System for secure transfer of online privileges

• US 20060234795A1
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Online Entertainment LLC (Enad Global 7 AB)
• Inventors: Dhunjishaw, David B., Zaffron, Andrew S., Yates, Christopher D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,192,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for transferring privileges in a computer system. In one implementation, a system for transferring online privileges includes: a game server having a network connection and storing data providing an online game and game environment; a game database connected to said game server, said game database storing data representing one or more game items, data representing a first user game account, and data representing a second user game account, said game item associated with said first user game account; an auction server having a network connection and connected to said game server though said network connections, and storing data providing an online auction for game items; and an auction database connected to said auction server, said auction database storing data representing one or more game items received from said game server, data representing a first user auction account, and data representing a second user auction account.

Claims

1. A system for transferring online privileges, comprising:

a game server having a network connection and storing data providing an online game and game environment;

a game database connected to said game server, said game database storing data representing one or more game items, data representing a first user game account, and data representing a second user game account, said game item associated with said first user game account;

an auction server having a network connection and connected to said game server though said network connections, and storing data providing an online auction for game items; and

an auction database connected to said auction server, said auction database storing data representing one or more game items received from said game server, data representing a first user auction account, and data representing a second user auction account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the data for a game item includes a key.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the data for a game item stored in said auction database is encrypted using a key stored in said game server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said game database and said auction database are parts of a combined database.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said game server and said auction server are two server interfaces for the same online system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said game server and said auction server are software interfaces for one online system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said auction database stores data identifying said first user game account and data identifying said second user game account.

8. A method of transferring privileges, comprising:

selecting a game item in an online game provided by a game server, wherein said game item is represented by item data stored in a game database connected to said game server, said item data is associated with a first user account, and said item data has an associated privilege in said online game;

retrieving said item data from said game database;

transferring auction item data and a first user identifier to an auction server, said auction item data corresponding to said item data and said first user identifier corresponding to said first user account;

disabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is not available in said online game;

storing said transferred data in an auction database connected to said auction server;

presenting an auction for said game item at said auction server;

accepting one or more bids at said auction server for said game item;

determining a winning bid for said game item from among accepted bids, said winning bid indicating a second user identifier and said second user identifier corresponding to a second user account with said game server;

transferring money based on said winning bid from an account indicated by said second user identifier to an account indicated by said first user identifier;

updating said item data stored in said game database so that said item data is associated with said second user account; and

enabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is available in said online game.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

encrypting said auction item data before transferring said auction item data to said auction server; and

decrypting said auction item data.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transferring said auction item data and said second user identifier to said game server;

verifying said auction item data transferred to said game server.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

transferring money includes requesting and confirming transferring funds through a third party financial service.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said auction item data is a copy of said item data.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said auction item data is a reference to said item data.

14. A system for transferring online privileges, comprising:

a first server having a network connection and storing data providing an online service;

a first database connected to said first server, said first database storing data representing one or more items, data representing a first user account, and data representing a second user account, said item associated with said first user game account;

an auction server having a network connection and connected to said first server though said network connections, and storing data providing an online auction for items from said first server; and

an auction database connected to said auction server, said auction database storing data representing one or more items received from said first server, data representing a first user auction account, and data representing a second user auction account.

15. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in transferring privileges, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

select a game item in an online game provided by a game server, wherein said game item is represented by item data stored in a game database connected to said game server, said item data is associated with a first user account, and said item data has an associated privilege in said online game;

retrieve said item data from said game database;

transfer auction item data and a first user identifier to an auction server, said auction item data corresponding to said item data and said first user identifier corresponding to said first user account;

disable said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is not available in said online game;

confirm the completion of a transfer of money based on the completion of an auction by said auction server, identified by said first user identifier;

update said item data stored in said game database so that said item data is associated with a second user account identified by a second user identifier received from said auction server; and

enable said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is available in said online game.

16. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in transferring privileges, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

store game item data and a first user identifier received from a game server, said first user identifier corresponding to a first user account with said game server, and said game item data having an associated privilege in an online game provided by said game server;

present an auction for said game item;

accept one or more bids for said game item;

determine a winning bid for said game item from among accepted bids, said winning bid indicating a second user identifier and said second user identifier corresponding to a second user account with said game server;

confirm the transfer of money based on said winning bid from an account indicated by said second user identifier to an account indicated by said first user identifier;

send a confirmation to said game server indicating the completion of said auction and that said privilege is to be transferred from said first user account to said second user account.

17. A system for transferring privileges, comprising:

means for selecting a game item in an online game provided by a game server, wherein said game item is represented by item data stored in a game database connected to said game server, said item data is associated with a first user account, and said item data has an associated privilege in said online game;

means for retrieving said item data from said game database;

means for transferring auction item data and a first user identifier to an auction server, said auction item data corresponding to said item data and said first user identifier corresponding to said first user account;

means for disabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is not available in said online game;

means for storing said transferred data in an auction database connected to said auction server;

means for presenting an auction for said game item at said auction server;

means for accepting one or more bids at said auction server for said game item;

means for determining a winning bid for said game item from among accepted bids, said winning bid indicating a second user identifier and said second user identifier corresponding to a second user account with said game server;

means for transferring money based on said winning bid from an account indicated by said second user identifier to an account indicated by said first user identifier;

means for updating said item data stored in said game database so that said item data is associated with said second user account; and

means for enabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is available in said online game.