System for remote game access

Abstract

A system for allowing a user to remotely access a game includes: a game console; a remote console client configured to receive a game control signal; and a remote console server. The remote console server includes an audio and video encoder configured to receive an audio output and a video output from the game console and to convert the audio output and the video output to a network packet. The remote console server also includes: a game controller emulation unit and a network interface configured to send and receive the network packet. The game controller emulation unit is configured to receive a game controller signal from the game console and to send the game controller signal to the remote console client and to receive a game controller input from the remote console client and send the game controller input to the game console.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for enabling a user to remotely access a game, the system comprising:
 a first plurality of game consoles, including games consoles that include respective game controller interfaces, audio outputs, and video outputs; and   a remote console server comprising:   a console virtualization engine configured to selectively provide remote clients of users access to the first plurality of game consoles, wherein the console virtualization engine is configured to:
 provide access to a first game console from the first plurality of game consoles to a user requesting a first game session; 
 receive packetized control signals from a remote game controller associated with the requesting user; 
 convert the received packetized game control signals to a form compatible with the first game console; 
 receive audio and video data output from the first game console; 
 encode and packetize the audio and video output data from the first game console; 
 transmit the encoded and packetized audio and video output data from the first game console to a client associated the requesting user; 
 store a game configuration, corresponding to the first session of game play with the first game console; 
 enable another of the first plurality of game consoles access to the stored game configuration during a second game session of the requesting user.