System for secure transfer of online privileges

• US 8,192,286 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Online Entertainment LLC (Enad Global 7 AB)
• Inventors: Dhunjishaw, David B., Yates, Christopher D., Zaffron, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAY, BRANDON RAMON
• Application Number:
  US11/215,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,472 Days
• Field of Search: 463/41, 463/42, 463/43, 463/40, 705/37, 705/52, 709/205
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for transferring privileges in a computer system. In one implementation, a system for transferring online privileges includes: a game server having a network connection and storing data providing an online game and game environment; a game database connected to said game server, said game database storing data representing one or more game items, data representing a first user game account, and data representing a second user game account, said game item associated with said first user game account; an auction server having a network connection and connected to said game server though said network connections, and storing data providing an online auction for game items; and an auction database connected to said auction server, said auction database storing data representing one or more game items received from said game server, data representing a first user auction account, and data representing a second user auction account.

Claims

1. A system for transferring online privileges for one or more game items from a first user to a second user, comprising:

an online game provider company configured to provide an online game;

a game server having a network connection and storing data providing the online game and game environment, wherein said online game provider company has control over said game server;

a game database connected to said game server, said game database storing data representing said one or more game items,

data representing a game account of the first user, and

data representing a game account of the second user,

said one or more game items associated with said first user game account;

an auction server having a network connection and connected to said game server through the network connection, and storing data providing an online auction for said one or more game items, wherein said online game provider company has control over said game server; and

an auction database connected to said auction server, said auction database storing

data representing said one or more game items received from said game server,

data representing an auction account of the first user, and

data representing an auction account of the second user,

wherein said data representing said one or more game items to be auctioned and stored in said auction database is encrypted using a key included in a game item of said one or more game items stored in said game server to verify that the data is data from the game server,

wherein said game server disables said one or more game items associated with said first user game account and associates said one or more game items with said second user game account when said auction server verifies that a financial transfer has been made from the second user auction account to the first user auction account, and

wherein said online game provider company has control over both said game server and said auction server so that the second user is assured of transfer of said one or more game items.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said game database and said auction database are parts of a combined database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said game server and said auction server are two server interfaces for the same online system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said game server and said auction server are software interfaces for one online system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said auction database stores data identifying said first user game account and data identifying said second user game account.

6. A method of transferring privileges for one or more game items from a first user to a second user, comprising:

selecting a game item in an online game provided by an online game provider company,

wherein said game item is represented by item data stored in a game database connected to a game server, said item data is associated with an account of the first user, and said item data has an associated privilege in said online game;

retrieving said item data from said game database;

encrypting an auction item data stored in an auction server using a key included in the game item stored in said game server to verify that the data is data from the game server;

transferring said auction item data and an identifier of the first user to said auction server, said auction item data corresponding to said item data and said first user identifier corresponding to said first user account;

disabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is not available in said online game;

storing said transferred data in an auction database connected to said auction server;

presenting an auction for said game item at said auction server;

accepting one or more bids at said auction server for said game item;

determining a winning bid for said game item from among accepted bids, said winning bid indicating an identifier of the second user and said second user identifier corresponding to an account of the second user with said game server;

transferring money based on said winning bid from an account indicated by said second user identifier to an account indicated by said first user identifier;

updating said item data stored in said game database so that said item data is associated with said second user account; and

enabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is available in said online game,

wherein the second user is assured of transfer of the game item since said online game provider company has control over both said game server and said auction server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transferring said auction item data and said second user identifier to said game server;

verifying said auction item data transferred to said game server.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

transferring money includes requesting and confirming transferring funds through a third party financial service.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein:

said auction item data is a copy of said item data.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein:

said auction item data is a reference to said item data.

11. A system for transferring online privileges for one or more game items from a first user to a second user, comprising:

an online company configured to provide an online service;

a first server having a network connection and storing data providing the online service, wherein said online company has control over said first server;

a first database connected to said first server, said first database storing data representing one or more items, data representing a game account of the first user, and data representing a game account of the second user, said item associated with said first user game account;

an auction server having a network connection and connected to said first server through said network connections, and storing data providing an online auction for items from said first server, wherein said online company has control over said auction server; and

an auction database connected to said auction server, said auction database storing data representing one or more items received from said first server, data representing an auction account of the first user, and data representing an auction account of the second user,

wherein said data representing one or more items to be auctioned and stored in said auction database is encrypted using a key included in an item of said one or more items stored in said first server to verify that the data is data from the first server, and

wherein said online company has control over both said first server and said auction server so that the second user is assured of transfer of said one or more items.

12. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in transferring privileges for one or more game items from a first user to a second user, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

select a game item in an online game provided by an online game provider company,

wherein said game item is represented by item data stored in a game database connected to a game server, said item data is associated with an account of the first user, and said item data has an associated privilege in said online game;

retrieve said item data from said game database;

transfer auction item data and an identifier of the first user to an auction server, said auction item data corresponding to said item data and said first user identifier corresponding to said first user account,

wherein said auction item data stored in said auction server is encrypted using a key included in the game item stored in said game server to verify that the data is data from the game server;

disable said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is not available in said online game;

confirm the completion of a transfer of money based on the completion of an auction by said auction server, identified by said first user identifier;

update said item data stored in said game database so that said item data is associated with an account of the second user identified by an identifier of the second user received from said auction server; and

enable said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is available in said online game,

wherein the second user is assured of transfer of said item data since said online game provider company has control over both said game server and said auction server.

13. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in transferring privileges for one or more game items from a first user to a second user, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

store game item data and an identifier of the first user received from a game server, said first user identifier corresponding to an account of the first user with said game server, and said game item data having an associated privilege in an online game provided by said game server, which is controlled by an online game provider company,

wherein said game item data received from said game server is encrypted using a key included in the game item data stored in said game server to verify that the data is data from the game server;

present said game item for an auction on an auction server controlled by the online game provider company;

accept one or more bids for said game item;

determine a winning bid for said game item from among accepted bids, said winning bid indicating an identifier of the second user and said second user identifier corresponding to an account of the second user with said game server;

confirm the transfer of money based on said winning bid from an account indicated by said second user identifier to an account indicated by said first user identifier;

send a confirmation to said game server indicating the completion of said auction and that said privilege is to be transferred from said first user account to said second user account,

wherein the second user is assured of transfer of said game item since said online game provider company has control over both said game server and said auction server.

14. A system for transferring privileges for one or more game items from a first user to a second user, comprising:

means for selecting a game item in an online game provided by an online game provider company,

wherein said game item is represented by item data stored in a game database connected to a game server, said item data is associated with an account of the first user, and said item data has an associated privilege in said online game;

means for retrieving said item data from said game database;

means for transferring auction item data and an identifier of the first user to an auction server, said auction item data corresponding to said item data and said first user identifier corresponding to said first user account,

wherein said auction item data stored in said auction server is encrypted using a key included in the game item stored in said game server to verify that the data is data from the game server;

means for disabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is not available in said online game;

means for storing said transferred data in an auction database connected to said auction server;

means for presenting an auction for said game item at said auction server;

means for accepting one or more bids at said auction server for said game item;

means for determining a winning bid for said game item from among accepted bids, said winning bid indicating an identifier of the second user and said second user identifier corresponding to an account of the second user with said game server;

means for transferring money based on said winning bid from an account indicated by said second user identifier to an account indicated by said first user identifier;

means for updating said item data stored in said game database so that said item data is associated with said second user account; and

means for enabling said item data stored in said game database so that said privilege is available in said online game,

wherein the second user is assured of transfer of said item data since said online game provider company has control over both said game server and said auction server.