A computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes executing a video game on a server unit and said server unit producing uncompressed interactive video. The method includes processing the uncompressed interactive video at a compression unit associated with the server unit. The compression unit outputting compressed interactive video, and the server unit and the compression unit being located at a data center. The method includes streaming the compressed interactive video over a packetized network from the data center to one or more client devices associated with one or more users. Each client device is located geographically remote to the data center, and the server is configured to receive input to drive gameplay of the video game by said one or more client devices. The compressed interactive video is configured for decompression and presentation at said one or more client devices. The method includes receiving, by the server, updates from said one or more clients devices regarding a quality of said uncompressed interactive video that is received from said streaming. The method includes adjusting automatically, by the compression unit, a rate of compression provided to one or more of said client devices based on said updates received regarding the quality of said uncompressed interactive video for the video game.

Computer-implemented methods for hosting online video games are provided. One method includes generating a plurality of video frames. The method includes initiating a sending of each one of the plurality of video frames to a client. Each of the video frames that is sent is compressed. The method includes stopping the compression and sending of video frames when one of the plurality of video frames is taking longer than a frame time to compress and send. A frame time is defined as one over a frame rate, and wherein stopping the compression of video frames includes ignoring said video frames by an encoder. The method includes continuing to compress and send audio data to the client when one or more of said plurality of video frames are not sent to the client. The client is configured to display a received video frame for more than one frame time when a video frame is not received due to the stopping of the compression and the sending, and the client will have a reduced frame rate for display of said plurality of video frames during said stopping of the compression and the sending.

A computer-implemented method for online game streaming is provided. One example method includes receiving a request from a remote client to access a user account. The user account identifies information regarding the user and digital content available for the user to access from the remote client. The request is received over an Internet connection at a hosting service that includes one or more servers and the digital content including a video game. The method includes receiving selection of the game by the hosting service from the remote client and initiating, by the hosting service, a data rate test of the remote client. The data rate test is configured to identify a maximum available data rate between the remote client and one or more servers of the hosting service. The data rate test includes gradually increasingly the data rate and then gradually decreasing the data rate to identify an active data rate for streaming interactive content of the video game. The method also includes assigning the remote client to a server and setting the compression level to attain the active data rate having packet loss and latency that is within a predefined acceptable level.

A system and method for entering text within a video game application are described. For example, a system according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: a video game hosting service to execute a video game in response to user input; a client device to communicate with the video game hosting service over a first communication channel, wherein the client device has a first user input device communicatively coupled thereto, and wherein control signals for the video game are generated in response to input from the first user input device and transmitted from the client device to the video game hosting service over the first communication channel, the video game hosting service controlling a video game in response to receipt of the control signals; a display device communicatively coupled to the client device, the display device to display video of the video game; wherein the video game hosting service further includes program code to open a second communication channel to receive text input, the second communication channel being separate and independent from the first communication channel and usable by a data processing device capable of generating text input, wherein in response to receipt of text input over the second communication channel, the video game hosting service causes the text input to be displayed on the display device communicatively coupled to the client device.

Systems and methods for creating and delivering an interactive display of thumbnail windows of visual content of different video game sessions are presented. In one embodiment, a method provides for sending, by a server of a service, an interactive interface for display on display of a client device. The interactive interface has a set of thumbnail windows and each thumbnail window depicts visual content of different video game sessions being played. Responsive to a selection of a thumbnail window by a user of the client device, the method provides for sending a video stream associated with the selected thumbnail window from the set of thumbnail windows. The video stream enables the user of the client device to view interactive game play of a video game associated with the video stream.

Methods for and operating a service and systems are provided. One method includes executing one or more video games on one or more servers of a service. The one or more video games are played or used by one or more users on one or more client devices remote to the service via compressed streaming interactive video. The compressed streaming interactive video is sent to the one or more client devices where decompression of the compressed streaming interactive video is preformed to display video of each of said one or more video games and said one or more servers are configured to receive user control input to driver interactivity with said one or more video games. The method includes broadcasting the one or more video games as one or more streams of compressed streaming interactive video to enable one or more viewing client devices to view said one or more video games over the Internet. Each of the one or more viewing client devices receives one or more of the streams of compressed streaming interactive video. The method includes overlaying with the streams of compressed streaming interactive video, audio from one or more of the viewing client devices, such that the audio is included in the broadcasting of the one or more video games. And, adjusting a compression rate for said broadcasting to each of said viewing client devices based on a respective connection performance each of said viewing client devices has with respect to said one or more servers of the service.

One or more hardware components identify a bottleneck stage within a processor pipeline that processes frames of a video stream. The bottleneck stage has a first clock. An upstream stage receives a feedback signal from the bottleneck stage. The upstream stage has a second clock and the feedback signal includes information as to time required by the bottleneck stage to operate on data and information as to time the data spent queued. The upstream stage adjusts the speed at which the upstream stage operates and queues data to approximate the speed at which the bottleneck stage is operating and queuing data.

Methods for hosting low-latency streaming interactive audio/video (A/V) include executing one or more video games or applications on a server communicatively coupled to a data network. Packet streams are received from a plurality of users and routed to the one or more video games. The packet streams include user control input that are used to compute A/V data in response. The A/V data are received from the video games or applications. Portions of the A/V data are compressed in parallel using processing units resulting in low-latency streaming compressed A/V data. The low-latency streaming compressed A/V data are routed to each of the users over a corresponding data network communication channel. The executing of video games, receiving of packet streams and A/V data, compressing portions of the A/V data and routing the compressed A/V data are performed with a latency such that at least one user has the perception that the controlled video game is responding instantly.

A video game system includes a video server system (VSS) having a first network address. The VSS pairs a game controller having a second network address with a display system having a third network address. The VSS receives controller data packets directed to the first network address from the game controller over a first communication channel. The controller data packets include the second network address and information for updating a game state of a video game. The VSS decodes the controller data packets and directs generation of an updated game state of the video game using information within the controller data packets. The VSS generates a video stream of the video game using the updated game state. The VSS transmits the video stream to the display system at the third network address over a second communication channel. The first and second communication channels differ by at least one network segment.

The present disclosure provides a method of synchronizing an online game, and a server device, that do not require centralized information management, reduce the processing burden on each device during online communication, and allow for continuation of processing in an offline environment. A method, according to the present disclosure, of synchronizing an online game that allows for transmission and reception of information related to game processing between a first client terminal and a second client terminal via a server includes: receiving, from the first client terminal connected online, first information related to game processing on the first client terminal; determining whether the first information is information that determines a game status; and storing the first information on the server and transmitting the first information to the second client terminal when the first information is determined to be information that determines the game status.