Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Christopher Michael Pirich

Jon Marcus Randall Whitten

Yasser Baseer Asmi

Brian Lloyd Schmidt

Jonathan E Lange

Gregory A Martinez

Tracy Sharpe

Jeffrey Edward Simon

Michael Cory Maston

Daniel S Glasser

James David Macauley

Richard Henry Irving

Derek H Smith

Maciej Maciesowicz

Joshua G Poley

Keith K Lau

Jonathan G Thomason

Tyler Scott Carper

Tracy Clayton Sharpe

Communication between a game console having a communication port and a portable device is facilitated by determining that a portable device has been directly connected to the communication port, determining the protocol associated with the portable device, and communicating with the portable device using a driver associated with the determined protocol. An ancillary application may handle the communication between the game console and the portable device while a game or entertainment application executes concurrently on the game console. The game application may execute in a reserved predetermined amount of hardware resources of the game console while the ancillary application may execute concurrently using the remaining hardware resources.

Game console communication with a device

A gaming system includes a hard disk drive for storing applications and other data. The hard disk drive has multiple regions for storing different types of data. Each application executed on the gaming system has an associated storage area on the hard disk drive. A console application executing on the gaming system prevents a particular application from accessing data in an area of the hard disk drive that is not associated with the particular application. The gaming system also maintains a list of recently used nicknames to simplify entry of nicknames by a user of the gaming system.

Method and apparatus for managing data in a gaming system

A user interface on a controller for a gaming console that provides access to system software from within any gaming application running on the console. The system software runs concurrently with other gaming applications and renders a system user interface, system notifications, and messages on top of running gaming applications. The user interface can be added to any controller and other peripheral to access to the system menu such that users can have a uniform experience without requiring substantial effort by gaming application developers.

System and method for accessing system software in a gaming console system via an input device

Authenticity of digital data, security policies, and usage of game software are enforced on a game console. When the software is secured prior to distribution on media, a private key is used to encrypt a header digest that includes a digest of each section of the software and information specifying a region, a rating, and media type of the software. A hashing algorithm is applied to produce the digests. On the game console, a public key is used to decrypt the header digest for comparison to a hash of the header. A digest of each section of digital data is computed and compared to the corresponding digest in the header to authenticate the data. The console will not execute the software unless the parameters in the header information match those stored in the console and the computed digests for each section match those in the header on the medium.

Secure digital data format and code enforced policy

A system and method for enabling users and developers to store data on a number of different types of local and remote devices connected to a multimedia console or a gaming console. The range of available storage devices creates issues that are addressed to avoid apparent inconsistencies in storage performance (e.g. latency). A consistent method of reading and writing data is provided such that end users and developers do not have to be concerned with restrictions and limitations inherent to various devices.

Determining latency and persistency of storage devices and presenting a save/read user interface through abstracted storage

A data protection portion includes the file alteration checking portion. One aspect of the file alteration checking portion relates to a media including game content and a data protection portion. In one version, the data protection portion protects the game content from modification by determining whether the game content has been modified. If the game content has been modified, then the installation of the game content within the apparatus fails.

Media data protection with secure installer

A device includes a processor and a hard disk drive coupled to the processor. The hard disk drive stores various data associated with the device and includes a first partition and a second partition. Data stored in the first partition is cleared during a system reset operation. Data stored in the second partition is not cleared during the system reset operation. The first partition stores saved application data, device configuration information, and the like. The second partition stores a console application that implements a user interface to the device. The second partition also stores a reset application that implements a system reset operation.

Method and apparatus for restoring a device to a default state

Generating a passcode for resetting a game console

A gaming system includes a hard disk drive for storing applications and other data. The hard disk drive has multiple storage areas for storing different types of data. Each application executed on the gaming system has an associated data storage area and is prevented from using data storage areas associated with other applications. When saving a game, the saved game data may include a descriptive name of the saved game, a graphic representation of the state of the game when the game was saved, a description of the game state when the game was saved, and a date and time that the game was saved.

Method and apparatus for displaying information regarding stored data in a gaming system

The invention discloses combined conferencing and calling, and switchable calling for such combined conferencing and calling. In one embodiment, a system has at least a first and a second node. The second node initiates a conference and a call with the first node. To a user at each of the nodes, initiation of the call appears imperceptible as separate from initiation of the conference. In another embodiment, a system has a conference including at least a first, a second, and a third node. The first node has an initial call with the second node. The first node is able to seamlessly switch the call to the third node, without affecting the conference.

Switchable calling within combined conferencing and calling

The invention discloses combined conferencing and calling. In one embodiment, a computerized system has at least a first and a second node. The second node initiates a conference, such as a T.120 conference, and a call, such as an H.323 call, with the first node. To a user at each of the nodes, initiation of the H.323 call between the first and the second nodes appears imperceptible as separate from initiation of the T.120 conference.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Christopher Michael Pirich