Rewarding classes of purchasers

• US 10,325,266 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Harris, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Munson, Patricia H
• Application Number:
  US12/473,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,673 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

Rewarding a first classification of purchasers of digital media is provided. Such a classification may include initial purchasers (e.g., purchasers of new items) and secondary purchasers (e.g., purchasers of previously used items). A digital medium is played on a digital device and a notification is sent to a server. The server identifies the user of the digital device based on a unique device identifier associated with the digital device and a stored association of that digital device with the user. The user is determined to belong to the first classification of purchasers of the digital medium based on a unique identifier associated with the digital medium. The user, belonging to the first classification of purchasers, is provided with access to a reward that is not generally accessible to users belonging to a second classification. Users that are identified as belonging to the second classification may be offered a chance to upgrade their classification and access the reward.

Claims

1. A method for rewarding a classification of purchaser, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of classifications in memory of a server, each of the stored classifications corresponding to a set of classification elements;

receiving a notification regarding a detected play of a digital media by a purchaser on a digital device, wherein the notification includes a unique user identifier, a unique media identifier embedded in a digital storage medium associated with the digital media, and a unique device identifier associated with the purchaser, and wherein the notification is received at the server;

executing instructions stored in memory at the server, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor at the server;

identifies the purchaser and the digital device used to play the digital media via the unique user identifier and the unique device identifier included in the received notification,

matches the unique media identifier to stored information associated with the digital media, the stored information indicating whether the digital media has been played on other digital devices or used by other users,

identifies that the digital media is new and unused at a time of the detected play of the digital media based on no matches between the unique media identifier and the stored information,

generates an association between the digital media and the unique user identifier and unique device identifier, the association being stored in memory at the server,

updates the stored information associated with the digital media, the updated stored information indicating that the digital media has been played on the digital device associated with the unique device identifier, and

classifies the purchaser in accordance with at least a first one of the stored classifications with respect to the digital media, wherein the first classification characterizes a set of purchasers, wherein a set of classification elements corresponding to the first classification is based on identifying that the identified purchaser is using the digital media under a pre-determined condition specifying that the digital media is new and unused, wherein the classification is stored in memory at the server,

unlocking access to secured data associated with the digital media based on the classification that the purchaser belongs to the first classification of purchasers, wherein the secured data is not accessible to purchasers not within the first classification without engaging in an additional transaction; and

automatically attaching rights over the secured data to the unique user identifier based on the unlocked access.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined condition also includes purchasing the digital media from a seller belonging to a specified classification of sellers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the secured data allows an ability to receive or be associated with one or more redeemable points.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the redeemable points are associated with the purchaser and portable across a plurality of digital media.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the secured data allows for enhancement of play of or interaction with the digital media.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the enhancement applies to a customizable decorative feature of a character or digital environment, the decorative feature to be rendered during play of the digital media.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the enhancement applies to a customizable sound effect, the sound effect to be played at a moment designated by the purchaser during play of the digital media.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the enhancement applies to a customizable configuration of the digital device for interacting with the content of the digital media.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital media includes a video game and the enhancement includes a new or improved ability exercised by a character in the video game and associated with the purchaser.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ability may be shared with a team of characters associated with the character associated with the user in the video game.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the redeemable points are redeemable to acquire a virtual object to be associated with the purchaser during play of or interaction with the digital media.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the redeemable points are redeemable to acquire a real object.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital media includes a video game and the secured data allows for introduction of an additional save point to the video game, the save point allowing game play information to be saved at a designated moment in game play whereby the purchaser is able to restart game play based on the game play information saved at the save point.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes information provided by a seller.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes information provided by the purchaser.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the secured data includes a discount applicable to a future purchase of a real or virtual object available for sale.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the secured data is stored in memory at the server, and wherein further access to the secured data by the purchaser is based on the rights attached to the unique user identifier.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the secured data is downloaded to the digital device based on the rights attached to the unique user identifier.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the secured data is only available to a second purchaser belonging to a second classification of purchasers when the second purchaser completes the additional transaction, wherein the additional transaction is a financial transaction, wherein the digital media were previously used at a time of detected play by the second purchaser.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a second purchaser belongs to a second classification and generating an offer to the second purchaser, the offer concerning the additional transaction and access to the secured data.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for rewarding a classification of purchasers, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of classifications in memory of a server, each of the stored classifications corresponding to a set of classification elements;

receiving a notification regarding a detected play of a digital media by a purchaser on a digital device, wherein the notification includes a unique user identifier, a unique media identifier embedded in a digital storage medium associated with the digital media, and a unique device identifier, and wherein the notification is received at the server;

identifying the purchaser and the digital device used to play the digital media via the unique user identifier and the unique device identifier included in the received notification;

matching the unique media identifier to stored information associated with the digital media, the stored information indicating whether the digital media has been played on other digital devices or used by other users;

identifying that the digital media is new and unused at a time of the detected play of the digital media based on no matches between the unique media identifier and the stored information;

generating an association between the digital media and the unique user identifier and unique device identifier, the association being stored in memory at the server;

updating the stored information associated with the digital media, the updated stored information indicating that the digital media has been played on the digital device associated with the unique device identifier;

classifying the purchaser in accordance with at least a first one of the stored classifications with respect to the digital media, wherein the first classification characterizes a set of purchasers, wherein a set of classification elements corresponding to the first classification is based on identifying that the identified purchaser is using the digital media under a pre-determined condition specifying that the digital media is new and unused, wherein the classification is stored in memory at the server;

unlocking access to secured data associated with the digital media based on the classification that the purchaser belongs to the first classification, wherein the secured data is not accessible to purchasers not within the first classification without engaging in an additional transaction; and

automatically attaching rights over the secured data to the unique user identifier based on the unlocked access.