Utilizing an incentive point system based on disc and user identification

• US 7,539,737 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chatani, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US11/196,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20050270931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 705/26, 705/36, 705/50
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for awarding incentive points utilizing unique disc identification to provide access to disc storage media includes a disc storage medium with a permanently recorded disc identification, a user console with a set identification, a network, and a host server managing a user database and a disc database. Upon purchase of software stored on a disc storage medium, the unique disc identification and user identification are transmitted over the network from the user console to the host server. Permission to access the programs residing on the disc storage medium by the user console is obtained from the host server. The host server manages a point system. Points are awarded and recorded in point accounts stored in the databases.

Claims

1. A method for awarding points to users, comprising:

receiving a transmission of a disc identification stored on a disc storage medium, wherein the disc identification is unique to and permanently associated with the disc storage medium;

receiving a transmission of a user identification from a user console, wherein the user identification is unique to a user interacting with the disc storage medium;

comparing the transmitted disc identification and user identification with a previously stored combination of disc and user identifications in order to determine that the user interacting with the disc storage medium is not the owner of the disc storage medium;

authorizing a user of the user console as identified by the user identification to execute software residing on the disc storage medium; and

awarding points to the owner of the disc storage medium for activities relating to the disc storage medium having been shared with another user as identified by the received user identification, wherein the award points are added to a user table associated with the user identification of the owner of the disc storage medium only if the transmitted user identification matches a disc identification stored in a table corresponding to authorized users of the disc storage medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein points are also added to a publisher database associated with the stored disc identification.

3. A method for awarding points to users, comprising:

receiving a transmission of a disc identification stored on a disc storage medium, wherein the disc identification is unique to and permanently associated with the disc storage medium;

receiving a transmission of a user identification from a user console, wherein the user identification is unique to a user interacting with the disc storage medium;

comparing the transmitted disc identification and user identification with a previously stored combination of disc and user identifications in order to determine that the user interacting with the disc storage medium is not the owner of the disc storage medium;

authorizing a user of the user console as identified by the user identification to execute software residing on the disc storage medium; and

awarding points to the owner of the disc storage medium for activities caused by the disc storage medium having been shared with another user as identified by the received user identification, wherein the award points are added to a user table associated with the user identification of the owner of the disc storage medium only if the transmitted user identification matches a disc identification stored in a table corresponding to authorized users of the disc storage medium.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein points are also added to a publisher database associated with the stored disc identification.

5. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computing device to perform a method for awarding points to users, comprising:

receiving a transmission of a disc identification stored on a disc storage medium, wherein the disc identification is unique to and permanently associated with the disc storage medium;

receiving a transmission of a user identification from a user console, wherein the user identification is unique to a user interacting with the disc storage medium;

comparing the transmitted disc identification and user identification with a previously stored combination of disc and user identifications in order to determine that the user interacting with the disc storage medium is not the owner of the disc storage medium;

authorizing a user of the user console as identified by the user identification to execute software residing on the disc storage medium; and

awarding points to the owner of the disc storage medium for activities relating to the disc storage medium having been shared with another user as identified by the received user identification, wherein the award points are added to a user table associated with the user identification of the owner of the disc storage medium only if the transmitted user identification matches a disc identification stored in a table corresponding to authorized users of the disc storage medium.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein points are also added to a publisher database associated with the stored disc identification.

7. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computing device to perform a method for awarding points to users, comprising:

receiving a transmission of a disc identification stored on a disc storage medium, wherein the disc identification is unique to and permanently associated with the disc storage medium;

receiving a transmission of a user identification from a user console, wherein the user identification is unique to a user interacting with the disc storage medium;

comparing the transmitted disc identification and user identification with a previously stored combination of disc and user identifications in order to determine that the user interacting with the disc storage medium is not the owner of the disc storage medium;

authorizing a user of the user console as identified by the user identification to execute software residing on the disc storage medium; and

awarding points to the owner of the disc storage medium for activities caused by the disc storage medium having been shared with another user as identified by the received user identification, wherein the award points are added to a user table associated with the user identification of the owner of the disc storage medium only if the transmitted user identification matches a disc identification stored in a table corresponding to authorized users of the disc storage medium.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein points are also added to a publisher database associated with the stored disc identification.

9. A method for awarding points to users, comprising:

receiving a transmission of a media identifier, wherein the media identifier is unique to and permanently associated with media being identified;

receiving a transmission of a user identification from a user console, wherein the user identification is unique to a user interacting with the identified media;

comparing the transmitted media identifier and user identification with a previously stored combination of media and user identifications in order to determine that the user interacting with the identified media is not the owner of the identified media;

authorizing a user of the user console as identified by the user identification to execute software embodied in the identified media; and

awarding points to the owner of the identified media for activities caused by the identified media having been shared with another user as identified by the received user identification, wherein the award points are added to a user table associated with the user identification of the owner of the identified media only if the transmitted user identification matches a media identifier stored in a table corresponding to authorized users of the identified media.

10. A method for awarding points to users, comprising:

receiving a transmission of a media identifier, wherein the media identifier is unique to and permanently associated with media being identified;

receiving a transmission of a user identification from a user console, wherein the user identification is unique to a user interacting with the identified media;

comparing the transmitted media identifier and user identification with a previously stored combination of media and user identifications in order to determine that the user interacting with the identified media is not the owner of the identified media;

authorizing a user of the user console as identified by the user identification to execute software embodied in the identified media; and

awarding points to the owner of the identified media for activities relating to the identified media having been shared with another user as identified by the received user identification, wherein the award points are added to a user table associated with the user identification of the owner of the identified media only if the transmitted user identification matches a media identifier stored in a table corresponding to authorized users of the identified media.