Virtual world event notification from a persistent world game server in a logically partitioned game console

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for generating event notifications for offline characters from within a persistent world online game. A player agent for an offline player runs in a secondary partition in a video game console while a primary application runs in a main partition. The offline player agent includes an event monitor that monitors for events that occur in a persistent virtual world maintained by a game server. When a game event occurs that triggers an offline player rule, the player agent composes an event notification message and presents the message to the offline player through speech or through an interface within the primary application. Event notification messages may include images, voice (text-to-speech), sound, or video.

1 . A method for generating event notifications from within a persistent world game in a logically partitioned video game console, the method comprising:
 activating a primary application in a main partition in the video game console;   activating a player agent in a secondary partition in the video game console for an offline player, wherein the player agent has an associated set of offline player rules;   monitoring, by the player agent, events maintained by a game server, wherein the game server observes and generates game events for a persistent virtual world;   responsive to a given event triggering one or more of the set of offline player rules, generating a notification event message; and   sending the notification event message from the offline player agent in the secondary partition to the primary application in the main partition.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the primary application is a video game application. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the video game application comprises an event notification interface. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video game console comprises a data processing system, wherein a hypervisor executes within the data processing system, wherein activating the primary application in the main partition in the video game console comprises:
 initiating, by the hypervisor, the main partition;   allocating, by the hypervisor, resources within the data processing system to the main partition; and   initiating execution of the primary application in the main partition.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein activating the player agent in the secondary partition in the video game console comprises:
 initiating, by the hypervisor, the secondary partition;   allocating, by the hypervisor, resources within the data processing system to the secondary partition; and   initiating execution of the offline player agent in the secondary partition.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the offline player agent sends the notification event message to the primary application in the main partition through the hypervisor. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the data processing system is a heterogeneous multiple processor system-on-a-chip. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the main partition and the secondary partition run different operating systems. 
   
   
       9 . A video game console, comprising:
 a data processing system; and   a hypervisor that executes within the data processing system,   wherein the hypervisor activates a main partition and a secondary partition in the data processing system;   wherein a primary application executes in the main partition, wherein a player agent executes in the secondary partition for an offline player, wherein the player agent has an associated set of offline player rules;   wherein the player agent monitors events maintained by a game server, wherein the game server observes and generates game events for a persistent virtual world;   wherein responsive to a given event triggering one or more of the set of offline player rules, the player agent generates a notification event message and sends the notification event message from the offline player agent in the secondary partition to the primary application in the main partition.   
   
   
       10 . The video game console of  claim 9 , wherein the primary application is a video game application. 
   
   
       11 . The video game console of  claim 10 , wherein the video game application comprises an event notification interface. 
   
   
       12 . The video game console of  claim 9 , wherein the hypervisor allocates resources within the data processing system to the main partition. 
   
   
       13 . The video game console of  claim 9 , wherein the hypervisor allocates resources within the data processing system to the secondary partition. 
   
   
       14 . The video game console of  claim 13 , wherein the offline player agent sends the notification event message to the primary application in the main partition through the hypervisor. 
   
   
       15 . The video game console of  claim 9 , wherein the data processing system is a heterogeneous multiple processor system-on-a-chip. 
   
   
       16 . The video game console of  claim 9 , wherein the main partition and the secondary partition run different operating systems. 
   
   
       17 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a video game console, causes the video game console to:
 activate a hypervisor on the video game console;   activate, by the hypervisor, a primary application in a main partition in the video game console;   activate, by the hypervisor, a player agent in a secondary partition in the video game console for an offline player, wherein the player agent has an associated set of offline player rules;   wherein the player agent monitors events maintained by a game server, wherein the game server observes and generates game events for a persistent virtual world;   wherein responsive to a given event triggering one or more of the set of offline player rules, the player agent generates a notification event message and sends the notification event message from the offline player agent in the secondary partition to the primary application in the main partition.   
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the primary application is a video game application. 
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the hypervisor allocates resources within the data processing system to the main partition. 
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the hypervisor allocates resources within the data processing system to the secondary partition.