A “Multi-Component Gaming System” patent has been filed by Microsoft yesterday, which aims to connect all your devices such as Xbox, PC, Zune and PDAs.
The very first claim in the patent is: “A gaming system comprising at least one gaming component, each gaming component being capable of stand alone operation, each gaming component being capable of operating in combination with other gaming components, wherein gaming performance of each gaming component is augmented in accordance with functionality of other gaming component in combination therewith.”
What does this mean to us, that there will be various combinations possible for the system that would allow the user to have the system share resources to do certain tasks. Now does this mean that you’ll be playing Halo 3 on your Zune while Xbox is helping out with all of its CPU power? Maybe. While we think that you will not going to be cruising in your warthog on your Zune any time soon, the possibility that this gaming system describes can definitely utilize all your devices to create an ultimate experience…
Guys from Unwired break down all the claims and description into several bullet points:
* console gaming device can be processing a game application provided by a handheld gaming device
* handheld gaming device can use the console gaming device’s spare memory to store results of previous games
* handheld device can comprise at least one flash memory compatible port and the console gaming device 44 can comprise at least one Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatible port.When combined, the flash memory compatible port(s) are available to the console gaming device 44 via its USB compatible port(s) thus increasing game console memory capacity
* one of the input/output ports of the console gaming device 42 can be coupled to a large screen display and another of the console gaming device’s 42 input/output ports can be coupled to a home theater audio system. Accordingly, the video and audio of a game being played on the handheld gaming device 40 can be rendered on the large screen display and the home theater system, respectively, via the console gaming device 42
* handheld gaming device 40 can comprise sound effects for displayed objects, but not-include Doppler for objects in motion. Another handheld gaming device 38 can comprise a library of Doppler sound effects for object in motion. When combined, one handheld gaming device 40 can download other handheld gaming device’s 38 Doppler sound effect library to enhance it’s sound effects.
* if console gaming device does not have enough power to process 3 pictures for Picture in Picture functionality, it can offload the processing for two pictures to the handheld gaming devices, therein utilizing the them as adjunct processors
* gaming components can provide updates and/or modifications to other gaming components in combination.
* non-gaming applications on a gaming component can be controlled by another gaming component in combination. For example, the handheld gaming device can be used to control music playback on the console gaming device.
This is of course great news. Now any predictions when this technology will actualy be available to consumers?
My guess is that if you are going to be able to play Halo on your Zune, it will probably be Halo 4 or 5.
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April 20th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
[...] PMP Today [...]
April 21st, 2007 at 4:33 pm
[...] The latest series of patent requests from Microsoft are showing that the war for the living room, PC, Entertainment and Games might be realized by MS first as they are the only player besides Apple with any hope of getting there, the only thing that apple is missing is a console. PMPToday States: What does this mean to us, that there will be various combinations possible for the system that would allow the user to have the system share resources to do certain tasks. Now does this mean that you’ll be playing Halo 3 on your Zune while Xbox is helping out with all of its CPU power? Maybe. While we think that you will not going to be cruising in your warthog on your Zune any time soon, the possibility that this gaming system describes can definitely utilize all your devices to create an ultimate experience… Source PMPToday [...]
April 29th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
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