Interactive communication system for communicating video game and karaoke software

• US 6,702,585 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADC Technology Inc. (H.B. Fuller Co. (Indonesia))
• Original Assignee: ADC Technology Inc. (H.B. Fuller Co. (Indonesia))
• Inventors: Okamoto, Takeya
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US10/307,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20030077557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/307-R-3, 434/350, 434/365, 844/77.R, 846/10, 463/16, 463/17, 463/23, 463/25, 463/40-46, 386/105, 386/125, 386/126, 345/744, 348/552, 705/14, 705/26, 705/30, 705/34, 705/50, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 434/307.00A
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/026 for games, e.g. videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/125 Library distribution, i.e. distributing musical pieces from a central or master library
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/181 Billing, i.e. purchasing of data contents for use with electrophonic musical instruments; Protocols therefor; Management of transmission or connection time therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/261 Satellite transmission for musical instrument purposes, e.g. processing for mitigation of satellite transmission delays
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/265 CATV transmission, i.e. electrophonic musical instruments connected to community antennas or cable television networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A communication system is proposed for transmitting at least one of the data, the program, and a combination of them from a host facility to a communicator such as a communication terminal device. In this communication system, the data or the program becomes unable to be used when a predetermined time has elapsed after it is transmitted from the host facility to the communicator. This communication system is provided with the function of giving a warning before the use of the transmission becomes unable and the function of resuming the use in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction even after the use becomes unable.

Claims

1. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator transmits its ID number and a desired game number as a request data to the distribution center.

2. The software distributing system set forth in claim 1, wherein the use fee is varied depending on contents or freshness of the transmitted game information.

3. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the distribution center transmits a data on displaying a list of games numbered which can be transmitted to the personal communicator, and the personal communicator displays the list of the games numbered which can be requested.

4. The software distributing system set forth in claim 3, wherein the personal communicator scrolls the list to display all the games in the list.

5. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator can display summaries of the games for selection.

6. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator displays the number of people who can participate in the game.

7. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator displays the use fee of the game information.

8. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the name information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the distribution center charges the use fee at a fixed rate.

9. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the distribution center charges the use fee at a metered rate.

10. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the distribution center charges the use fee per the personal communicator.

11. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator displays an accumulated amount of the use fee.

12. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator displays a history of the use fee.

13. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator stores the game information transmitted from the distribution center in the memory temporarily.

14. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the system transmitting game information stored in a game software database provided in the distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the game information via communication lines, storing the game information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling game play in accordance with the game information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the game information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted game information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator is connected to another personal communicator for bi-directional communication so that a plurality of personal communicators can participate in one and the same game.

15. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the software distributing system transmitting karaoke information stored in a karaoke database provided in a distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the karaoke information via communication lines, storing the karaoke information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling karaoke music play in accordance with the karaoke information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the karaoke information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted karaoke information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator transmits its ID number and a desired karaoke information number as a request data to the distribution center.

16. A software distributing system comprising a personal communicator for bi-directional communication and a distribution center, the software distributing system transmitting karaoke information stored in a karaoke database provided in a distribution center to the personal communicator which requested the karaoke information via communication lines, storing the karaoke information in a memory provided in the personal communicator, and enabling karaoke music play in accordance with the karaoke information stored in the memory,

the distribution center comprising:

a mechanism for transmitting the karaoke information at the request of the personal communicator to the personal communicator; and

a mechanism for charging a use fee on the use of the transmitted karaoke information in the personal communicator and for direct debit against an account in a banking institution; and

the personal communicator can display an accumulated amount of the use fee.