US 7,090,582 B2 · Use of multiple player real-time voice communications on a gaming device

Abstract

A game console capable of communicating with other game consoles over a link or network is provided with a headphone and microphone for each player who will engage in voice communication. Verbal communications directed to one or more other players are converted to pulse code modulated (PCM) digital data and are encoded and compressed in real-time, producing data packets that are transmitted to another game console. The compressed data packets are decompressed and decoded, producing PCM data that are converted to an analog signal that drives a headphone of the intended recipient. Players can selectively mute voice communications to and from a specific other player. The PCM data can be encoded in a round-robin fashion that reduces the number of encoders required. A predefined level of computing resources is used for voice communication to avoid aversely affecting the quality of game play.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A method for encoding a plurality of audio channels during play of an electronic game, using at least one encoder, but fewer encoders than audio channels to be encoded, each encoder encoding audio signals in an active audio channel and producing corresponding data packets for transmission to at least one recipient participating in the play of the electronic game, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a round robin history of the audio channels that have been encoded by the encoders during successive processing intervals;
(b) if more than one audio channel per encoder are simultaneously active, selecting an audio channel to encode with each encoder based upon the round robin history and on the audio channels that are then active, so that an audio channel that is active will be skipped and not encoded more frequently than every other processing interval;
and
(c) updating the round robin history for each processing interval to indicate each audio channel that was encoded during the processing interval.

1 more element

A system for encoding a plurality of audio channels during play of an electronic game, comprising:

(a) a processor;
(b) a memory that is coupled to the processor, said memory storing machine instructions for causing the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, said functions including executing an instance of an electronic game;
(c) audio input transducers and audio output transducers, coupled to the processor and employed for input and output of audio signals, each audio input transducer providing an audio signal to a corresponding audio channel to be encoded and transmitted to at least one recipient, each audio output transducer being employed to play an audio signal received from another player participating in the play of an electronic game;
(d) at least one encoder, but fewer encoders than audio channels to be encoded, each encoder encoding audio signals in an active audio channel and producing corresponding data packets for transmission to at least one recipient participating in the play of an electronic game, wherein said machine instruction cause the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, including:
(i) creating a round robin history of the audio channels that have been encoded by the encoders during successive processing intervals;
(ii) if more than one audio channel per encoder are simultaneously active, selecting an audio channel to encode with each encoder based upon the round robin history and on the audio channels that are then active, so that an audio channel that is active will be skipped and not encoded more frequently than every other processing interval;
and
(iii) updating the round robin history for each processing interval to indicate each audio channel that was encoded during the processing interval.

5 more elements

A system for decoding compressed data conveyed in data packets in a plurality of listening channels during play of an electronic game, comprising:

(a) a processor;
(b) a memory that is coupled to the processor, said memory storing machine instructions for causing the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, said functions including executing an instance of an electronic game;
(c) audio input transducers and audio output transducers, coupled to the processor and employed for input and output of audio signals, each audio input transducer providing an audio signal to a corresponding audio channel to be encoded and transmitted to at least one recipient, and each audio output transducer being employed to play an audio signal received from a source comprising another player participating in the play of an electronic game;
(d) a selected number of decoders used to decode the data packets received by the system, to recover the audio content conveyed by the data packets, wherein each decoder is associated with a different listening channel, wherein the machine instructions cause the processor to carry out a plurality functions, including;
(i) creating queues of data packets received from audio sources in different listening channels, each listening channel including data packets from one or more sources for decoding by the decoder associated with the listening channel;
(ii) if a data packet for an audio source is missing in a stream of data packets in a listening channel, replicating a content of a previous data packet for said source, for use instead of the data packet that was missing;
(iii) selecting data packets from the queues to be decoded, but not exceeding the number of decoders available;
and
(iv) decoding the data packets that were selected, using the decoders.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Use of multiple player real-time voice communications on a gaming device

Life of this patent

Use of multiple player real-time voice communications on a gaming device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35