PROACTIVE APPLICATION COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20110092230A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wenger, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A device may include a contact information database and a processor. The processor may interact with a participant in a session with an application, obtain information that is associated with the session, generate a message based on the obtained information after the session terminates, obtain a list of contacts that includes at least one of the participant and members in the contact information database, and send the message to a first one of the contacts, the message providing information to motivate one of the contacts to join a future session with the application.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a contact information database; and

a processor to;

interact with a participant in a session with an application,

obtain information that is associated with the session,

generate a message based on the obtained information after the session terminates,

obtain a list of contacts that includes at least one of the participant and members in the contact information database, and

send the message to a first one of the contacts, the message providing information to motivate one of the contacts to join a future session with the application.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the message includes at least one of:

an audio clip, a video clip, a text message, or an email.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes:

a game console, a netbook, a laptop, a personal computer, or a server device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes:

a cellular telephone or a personal digital assistant, and

wherein the contact information database includes at least one of an address book or a phone book.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the contact information database includes at least one of:

a telephone number, an email address, a network address, or a uniform resource locator.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the application includes at least one of:

a game or an online order entry program.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the message includes at least one of:

a request for the participant to join a game session;

a challenge to the participant to defeat a character in a game;

a description of how the participant was defeated by a character in a role playing game;

a description of a type of product that the participant purchased during the session;

or

an electronic discount coupon.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the obtained information includes at least one of:

an email address, a name of a character within the application, a time of the session, duration of the session, an outcome of the participant facing an obstacle in a game during the session, or a product description.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein before the processor sends the message, the processor is further configured to:

select a time for sending the message based on the time of the session.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein before the processor sends the message, the processor is further configured to call a communication application program interface to send the message.

11. A method comprising:

interacting with a participant in a first session with a game application installed on a device;

obtaining information that is associated with the first session;

generating a message based on the obtained information;

obtaining a list of contacts based on at least one of a phone book of the participant or an address book of the participant;

sending the message to a first one of the contacts, the message providing information to motivate one of the contacts to join a future session with the game application.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

collecting, during the first session, at least one of state information of the game application or state information associated with the device; and

determining whether to send the message to the first one of the contacts, by comparing the collected state information to current state information of the device or the game application.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the message includes:

inserting a challenge or taunt inside the message.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein sending the message includes:

sending an audio clip or a video clip.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein obtaining the information includes:

obtaining a name of a character whose role the participant assumed during the first session.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending messages to other participants in the first session.

17. A computer-readable medium for storing computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:

interacting with a participant in a session;

obtaining information that is associated with the session;

generating a message based on the obtained information after the session terminates; and

presenting the message to the participant to motivate the participant to join a future session.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the session includes:

a commercial transaction;

or

a gaming session.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for sending the message includes instructions for at least one of:

playing an audio clip or a video clip;

displaying an email message, a text message, or a short messaging service (SMS) message;

or

emulating a phone call.

20. The computer-readable readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for:

collecting, during the session, state information of a device that includes the computer-readable medium; and

comparing the collected state information to current state information to determine whether to present the message.