# US 12,758,868 B2 · Text message or app fallback during network failure in a video game > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,758,868 B2 - Document ID: US12758868B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/134,741 - Filed: 2023-04-14 - Published: 2024-04-11 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-10-07 - Assignees: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Applicants: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Inventors: Steven Osman; Olga Rudi; Frank Lin; David Coles; Chockalingam Ravi Sundaram; Coimbatore Ravi Madhavan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758868B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/335: using Internet - A63F 13/355: Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method for managing gameplay of a video game is provided, including: executing a session of a video game by a cloud gaming resource; streaming video generated by the session over a network to a client device associated to a player of the video game, to enable gameplay of the session by the player; detecting a loss of network connectivity between the client device and the session; responsive to detecting the loss of network connectivity, then initiating transmission of updates regarding the session, via an alternative communication channel, to a secondary device associated to the player. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: at a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server system to perform operations comprising: executing a session of a video game by a cloud gaming resource; streaming video generated by the session over a network to a client device associated with a player of the video game, to enable gameplay of the session by the player; detecting an instance of loss of network connectivity between the server system and the client device during the session; responsive to detecting the instance of the loss of network connectivity, then initiating transmission of updates regarding the session, via an alternative communication channel, to a secondary device associated to the player; further responsive to detecting the instance of the loss of network connectivity, initiating receiving of game commands, via the alternative communication channel, from the secondary device; and applying the game commands in the session to enable continued gameplay by the player during the instance of the loss of network connectivity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating transmission of the updates includes generating description of gameplay activity occurring in the session during the instance of the loss of network connectivity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein generating the updates includes detecting predefined gameplay events in the session, and generating messages using corresponding predefined message templates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary device is at least one of a cellular phone and a mobile device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the alternative communication channel is configured to provide a text messaging service, and the updates include text messages sent via the text messaging service to the secondary device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the alternative communication channel is configured to enable messaging via an app installed on the at least one of the cellular phone and the mobile device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the session of the video game is defined for multiplayer gameplay, the multiplayer gameplay continuing during the instance of the loss of network connectivity between the server system and the client device during the session. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: further responsive to detecting the instance of the loss of network connectivity, then initiating an autoplay mode to perform automatic gameplay on behalf of the player. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the autoplay mode is configured to automatically move an avatar of the player away from other avatars in a virtual environment defined by the session. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the updates include gameplay events requesting player input and wherein the game commands, via the alternative communication channel, include text messages. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary device is configured based on information of a player account associated with the client device. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one server computer, cause said at least one server computer to perform operations comprising: executing a session of a video game by a cloud gaming resource; streaming video generated by the session over a network to a client device associated with a player of the video game, to enable gameplay of the session by the player; detecting an instance of loss of network connectivity between the server system and the client device during the session; responsive to detecting the instance of the loss of network connectivity, then initiating transmission of updates regarding the session, via an alternative communication channel, to a secondary device associated to the player; further responsive to detecting the instance of the loss of network connectivity, initiating receiving of game commands, via the alternative communication channel, from the secondary device; and applying the game commands in the session to enable continued gameplay by the player during the instance of the loss of network connectivity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein initiating transmission of the updates includes generating description of gameplay activity occurring in the session during the instance of the loss of network connectivity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein initiating transmission of the updates includes detecting predefined gameplay events in the session, and generating messages using corresponding predefined message templates. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the secondary device is at least one of a cellular phone and a mobile device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the alternative communication channel is configured to provide a text messaging service, and the updates include text messages sent via the text messaging service to the secondary device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the alternative communication channel is configured to enable messaging via an app installed on the at least one of the cellular phone and the mobile device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the session of the video game is defined for multiplayer gameplay, the multiplayer gameplay continuing during the instance of the loss of network connectivity between the server system and the client device during the session. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising: further responsive to detecting the instance of the loss of network connectivity, then initiating an autoplay mode to perform automatic gameplay on behalf of the player. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the autoplay mode is configured to automatically move an avatar of the player away from other avatars in a virtual environment defined by the session.