Cloud Gaming & Streaming

Google received 1 patent covering infrastructure that slices GPU processing time across multiple gaming sessions at once. The system runs two parallel encoding streams from the same GPU slice, delivering ultra-low-latency video to active players while simultaneously creating higher-latency streams for spectators watching those games. A tile-based encoding pipeline grabs boundary data before the full frame arrives, shaving milliseconds off the time between rendering and transmission.

Nvidia received 2 patents, both addressing the challenge of distributing encrypted game builds securely in cloud environments. The first embeds an encrypted content key directly into the game build file itself and encodes a key-encryption key identifier in the filename, eliminating reliance on a centralized key server that could become a single point of failure. The second follows the same envelope encryption approach, attaching encrypted keys as metadata to content files and using the filename to carry key identifiers, allowing each build to travel as a self-contained encrypted package without exposing the game to end users or requiring constant connection to a central credential vault.

Now.GG received 1 patent for cross-device authentication that unlocks remote hardware without requiring users to log in repeatedly. The system stores pre-provisioned tokens on the client device, then matches those tokens to unlock physical access controls on remote mobile devices hosted in the cloud, such as screen locks. This extends beyond typical single sign-on by controlling hardware-level locks rather than just software permissions.

South Park Digital Studios received 1 patent describing a system where one player can intervene in another player's active cloud gaming session from a separate device in real time. Instead of relying on scripted in-game events or predefined triggers, the system routes commands from the second device through cloud infrastructure to inject gameplay changes dynamically into the live session. The handshake between devices happens at the cloud layer, bypassing the game's internal rule engine entirely.

Sony received 1 patent for a split-client architecture that divides cloud gaming responsibilities between local and remote components. Rendering and streaming tasks are separated so the service operator can modify the user interface, features, and platform behavior entirely on the server side without pushing updates to the client hardware. This decouples platform evolution from the device upgrade cycle.

Samsung received 1 patent covering an input offloading module that processes game controller signals in a separate process from the main game application. By isolating input handling with its own authentication credentials and execution thread, controller data bypasses the game's primary processing pipeline and avoids latency spikes that occur when the game performs heavy computation. Previous architectures routed all input through the same thread that handled game logic and rendering.

Tencent received 2 patents aimed at optimizing cloud gaming performance under different conditions. The first offloads non-interactive cutscenes to a dedicated content delivery server, treating them as cacheable static video rather than frames that must be rendered on demand by the GPU-intensive game server. The second coordinates server-side resolution reduction with client-side AI upscaling when network conditions degrade, allowing the server to send smaller streams while the player's device reconstructs higher-quality visuals locally. The system integrates upscaling decisions directly into the cloud rendering pipeline based on real-time network state signals.

Bright Star Gaming received 1 patent for adaptive streaming that allows players to begin playing before the entire game downloads. The system replaces monolithic upfront downloads with an on-demand asset delivery pipeline that prioritizes and streams content based on the player's device capabilities and current context. Assets load dynamically in the background during gameplay, matching the interactive and low-latency requirements specific to real-time games rather than passive video streaming.