Securing goal-activated game content

• US 20050026693A1
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Turbine Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Turbine Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dyl, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,144,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content

Abstract

Systems, methods, and data structures are described which allow or caching streaming media file in a manner that allows for storage and retrieval of portions of the streaming media file that are temporally non-contiguous and/or encoded at differing bit rates.

Claims

1. A method for limiting dissemination of content in an online game, the method comprising:

a) hosting for transmission content designated as goal-activated content;

b) transmitting the goal-activated content to the client upon a client request; and

c) instructing the client to delete goal-activated content stored on the client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) comprises transmitting the goal-activated content to the client responsive to a determination that a player associated with the client has fulfilled a goal.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a history profile from the client.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein step c) comprises instructing the client to delete goal-activated content stored on the client in accordance with the history

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of encrypting the goal-activated content prior to transmission to the client.

6. A method for limiting dissemination of content transmitted by a server in an online game, the method comprising:

a) requesting goal-activated content from the server;

b) receiving the goal-activated content from the server;

c) receiving an instruction from the server to delete goal-activated content; and

d) deleting goal-activated content.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step c) comprises receiving, upon initialization of an executable program, an instruction to delete goal-activated content.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of

maintaining a history profile comprising information about content received from the server and

sending the history profile to the server.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step c) comprises receiving an instruction to delete goal-activated content in accordance with the history profile.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein step c) comprises receiving an instruction to delete all goal-activated content.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of determining a player has fulfilled a goal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein step a) comprises requesting goal-activated content in response to the fulfillment of the goal.

13. A method for limiting dissemination of content transmitted by a server to a client in an online game, the method comprising:

a) the client requesting goal-activated content from the server;

b) the server transmitting the goal-activated content to the client;

c) the server instructing the client to delete goal-activated content; and

d) the client deleting goal-activated content.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of

the client determining that a player associated with the client has fulfilled a goal, and

the server authenticating that a player associated with the client has fulfilled the goal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein step a) comprises requesting goal-activated content in response to the fulfillment of the goal, and wherein step b) comprises transmitting the goal-activated content to the client responsive to the authentication.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of

the client maintaining a history profile comprising information about content received from the server, and

the client sending the history profile to the server.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step c) comprises instructing the client to delete goal-activated content in accordance with the history profile.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein step c) comprises the server instructing the client to delete all goal-activated content.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein step c) comprises the server instructing the client to delete goal-activated content upon initialization of an executable program by the client.

20. A computer based content dissemination limiting apparatus comprising:

a) a non-volatile memory element storing goal-activated data;

b) a transceiver receiving a connection request from a remote client on the network;

c) a processor determining that the goal-activated content is to be transmitted to the client;

d) the transceiver transmitting the goal-activated content; and

e) the transceiver transmitting a deletion instruction to the client.