SECURE TRANSFER OF DIGITAL OBJECTS

• US 20090327723A1
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Schmitter, Eric, Yates, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• 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 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• 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 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• 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

Abstract

Transferring a digital object, comprising: receiving a digital object; validating the received digital object according to predefined rules; building a description of the validated digital object; providing access to the description to select the validated, described digital object for transfer; and transferring the validated, described digital object.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a digital object, comprising:

receiving a digital object;

validating the received digital object according to predefined rules;

building a description of the validated digital object;

providing access to the description to select the validated, described digital object for transfer; and

transferring the validated, described digital object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said receiving includes receiving the digital object from a first client device; and

said transferring includes transferring the validated, described digital object to a second client device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing access to the description includes facilitating a search for the description.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

transacting an exchange for the validated, described digital object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said transacting an exchange includes:

determining a payment in exchange for the validated, described digital object; and

facilitating a transfer of the payment.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital object is a developed item.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

disabling a copy of the digital object on the first client device upon said receiving the digital object.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising

deleting a copy of the digital object on the first client device upon said transferring the validated, described digital object to a second client device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising

decrypting the digital object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising

updating DRM information relating to the digital object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said validating includes

analyzing data comprising the digital object to ensure conformance with the predefined rules.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said analyzing data includes

testing the data to comprising the digital object to ensure that no performance parameters are out of bounds.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital object is a digital car object and the predefined rules ensure that no performance parameters for the digital car object are out of bounds.

13. A system for transferring a digital object, comprising:

a validation module to validate a digital object according to predefined rules;

a description module to build a description of the validated digital object;

an access module providing access to the description of the digital object to select the validated, described digital object for transfer; and

a transfer module to transfer the validated, described digital object.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the validation module receives the digital object from a first client device; and

the transfer module transfers the validated, described digital object to a second client device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising an encryption module to:

generate an encryption key; and

decrypt the digital object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the encryption key is used to encrypt the digital object at the first client device.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising

a digital rights management (“

DRM”

) module to update DRM information of the digital object.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising

a transaction module to facilitate an exchange for the validated, described digital object.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for use in transferring a digital object, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

receive a digital object;

validate the digital object according to predefined rules;

build a description of the validated digital object;

provide access to the description to select the validated, described digital object for transfer; and

transfer the validated, described digital object.

20. The computer program of claim 19, wherein:

the digital object is received from a first client device; and

the validated, described digital object is transferred to a second client device.

21. The computer program of claim 20, wherein the digital object is a developed item.

22. The computer program of claim 21, wherein a copy of the digital object is disabled on the first client device when the digital object is received.

23. The computer program of claim 21, wherein a copy of the digital object is deleted on the first client device when the validated, described digital object is transferred.

24. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the program further comprises executable instructions that cause a computer to:

determine a payment amount; and

facilitate a transfer of the payment amount from the user.