Interactive communication system for communicating video game and karaoke software

• US 20070060356A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ADC Technology Inc. (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ADC Technology Inc. (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Takeya
• Application Number:
  US11/598,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• 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 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/026 for games, e.g. videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/125 Library distribution, i.e. distributing musical pieces from a central or master library
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/181 Billing, i.e. purchasing of data contents for use with electrophonic musical instruments; Protocols therefor; Management of transmission or connection time therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/261 Satellite transmission for musical instrument purposes, e.g. processing for mitigation of satellite transmission delays
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/265 CATV transmission, i.e. electrophonic musical instruments connected to community antennas or cable television networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A communication system is proposed for transmitting at least one of the data, the program, and a combination of them from a host facility to a communicator such as a communication terminal device. In this communication system, the data or the program becomes unable to be used when a predetermined time has elapsed after it is transmitted from the host facility to the communicator. This communication system is provided with the function of giving a warning before the use of the transmission becomes unable and the function of resuming the use in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction even after the use becomes unable.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method of distributing entertainment comprising the steps of:

receiving a request, via a remote communication terminal, for transmission of data from a distribution site, the data being at least one of video data or audio data;

charging a fee for the requested data;

transmitting the data from the distribution site to the remote communication terminal wherein the requested data is capable of being stored in a memory at the remote communication terminal; and

allowing usage of the transmitted data at the remote communication terminal.

23. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, further comprising a step of maintaining the at least one of the video data or audio data also at the distribution site.

24. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, further comprising a step of limiting use of the data at the remote communication terminal for a predetermined time period.

25. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, wherein the remote communication terminal is a plurality of remote communication terminals, and the plurality of remote communication terminals are able to communicate with the distribution site via communication lines and request the data.

26. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, further comprising the step of limiting use of the data at the remote communication terminal based on a predetermined restriction.

27. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 26, wherein the use is limited by deleting the data.

28. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 27, wherein the data is deleted from the memory of the remote communication terminal.

29. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 27, wherein prior to deleting the data a warning is sent to the remote communication terminal.

30. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 26, wherein the predetermined restriction is at least one of a mechanically based restriction or a software based restriction.

31. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 26, wherein the predetermine restriction is enabled based on a predetermined time period.

32. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 31, wherein the predetermine time period is measured from a time of use of the data.

33. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 31, wherein the predetermine time period is measured from a time of transmission of the data.

34. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 31, wherein the predetermine time period is measured from a time when consistent use stops.

35. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, further comprising the step of charging includes automatically charging a user'"'"'s account a fee for a predetermined time period of use of the transmitted data.

36. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, wherein the charging step includes an automatic transfer system between a user'"'"'s account and a distribution site account.

37. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, wherein the transmission is performed wirelessly.

38. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, wherein the remote communication terminal is a plurality of remote communication terminals, and the plurality of remote communication terminals are able to communicate with the distribution site via a wireless connection and request the data.

39. The method of distributing entertainment according to claim 22, wherein the remote communication terminal is a plurality of remote communication terminals, and the plurality of remote communication terminals are able to communicate with each other.

40. A method of distributing information comprising the steps of:

requesting, via a communication terminal, data from a distribution site;

charging a fee for the data; and

transmitting the data from the distribution site to the communication terminal, wherein the requested data is capable of being stored in a memory at the communication terminal, and the use of the transmitted data is restricted.

41. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, further comprising the step of maintaining the data also at the distribution site.

42. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, further comprising the step of restricting use of the data at the communication terminal is based on a predetermined restriction.

43. The method of distributing information according to claim 42, wherein the predetermined restriction is at least one of a mechanically based restriction or a software based restriction.

44. The method of distributing information according to claim 42, wherein the predetermine restriction is enabled based on a predetermined time period.

45. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, wherein the use is restricted by deleting the data.

46. The method of distributing information according to claim 45, wherein the data is deleted from the memory of the remote communication terminal.

47. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, wherein the data is image data.

48. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, wherein the data is video data.

49. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, wherein the data is audio data.

50. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, wherein the data is a combination of audio and video data.

51. The method of distributing information according to claim 40, wherein the data is software data.

52. A method of distributing information comprising the steps of:

using a communication terminal to request data from a distribution site;

transmitting the data from the distribution site to the communication terminal, wherein the requested data is capable of being stored in a memory at the communication terminal, and the use of the transmitted data is restricted based on a predetermined time period; and

charging a fee for the data.

53. The method of distributing information according to claim 52, wherein the use is restricted by deleting the data.

54. The method of distributing information according to claim 53, wherein the data is deleted from the memory of the remote communication terminal.

55. The method of distributing information according to claim 52, wherein the predetermine time period is measured from a time of use of the data.

56. The method of distributing information according to claim 52, wherein the predetermine time period is measured from a time of transmission of the data.

57. The method of distributing information according to claim 52, wherein the predetermine time period is measured from a time when consistent use of the data stops.

58. The method of distributing information according to claim 52, wherein the data is at least one of image data, video data, audio data, a combination of audio and video data, and software data.

59. A method of distributing information comprising the steps of:

using a communication terminal to request data from a distribution site, wherein the data is at least one of image data, video data, audio data, a combination of audio and video data, and software data;

transmitting the data from the distribution site to the communication terminal, wherein the requested data is capable of being stored in a memory at the communication terminal; and

charging a fee for the data.

60. The method of distributing information according to claim 59, further comprising a step of restricting use of the data at the communication terminal based on a predetermined restriction.

61. The method of distributing information according to claim 60, wherein the predetermined restriction is at least one of a mechanically based restriction or a software based restriction.

62. The method of distributing information according to claim 60, wherein the predetermine restriction is enabled based on a predetermined time period.

63. The method of distributing information according to claim 60, wherein the use is restricted by deleting the data.