Embodiments related to a restricted-use authentication code are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a method of generating a representation of a restricted-use authentication code for detection by another computing device to authenticate the other computing device to a remote service. The method includes receiving authentication information, the authentication information comprising a restricted-use authentication code and generating a representation of the authentication information. The method further includes presenting the representation of the authentication information to a sensor system of the other computing device for authentication.

Systems and methods for using reduced hops to generate an augmented virtual reality scene in a head mounted display. The head mounted display is used for game play via a game cloud system. The head mounted display includes a communications circuit for sending real-world media associated with a game program via a network. The real-world media is processed by the game cloud system and streamed directly from the communications circuit to the game cloud system. The head mounted display further includes a game processing circuit coupled to the communications circuit. The game processing circuit is used for decoding computer-generated interactive media received from the game cloud system via the network. The game processing circuit drives a portion of interactivity associated with the game program by superimposing the computer-generated interactive media on the real-world media. The computer-generated interactive media is generated based on the real-world media.

Embodiments related to a restricted-use authentication code are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a method of generating a representation of a restricted-use authentication code for detection by another computing device to authenticate the other computing device to a remote service. The method includes receiving authentication information, the authentication information comprising a restricted-use authentication code and generating a representation of the authentication information. The method further includes presenting the representation of the authentication information to a sensor system of the other computing device for authentication.

Systems and methods for using reduced hops to generate an augmented virtual reality scene in a head mounted display. The head mounted display is used for game play via a game cloud system. The head mounted display includes a communications circuit for sending real-world media associated with a game program via a network. The real-world media is processed by the game cloud system and streamed directly from the communications circuit to the game cloud system. The head mounted display further includes a game processing circuit coupled to the communications circuit. The game processing circuit is used for decoding computer-generated interactive media received from the game cloud system via the network. The game processing circuit drives a portion of interactivity associated with the game program by superimposing the computer-generated interactive media on the real-world media. The computer-generated interactive media is generated based on the real-world media.

A communications system includes a plurality of recipient processors located at geographically remote locations with respect to each other and connected for communication with an information provider processor, over the communications network. The provider and recipient processors may comprise respective computers coupled for communication on the Internet or WWW. The provider processor is capable of providing information form any suitable source, by communicating such information over a communications network. However, access to the information by the recipient processors is controlled, based on the geographic location or region of the recipient processors. Each recipient processor is operably associated with a positioning system for providing geographic location information corresponding to the location or region in which the positioning system is located, such as a global positioning system GPS. The geographic position information is used to determine whether or not the processor requesting the information is within a restricted (or limited) or non-restricted region. This determination may be made comparing the geographic information provided by the recipient processor and positioning system with a list of non-restricted or non-limited (or a list of restricted or limited) geographic locations or regions.

Methods of providing in-game virtual split screens with peer-to-peer video conferencing are described for use in online gaming, for instance. In one approach, a live video stream, a live audio stream, and a player viewpoint are sent from a first computer system for receipt by a second computer system. The first and second computer systems concurrently execute the online game. The live video stream, the in-game video stream, and locally rendered in-game content are combined to create a composite video stream, and the live audio stream, the in-game audio stream, and locally generated in-game audio are combined to create a composite audio stream. The composite video stream and the composite audio stream are operable to be presented at the second computer system in real-time.

A system communicates with a device in both a wired mode and a wireless mode, and is able to switch between these two modes without permanent disruption to an ongoing use. The system is configured to receive an indication of a condition that suggests switching from the wireless mode of operation to a wired mode of operation, to display a notification for the device to switch, and to transition from the wireless mode of operation to the wired mode of operation.

Embodiments of the present invention monitor and dynamically allocate computing resources to a game service. A game service provides a remote gaming environments to which users connect over a wide area network, such as the internet. A game session runs a single instance of a game title. The game session runs the video game code responsible for creating the playing experience for the users. In another embodiment, the number of active game sessions is monitored and computing resources are allocated dynamically as the number of sessions increases or decreases.

Provided is a method for authentication and verification of a user in a virtual world (VU) based upon such criteria as the physical location of a user in the real world and the logical location of the user's avatar in the VU. The disclosed technology combines physical and application aspects of security to enhance security options within virtual environments. In addition to traditional credential-based authentication, physical constraints corresponding to the real world and logical locations in a VU are employed, wherein an authentication server requires each component to be in the proper association state, location or proximity before authenticating a user. Further, the disclosed technology provides for the termination of a user's authentication if the user moves from an approved physical or VU location to an unapproved location. Techniques are provided to track a user's credentials and real-time physical and logical location of a user.

Methods of providing in-game virtual split screens with peer-to-peer video conferencing are described for use in online gaming, for instance. In one approach, a live video stream, a live audio stream, and a player viewpoint are sent from a first computer system for receipt by a second computer system. The first and second computer systems concurrently execute the online game. The live video stream, the in-game video stream, and locally rendered in-game content are combined to create a composite video stream, and the live audio stream, the in-game audio stream, and locally generated in-game audio are combined to create a composite audio stream. The composite video stream and the composite audio stream are operable to be presented at the second computer system in real-time.