PlayStation 4 'Load Time' Patent Suggests Anti-Piracy Measures

joshuaboy
joshuaboy Members Posts: 10,858 ✭✭✭✭✭


At least there's no "always-on" aspect, though.


The PlayStation 4 may make use of anti-piracy measures after all, if a recently-discovered Sony patent is anything to go by.

A filing submitted in August 2011 was spotted by NeoGAF, which suggests that game load times would be measured against an acceptable benchmark to determine whether they're pirated or not.

With regards to the specifics of how it'll work, the application explains it's "a system and method for detecting piracy of a software product that is distributed on a particular media type as described. Embodiments of the invention track a title load time of a software product that is distributed on a particular media type, and compare it against a benchmark load time for that media type. This comparison is used to detect if the title may have been illegally transferred or pirated to another, unauthorized media type."

There's also this handy flowchart which makes a bit more sense:


Sony-patent.jpg


Though the patent was only published a couple of days ago, it's important to note that nowhere does it mention the PlayStation 4, so the idea that the console will make use of the system is purely speculative. Additionally, the last time one of these patents surfaced it suggested that the PS4 wouldn't allow second hand games to be played, but we were told last week this was false.

What do you reckon? Surely anything that prevents piracy without requiring you to be constantly online or locking your games to a single console is a good thing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Comments

  • KillaCham
    KillaCham Members, Moderators Posts: 11,417 Regulator
    edited February 2013
    Don't affect me none. :shrug:
  • Karl.
    Karl. Members Posts: 8,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What's wrong with "always on"?

    Why would pirate take a different time to load?
  • lamontbdc
    lamontbdc Members Posts: 18,824 ✭✭✭✭✭
    one of them ps3 updates did something b/c i could stream any pirated movie off my computer thru my PS3. After that update some ? would pop up in the middle of the movie and tell me this ? is a bootleg then it would play with no sound
  • joshuaboy
    joshuaboy Members Posts: 10,858 ✭✭✭✭✭
    lamontbdc wrote: »
    one of them ps3 updates did something b/c i could stream any pirated movie off my computer thru my PS3. After that update some ? would pop up in the middle of the movie and tell me this ? is a bootleg then it would play with no sound


    Cinavia. Some BR's are encoded with it to prevent pirating. BR players pick it up. Gonna have to find another media besides BR players to play it thru. Not all pirated movies though, mostly those by Sony/Columbia.

  • themadlionsfan
    themadlionsfan Members Posts: 9,133 ✭✭✭✭✭
    joshuaboy wrote: »
    lamontbdc wrote: »
    one of them ps3 updates did something b/c i could stream any pirated movie off my computer thru my PS3. After that update some ? would pop up in the middle of the movie and tell me this ? is a bootleg then it would play with no sound


    Cinavia. Some BR's are encoded with it to prevent pirating. BR players pick it up. Gonna have to find another media besides BR players to play it thru. Not all pirated movies though, mostly those by Sony/Columbia.


    lol @ you ? gettin trolled by sony.....Handbrake >>>>>>
  • joshuaboy
    joshuaboy Members Posts: 10,858 ✭✭✭✭✭
    joshuaboy wrote: »
    lamontbdc wrote: »
    one of them ps3 updates did something b/c i could stream any pirated movie off my computer thru my PS3. After that update some ? would pop up in the middle of the movie and tell me this ? is a bootleg then it would play with no sound


    Cinavia. Some BR's are encoded with it to prevent pirating. BR players pick it up. Gonna have to find another media besides BR players to play it thru. Not all pirated movies though, mostly those by Sony/Columbia.


    lol @ you ? gettin trolled by sony.....Handbrake >>>>>>


    Nope .............. got an LG TV with a built in media player. Just plug my external into the TV and play them thru it.