Computer system and method for transmitting user status information

• US 20080098118A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Shinichi, Kutaragi, Ken, Miura, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• 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 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• 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 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00855 involving a step of exchanging information with a remote server

Abstract

A computer system enabling mutual exchange of information between users and digital content, in a manner corresponding to each individual disk, comprises a plurality of computers each capable of being loaded with a disk having a unique disk ID, and a verification server capable of being connected with the computers via a network. Each disk has a unique ID, and the verification server has a user database for accumulating user information corresponding to the disk ID. The verification server identifies the disk based on the disk ID, and transmits data corresponding to the disk to the computer.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with a recording medium having a unique recording medium ID;

a verification server connected with the user computers via a network, the verification server including a user database provided with the unique recording medium IDs; and

at least one content server connected to the verification server via a network and having a content database associated therewith;

wherein the verification server is programmed to;

require the recording medium ID from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server and for verifying the request based on information recorded in the user database;

establish communications between the user computers and the desired content server when the request is verified;

request user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and the user computer from the user computers and for transmitting the user status information to the desired content server; and

receive information corresponding to the user status information from the content database of the desired content server and for transmitting content information from the desired content server to the user computers to thereby provide the content requested by the user computers and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the user status information comprises at least one of a serial number and a version number of a program.

3. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the user status information comprises data indicative of the completion status of a game played on the user computer.

4. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the content information transmitted to the user computer comprises data for upgrading at least one of the programs and data.

5. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the content information transmitted to the user computer comprises data for debugging at least one of the programs and data.

6. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein:

the user computers further comprise means for supplying to the verification server the user status information.

7. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein:

the user computers each have unique device IDs;

the user database contains information relating to the device IDs; and

the verification server is further programmed to;

obtain the device IDs from the user computers when the user computers request the data from the desired content server; and

identify the user computers based on the device IDs and the user information in the user database.

8. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein:

each user of each of the user computers has a unique user ID;

the user database contains information relating to the user IDs; and

the verification server is further programmed to;

obtain the user IDs from the user computers when the user computers request the data from the desired content server; and

identify the user based on the user ID and the user information in the user database.

9. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the verification server is connected, via a network, to at least one content server having digital content.

10. A computer system according to claim 9, wherein the verification server is further programmed to:

perform verification of the recording medium based on the recording medium ID; and

determine whether or not to permit providing of the digital content from the content server to the user computer, based on the results of the verification.

11. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with a recording medium storing at least one of programs and data;

a verification server connected with the user computers via a network; and

at least one content server connected to the verification server via a network and having a content database associated therewith;

wherein the user computers each comprise means for supplying to the verification server user status information representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and the user computer; and

the verification server is programmed to;

obtain the user status information from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server connected to the verification server;

prepare the requested data according to the user status information; and

transmit the requested data to the user computers to thereby provide the data requested by the users and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers.

12. A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said requested data is data for updating at least one of programs and data stored in said recording medium.

13. A computer system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one content server having digital content,

wherein the requested data is prepared by sending the user status information to the content server, and

wherein the content server is programmed to select the digital content according to the user status information and transmit the selected digital content to the verification server.

14. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with a recording medium storing at least one of programs and data; and

a verification server connected with the user computers via a network, wherein;

each of the user computers has a unique device ID; and

the verification server comprises;

a user database provided with user status information corresponding to the device IDs; and

the verification server is programmed to;

require the device IDs from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server connected to the verification server;

identify the user computer based on the device ID and the user status information in the user database;

request user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and user computer from the user computer and for transmitting the user status information to the desired content server;

prepare the requested data according to the identified user computer and the user status information; and

transmit the requested data to the user computers to thereby provide the data requested by the users and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers.

15. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with a recording medium storing at least one of programs and data; and

a verification server connected with the user computers via a network, wherein;

each user of each of the user computers has a unique user ID; and

the verification server further comprises;

a user database provided with user status information corresponding to the user IDs; and

the verification server is operable to

require the user IDs from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server connected to the verification server;

identify the user based on the user ID and the user status information in the user database;

request user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and the user computer from the user computer and for transmitting the user status information to the desired content server;

prepare the requested data according to the identified user and the user status information; and

transmit the requested data to the user computers to thereby provide the data requested by the users and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers.

16. A verification server capable of being connected, via a network, with a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with one or more recording media each having a unique recording medium ID, the verification server comprising:

a user database provided with user status information corresponding to the recording medium IDs;

wherein the verification server is programmed to;

require the recording medium IDs from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server connected to the verification server;

identify a given recording medium based on the recording medium ID and the user status information in the user database;

request user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording media and the user computer from the user computer and for transmitting the user status information to the desired content server;

prepare the requested data according to the identified recording medium and the user status information; and

transmit the requested data to the user computers to thereby provide the data requested by the users and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers.

17. A user computer capable of being loaded with a recording medium storing at least one of programs and data, and capable of being connected with a verification server via a network, the verification server being connected at least one content server via a network and having a content database associated therewith, and the recording medium having a unique ID, the user computer being programmed to:

supply at least one of an ID unique of the user computer, an ID unique of the recording medium and an ID unique of the user, to the verification server as verification information, when a request for data associated with a desired content server is made by a user;

supply user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and the user computer to the verification server;

receive a result of verification from the verification server; and

receive content information corresponding to the user status information from the desired content server and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers.