Method and system for enabling optional customer election of auxiliary content provided on detachable local storage media during access of primary content over a network and for collecting data concerning viewed auxiliary content

• US 7,047,302 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1999
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chatani, Masayuki, House, Andrew James
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US09/452,811
• Time in Patent Office: 2,357 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709/201, 709/203, 709/229, 705/14, 705/50, 705 51- 56, 463/40
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Interactive or non-interactive primary content for which value is expected to be paid, is maintained in a contents database and accessed from a server station over a network. A customer database containing identifying information about persons accessing the system is maintained on the server side. When the customer accesses the server system over a network, the desired primary content is downloaded into the game console together with accessing identifying information about the client from the customer database. On the basis of the identifying information, auxiliary content, such as advertisements, is triggered for playback in the game console. Information concerning viewing of the auxiliary content is recorded and uploaded to the server. The playback record of the auxiliary content is used as a basis for billing the client and advertisers for valuable content. The auxiliary content is provided on a detachable storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD.

Claims

1. A system for providing access to primary media content in digital form, comprising:

a server network comprising a download management server, a customer database storing user information, and a primary content database storing primary media content;

a client console connectable for establishing a communications link through a bi-directional communications network to said download management server, said client console generating a user identifier; and

a detachable storage media installable in said client console, said detachable storage media having a data structure thereon comprising a plurality of auxiliary media content items, and a plurality of trigger data items logically associated, respectively, with each of said auxiliary media content items, the plurality of auxiliary media content items being comprised of advertisements,

wherein said user identifier is uploaded to said download management server to enable access to specified content in said primary media content database, and said user information is downloaded into said client console, said client console comparing said downloaded user information with a trigger data item for each of said auxiliary media content items to determine which of said auxiliary media content items are to be loaded and queued for playback.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said user identifier comprises a media ID identifying said detachable storage media.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said specified content comprises a portion of an overall set of primary contents stored in said contents database, and wherein said user identifier serves to limit access to said specified content only.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data structure comprises an authentication code for authenticating access to the download management server.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said specified content comprises a portion of an overall set of primary contents stored in said contents database, and wherein said authentication code authenticates access to the download management server which is responsible for providing access to said specified content.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data structure further comprises a data indicator indicating that said detachable storage media is operable through connection to said bi-directional communications network.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said data indicator comprises one of a program for providing network access and a code which causes execution of a program stored in said client console for providing network access.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client console further comprises a local fixed storage device disposed internally or externally of said client console, wherein said specified primary media content is downloaded onto said fixed storage device.

9. A method for delivery of primary media content in digital form through a bi-directional communications network, together with auxiliary media content comprised of advertisements stored on a detachable storage media, comprising the steps of:

establishing a communications link between a client console and a download management server through said bi-directional communications network, said client console having said detachable storage media detachably installed therein;

transmitting user identifier data contained on a local storage media and a request for primary media content to said download management server, in order to retrieve said primary media content from a contents database and to retrieve user information from a customer database;

downloading into said local storage media of said client console from said download management server said primary media content and said user information;

accessing said auxiliary media content comprised of advertisements stored on said detachable storage media on the basis of said user information retrieved from said customer database, the accessing of said auxiliary media content including comparing said downloaded user information with trigger data for each item of auxiliary media content to determine which auxiliary media content items are to be loaded and queued for playback;

selectively overriding playback of said auxiliary content, for enabling viewing of solely the primary media content downloaded from said download management server;

storing a record of the auxiliary content viewed using said client console; and

uploading said record to said download management server.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said user identifier data comprises a media ID identifying said detachable storage media and said local storage media further contains an authentication code which enables access to said download management server, further comprising the step of receiving said media ID and said authentication code in said download management server, wherein one of said authentication code and said media ID serves to limit access to specified content only from among said primary media content.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said step of downloading into said client console from said download management server comprises storing said primary media content on a local fixed storage device disposed internally or externally of said client console.

12. A method of operating a client console having a detachable storage media installable therein while connecting with a download management server through a bi-directional communications network, comprising the steps of:

determining whether said detachable storage media requires connection to said bi-directional communications network for operation in said client console, said detachable storage media having auxiliary media content comprised of advertisements stored thereon;

establishing a communications link between a client console and the download management server through said bi-directional communications network, if it is determined that the detachable storage media requires connection to said bi-directional communications network;

transmitting user identifier data contained on said detachable storage media and a request for primary media content to said download management server;

downloading requested primary media content and user information from said download management server;

comparing said user information with trigger data for each auxiliary media content item stored on said detachable storage media to determine which auxiliary media content items are to be loaded and queued for playback;

determining whether a control function of said client console is enabled for permitting viewing of said auxiliary media content;

