Methods and apparatuses for displaying interactive content through a device

• US 8,814,694 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Glassman, Ellen, Farrage, David, Takagi, Yumiko, Koza, Michelle, Feinberg, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): YOO, JASSON H
• Application Number:
  US13/137,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20110319161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/30, 463/40, 463 41- 44
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access

Abstract

In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect a device; detect a status level corresponding to the device; receive content on the device based on the status level; and display the content on the device based on the status level.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for displaying synchronized contests involving characters associated with portable devices, the computer program executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:

associating with a first portable device a first character having a first status level;

detecting a second portable device within a proximity of the first portable device, a second character having a second status level being associated with the second portable device;

comparing the first status level with the second status level; and

displaying on the first portable device an animated graphical display of a contest between the first and second characters, wherein the animated graphical display of the contest is displayed as a synchronized single continuous event on both the first portable device and the second portable device, with an outcome of the contest being determined based upon the comparison of the first and second status levels, wherein the first portable device and the second portable device function together to display different but related content based on the location of the devices.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the synchronized graphical display is separately displayable on the second portable device while it is being displayed on the first portable device.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein a winner of the contest is shown in the synchronized graphical display, the winner being based upon the comparison of the first and second status levels.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first status level is adjusted based upon the outcome of the contest.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein a hierarchy module establishes the first status level.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein a wireless tag module respectively transmits and receives profile information corresponding to the first and second devices, the profile information accommodating association of the first and second characters with the first and second devices.

7. An apparatus for displaying synchronized contests involving characters associated with portable devices, the system comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory, the memory storing program code executable by the processing unit to perform operations comprising;

associating with a first portable device a first character having a first status level;

detecting a second portable device within a proximity of the first portable device, a second character having a second status level being associated with the second portable device;

comparing the first status level with the second status level; and

displaying on the first portable device an animated graphical display of a contest between the first and second characters, wherein the animated graphical display of the contest is displayed as a synchronized single continuous event on both the first portable device and the second portable device, with an outcome of the contest being determined based upon the comparison of the first and second status levels, wherein the first portable device and the second portable device function together to display different but related content based on the location of the devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the synchronized graphical display is separately displayable on the second portable device while it is being displayed on the first portable device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a winner of the contest is shown in the synchronized graphical display, the winner being based upon the comparison of the first and second status levels.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first status level is adjusted based upon the outcome of the contest.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a hierarchy module establishes the first status level.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a wireless tag module respectively transmits and receives profile information corresponding to the first and second devices, the profile information accommodating association of the first and second characters with the first and second devices.

13. An apparatus for displaying synchronized contests involving characters associated with portable devices, the apparatus comprising:

means for associating with a first portable device a first character having a first status level;

means for detecting a second portable device within a proximity of the first portable device, a second character having a second status level being associated with the second portable device;

means for comparing the first status level with the second status level, with an outcome of the contest being determined based upon the comparison of the first and second status levels; and

means for displaying an animated graphical display of a contest between the first and second characters on the first portable device, the animated graphical display of the contest being displayable as a synchronized single continuous event on both the first portable device and the second portable device, wherein the first portable device and the second portable device function together to display different but related content based on the location of the devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the synchronized graphical display is separately displayable on the second portable device while it is being displayed on the first portable device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a winner of the contest is shown in the synchronized graphical display, the winner being based upon the comparison of the first and second status levels.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first status level is adjusted based upon the outcome of the contest.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a hierarchy module establishes the first status level.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a wireless tag module respectively transmits and receives profile information corresponding to the first and second devices, the profile information accommodating association of the first and second characters with the first and second devices.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for displaying synchronized contests involving characters associated with portable devices, the computer program executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:

associating with a first portable device a first character;

detecting a second portable device within a proximity of the first portable device, a second character being associated with the second portable device;

displaying on the first portable device an animated graphical display of a contest between the first and second characters upon the proximity detection of the second portable device, wherein the animated graphical display of the contest is displayed as a synchronized single continuous event on both the first portable device and the second portable device, wherein as a contest is lost on a device, a battery level of the device decreases and necessitates a re-charging of a battery associated with the device.

20. A method for displaying synchronized contests involving characters associated with portable devices, the method comprising:

associating with a first portable device a first character;

detecting a second portable device within a proximity of the first portable device, a second character being associated with the second portable device;

displaying on the first portable device an animated graphical display of a contest between the first and second characters upon the proximity detection of the second portable device, wherein the animated graphical display of the contest is displayed as a synchronized single continuous event on both the first portable device and the second portable device, wherein as a contest is lost on a device, a battery level of the device decreases and necessitates a re-charging of a battery associated with the device.