Virtualized gaming emulation as a network service

Abstract

Virtualized gaming as a network service is provided where instead of using a cloud based virtualized gaming console, a virtual machine can be instantiated at an edge network device in a radio access network to decrease the latency of communications between the user equipment device and the virtualized gaming console. Another virtue of placing the gaming console in the network is that the processing, memory storage and other hardware requirements can be offloaded to the network, allowing the user equipment device to be able to handle a broad range of games, without being limited by processing power and battery usage. The user equipment device can be treated as a thin-client device, receiving control data, video data, and audio data that can be played back at the user equipment device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Network equipment, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 instantiating a virtual machine to execute a game application, wherein the virtual machine is instantiated on first edge network equipment in response to receiving a first request to initiate the game application from a first user equipment; 
 receiving, from a second user equipment, a second request to initiate the game application, wherein the second user equipment is connected to second edge network equipment, and wherein the second edge network equipment is associated with a second coverage area that is different from a first coverage area associated with the first edge network equipment; and 
 transmitting a request to instantiate the virtual machine on common edge network equipment, wherein the virtual machine is instantiated on the common edge network equipment to execute the game application for the first user equipment and the second user equipment, wherein the common edge network equipment has a first latency with the first user equipment that is lower than a threshold latency, and wherein the common edge network equipment has a second latency with the second user equipment that is lower than the threshold latency. 
   
     
     
         2 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein execution of the game application by the virtual machine results in at least first control data, and wherein the first control data is for control of the game application by the first user equipment. 
     
     
         3 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein execution of the game application by the virtual machine results in at least first video data, and wherein the first video data is for display by the first user equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein execution of the game application by the virtual machine comprises receiving controller feedback data from at least the first user equipment, and wherein the controller feedback data is associated with user interactions with the game application. 
     
     
         5 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining that the second user equipment is connected to the second edge network equipment. 
     
     
         6 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the second coverage area does not overlap the first coverage area. 
     
     
         7 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving, from a gaming gateway device, game data that facilitates execution of the game application by the virtual machine. 
     
     
         8 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise facilitating execution of the game application at different edge network equipment in response to determining that at least the first user equipment has moved to a different coverage area associated with the different edge network equipment. 
     
     
         9 . The network equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise selecting, based on the game application, the virtual machine from a group of virtual machines. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by network equipment comprising a processor, a first request from a first user equipment to access a game;   instantiating, by the network equipment, a virtual machine on first radio access network equipment in response to receiving the first request, wherein the first virtual machine is configured to execute a game application associated with the game;   receiving, by the network equipment, a second request from a second user equipment to access the game;   determining, by the network equipment, that the second user equipment is connected to second radio access network equipment associated with a second coverage area that differs from a first coverage area associated with the first radio access network equipment; and   transmitting, by the network equipment, a request to instantiate the virtual machine on common radio access network equipment, wherein the common radio access network equipment has a first latency with the first user equipment and a second latency with the second user equipment that are lower than a threshold latency.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 selecting, by the network equipment, the virtual machine from a group of virtual machines.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the game application is configured to generate control data, video data, and audio data, wherein the control data is for control of the game application by at least the first user equipment, wherein the video data is for display by at least the first user equipment, and wherein the audio data is for playback by at least the first user equipment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first radio access network equipment comprises first edge network equipment, and wherein the second radio access network equipment comprises second edge network equipment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second coverage area does not overlap the first coverage area. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 forwarding, by the network equipment, at least the first request to a gaming gateway device; and   receiving, by the network equipment, game data from the gaming gateway device, wherein the game data facilitates execution of the game application by the virtual machine.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transferring, by the network equipment, data to different radio access network equipment to facilitate execution of the game application at the different radio access network equipment in response to determining that at least the first user equipment has moved to different coverage area. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 instantiating a game console emulator on first radio access network equipment in response to receiving a first request from a first user equipment to initiate a game application associated with the first game console emulator;   receiving a second request to initiate the game application from a second user equipment;   determining that the second user equipment is connected to second radio access network equipment that has a second coverage area that differs from a first coverage area of the first radio access network equipment; and   transmitting a request to instantiate the game console emulator on common radio access network equipment, wherein the common radio access network equipment has a first latency with the first user equipment and a second latency with the second user equipment that are lower than a threshold latency.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the second coverage area does not overlap the first coverage area. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise accessing game data from a gaming gateway, and wherein the game data facilitates execution of the game application on the game console emulator. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise accessing user profile data from a gaming gateway, and wherein the user profile data facilitates execution of the game application on the game console emulator.