All Inclusive Microsoft Entertainment System Patent Surfaces

All the previous rumors we heard about Microsoft connecting the ever popular Xbox 360 with the Zune and PC could soon be a reality based on the “Multi-component gaming system” patent that was filed yesterday. Microsoft fanboys’ dreams are coming into fruition and I’m on the search for my own 360 since my roommate is moving out, but don’t expect me to pick up a Zune, yet.

According to the patent, any device with a CPU, memory, proper connection interface and software, will be able to connect to said system. This entails that just about any device can be connected like your Zune, Xbox 360, any handheld running WinMo or even a pocket PC via 4G.

How does everything join together and make a sweetass gaming system? Devices can be connected via just about everything imaginable including WiFi, Bluetooth, LAN, UWB, USB or Firewire docking station. It then becomes an all inclusive media center that allows you to control and share everything from any device. So you can mess up your bro’s Gears game from the other room using your WinMo 6 smartphone.

Here’s a list of what Microsoft thinks you should do with this new system:

Console gaming device can be processing a game application provided by a handheld gaming device

Handheld gaming device can use the console gaming device’s spare memory to store results of previous games

Handheld device can comprise at least one flash memory compatible port and the console gaming device 44 can comprise at least one Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatible port.When combined, the flash memory compatible port(s) are available to the console gaming device 44 via its USB compatible port(s) thus increasing game console memory capacity

One of the input/output ports of the console gaming device 42 can be coupled to a large screen display and another of the console gaming device’s 42 input/output ports can be coupled to a home theater audio system. Accordingly, the video and audio of a game being played on the handheld gaming device 40 can be rendered on the large screen display and the home theater system, respectively, via the console gaming device 42

Handheld gaming device 40 can comprise sound effects for displayed objects, but not-include Doppler for objects in motion. Another handheld gaming device 38 can comprise a library of Doppler sound effects for object in motion. When combined, one handheld gaming device 40 can download other handheld gaming device’s 38 Doppler sound effect library to enhance it’s sound effects.

If console gaming device does not have enough power to process 3 pictures for Picture in Picture functionality, it can offload the processing for two pictures to the handheld gaming devices, therein utilizing the them as adjunct processors gaming components can provide updates and/or modifications to other gaming components in combination.

Non-gaming applications on a gaming component can be controlled by another gaming component in combination. For example, the handheld gaming device can be used to control music playback on the console gaming device.

Patent [via Unwired]