Online Interactive Game System And Methods

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and methods, for an online entertainment system are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided that allows for universal control of games. In some embodiments, the games are hosted at an online portal, which contains a software module allowing a game programmer to specify a controller mapping. When a particular game is selected by a user, the mapping is sent to the local computer. Once installed, the mapping file maps commands received from a controller to specific actions within the game. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

1 . A method of providing an interactive experience to a user comprising:
 providing a software module on a server, the software module having an application program interface, the software module configured to allow a game programmer to specify a controller mapping;   generating a mapping file, from the software module, the mapping file specifying a mapping of actions on a universal controller, to a game developed by the game programmer;   transmitting the mapping file to a remote computing apparatus across a network, the remote computing apparatus configured to operate with a universal controller; and   installing the mapping file on the remote apparatus, wherein the mapping file configures the computing apparatus to map signals received from the universal controller to actions within a game displayed on a display on the computing apparatus.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the server contains a web portal, the web portal serving a web page to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining, by the server, the presence of an application program on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising installing the application program on the computing apparatus. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising initializing a web browser interface, on the remote computing apparatus, in response to a user executing the application program. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising disabling a toolbar when the web browser is initialized. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising determining if the web browser interface is accessing the web portal. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising enabling the toolbar if it is determined that the web browser interface is accessing the web portal, the tool bar enabling the selection of a plurality of games to be played on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining, in response to a game selection from the plurality of games, an appropriate mapping file and transmitting the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising transmitting a signal from the universal controller to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising,
 receiving the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determining which action is represented in the signal;   determining, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   displaying the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the server contains a database of games, the webpage comprising a plurality of links to games stored within the database. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the server is configured determine an appropriate mapping file in response to a user selecting a link from the plurality of links and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising transmitting a signal from the universal controller to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising,
 receiving the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determining which action is represented in the signal;   determining, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   displaying the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the server is a first server, and wherein the game is stored on a second server remote to the first server, the mapping file residing on the first server. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the server is configured determine an appropriate mapping file in response to a user selecting a link from the plurality of links and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a signal from the universal controller to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising,
 receiving the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determining which action is represented in the signal;   determining, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   displaying the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       20 . An entertainment system for providing an interactive experience to a user comprising:
 a software module on a server, the software module having an application program interface, the software module configured to allow a game programmer to specify a controller mapping;   a mapping file, derived from the software module, the mapping file specifying a mapping of actions on a universal controller, to a game developed by the game programmer;   a remote computing apparatus configured to receive the mapping file across a network, operate with a universal controller; and install the mapping file on the remote apparatus, wherein the mapping file configures the computing apparatus to map signals received from the universal controller to actions within a game displayed on a display on the computing apparatus.   
   
   
       21 . The entertainment system of  claim 20 , wherein the server contains a web portal, the web portal serving a web page to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       22 . The entertainment system of  claim 21 , wherein the server is configured to determine the presence of an application program on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       23 . The entertainment system of  claim 22 , wherein the configuration on the remote computing apparatus further comprises a configuration to install the application program on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       24 . The entertainment system of  claim 23 , wherein the application program, when executed, configures the remote computing apparatus to initialize a web browser interface. 
   
   
       25 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , wherein the configuration further comprises a configuration to disable a toolbar when the web browser is initialized. 
   
   
       26 . The entertainment system of  claim 25 , wherein the server is further configured to determine if the web browser interface is accessing the web portal. 
   
   
       27 . The entertainment system of  claim 26 , wherein the configuration further comprises a configuration to enable the toolbar if it is determined that the web browser interface is accessing the web portal, the tool bar enabling the selection of a plurality of games to be played on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       28 . The entertainment system of  claim 27 , wherein the server is further configured to determine, in response to a game selection from the plurality of games, an appropriate mapping file and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       29 . The entertainment system of  claim 28 , wherein the universal controller is configured to transmit a signal to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       30 . The entertainment system of  claim 30 , wherein the remote computing apparatus is further configured to
 receive the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determine which action is represented in the signal;   determine, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   display the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       31 . The entertainment system of  claim 21 , wherein the server contains a database of games, the webpage comprising a plurality of links to games stored within the database. 
   
