate over the data communication network and operable to supply a second application to a social networking client over the data communication network, and a social networking client operable to communicate over the data communication network and operable to run the second application once received from the social networking server, and in which in response to a first predetermined event during operation of the first application, the entertainment device is arranged to communicate an alert message to the social networking server over the network, the alert message identifying a user of the social networking client to receive the second application, the social networking server is arranged to supply the second application to the social networking client of the identified user in response to the alert message from the entertainment device, in response to a second predetermined event during operation of the second application, the social networking client is arranged to communicate an acknowledgement message to the entertainment device, and in response to receipt of the acknowledgement message, the entertainment device is arranged to modify the operation of the first application.