Networking & Multiplayer

MediaTek received 1 patent addressing power consumption in mobile XR and cloud gaming over 5G networks. The application describes a system that adjusts discontinuous reception wake cycles to align with the actual timing of AR and VR data packets, rather than relying on fixed intervals that waste battery by waking the radio at the wrong moments. The approach introduces multiple adaptive mechanisms, including variable on-duration windows, grouped packet patterns, and the ability to switch between different configurations dynamically, accounting for timing variations in how XR frames arrive.

Nintendo received 1 patent covering a lobby system that replaces static waiting screens with a shared interactive environment before races begin. Players gather in an open-world field where they can move around and interact while matchmaking completes, and those who join after a race has started can watch the ongoing competition from within the same shared space. The system visually distinguishes active racers from waiting players by rendering the racing participants with transparency, maintaining spatial awareness across both the pre-game and in-race states.

Tencent received 1 patent that separates the physical location of game servers from the network paths players use to reach them. The application describes a system where MMO players connect through entry points chosen for optimal routing with their ISP, regardless of where the actual game logic runs in the cloud. Players' devices actively probe multiple entry points for latency and can switch routes during an ongoing session, allowing game operators to select hosting infrastructure based on cost and compute capacity without forcing players through poorly peered network connections.

Roblox received 1 patent describing a multiplayer networking architecture that exposes synchronization behavior to game developers through customizable APIs. The system allows developers to define how different object types handle lag compensation, rollback, and state reconciliation, rather than applying uniform netcode rules across all game elements. The architecture separates visual rendering state from simulation state and provides callback mechanisms for smoothing, giving developers control over the trade-offs between responsiveness and consistency on a per-object basis.

Google received 1 patent addressing uplink transmission scheduling for XR and cloud gaming over 5G networks. The application describes a method where devices can request modifications to their pre-configured uplink slots on a per-traffic-cycle basis, allowing the radio to adapt transmission timing and resources to match the specific demands of each frame or input burst. This approach avoids the latency overhead of requesting new grants for every transmission while retaining more flexibility than purely static resource allocation, targeting the jitter and delay requirements of wireless VR, AR, and game streaming.