   
       32 . The entertainment system of  claim 31 , wherein the server is configured determine an appropriate mapping file in response to a user selecting a link from the plurality of links and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       33 . The entertainment system of  claim 31 , wherein the universal controller is configured to transmit a signal to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       34 . The entertainment system of  claim 33 , wherein the remote computing apparatus configuration further comprises a configuration to,
 receive the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determine which action is represented in the signal;   determine, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   display the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       35 . The entertainment system of  claim 21 , wherein the server is a first server, and wherein the game is stored on a second server remote to the first server, the mapping file residing on the first server. 
   
   
       36 . The entertainment system of  claim 35 , wherein the configuration of the server further comprises a configuration to determine an appropriate mapping file in response to a user selecting a link from the plurality of links and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       37 . The entertainment system of  claim 20 , wherein the universal controller is configured to transmit a signal to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       38 . The entertainment system of  claim 38 , wherein the remote computing apparatus is further configured to
 receive the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determine which action is represented in the signal;   determine, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   display the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       39 . A computing apparatus comprising
 a processor;   a memory;   a storage medium, the storage medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor configure the computing apparatus to act as a server in an entertainment system the configuration comprising a configuration to:   provide a software module on the server, the software module having an application program interface, the software module configured to allow a game programmer to specify a controller mapping;   generate a mapping file, from the software module, the mapping file specifying a mapping of actions on a universal controller, to a game developed by the game programmer;   transmit the mapping file to a remote computing apparatus across a network, the remote computing apparatus configured to operate with a universal controller; and   install the mapping file on the remote apparatus, wherein the mapping file configures the computing apparatus to map signals received from the universal controller to actions within a game displayed on a display on the computing apparatus.   
   
   
       40 . The computing apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the server contains a web portal, the web portal serving a web page to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       41 . The computing apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the configuration further comprises a configuration to determine, the presence of an application program on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the server configuration further comprises a configuration to initiate the installation of the application program on the computing apparatus. 
   
   
       43 . The computing apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the application program lo configures the remote computing apparatus to initialize a web browser interface, on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       44 . The computing apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein a toolbar is initially disabled when the web browser is initialized. 
   
   
       45 . The computing apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein the server configuration further comprises a configuration to determine if the web browser interface is accessing the web portal. 
   
   
       46 . The computing apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the server configuration further comprises a configuration to enable the toolbar if it is determined that the web browser interface is accessing the web portal, the tool bar enabling the selection of a plurality of games to be played on the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       47 . The computing apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the server configuration further comprises a configuration to determine, in response to a game selection from the plurality of games, an appropriate mapping file and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       48 . The computing apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the universal controller is configured to transmit a signal to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       49 . The computing apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the application program further configures the remote computing apparatus to:
 receive the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determine which action is represented in the signal;   determine, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   display the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       50 . The computing apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the server contains a database of games, the webpage comprising a plurality of links to games stored within the database. 
   
   
       51 . The computing apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the server configuration further comprises a configuration to determine an appropriate mapping file in response to a user selecting a link from the plurality of links and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       52 . The computing apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the universal controller is configured to transmit a signal from to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       53 . The computing apparatus of  claim 52 , wherein the application program further configures the remote computing apparatus to
 receive the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determine which action is represented in the signal;   determine, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   display the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.   
   
   
       54 . The computing apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the server is a first server, and wherein the game is stored on a second server remote to the first server, the mapping file residing on the first server. 
   
   
       55 . The computing apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein the server configuration further comprises a configuration to determine an appropriate mapping file in response to a user selecting a link from the plurality of links and transmit the appropriate mapping file to the remote computing apparatus. 
   
   
       56 . The computing apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the universal controller is configured to transmit a signal to the remote computing apparatus, the transmitted signal comprising at least one of a set of signals responsive to actions by a user. 
   
   
       57 . The computing apparatus of  claim 56 , wherein the application program further configures the remote computing apparatus to
 receive the signal on the remote computing apparatus;   determine which action is represented in the signal;   determine, from the mapping file, an interaction with the game; and   display the determined interaction on the remote computing apparatus.