Dynamic redemption codes

• US 8,744,971 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chen, Grace, Woldman, Jennifer
• Primary Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US13/220,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20130055409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/16, 705/21, 705/59, 705/71, 380/44, 380/262, 380/278, 380/279
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds

Abstract

Information regarding a redemption code may include at least one parameter associated with certain redeemable content. Requests may be received from a user. The request may concern access to redeemable content associated with a redemption code. The applicability of parameters is determined as is the redeemable content associated with the identified parameter. The user may then be granted access to the identified redeemable content. The determination of applicable parameters may include identifying an associated modification and applying the modification to the redemption code in order to identify the redeemable content.

Claims

1. A method for providing a dynamic redemption code, the method comprising:

associating, by a server, redeemable content with the dynamic redemption code;

storing, by the server, information in memory regarding a plurality of dynamic redemption codes, wherein the stored information;

includes one or more parameters associated with a code modification and redeemable content associated with each dynamic redemption code, and

indicates that the code modification is to be applied based on a determination that at least one of the associated parameters is applicable;

receiving, by the server, a request sent over a communication network from a requesting user, the request concerning access to redeemable content associated with the dynamic redemption code;

monitoring, by the server, applicability of the one or more parameters;

determining, by the server, an applicable parameter from the one or more parameters stored in memory;

applying, by the server, a modification to the dynamic redemption code based on the parameter determined to be applicable, wherein the modification to the dynamic redemption code is automatically applied based on determining the applicable parameter;

identifying, by the server, the redeemable content associated with the modified dynamic redemption code as indicated by the stored information in memory; and

granting, by the server, the requesting user access to the identified redeemable content, wherein the identified redeemable content is accessible over the communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information stored in memory further indicates that the dynamic redemption code is associated with a set of redeemable content and the redeemable content associated with each parameter is selected from the set of redeemable content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information stored in memory further indicates that each parameter is associated with a modification to the dynamic redemption code and identification of the redeemable content includes applying the modification associated with the determined parameter to the redemption code, and identifying redeemable content associated with the modified dynamic redemption code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the dynamic redemption code comprises a dynamic portion and wherein the modification is applied to the dynamic portion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the modification includes appending the dynamic portion to the dynamic redemption code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information stored in memory further indicates that the one or more parameters includes a time period of redemption and wherein determination of which of the parameters are applicable includes identifying the time period in which the request for the redeemable content is submitted.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored information in memory further indicates that the one or more parameters includes a number of previous redemptions, and determination of the applicable parameters includes identifying a number of requests previously received including the dynamic redemption code.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the stored information in memory regarding the one or more parameters and the redeemable content associated with each parameter are specified by a system administrator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored information in memory further indicates that the dynamic redemption code is associated with metadata indicating the one or more parameters and the redeemable content associated with each parameter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the redeemable content includes an upgrade to a media title accessible to the requesting user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the upgrade relates to audio-visual quality of the media title.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the upgrade relates a customizability of a feature of the media title.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the customizability relates to modifying visual appearance of the media title.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the customizability relates to modifying sound effects in the media title.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the customizability relates to configuration of a control device associated with interaction with the media title.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the upgrade relates to an additional or enhanced ability of one or more characters in the media title.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more characters are associated with a group of users of the media title.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the upgrade is portable to another media title associated with the media title.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the upgrade includes additional content associated with the media title.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor, wherein execution by the processor causes the processor to perform the method of:

associating redeemable content with the dynamic redemption code;

storing information regarding a plurality of dynamic redemption codes, wherein the stored information;

includes one or more parameters associated with a code modification and redeemable content associated with each dynamic redemption code, and

indicates that the code modification is to be applied based on a determination that at least one of the associated parameters is applicable;

receiving a request sent from a requesting user, the request concerning access to redeemable content associated with the redemption code;

monitoring applicability of the one or more parameters;

determining an applicable parameter from the one or more parameters stored in memory;

applying a modification to the dynamic redemption code based on the parameter determined to be applicable, wherein the modification is automatically applied based on the determination of the applicable parameter;

identifying the redeemable content associated with the modified dynamic redemption code as indicated by the stored information in memory; and

granting the requesting user access to the identified redeemable content, wherein the identified redeemable content is accessible over the communication network.