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Video game to web site upload utility

Video game to web site upload utility description/claims

Interactive audio-visual entertainment devices, such as video game consoles and the video games themselves, are designed to provide entertainment by engaging one or more users in an interactive experience having one or more goals. For example, video games based on sports engage users by providing an interactive experience in which the user attempts to win within the context of the sport on which the game is based. To provide an engaging experience, interactive audio-visual entertainment devices traditionally require the user to improve various skills, thereby engaging the user throughout the time that the user attempts to improve their skills. Increasingly skilled users are rewarded with aspects of the interactive entertainment that are generally not provided to less skilled users. For example, video games based on combat situations can provide skilled users the opportunity to use more potent weapons and travel to more exotic destinations.

To provide a more engaging experience, interactive audio-visual entertainment device offer an increasingly rich audio visual experience. For example, many video games feature high resolution graphics and multi-channel audio, both of which are supported by modern video game consoles. Consequently, interactive audio-visual entertainment may be entertaining, not only to those interacting with it, but also to spectators. Spectators, in addition to enjoying a rich audio visual experience, often seek to learn by merely observing others' interactions. For example, some video games enable users to receive special privileges once a specific series of actions are performed in a specific manner. Users can learn of those actions by observing other users interacting with the game.

Often, especially for competitive interactive audio-visual entertainment, such as video games that maintain a running tally, users may seek to demonstrate their prowess by inviting others to observe either the user interacting with the game directly, or a listing of the most successful tallies accumulated by the user. For example, users interacting with a video game simulating a race can share various race times as evidence of their respective successes. As interactive audio-visual entertainment options increase, the reasons for which one user may seek to share their experiences with others likewise increase. For example, modern video games often provide advanced customization options that are, in some respects, tangential to the purpose of the game. Nevertheless, such customization provides users with yet another reason to share their gaming experiences.

Aspects of an interactive audio-visual experience are most easily shared if the user captures the aspect they want to share into a transportable and shareable format. Audio aspects can be captured into an audio file encoded using standard audio encoding schemes and video can be captured into an image file encoded using standard image encoding schemes or into a movie file, again encoded using standardized mechanisms. Some interactive audio-visual entertainment devices provide no mechanisms by which an aspect of the interactive experience can be captured into a transportable and shareable format. For example, while some video games provide the user with the ability to capture specific elements of the game, those elements are only saved within the context of the game itself and cannot be removed from the game.

To enable the export of aspects of an interactive audio-visual experience, a server program can receive raw data from a game, representing game-related media, such as media directed to presenting an aspect of the game, together with a header packet identifying the information. Subsequently, the server can parse out relevant elements from the header packet, such as information identifying the game, the user, or other relevant information. The information obtained by the server can subsequently be used to store the received game-related media in an appropriate manner, such as by storing it in a sub-location based on the game and entitling the data based on unique identifying information.

A service can monitor specific locations for particular types of data. In one embodiment, a single service can monitor specific locations for multiple types of data, including movie data, picture data or audio data. In an another embodiment multiple services can monitor specific locations, with each service being directed to specific types of data, such as one service being directed to movie data, a second service to picture data and a third service to audio data. Once the game-related media is detected, the service can validate the naming structure of the container file, and identify or derive further relevant information, such as identifying information. The service can then create an appropriate set of related data, such as thumbnails, to enable more efficient access and sharing of the game-related media. Such information can be provided to a website hosting the game-related media. To enhance security, remaining metadata that is not used can be removed.

A website hosting game-related media can require identifying information from users seeking to access the website. The identifying information can be used to associate a user of the website with a user of one or more games. Consequently, the website can present the user with the game-related media that is relevant to that user, such as game-related media captured by that user, or game-related media sent to that user by another user. The user can further download the game-related media, which can be presented in standardized formats to enable further sharing.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Additional features and advantages will be made apparent from the following detailed description that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The following detailed description may be best understood when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary environment for sharing media from interactive audio-visual entertainment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating the receipt of media from interactive audio-visual entertainment;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating the organization of media from interactive audio-visual entertainment; and

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating the sharing of media from interactive audio-visual entertainment.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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