Microsoft has reached a patenting milestone by logging its 5,000th patent granted in the United States.
Patent no. 6,999,083 provides for technologies that allow people to not just play video games against each other online, but to join the game as a spectator from anywhere in the world.
The patent, which covers technologies that will be featured in Xbox 360 games, brings new innovation to online gaming by allowing consumers to tune into a video game much as they would a sporting event broadcast. Obtaining its 5,000th U.S. patent marks Microsoft's progress in developing innovations and opening the doors over the past three years to its multibillion-dollar research and development efforts.
The patent relates to a host of technologies, some of which are currently included in portions of Xbox Live, for creating a unique spectator experience similar to the viewing of a sporting event broadcast. Here is what the technology can do:
• A system for generating a spectator experience in real time from a game or event, such as highlights, instant replays, and unique views of the action within a game to enhance the experience for spectators rather than players. Using viewing controls, a spectator can control one or more virtual cameras to select desired viewpoints or an automated camera control to frame the action and perform specific cuts to best convey the story and action. The game and in turn the spectator experience may vary as a function of participant interactions and other contributions to the game based on real-time spectator activity.
• A portal such as a Web site to access spectator-related services such as schedules and information on multiple games and events as well as the number of spectators and participants in each. The portal allows the spectator to find the most popular games to watch, preview the action, and then connect to the desired game or event.
Brad Smith, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Microsoft, said,
"The 5,000th patent is a marker of the progress we have made in the past few years – building a high-quality, innovative and industry-recognized portfolio. Through patents, we are able to license our technologies widely to others in the industry, increasing the availability of our innovations and getting beneficial solutions in the hands of customers."
Since its public commitment to patent and intellectual property (IP) licensing in December 2003, Microsoft is following the industry examples of other long-time patent licensors such as IBM Corp., with its portfolio of over 25,000 U.S. patents, and other giants such as HP, Intel Corporation, Samsung and Sony. Microsoft has used its expanding IP portfolio to launch a number of development-seeding licensing initiatives, including IP Ventures, a program dedicated to bringing customer-ready technology to emerging businesses for immediate business benefit and customer use.
We're not quite sure how Microsoft have managed to patent this "technology" though, we were all playing QuakeWorld back in 1997 which allowed you to do the same thing.
Let us know your thoughts and comments in the box below!