Online video game service with split clients

摘要

A method for an online video game or application service system includes running a video game or application on an application host server at a data center, an uncompressed video stream being produced therefrom. The uncompressed video stream is encoded into compressed video stream, which is then transmitted over the Internet to an output client device of a user. The output client device decompresses the compressed video stream and displays live video on a screen. User control input transmitted from an input client device is delivered to the application host server. The user control input includes game or application commands. The input client device is associated with the user and is separate from the output client device. Responsive to receiving the game or application commands, the application host server generates a new uncompressed video stream.

主权项

1. A method of operation for an online video game or application service system comprising:
running a video game or application on an application host server at a data center to produce an uncompressed video stream; encoding the uncompressed video stream to generate a compressed video stream; transmitting the compressed video stream from the application host server through a first instance of a game service at the data center, and then from the data center to a first output client device over the Internet, the first output client device being located a remote distance from the data center, the first output client device for decompressing the compressed video stream and displaying live video of the video game or application on a first screen; receiving, by the application host server, first user control input transmitted over the Internet from a first input client device, the first user control input being transmitted through a second instance of the game service at the data center and including first game or application commands, the first input client device being separate from the first output client device; generating a new uncompressed video stream by the application host server responsive to the first game or application commands; and synchronizing the first input client device and the first output client device prior to the running of the video game or application, wherein the synchronizing comprises:
sending a code from the data center to the first output client device;receiving the code from the first input client device, the code read by the first input client device from the first output client device;binding, by a logic unit of the data center, the first input client device and the first output client device for a session of the video game or application when the code received from the first input client device matches the code sent to the first output client device.