USER SELECTABLE GAME INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH AN ASSET

• US 20130218651A1
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chugh, Yogesh
• Application Number:
  US13/846,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods for interacting with a virtual world being displayed on a video display are described. The virtual world includes user selectable tagged images. The tagged images are related to an asset and can include a redemption feature that can be used when acquiring the asset. A user interacting with a game console can select the tagged images. Upon selection of the tagged image the game console can communicate information related to the tagged image, the related asset and/or the redemption feature to a mobile device. The tagged images can also be associated with distribution rules that can be evaluated to determine when and to whom to distribute digital coupons associated with the tagged images.

Claims

1. A method of distributing advertising coupons, the method comprising:

receiving a digital coupon, the digital coupon comprising image data and information relating the digital coupon to an asset, the digital coupon further comprising rules associated with limiting the distribution of the digital coupon;

displaying a virtual world on a video display;

displaying the image of the digital coupon within the virtual world on the video display;

receiving an input from a input device indicating selection of the digital coupon image by a user interacting with the virtual world;

determining that the digital coupon can be distributed by evaluating the rules limiting the distribution of the digital coupon; and

upon determining that the digital coupon can be distributed, wirelessly communicating information to a mobile device, the communicated information related to one or more of the digital coupon and the asset with which the digital coupon is associated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon determining that the digital coupon can be distributed, storing in memory one or more of a record of the selected digital coupon and a record of the asset associated with the digital coupon.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

prior to wirelessly communicating the information to the mobile device, detecting the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rules limit the number of digital coupons that are distributed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rules limit distribution of the digital coupon to certain users participating in the virtual world.

6. A system for distributing advertising coupons, the system comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a digital coupon, the digital coupon comprising image data and information associating the digital coupon to an asset, the digital coupon further comprising rules associated with limiting the distribution of the digital coupon;

a video subsystem configured to display a virtual world on a video display, and to display the image of the digital coupon within the virtual world on the video display;

an input interface configured to receive an input from a input device indicating selection of the digital coupon by a user interacting with the virtual world;

a coupon distribution module configured to determine that the digital coupon can be distributed by evaluating the rules limiting the distribution of the digital coupon; and

a wireless interface configured to wirelessly communicate information to a mobile device upon determining that the digital coupon can be distributed, the communicated information related to one or more of the digital coupon and the asset with which the digital coupon is associated.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the coupon distribution module is further configured to store in memory one or more of a record of the selected digital coupon and a record of the asset associated with the digital coupon upon determining that the digital coupon can be distributed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the wireless interface is further configured to detect the mobile device prior to wirelessly communicating the information to the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the rules limit the number of digital coupons that are distributed.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions for performing a method of distributing advertising coupons, the method comprising:

receiving a digital coupon, the digital coupon comprising image data and information relating the digital coupon to an asset, the digital coupon further comprising rules associated with limiting the distribution of the digital coupon;

displaying a virtual world on a video display;

displaying the image of the digital coupon within the virtual world on the video display;

receiving an input from a input device indicating selection of the digital coupon image by a user interacting with the virtual world;

determining that the digital coupon can be distributed by evaluating the rules limiting the distribution of the digital coupon; and

upon determining that the digital coupon can be distributed, wirelessly communicating information to a mobile device, the communicated information related to one or more of the digital coupon and the asset with which the digital coupon is associated.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for storing in memory one or more of a record of the selected digital coupon and a record of the asset associated with the digital coupon upon determining that the digital coupon can be distributed.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for detecting the mobile device prior to wirelessly communicating the information to the mobile device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the rules received by the instructions limit the number of digital coupons that are distributed.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the rules received by the instructions limit distribution of the digital coupon to certain users participating in the virtual world.