In various examples, a user may access or acquire an application to download to the user's local computing device. Upon accessing the application, a local instance of the application may begin downloading to the computing device, and the user may be given the option to play a cloud-hosted instance of the application. If the user selects to play a hosted instance of the application, the cloud-hosted instance of the application may begin streaming while the local instance of the application downloads to the user's computing device in the background. Application state data may be stored and associated with the user during gameplay such that, once the local instance of the application has downloaded, the user may switch from the hosted instance of the application to the local instance to begin playing locally, with the application state information accounted for.

Each client device sends an acquisition request the input of which has been accepted and writes, in a second storage unit, status information and a revision number received from a server device. After restoring the status of a game based on the status information in the second storage unit, the client device advances the game. During the advancement of the game, each client device sends, based on an instruction the input of which has been accepted, sends to the server device an update request including status information indicating the present status of the game as well as account information and the revision number of the second storage unit. The server device, based on account information included in the update request, determines whether the revision number read out from the first storage unit and the revision number in the update request match each other. If the numbers match, the server device updates the status information and the revision number in the first storage unit based on the update request. If the numbers do not match, the server device cancels the update request.

A software agent interfaces with an interactive game program allowing for dynamic conveyance of objects during runtime for receiving data indicative of at least one parameter relating to a player of the interactive game program and/or to the player station on which the program is run. The data is used to set a dynamic policy that is customized on-the-fly according to the at least one parameter, and which is adapted to determine one or more objects to be conveyed to the player station for dynamically embedding in the program. The dynamic policy is also adapted to determine one or more characteristics of the object and is capable of subsequent re-customization and revision during game play. The objects are retrieved and periodically conveyed to the interactive game program based on the dynamic policy for dynamically embedding in the interactive game program to interface with the game player of the interactive game program.

A method for training a semantic ability of a subject, the method being performed by a computer the method comprising: a. Displaying a linguistic task to the subject on a display of the computer, said linguistic task comprising providing one or more words, wherein said linguistic task is directed to training the subject in a specific semantic skill or skills; b. Providing a plurality of linguistic clues to the subject, through the display of the computer, said plurality of linguistic clues comprising content capable of activating concepts related to said one or more words but wherein said content does not include said one or more words or synonyms thereof, wherein said linguistic clues are selected such that the subject integrates said plurality of linguistic clues to solve said linguistic task, wherein said linguistic clue comprises an image, audio, video, text or a combination thereof; c. Receiving a solution to said linguistic task by the subject through the computer; and d. If said solution is not correct, providing one or more additional linguistic clues to the subject, said one or more additional linguistic clues comprising content capable of activating concepts related to said one or more words, wherein the subject integrates said one or more additional linguistic clues with said plurality of linguistic clues to solve said linguistic task, and wherein i) said content does not include said one or more words or synonyms thereof, or ii) if said content does include said one or more words or synonyms thereof, said content does not comprise written text.

A computer-implemented method for online game streaming is provided, which 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 a data rate test of the remote client. The data rate test identifies 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.

A read-only-memory (ROM) medium in which a file constituting application software and an additional content file are recorded is mounted to a media drive. A recording processing section copies the file recorded in the ROM medium to an auxiliary storage device. After copying the additional content file to the auxiliary storage device, the recording processing section copies the file constituting the application software to the auxiliary storage device. In the case where the additional content file downloaded from a content server is stored in the auxiliary storage device, the application software can utilize both the additional content file copied from the ROM medium to the auxiliary storage device and the additional content file downloaded from the content server into the auxiliary storage device.

Systems and methods for updating content of a mobile video game allow for mobile communication devices to receive updated content for video games that operate on the devices. The updates may be promotional in nature, and may be pre-selected based on the device type, service, or service provider. The game may contain instructions that cause the mobile communication device to contact an interface and/or server to receive updated content. After the updated content is received by the mobile communication device, the content may be displayed in-game. The user of the mobile communication device may be provided with one or more options that affect the frequency or ability to receive or display updated content. In addition, the server may track what content has already been received by the mobile communication device.

A method by which a streaming interactive video user session is handed off from one streaming interactive video server to another without noticeable disruption to the video stream or the user interactivity.

An information acquisition unit of a portable game machine is configured to acquire identification information to identify an application to be activated in the portable game machine from a stationary game machine. A determination unit of the portable game machine is configured to determine whether or not the portable game machine has the application identified by the identification information. If the portable game machine has the application, an application activation unit of the portable game machine is configured to activate the application. On the other hand, if the portable game machine does not have the application, a download processor of the portable game machine is configured to acquire the application from the stationary game machine.

The invention concerns an electronic platform-screen comprising (a) a globally flat case (200); electronic processing, storage and interface means housed in the case; (c) a flat screen display (110) arranged at an upper surface (202) of the case; and (d) a plurality of user-interface elements (300) for several users, distributed around the display screen and connected to the interface means housed in the case. The invention also concerns a method for controlling clearance for executing downloaded programmes such as games. The invention is applicable in particular to electronic games involving several players.