Advertisement distribution system and server

• US 6,790,142 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation), SETA Corporation (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo, Nonaka, Nobuyuki, Fujimoto, Jun, Nakagawa, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Application Number:
  US10/114,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20020155891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/30, 463/31, 705/14, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

An advertisement distribution system includes servers and a terminal. The servers prepare distribution information containing game information and advertisement information and transmits the prepared distribution information to the terminal. The terminal displays a game screen using the game information included in the distribution information, and also displays the advertisement information included in the distribution information on the game screen.

Claims

1. An advertisement distribution system, comprising:

a server preparing distribution information including game information and advertisement information for transmission, and

at least one terminal receiving the said distribution information from the said server, the terminal displaying a game screen using the game information included in the distribution information, and displaying the advertisement information included in the distribution information on the game screen, wherein

the game information includes a plurality of game display elements constituting the game screen,

the server changes at least one of the game display elements included in the game information into the advertisement information, thereby preparing the distribution information, and

the server decides a win of a game executed by the terminal using the game information when predetermined advertisement information or a predetermined combination of the advertisement information are displayed on the game screen.

2. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server prepares the distribution information including the game display elements and/or the advertisement information which have been selected by the terminal.

3. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server stores a winning history when deciding the win of the game.

4. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server prepares the distribution information based on a result of the game.

5. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server stores a winning history when having prepared predetermined distribution information.

6. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the game is a slot machine game with a plurality of rotatable drums on which the game display elements and/or the advertisement information are disposed; and

the server decides the win of the game when the advertisement information on the drums constitutes a predetermined combination in at least one of a vertical, lateral or slanting direction.

7. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the server comprises a game server storing the game information and an the advertisement server storing the advertisement information;

and

the game server imports the advertisement information from the advertisement server, and prepares the distribution information including the advertisement information imported and the game information stored therein.

8. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the server comprises a game server storing the game information and the advertisement information, and a broadcast station;

and

the broadcast station imports the game information and the advertisement information from the game server, prepares the distribution information including the imported advertisement and game information, and transmits the prepared distribution information to the terminal by means of broadcasting.

9. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the server comprises an advertisement server storing the advertisement information, a game server storing the game information, and a broadcast station;

and

the broadcast station imports the advertisement information from the advertisement server, imports the game information from the game server, prepares the distribution information including the imported advertisement and game information, and transmits the prepared distribution information to the terminal by means of broadcasting.

10. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the server comprises an advertisement server storing the advertisement information, a game server storing the game information, and a broadcast station;

the game server imports the advertisement information from the advertisement server and prepares the distribution information including the imported advertisement information and the game information stored therein; and

the broadcast station imports the distribution information from the game server and transmits the imported distribution information to the terminal by means of broadcasting.

11. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server transmits a winning history to an advertiser terminal, when deciding the win of the game.

12. The advertisement distribution system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the server comprises authentication means for determining whether an advertiser terminal is registered or not, when receiving an access request from the advertiser terminal.

13. A server comprising:

means for preparing distribution information including game information and advertisement information; and

means for transmitting the prepared distribution information to a terminal, the terminal displaying a game screen using the game information included in the distribution information, and displaying the advertisement information included in the distribution information on the game screen, wherein

the game information has a plurality of game display elements constituting the game screen;

at least one of the game display elements is changed into the advertisement information for the preparation of the distribution information; and

a decision of a win of a game executed by the terminal using the game information is made when predetermined advertisement information or a predetermined combination of said advertisement information are displayed on the game screen.

14. The server as set forth in claim 13, wherein the means for preparing prepares the distribution information including the game display elements and/or the advertisement information which have been selected by the terminal.

15. The server as set forth in claim 13, further comprising means for storing a winning history when the decision of the win of the same is made.

16. The server as set forth in claim 13, further comprising means for preparing the distribution information based on a result of the game.

17. The server as set forth in claim 13, further comprising means for storing a winning history when having prepared predetermined distribution information.

18. The server as set forth in claim 13, wherein

the game is a slot machine game with a plurality of rotatable drums on which the game display elements and/or the advertisement information are disposed; and

the decision of the win of the game is made when the advertisement information on the drums constitutes a predetermined combination in at least one of a vertical, lateral, or slanting direction.

19. The server as set forth in claim 13, further comprising means for transmitting a winning history to an advertiser terminal, when the decision of the win of the game is made.

20. The server as set forth in claim 13, further comprising means for determining whether an advertiser terminal is registered or not, when an access request from the advertiser terminal is received.