System and method for generating targeted newsletters

• US 8,137,197 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2007
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 38 Studios, LLC
• Original Assignee: 38 Studios, LLC
• Inventors: Macrae, Douglas, Westberg, Thomas, O'Keefe, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US11/764,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 42, 705/16, 705/20
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating

Abstract

A system and a method of providing a targeted newsletter is provided. The method includes monitoring a game while a game player plays the game on a game computer, collecting game related information, uploading the game related information to a remote server, generating a newsletter on the remote server that is tailored for the game player based on the game related information, and transferring the newsletter to the game player.

Claims

1. A method of providing a targeted newsletter, comprising:

monitoring a game while a game player plays the game on a game computer;

collecting game related information from the game, the game information comprising at least one game character the player desires additional information and advice on;

storing the game related information in a character data file on the game computer;

reading the game related information from the character data file;

requesting to upload the game related information to a remote server;

notifying whether the game related information may be uploaded based on a load on the remote server;

uploading the game related information to a remote server;

storing the game related information to a character subscriber database on the remote server;

reading the game related information from the character subscriber database;

determining whether to transfer a newsletter based on time, elapsed time since a newsletter has been sent, the game related information, or upon determining that the game player needs guidance;

retrieving articles from an article database based on the characters that the game player selected and on the game related information;

determining whether the game player has read any of the retrieved articles and whether the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read;

generating the newsletter on the remote server that is tailored for the game player based on the game related information and based on which characters the game player selected to receive advice;

incorporating the game related information and the retrieved articles into the newsletter, wherein the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player are not incorporated in the newsletter unless the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player; and

transferring the newsletter to the game player, wherein transferring the newsletter to the game player includes e-mailing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to the game player;

uploading the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter directly to the game computer;

allowing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to be downloaded onto the game computer;

or making the newsletter available over a website.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game related information includes at least one of the group consisting of a character'"'"'s name, level, race, class, stats, status, talents, gold, equipment, spells, professions, current location, and an event in the game.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the game related information in a character data file on the game computer; and

reading the game related information from the character data file.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting to upload the game related information to a remote server; and

notifying whether the game related information may be uploaded based on a load on the remote server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the game related information to a character subscriber database on the remote server; and

reading the game related information from the character subscriber database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to transfer the newsletter based on time, elapsed time since a newsletter has been sent, the game related information, or upon determining that the game player needs guidance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving articles from an article database based on the game related information;

determining whether the game player has read any of the retrieved articles and whether the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read; and

incorporating the game related information and the retrieved articles into the newsletter, wherein the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player are not incorporated in the newsletter unless the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the newsletter to the game player includes:

e-mailing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to the game player;

uploading the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter directly to the game computer;

allowing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to be downloaded onto the game computer;

or

making the newsletter available over a website.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the game player to select characters for which the game player would like to receive advice; and

retrieving articles from an article database based also on the characters that the game player selected.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a newsletter comprises generating a newsletter that includes a custom map that includes identifiers for locations chosen for the game player based on the game related information.

11. A method of providing a targeted newsletter, comprising:

monitoring a game while a game player plays the game on a game computer;

allowing the game player to select characters for which the game player would like to receive advice; and

collecting game related information from the game, wherein the game related information includes at least one of the group consisting of a character'"'"'s name, level, race, class, stats, status, talents, gold, equipment, spells, professions, current location, and an event in the game;

storing the game related information in a character data file on the game computer;

reading the game related information from the character data file;

requesting to upload the game related information to a remote server;

notifying whether the game related information may be uploaded based on a load on the remote server;

uploading the game related information to the remote server;

storing the game related information to a character subscriber database on the remote server;

reading the game related information from the character subscriber database;

determining whether to transfer a newsletter based on time, elapsed time since a newsletter has been sent, the game related information, or upon determining that the game player needs guidance;

retrieving articles from an article database based on the characters that the game player selected and on the game related information;

determining whether the game player has read any of the retrieved articles and whether the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read;

generating the newsletter on the remote server that is tailored for the game player based on the game related information and based on which characters the game player selected to receive advice;

incorporating the game related information and the retrieved articles into the newsletter, wherein the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player are not incorporated in the newsletter unless the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player; and

transferring the newsletter to the game player, wherein transferring the newsletter to the game player includes e-mailing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to the game player;

uploading the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter directly to the game computer;

allowing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to be downloaded onto the game computer;

or making the newsletter available over a website.