extracting and loading said auxiliary media content item for which the associated trigger data matches said user information, if it is determined that said control function is enabled;

executing playback of said auxiliary media content item;

creating a record indicating playback of at least one auxiliary media content item, if said auxiliary media content item is played using said client console; and

uploading said record to said download management server.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said user identifier data comprises a media ID identifying said detachable storage media, and further comprising the steps of prompting the user for said user information and associating said user information with said media ID.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of continuously polling to determine whether the user overrides playback of said auxiliary media content during execution of said primary content.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of creating a record comprises updating said record if said control function of said client console is first disabled and then enabled.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of uploading said record to said download management server occurs after playback of each item of auxiliary media content.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of uploading said record to said download management server occurs after playback of an item of primary media content.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of uploading said record to said download management server occurs during a log off procedure to disconnect said client console from said download management server.

19. A console used in conjunction with a storage media having a data structure thereon comprising trigger data corresponding to user information, a plurality of auxiliary media content items each associated with said trigger data, said plurality of auxiliary media content items being comprised of advertisements, a media ID for identifying said storage media, and an authentication code for authenticating access to a server via a network, wherein said console comprises:

logic for reading said authentication code and said media ID of said storage media installed in said console;

logic for sending said authentication code and/or said media ID to said server via said network;

logic for receiving primary media content and user information from said server and comparing said user information with trigger data for each auxiliary media content item to determine which auxiliary media content item is to be loaded and queued for playback; and

logic for outputting said auxiliary media content item.

20. A console according to claim 19, wherein network access software for establishing connection to said network is stored in said storage media or a memory of said console.

21. A console according to claim 19, wherein said console further comprises means for enabling said user to decide whether or not to view said auxiliary media content item.

22. A console according to claim 19, wherein said console further comprises means for sending a record of said outputted auxiliary media content item to said server via said network.

23. A method of assessing a fee for auxiliary content comprised of advertisements stored on a detachable storage media to an auxiliary content provider comprising the steps of:

establishing a communications link between a client console and a server through a communications network, said client console having said storage media detachably installed therein;

transmitting user identifier data contained on said detachable storage media to said server, in order to retrieve user information from a customer database;

downloading said user information from said customer database of said server to said client console;

accessing said auxiliary content stored on said detachable storage media on the basis of said user information retrieved from said customer database, the accessing of said auxiliary content including comparing said user information with trigger data for each auxiliary media content item to determine which auxiliary media content items are to be loaded and queued for playback;

storing a record indicating playback of said auxiliary content viewed using said client console;

uploading said playback record to said server; and

assessing a fee to said auxiliary content provider based upon said playback records accumulated by said server.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said user identifier data comprises a media ID for identifying said detachable storage media and said detachable storage media further contains an authentication code for enabling access to said server.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of selectively overriding playback of said auxiliary content, for enabling viewing of solely primary media content stored on a content database of said server.

26. A method of assessing a fee for auxiliary content comprised of advertisements stored on a detachable storage media to an auxiliary content provider, using a client console having said detachable storage media installable therein while connecting with a download management server through a bi-directional communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether said detachable storage media requires connection to said bi-directional communications network for operation in said client console;

establishing a communications link between said client console and said download management server, if it is determined that said detachable storage media requires connection to said bi-directional communications network;

transmitting user identifier data to said download management server;

downloading requested user information from said download management server to said client console;

determining whether a control function of said client console is enabled for permitting viewing of said auxiliary content;

extracting and loading an auxiliary content item, if it is determined that said control function is enabled, said auxiliary content item making up said auxiliary content, said extracting and loading of said auxiliary content item including comparing said downloaded user information with trigger data for each auxiliary content item to determine which auxiliary content item is to be loaded and queued for playback;

executing playback of said auxiliary content item;

creating a record indicating playback of said auxiliary content item, if said auxiliary content item is played using said client console;

uploading said playback record to said download management server; and

assessing a fee to said auxiliary content provider based upon said playback records accumulated by said download management server.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of continuously polling to determine whether a user overrides playback of said auxiliary content during execution of primary content stored on a content database of said download management server.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said step of creating a record comprises the step of updating said playback record if said control function of said client console is first disabled and then enabled.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said step of uploading said playback record to said download management server occurs after or during playback of each item of said primary content.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein said step of uploading said record to said download management server occurs after or during playback of each item of said auxiliary content.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein said step of uploading record to said server occurs during a log off procedure to disconnect said client console from said download management server.

32. The method according to claim 26, wherein said user identifier data comprises a media ID for identifying said detachable storage media, and further comprising the steps of prompting the user for said user information and associating said user information with said media ID.