Rewarding Initial Purchasers of Digital Media

• US 20100306038A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Harris, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 10,325,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

Rewarding a first classification of purchasers of digital media is provided. Such a classification may include initial purchasers (e.g., purchasers of new items) and secondary purchasers (e.g., purchasers of previously used items). A digital medium is played on a digital device and a notification is sent to a server. The server identifies the user of the digital device based on a unique device identifier associated with the digital device and a stored association of that digital device with the user. The user is determined to belong to the first classification of purchasers of the digital medium based on a unique identifier associated with the digital medium. The user, belonging to the first classification of purchasers, is provided with access to a reward that is not generally accessible to users belonging to a second classification. Users that are identified as belonging to the second classification may be offered a chance to upgrade their classification and access the reward.

Claims

1. A method for rewarding a classification of purchaser of digital media, the method comprising:

receiving a notification that a digital medium is being played on a digital device, the digital medium and the digital device each having a unique identifier, the notification received at a server;

executing instructions stored in memory at the server, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor at the server;

identifies a user of the digital device based on matching the unique device identifier to the user, the association between the user and the unique device identifier stored in memory at the server, and

determines that the user belongs to a first classification of purchasers of the digital medium, the determination based on comparison of information related to the unique identifier associated with the digital medium and the identity of the user; and

providing the user with access to a reward based on the determination that the user belongs to the first classification of purchasers of the digital medium, wherein the reward is not accessible to users belonging to a second classification of purchasers of the digital medium without engaging in an additional transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first classification of purchasers includes initial purchasers of the digital medium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward includes a level of audio-visual quality in the play of the digital medium on the digital device, wherein the level of audio-visual quality is superior to a level of audio-visual quality available to users belonging to the second classification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward includes the ability to receive or be associated with a digital trophy.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the digital trophy is associated with the user and portable across a plurality of other digital media.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward includes the ability to customize play of or interaction with the digital medium.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the customizability applies to a decorative feature of a digital environment, the decorative feature to be rendered during play of the digital media.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the customizability applies to a sound effect, the sound effect to be played at a moment designated by the user during play of the digital media.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the customizability applies to the recognition of the configuration of a control device for interacting with the content of the digital medium.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital medium is a video game and the reward includes enhancement of an ability exercised by a character in the video game and associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ability may be shared with a team of characters associated with character associated with the user in the video game.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital medium is a video game and the reward includes an ability exercised by a character in the video game and associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital medium is a video game and the reward includes a tutorial concerning an aspect of game play.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital medium is a video game and the reward includes introduction of an additional save point to the video game, the save point allowing game play information to be saved at a designated moment in game play whereby the user is able to restart game play based on the game play information saved at the save point.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward includes an additional mode for play of the digital medium.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward includes information related to the digital medium.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward includes a discount applicable to a future purchase of an item available for sale.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward has been previously stored in the digital medium and providing the user with access to the reward includes granting access to the reward stored in the digital medium, the reward otherwise being inaccessible at the digital medium absent the user having been provided access to the reward.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is downloaded to the digital device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is only available to users belonging to the second classification of purchasers of the digital medium as a part of a financial transaction.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a second user belongs to the second classification of purchaser of the digital medium and generating an offer to the second user, the offer concerning access to the reward.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for rewarding a first classification of purchasers of digital media, the method comprising:

receiving a notification that a digital medium is being played on a digital device, the digital medium and the digital device each associated with a unique identifier;

identifying a user of the digital device based on matching the unique device identifier to the user based on an association between the user and the unique device identifier, and

determining that the user belongs to a first classification of purchasers of the digital medium, the determination based on comparison of information related to the unique identifier associated with the digital medium and the identity of the user; and

providing the user with access to a reward based on the determination that the user belongs to the first classification of purchasers of the digital medium, wherein the reward is not accessible to users belonging to a second classification of purchasers of the digital medium without engaging in an additional transaction.