Quick-resume gaming

Abstract

A quick-resume gaming system includes a game device configured to support playing a video game by a user. The quick-resume gaming system also includes a gaming control module coupled to the game device and configured to suspend and resume playing of the video game at a current display frame based on user initiated suspend and resume control commands, respectively. In another aspect, a method of quick-resume gaming includes playing a video game on a game device by a user. The method of quick-resume gaming also includes suspending the playing of the video game on the game device at a current display frame based on the user initiating a suspend control command and resuming the playing of the video game on the game device at the current display frame based on the user initiating a resume control command.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A quick-resume gaming system, comprising:
 a game device configured to support playing a video game by a user; and   a gaming control module coupled to the game device and configured to suspend and resume playing of the video game at a current display frame based on user initiated suspend and resume control commands, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 1  wherein display rendering information for the current display frame is stored in and retrieved from a memory contained in the game device. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the gaming control module is a software module. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 3  wherein the software module corresponds to software included with the video game or software that is independent of the video game. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the user initiated suspend and resume control commands correspond to actions employing at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 a keyboard; 
 a pointing device; 
 a touch sensitive screen; and 
 a specialized game board. 
 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the game device is a laptop or notebook computer and the user initiated suspend and resume control commands correspond to closing and opening the laptop or notebook computer, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising and Internet token module configured to store an Internet token in the game device corresponding to an Internet server, wherein the Internet token facilitates suspending and resuming the current display frame for the Internet server. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a cloud token module configured to store a cloud token in the game device corresponding to a cloud server, wherein the cloud token facilitates suspending and resuming the current display frame for the cloud server. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 8  wherein the game device is a thin client and display rendering information for the current display frame is provided by the cloud server. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming system as recited in  claim 9  wherein the display rendering information is provided to the thin client employing a compressed video stream. 
     
     
         11 . A method of quick-resume gaming, comprising:
 playing a video game on a game device by a user;   suspending the playing of the video game on the game device at a current display frame based on the user initiating a suspend control command; and   resuming the playing of the video game on the game device at the current display frame based on the user initiating a resume control command.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein display rendering information for the current display frame is stored in and retrieved from a memory contained in the game device. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein a software module controls suspending and resuming the playing of the video game at the current display frame. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the software module corresponds to software included with the video game or software that is independent of the video game. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein the suspend and resume control commands correspond to actions employing at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 a keyboard; 
 a pointing device; 
 a touch sensitive screen; and 
 a specialized game board. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein the game device is a laptop or notebook computer and the suspend and resume control commands correspond to closing and opening the laptop or notebook computer, respectively. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 11  further comprising storing an Internet token in the game device corresponding to an Internet server, wherein the Internet token facilitates suspending and resuming the current display frame for Internet gaming. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 11  further comprising storing a cloud token in the game device corresponding to a cloud server, wherein the cloud token facilitates suspending and resuming the current display frame for cloud gaming. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18  wherein the game device is a thin client and display rendering information for the current display frame is provided by the cloud server. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19  wherein the display rendering information is provided to the thin client employing a compressed video stream.