Method and system for enhancing video games and video game systems

• US 20060287105A1
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Willis, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,348,762 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• 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 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS
• 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: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

A system making use of video games and data communications external to video games is used to provide advertisements, prizes and other benefits to gamers. The prizes relate to either of real world products and services as well as content for use within the video game environment. During a video game session an advertisement is provided to the gamer. When the gamer interacts with the advertisement the video game software acts to facilitate a transaction between the gamer and the advertiser.

Claims

1. A storage medium having instruction data encoded thereon, the instruction data for when executed by a suitable processing device supporting:

executing a video game; and

,

impressing upon a gamer interfacing with the video game an impression within the video game and within a field of view of a video game environment during normal execution thereof, the impression comprising a code indicative of an address for contacting a remote system via other than the video game, the impressed code varying over the life of the video game.

2. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the impression comprises a code indicative of an address for contacting a remote system via other than the video game system.

3. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the code comprises a short message service (SMS) code.

4. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the instruction data is for:

establishing a data communication path between a download server and the video game system via a public network; and

,

prior to impressing upon the gamer, providing data indicative of the code from the download server to the video game system via the public network.

5. A method comprising:

providing a video game system;

providing instruction data for when executed resulting in execution of a video game;

executing the instruction data; and

,

impressing upon a gamer interfacing with the video game an impression within the video game and within a field of view of a video game environment during normal execution thereof, the impression comprising a code indicative of an address for contacting a remote system via other than the video game, the impressed code varying over the life of the video game.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the impression comprises a code indicative of an address for contacting a remote system via other than the video game system.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the code comprises a short message service (SMS) code.

8. A method according to claim 5 comprising:

providing a download server;

providing a public network;

establishing a data communication path between the download server and the video game system via the public network; and

,

prior to impressing upon the gamer, providing data indicative of the code from the download server to the video game system via the public network.

9. A method according to claim 6 comprising:

providing an upload server; and

,

using the upload server, receiving data comprising the code.

10. A method according to claim 7 comprising:

associating a user of the video game system with the short message service data.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein associating a user of the video game system comprises:

associating the gamer with the code data and the instruction data.

12. A method according to claim 10 comprising:

billing an account associated with the gamer in response to providing the code to the upload server.

13. A method according to claim 6 comprising:

providing a data communications device comprising an input port, the data communications device being other than in data communication with the video game system;

receiving data comprising the code via the input port; and

, transmitting data corresponding to the code from the data communications device to an external server.

14. A method comprising:

providing real world data, the real world data relating to real world events;

providing within a video game, an interface for receiving the real world data;

providing the real world data to the video game in execution thereof;

using the real world data to affect events and video game play based on the real world events; and

providing a video game experience encompassing events analogous to the real world events, the video game experience varying with a variation of the real world events.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the real world data comprises real world meteorological data and wherein the events relate to weather within a virtual world of the video game.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the real world data comprises real world traffic data and wherein the events relate to traffic within a virtual world of the video game.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the real world data comprises real world economic data.

18. A method according claim 14, wherein the real world data comprises real world political data.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein the real world data comprises real world terrorism data.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein the real world data comprises real world sports data.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the real world sports data comprises data associated with at least one of a specific team and a specific athlete.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein the real world sports data comprises data associated with a specific racing car.

23. A method according to any of claims 20, wherein the real world sports data comprises data associated with a specific period of time having a chronological beginning and a chronological end.

24. A method according to any of claim 14, wherein the real world data is used to mimic corresponding real world events in a virtual environment of the video game.