Systems and methods for accessing online content during online gaming

• US 7,695,369 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Planetwide Games Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Planetwide Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Winkler, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US11/109,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463/25, 463 40- 42, 463 9- 13, 463/20, 463/29, 705/1, 705/14, 705/26, 705/35, 705/36.R, 705/37, 705/42, 705/77, 273/145.R, 273/147, 273/141.A, 273454-456, 273460-461, 902/10, 902/23, 709203-207, 709217-219, 709/225, 709/FOR.106, 709/FOR.115, 709/FOR.122, 709/FOR.130, 709/FOR.131, 709/FOR.132, 709/FOR.141, 709/FOR.148, 709/FOR.149, 709/FOR.153, 715/744, 715/758, 704/E15.047, 340/7.1, 340/7.2, 340/7.21, 340/7.28, 340/311.1, 340/311.2, 340/426.21, 340/572, 340/825.29, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Systems and methods for accessing online content during online gaming are disclosed. In one embodiment, online gamers are able to access available online music content while in-game. Player-selected music content may be played and incorporated directly into the online RPG/MMORPG gaming experience. Players desiring to access additional music content to be played while in-game may be directed to a third-party server, from which the desired music content may be selected and/or downloaded. The selected music content may then replace the generic background music to which all other players are limited.

Claims

1. A method for accessing online content during online gaming, the method comprising the steps of:

providing, using a server, access to a virtual world environment;

determining, using a server, whether a user of a subset of users will be provided with the opportunity to select different music content when the user inputs access information into a user'"'"'s computer system while the user is in the virtual world environment;

streaming, using a server, personalized content to the user of said subset of users who accesses said virtual world environment after the user is provided with the opportunity to select the different music content;

allowing the user to select different music content when the user inputs access information into a user'"'"'s computer system while the user is in the virtual world environment;

directing, using a server, the user of said subset of users to a third-party server from which said personalized content is available for download; and

enabling, using a server, the user of said subset of users to download said personalized content from multiple sources and select from different music content of said personalized content from said third-party server to the user'"'"'s computer system while still in said virtual world environment, wherein said personalized content is stored locally on the user'"'"'s computer system or stored by a third party on said third-party server for access by the user from the third-party server to customize the users virtual world environment experience, and wherein the selected, different music content from the personalized, downloaded content is used to replace the generic background music of the online game while the user is in game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the virtual world environment comprising permitting a client application executing on a user computer to access said virtual game environment over a network connection.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating said virtual game environment by a server-side system that is accessible via said network connection by a plurality of users which includes said subset of users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein streaming personalized content comprises streaming an audio file to the subset of users and streaming a different audio file to a group of users different than said subset of users.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein streaming personalized content comprises streaming a plurality of channels of audio content from which online users may select a particular channel to listen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual world environment is an online role playing game environment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request from an online user to mark a track of said personalized content.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

populating a list with said track, wherein said list is comprised of one or more marked tracks; and

sending said list to an online merchant server from which said online user may purchase said one or more marked tracks.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending said list comprises automatically populating a virtual shopping cart of said online user for said online merchant server.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

computer readable program code to populate a list with said track, wherein said list is comprised of one or more marked tracks; and

computer readable program code to send said list to an online merchant server from which said online user may purchase said one or more marked tracks.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said computer readable program code to send said list comprises computer readable program code to automatically populate a virtual shopping cart of said online user for said online merchant server.

12. A system comprising:

a network;

a plurality of user computers coupled to the network allowing for the plurality of users to simultaneously participate in online game play;

a server in communication with said plurality of user computers over said network, wherein said server is configured to;

generate a virtual world environment for access by said plurality of user computers;

determine whether a user of a subset of users of said plurality of user computers will be provided with the opportunity to select different music content when the user inputs access information into a user'"'"'s computer system while the user is in the virtual world environment;

stream personalized content to the user of said subset of users of said plurality of user computers while the user accesses said virtual world environment after the user is provided with the opportunity to select the different music content so as to customize the user'"'"'s online game play experience;

allow the user to select different music content when the user inputs access information into a user'"'"'s computer system while the user is in the virtual world environment;

direct the user of said subset of users to a third-party server from which said personalized content is available for download; and

enable the user of said subset of users to download said personalized content from multiple sources and select from different music content of said personalized content from said third-party server to the user'"'"'s computer system while still in said virtual world environment, wherein the personalized content is stored on the user'"'"'s computer system or stored by a third party on said third-party server for later access by the user to customize the users virtual world environment experience while the user is still in said virtual world environment, and wherein the selected, different music content from the personalized, downloaded content is used to replace the generic background music of the online game while the user is in game.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of user computers is to access said virtual world environment over said network by executing a client application.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said server is to stream an audio file to the subset of plurality of user computer and to stream a different audio file to a second subset of said plurality of user computer.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said server is to further stream a plurality of channels of audio content from which online users may select a particular channel to listen.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said virtual world environment is an online role playing game environment.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said server is to further receive a request from an online user to mark a track of said personalized content.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said server is further to, populate a list with said track, wherein said list is comprised of one or more marked tracks, and send said list to an online merchant server from which said online user may purchase said one or more marked tracks.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said list is used to automatically populate a virtual shopping cart of said online user for said online merchant server.