12. A system for preparing a targeted newsletter, comprising:

a monitor program running on a game computer that collects game related information during a game while a game player plays the game the game related information comprising at least one game character; and

stores the game related information in a character data file on the game computer;

reads the game related information from the character data file;

requests to upload the game related information to a remote server; and

,

notifies whether the game related information may be uploaded based on a load on the remote server;

a client uploader program running on the game computer that uploads the game related information to a remote server; and

stores the game related information to a character subscriber database on the remote server;

reads the game related information from the character subscriber database;

determines whether to transfer a newsletter based on time, elapsed time since a newsletter has been sent, the game related information, or upon determining that the game player needs guidance;

retrieves articles from an article database based on the characters that the game player selected and on the game related information;

determines whether the game player has read any of the retrieved articles and whether the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read;

generates the newsletter on the remote server that is tailored for the game player based on the game related information and based on which characters the game player selected to receive advice;

incorporates the game related information and the retrieved articles into the newsletter, wherein the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player are not incorporated in the newsletter unless the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read by the game player; and

,

transfers the newsletter to the game player, wherein transferring the newsletter to the game player includes e-mailing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to the game player;

uploading the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter directly to the game computer;

allowing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to be downloaded onto the game computer;

or making the newsletter available over a website.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an upload handler running on the remote server that receives the game related information from the client uploader program and stores the game related information in a character subscriber database on the remote server, wherein

the monitor program stores the game related information in a character data file;

the client uploader program reads the character data file and uploads the game related information to the upload handler; and

the newsletter generator reads the game related information in the character subscriber database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the client uploader program requests to upload the game related information to the remote server; and

the upload handler informs the client uploader program whether the game related information may be uploaded based on a load of the remote server.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the game related information includes at least one of the group consisting of a character'"'"'s name, level, race, class, stats, status, talents, gold, equipment, spells, professions, current location, and an event in the game.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the newsletter generator determines whether to transfer the newsletter based on time, elapsed time since a newsletter has been sent, the game related information, or upon determining that the game player needs guidance.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the newsletter generator determines whether the game player has read any of the retrieved articles and whether the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an interface for allowing the game player to select characters for which the game player would like to receive advice, wherein

the newsletter generator retrieves articles also based on the characters the game player selected.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the newsletter generator includes articles or hyperlinks to articles in the newsletter that have not been read by the game player or that contain advice that the game player has not heeded;

and the newsletter generator incorporates the game related information into the newsletter.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the newsletter generator transfers the newsletter to the game player bye-mailing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to the game player;

uploading the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter directly to the game computer;

allowing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to be downloaded onto the game computer;

or making the newsletter available over a website.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the newsletter generator comprises a newsletter generator that creates a newsletter that includes a custom map or a hyperlink to a custom map that includes identifiers for locations chosen for the game player based on the game related information.

22. A system for preparing a targeted newsletter, comprising:

a monitor program running on a game computer that

collects game related information during a game while a game player plays the game and

stores the game related information in a character data file on the game computer;

an interface for allowing the game player to select characters for which the game player would like to receive advice;

a client uploader program running on the game computer that

reads game related information from the character data file;

requests to upload the game related information to the remote server; and

uploads the game related information to a remote server;

an upload handler running on the remote server that

informs the client uploader program whether the game related information may be uploaded based on a load of the remote server;

receives the game related information from the client uploader program; and

stores the game related information in a character subscriber database on the remote server; and

a newsletter generator running on the remote server that

reads the game related information in the character subscriber database;

determines whether to transfer the newsletter based on time, elapsed time since a newsletter has been sent, the game related information, or upon determining that the game player needs guidance;

retrieves articles from an article database based on the game related information and on the characters the game player selected;

determines whether the game player has read any of the retrieved articles and whether the game player has not heeded advice contained in the retrieved articles that have been read;

creates a newsletter that includes the articles or hyperlinks to the articles that have not been read by the game player or that contain advice that the game player has not heeded;

incorporates the game related information into the newsletter; and

transfers the newsletter to the game player bye-mailing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to the game player;

uploading the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter directly to the game computer;

allowing the newsletter or hyperlinks to the newsletter to be downloaded onto the game computer;

or making the newsletter available over a website;

wherein the game related information includes at least one of the group consisting of a character'"'"'s name, level, race, class, stats, status, talents, gold, equipment, spells, professions, current location, and an event in the game.