OnLive, Inc. announced the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has awarded the company a patent for cloud-based gaming technology (7,849,491 – Apparatus and method for wireless video gaming).
For more information visit: www.onlive.com
Unedited press release follows:
OnLive Awarded Fundamental Cloud Gaming Patent
Acknowledgement of Over 8 Years of Pioneering Work by OnLive
Palo Alto, Calif. — December 14, 2010 — OnLive, Inc., the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video games, today announced the US Patent Office has awarded the company a fundamental cloud gaming patent, US Patent #7,849,491. The patent is a significant addition to OnLive’s worldwide portfolio of patents filed by OnLive and its affiliate entities. OnLive anticipates receiving additional patents worldwide.
Cloud gaming is a breakthrough technology where video games run on remote servers, and users simply connect an Internet-connected device—be it a TV, PC/Mac®, iPad™, Android™ tablet, smartphone—and instantly are able to play the highest performance, new-release games with no discs, no downloads and no upgrades. OnLive’s patented and patent-pending technology makes the games almost instantly responsive, providing a gaming experience comparable to the games being played locally, even though they may actually be running on servers 1000 miles away.
“OnLive is pleased to be awarded this patent as an acknowledgement of its pioneering inventions in cloud gaming technology,” said Steve Perlman, Founder and CEO of OnLive. “Hundreds of people have worked incredibly hard for more than 8 years to bring OnLive technology from the lab to the mass market, not just overcoming technical and business challenges, but overcoming immense skepticism. It is gratifying to not only see people throughout the world enjoying OnLive technology in the wake of so many doubters, but also receive recognition for such a key invention.”
The OnLive Game Service was released to the public in June of 2010 on PC and Mac, and on the TV and iPad in December of 2010. An Android version is currently in beta.
US Patent #7,849,491 issued after almost 8 years of pendency on December 7, 2010.
About OnLive
OnLive is the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video game services, delivering real-time interactive experiences and rich media through the Internet. With groundbreaking video compression technology, OnLive harnesses cloud computing to provide the power and intelligence needed to instantly deliver the latest, premium game titles to any HDTV via the OnLive Game System or nearly any PC and Mac via a small browser download. OnLive technology is backed by hundreds of patents and patents pending. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. OnLive investors include Warner Bros., Autodesk, Maverick Capital, AT&T, British Telecommunications (BT) and The Belgacom Group.