Limiting access to shared media content

• US 8,352,371 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Proctor, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Coppola, Jacob C.
• Application Number:
  US12/112,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20090275403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51
• US Class Current: 705/51
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play

Abstract

The method shown in FIG. 4 continues with the iterative play cycles of the game, such as alternating moves between each player in the game. Player A operates a user interface on the game device 110A to select one of the content media items owned by Player A 236 to play during a move in the game (step 465). The user interface displays the selected content media item on the game device 110A which Player A operates (step 470) and sends a request to the game device 110B which Player B operates to reveal the selected content media item (step 475). The game device 110B which Player B operates receives the request (step 480) and reveals the selected content media item stored in the shared content media, such as in the shared content media items 238 shown in FIG. 2 (step 485).

Claims

1. A method for limiting access to shared content media items stored on a device, comprising:

initiating a session with another device operated by an owner of the shared content media items, wherein the initiating of the session comprises establishing a peer-to-peer connection with the other device;

receiving a copy of content media items stored on the other device;

storing the received copy of the content media items as shared content media items on the device;

limiting access rights of a user operating the device to the shared content media items,

wherein the limited access rights comprise a right to view or manipulate the shared content media items, the right exercisable if the session is active and if the owner consents to viewing or manipulating,

wherein the limited access rights further comprise a right to delete the shared content media items, the right exercisable if the session is not active;

receiving a request from the other device to reveal an item from the content media items received from the other device and stored in the shared content media items, wherein the request indicates consent by the owner for the user to view or manipulate the item; and

in response to receiving the request, revealing the item from the shared content media items to the user operating the device in accordance with the limited access rights, thereby allowing the user to view or manipulate the item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a copy of content media items stored on the device to the other device;

selecting one of the content media items on the device;

displaying the selected one of the content media items on the device; and

sending a request to the other device to display the item in the copy of the content media items transmitted to the other device that corresponds to the selected one of the content media items,

wherein an identifier is associated with each content media item, the identifier identifying the user operating the device, and allowing access of the user operating the device to the item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

breaking the session with the other device; and

deleting the shared content media items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an identifier is associated with each shared content media item, the identifier identifying another user, and restricting access of the user operating the device to the item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the session comprises at least one of a card game, a trading card game, a board game, and a role playing game.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content media items comprise at least one of a playing card description, a trading card description, a card image, a game modification, a character image, a character description, a video, and an avatar.

7. A system for limiting access to shared content media items stored in a device, the system comprising:

a network adapter resident in the device;

a memory device resident in the device; and

a processor disposed in communication with the memory device, the processor programmed to;

initiate a session with another device operated by an owner of the shared content media items, wherein to initiate the session, the processor is further programmed to establish, through the network adapter, a peer-to-peer connection with the other device;

receive, via the peer-to-peer connection, a copy of content media items stored on the other device;

store the received copy of the content media items as shared content media items on the device;

limit access rights of the user operating the device to the shared content media items,

wherein the limited access rights comprise a right to view or manipulate the shared content media items, the right exercisable if the session is active and if the owner consents to viewing or manipulating,

wherein the limited access rights further comprise a right to delete the shared content media items, the right exercisable if the session is not active;

receive a request from the other device to reveal an item from the content media items received from the other device and stored in the shared content media items, wherein the request indicates consent by the owner for the user to view or manipulate the item; and

in response to receiving the request, reveal the item from the shared content media items to the user operating the device in accordance with the limited access rights, thereby allowing the user to view or manipulate the item.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

transmit a copy of content media items stored on the device to the other device;

select one of the content media items on the device;

display the selected one of the content media items on the device; and

send a request to the other device to display the item in the copy of the content media items transmitted to the other device that corresponds to the selected one of the content media items,

wherein an identifier is associated with each content media item, the identifier identifying the user operating the device, and allowing access of the user operating the device to the item.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

break a connection to the other device; and

delete the shared content media items.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein an identifier is associated with each shared content media item, the identifier identifying another user, and restricting access of the user operating the device to the item.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the session comprises at least one of a card game, a trading card game, a board game, and a role playing game.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the content media items comprise at least one of a playing card description, a trading card description, a card image, a game modification, a character image, a character description, a video, and an avatar.

13. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for limiting access to shared content media items stored in a device, wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one processor of the device, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

initiating a session with another device operated by an owner of the shared content media items, wherein the initiating of the session comprises establishing a peer-to-peer connection with the other device;

receiving a copy of content media items stored on the other device;

storing the received copy of the content media items as shared content media items on the device;

limiting access rights of a user operating the device to the shared content media items,

wherein the limited access rights comprise a right to view or manipulate the shared content media items, the right exercisable if the session is active and if the owner consents to viewing or manipulating,

wherein the limited access rights further comprise a right to delete the shared content media items, the right exercisable if the session is not active;

receiving a request from the other device to reveal an item from the content media items received from the other device and stored in the shared content media items, wherein the request indicates consent by the owner for the user to view or manipulate the item; and

in response to receiving the request, revealing the item from the shared content media items to the user operating the device in accordance with the limited access rights, thereby allowing the user to view or manipulate the item.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, the method further comprising:

transmitting a copy of content media items stored on the device to the other device;

selecting one of the content media items on the device;

displaying the selected one of the content media items on the device; and

sending a request to the other device to display the item in the copy of the content media items transmitted to the other device that corresponds to the selected one of the content media items,

wherein an identifier is associated with each content media item, the identifier identifying the user operating the device, and allowing access of the user operating the device to the item.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, the method further comprising:

breaking a connection to the other device; and

deleting the shared content media items.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein an identifier is associated with each shared content media item, the identifier identifying another user, and restricting access of the user operating the device to the item.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the session comprises at least one of a card game, a trading card game, a board game, and a role playing game.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the content media items comprise at least one of a playing card description, a trading card description, a card image, a game modification, a character image, a character description, a video, and an avatar.