Converting a limited program object to a complete program object

• US 8,516,473 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stone Interactive Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: Sw Caldwell & Company LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lane, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Application Number:
  US11/032,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,143 Days
• Field of Search: 717110-113, 717120-123, 717168-178, 709201-203, 709217-219, 463 40- 43
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system for distributing and selling program objects. The system has the ability to download a limited functionality program object from one computer system to another, then to allow a user to view and interact but not control that object without first purchasing the object online. Once this purchase is made, an additional program object or code is provided that gives the user control of the initial program object.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first computer, a limited functionality object from a second computer;

rendering, by the first computer, the limited functionality object in a program running on the first computer, wherein the rendering comprises outputting the limited functionality object in a virtual environment on the first computer;

interacting, by the first computer, with the limited functionality object in a first manner but not a second manner, wherein the first manner is different from the second manner; and

converting, while running the program on the first computer, the limited functionality object to a fully functional object to interact with the fully functional object in the first manner and the second manner, wherein the converting comprises requesting an additional functionality object from the second computer and modifying the limited functionality object to include the additional functionality object to convert the limited functionality object to the fully functional object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a game and the limited functionality object comprises a new character in the game received while the program is running on the first computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first manner comprises viewing the new character, and wherein the second manner comprises controlling the new character.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer includes a client computer and the second computer includes a server computer, and wherein a first portion of the program runs on the client computer and a second portion of the program runs on the server computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the converting further comprises converting the limited functionality object without restarting the program on the first computer and the second computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting includes displaying the limited functionality object in the virtual environment on a computer monitor of the first computer while running the program on the second computer remote from the first computer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

requesting, by the first computer, the additional functionality object from the second computer while the program is running on the first computer and the second computer; and

rendering, by the first computer on the computer monitor, the additional functionality object in the virtual environment while the program is running on the first computer and the second computer and without needing to restart the program running on the first computer and the second computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional functionality object comprises additional logic to facilitate converting the limited functionality object to the fully functional object while running the program on the first computer and the second computer and without ceasing execution of the program running on the first computer and the second computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a car racing program, wherein the limited functionality object comprises a new car, wherein the first manner comprises racing against the new car, and wherein the second manner comprises driving the new car.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a plane flying program, wherein the limited functionality object comprises a new plane, wherein the first manner comprises displaying the new plane, and wherein the second manner comprises flying the new plane.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a music program, wherein the limited functionality object comprises a clip of a new song, wherein the first manner comprises listening to the clip of the new song, and wherein the second manner comprises listening to a full version of the new song.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the first computer, a remainder of the new song from the second computer; and

combining the clip of the new song and the remainder of the new song to form a complete new song, wherein the first computer receives the remainder of the new song without downloading the complete new song.

13. A client system, comprising:

an output device configured to output, in a virtual environment, a limited functionality object rendered by a program running on a client computer, wherein the program is configured to interact with the limited functionality object in a first manner but not a second manner, and wherein the first manner is different from the second manner;

an input device configured to receive the limited functionality object from a server computer this is remote from the client computer; and

a processor configured to convert the limited functionality object to a fully functional object while running the program to facilitate interaction with the fully functional object in the first manner and the second manner, wherein the converting comprises requesting an additional functionality object from the server computer and modifying the limited functionality object to include the additional functionality object to convert the limited functionality object to the fully functional object.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a first computer, a limited functionality object from a second computer;

rendering, by the first computer, the limited functionality object in a program running on the first computer, wherein the rendering comprises outputting the limited functionality object in a virtual environment on the first computer;

interacting, by the first computer, with the limited functionality object in a first manner but not a second manner, wherein the first manner is different from the second manner; and

converting, while running the program on the first computer, the limited functionality object to a fully functional object to interact with the fully functional object in the first manner and the second manner, wherein the converting comprises requesting an additional functionality object from the second computer and modifying the limited functionality object to include the additional functionality object to convert the limited functionality object to the fully functional object.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprises running a host application on a client computer, wherein the program comprises the host application, and wherein the first computer comprises the client computer.

16. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a server computer, a limited functionality object to a client computer;

determining, by the server computer, that the client computer is rendering the limited functionality object in a program that is operable in a first manner but not a second manner, wherein the first manner is different from the second manner, and wherein the rendering comprises outputting the limited functionality object in a virtual environment on the client computer; and

providing, by the server computer, an additional functionality object to the client computer in response to a request for the additional functionality object from the client computer, wherein the additional functionality object facilitates converting the limited functionality object to a fully functional object that is operable in the first manner and the second manner while the program is running on the client computer, and wherein the converting comprises modifying the limited functionality object to include the additional functionality object to convert the limited functionality object to the fully functional object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the additional functionality object includes an instruction to configure the client computer to modify the limited functionality object.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the additional functionality object comprises providing the additional functionality object without ceasing execution of the program running on the client computer.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising customizing, by the server computer, the limited functionality object according to a user input.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising customizing, by the server computer, the limited functionality object according to an object template.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising running a portion of a host application on the server computer, wherein the host application comprises the program running on the client computer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising integrating the fully functional object into the host application without halting or restarting the host application.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising processing payment information and providing the additional functionality object from the server computer to the client computer in response to processing the payment information.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

transmitting, by a server computer, a limited functionality object to a client computer;

determining, by the server computer, that the client computer is rendering the limited functionality object in a program that is operable in a first manner but not a second manner, wherein the first manner is different from the second manner, and wherein the rendering comprises outputting the limited functionality object in a virtual environment on the client computer; and

providing, by the server computer, an additional functionality object to the client computer in response to a request for the additional functionality object from the client computer, wherein the additional functionality object facilitates converting the limited functionality object to a fully functional object that is operable in the first manner and the second manner while the program is running on the client computer, and wherein the converting comprises modifying the limited functionality object to include the additional functionality object to convert the limited functionality object to the fully functional object.

25. A server computer, comprising:

means for transmitting, by the server computer, a limited functionality object to a client computer;

means for determining, by the server computer, that the client computer is rendering the limited functionality object in a program that is operable in a first manner but not a second manner, wherein the first manner is different from the second manner, and wherein the rendering comprises outputting the limited functionality object in a virtual environment on the client computer; and

means for providing an additional functionality object to the client computer in response to a request for the additional functionality object from the client computer, wherein the additional functionality object facilitates converting the limited functionality object to a fully functional object that is operable in the first manner and the second manner while the program is running on the client computer, and wherein the converting comprises modifying the limited functionality object to include the additional functionality object to convert the limited functionality object to the fully functional object.