System and method for providing a remote user interface for an application executing on a computing device

Abstract

A system and method for providing a remote user interface for an application, such as a video game, executing on a computing device. The system includes a computing device configured to execute a software application and at least one remote user interface (UI) communicatively coupled to the computing device via a data communication network. The remote UI includes at least one hardware device such as a video, audio or user input/output (I/O) device. The computing device is further configured to emulate the hardware device locally and to redirect function calls generated by the software application for the emulated local hardware device to the remote UI for processing by the hardware device.

1 . A method for operating a remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 publishing graphics capability information to the computing device over a data communication network;   receiving graphics commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the graphics commands received from the computing device is consistent with the graphics capability information; and   processing the graphics commands in a graphics device to generate video content therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 rendering and displaying the video content.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein publishing graphics capability information comprises publishing graphics capability information in accordance with a UPnP protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein publishing graphics capability information to the computing device over a data communication network comprises publishing graphics capability information to the computing device over a local area network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein publishing graphics capability information to the computing device over a data communication network comprises publishing graphics capability information to the computing device over a wide area network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving graphics commands comprises receiving one of OpenGL commands, DirectX commands, or Graphics Device Interface commands 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving graphics commands comprises receiving Pre-Rendering Code (PRC) commands. 
     
     
         8 . A remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 control logic; and   a graphics device coupled to the control logic;   wherein the control logic is configured to publish graphics capability information to the computing device over a data communication network and to receive graphics commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the graphics commands received from the computing device is consistent with the graphics capability information; and   wherein the graphics device processes the graphics commands to generate video content therefrom.   
     
     
         9 . The remote UI of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a display that renders and displays the video content.   
     
     
         10 . The remote UI of  claim 8 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the graphics capability information in accordance with a UPnP protocol. 
     
     
         11 . The remote UI of  claim 8 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the graphics capability information to the computing device over a local area network. 
     
     
         12 . The remote UI of  claim 8 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the graphics capability information to the computing device over a wide area network. 
     
     
         13 . The remote UI of  claim 8 , wherein the control logic is configured to receive one of OpenGL commands, DirectX commands, or Graphics Device Interface commands. 
     
     
         14 . The remote UI of  claim 8 , wherein the control logic is configured to receive Pre-Rendering Code (PRC) commands. 
     
     
         15 . A method for operating a remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 publishing audio capability information to the computing device over a data communication network;   receiving audio commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the audio commands received from the computing device is consistent with the audio capability information; and   processing the audio commands in an audio device to generate audio content therefrom.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 playing the audio content.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein publishing audio capability information comprises publishing audio capability information in accordance with a UPnP protocol. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein publishing audio capability information to the computing device over a data communication network comprises publishing audio capability information to the computing device over a local area network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein publishing audio capability information to the computing device over a data communication network comprises publishing audio capability information to the computing device over a wide area network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein receiving audio commands comprises receiving DirectX commands. 
     
     
         21 . A remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 control logic; and   an audio device coupled to the control logic;   wherein the control logic is configured to publish audio capability information to the computing device over a data communication network and to receive audio commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the audio commands received from the computing device is consistent with the audio capability information; and   wherein the audio device processes the audio commands to generate audio content therefrom.   
     
     
         22 . The remote UI of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 one or more speakers that play the audio content.   
     
     
         23 . The remote UI of  claim 21 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the audio capability information in accordance with a UPnP protocol. 
     
     
         24 . The remote UI of  claim 21 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the audio capability information to the computing device over a local area network. 
     
     
         25 . The remote UI of  claim 21 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the audio capability information to the computing device over a wide area network. 
     
     
         26 . The remote UI of  claim 21 , wherein the control logic is configured to receive DirectX commands. 
     
     
         27 . A method for operating a remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 publishing user input/output (I/O) device capability information to the computing device over a data communication network;   receiving control commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the control commands received from the computing device is consistent with the user I/O device capability information; and   processing the control commands in a user I/O device to generate output to a user.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 processing input from a user in the user I/O device to generate control commands; and   transmitting the generated control commands to the computing device over the data communication network.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein publishing user I/O device capability information comprises publishing user I/O device capability information in accordance with a UPnP protocol. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein publishing user I/O device capability information to the computing device over a data communication network comprises publishing user I/O device capability information to the computing device over a local area network. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein publishing user I/O device capability information to the computing device over a data communication network comprises publishing user I/O device capability information to the computing device over a wide area network. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein receiving control commands comprises receiving DirectX commands. 
     
     
         33 . A remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 control logic; and   a user input/output (I/O) device coupled to the control logic;   wherein the control logic is configured to publish user I/O device capability information to the computing device over a data communication network and to receive control commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the control commands received from the computing device is consistent with the user I/O device capability information; and   wherein the user I/O device processes the control commands to generate output for a user.   
     
     
         34 . The remote UI of  claim 33 , wherein the user I/O device processes input from a user to generate control commands; and
 wherein the control logic is further configured to transmit the generated control commands to the computing device over the data communication network.   
     
     
         35 . The remote UI of  claim 33 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the user I/O device capability information in accordance with a UPnP protocol. 
     
     
         36 . The remote UI of  claim 33 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the user I/O device capability information to the computing device over a local area network. 
     
     
         37 . The remote UI of  claim 33 , wherein the control logic is configured to publish the user I/O device capability information to the computing device over a wide area network. 
     
     
         38 . The remote UI of  claim 33 , wherein the control logic is configured to receive DirectX commands. 
     
     
         39 . A method for operating a remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 publishing graphics and audio capability information to the computing device over a data communication network;   receiving graphics and audio commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the graphics commands received from the computing device is consistent with the graphics capability information and the format of the audio commands received from the computing device is consistent with the audio capability information;   processing the graphics commands in a graphics device to generate video content therefrom; and   processing the audio commands in an audio device to generate audio content therefrom.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 publishing user input/output (I/O) device capability information to the computing device over the data communication network; and   receiving control commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the control commands received from the computing device is consistent with the user I/O device capability information; and   processing the control commands in a user I/O device to generate output for a user.   
     
     
         41 . A remote user interface (UI) for a computing device comprising:
 control logic;   a graphics device coupled to the control logic; and   an audio device coupled to the control logic;   wherein the control logic is configured to publish graphics and audio capability information to the computing device over a data communication network and to receive graphics and audio commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the graphics commands received from the computing device is consistent with the graphics capability information and the format of the audio commands received from the computing device is consistent with the audio capability information;   wherein the graphics device processes the graphics commands to generate video content therefrom; and   wherein the audio device processes the audio commands to generate audio content therefrom.   
     
     
         42 . The remote UI of  claim 41 , further comprising:
 a user input/output (I/O) device coupled to the control logic;   wherein the control logic is further configured to publish user I/O device capability information to the computing device over the data communication network and to receive control commands from the computing device over the data communication network, wherein the format of the control commands received from the computing device is consistent with the user I/O device capability information; and   wherein the user I/O device processes the control commands to generate output for a user.