Interactive entertainment content control

• US 6,222,925 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Freitag, Rosa, Shiels, Martin A., Cole, Richard S., Rankin, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US09/439,199
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 380/211, 345/328, 348/5.5, 348/13, 348/473
• US Class Current: 380/211
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television 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 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for control access to, and user interaction with, a branch structured narrative entertainment (70). Selected paths (parallel lined portions BC, DE, GY) are locked to a user and may only be accessed on presentation of predetermined access data. The access data may comprise user identification codes or may be the time of day, with such paths only being made available at specific times.

Claims

1. A computer program segment embodied on a computer readable medium operable to output sequences of image frames comprising a user-influenced path through a branch structured narrative, said computer program segment comprising:

a first computer code segment operable to determine when the narrative reaches one of a plurality of branch points, operable to retrieve one of two or more image frame sequences in dependence on a user input, and operable to prompt the user for input that determines path selection at least at one of said plurality of branch points; and

a second computer code segment operable to identify one or more image frame sequence as locked, operable to retrieve predetermined access data when a branch point having one or more locked path is approaching, and operable to restrict user selection to other than the locked path or paths in the absence of said predetermined access data.

2. The computer program of claim 1, wherein said second computer code segment is operable to retrieve a user specific code as said predetermined access data and to restrict user selection to other than the locked path or paths in the absence of said user specific code being a predetermined value.

3. The computer program of claim 1, wherein said second computer code segment is operable to retrieve a user specific code as said predetermined access data and to restrict user selection to other than the locked path or paths in the absence of said user specific code being at least one of a plurality of predetermined values.

4. The computer program of claim 1, wherein said second computer code segment is operable to retrieve a time indication as said predetermined access data and to restrict user selection to other than the locked path or paths in the absence of said time indication being within a specified period.

5. The computer program segment of claim 1, wherein said computer program segment is operable to identify said predetermined access data from a data transmission.

6. The computer program segment of claim 1, wherein the first computer code segment is operable to identify at least two image frame sequences as locked and requiring of at least two respective different arrangements of predetermined access data for unlocking, and is operable to call for the appropriate one of the at least two different respective access data arrangements.

7. The computer program segment of claim 1, wherein the computer program segment is operable to generate a user message in the event of non-receipt of said predetermined access data.

8. The computer program segment of claim 1, wherein the computer program segment is operable to identify at least two locking levels for respective paths, with different predetermined access data for each locking level.

9. The computer program segment of claim 1, wherein the computer program segment is operable to identify an encrypted locked path image sequence and to utilize said predetermined access data as one or more decryption key codes for decrypting the encrypted locked path image sequence.

10. The computer program segment of claim 1, wherein the computer program segment is operable to generate a visual indication of each approaching branch point except where a branch has only one unlocked path therefrom and said predetermined access data is absent.

11. A computer program segment operable to present to a user a branch structured narrative having a plurality of branch points, operable to prompt a user for input to determine which path is followed at a narrative branch point, and operable to identify a narrative path as locked and to require predetermined access data to present to the user the locked narrative path.

12. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein said computer program segment is operable to retrieve a user specific code as said predetermined access data and to restrict user selection to other than the locked path in the absence of said user specific code being a predetermined value.

13. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein said computer program segment is operable to retrieve a user specific code as said predetermined access data and to restrict user selection to other than the locked path in the absence of said user specific code being at least one of a plurality of predetermined values.

14. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein said computer program segment is operable to retrieve a time indication as said predetermined access data and to restrict user selection to other than the locked path in the absence of said time indication being within a specified period.

15. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein said computer program segment is operable to identify said predetermined access data from a data transmission.

16. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein said computer program segment is operable to identify at least two image frame sequences as locked and requiring of at least two respective different arrangements of predetermined access data for unlocking, and is operable to call for the appropriate one of the at least two different respective access data arrangements.

17. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein the computer program segment is operable to generate a user message in the event of non-receipt of said predetermined access data.

18. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein the computer program segment is operable to identify at least two locking levels for respective paths, with different predetermined access data for each locking level.

19. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein the computer program segment is operable to identify an encrypted locked path image sequence and to utilize said predetermined access data as one or more decryption key codes for decrypting the encrypted locked path image sequence.

20. The computer program segment of claim 11, wherein the computer program segment is operable to generate a visual indication of each approaching branch point except where a branch has only one unlocked path therefrom and said predetermined access data is absent.

21. Interactive entertainment apparatus operable to output sequences of image frames comprising a user-influenced path through a branch structured narrative, the apparatus comprising:

a source of image frames for all branch structure paths of the narrative;

branch storage means for data defining the narrative branch structure;

user operable input means;

branch selection means coupled to the branch store and operable to determine when the narrative reaches one of a plurality of branch points and to call one of two or more image frame sequences from the image frame source in dependence on the user input wherein at least one of said plurality of branch points prompts the user for input that determines path selection; and

an output for the selected image frame sequences;

wherein the branch storage means contains further data identifying one or more image frame sequences as locked, and the branch selection means is operable to determine when a branch point having one or more locked paths therefrom is approaching, to call for predetermined access data, and to restrict selection to other than the locked path or paths in the absence of said predetermined access data.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising user storage means containing at least one user specific code, said code satisfying the call for predetermined access data and said branch selection means being configured to access the user storage means when calling.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said user storage means is non-volatile and removable from the apparatus.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein said user storage means comprises a data card holding said at least one user specific code, and said apparatus further comprises means for reading said code from the card.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the or each user specific code is stored in the user memory following input thereof via the user operable input means.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a current time of day source accessible by said branch selection means, wherein the call for predetermined access data is satisfied when the current time lies within a specified period.

27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said source of image frames includes a remote server connected to the apparatus through a data transmission network, wherein the predetermined access data is transmitted from the remote server to the apparatus, and the apparatus is operable to identify and store said predetermined access data.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the branch storage means identifies at least two image frame sequences as locked and requiring of respective different arrangements of predetermined access data by the branch selection means for unlocking, and said branch selection means is operable to call for the appropriate one of the at least two different respective access data arrangements.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising image generating means operable to generate display messages to the user on initialization of the apparatus and in the event of non-receipt of the predetermined access data.

30. A method for control of an interactive entertainment apparatus, where the apparatus presents to a user a branch structured narrative having a plurality of branch points, and at least one of said plurality of branch points prompts a user for user input such that said user input determines which path is followed in at least one narrative branch point, and where one or more narrative paths is identified as locked and requires predetermined access data to be presented to allow access thereto, otherwise an unlocked path will be followed.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein at least two locking levels are supported for respective paths, with different predetermined access data being required for each locking level.

32. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein locked path image sequences are encrypted and the predetermined access data comprises one or more decryption key codes.

33. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the user is provided with a visual indication of each approaching branch point except where a branch has only one unlocked path therefrom and the predetermined access data has not been received.

34. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the predetermined access data requirement is satisfied by an indication that the local time of day is within a specified period.

35. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the predetermined access data requirement is satisfied by an indication that the local date is within a specified period.