Computing environment transaction system to transact computing environment circumventions

• US 10,346,853 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2003
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gametek LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gametek LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Cartwright, Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): Bekerman, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/418,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,926 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1412, 705 1413, 705 1423, 705 1439
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system and methods allowing the creation, integration, and transaction of rule circumventions and/or interactive advertisements in computing environments is provided. In an illustrative implementation, the present invention comprises a core transaction server, a multimedia transaction server, and browser application. A computing environment cooperates with the core transaction server to obtain data representative of computing environment rule circumventions for integration within the computing environment as well as computing environment circumvention transaction information. The core transaction server cooperates with the multimedia transaction server to obtain data representative of the desired computing environment rule circumvention and with the browser application to obtain inputs from computing environment to establish accounts for use when transacting computing environment rule circumvention transactions.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions, comprising;

a core transaction server program configured to receive a request to circumvent at least one predefined rule of a computer game, to communicate user account information to the computer game, to transact at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule including to transmit the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule to the computer game without a user'"'"'s account information qualifying for the circumvention, and to update the user account information upon the transaction of the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule, wherein the core transaction server program is configured to perform the receiving, communicating, transacting, and updating as the computer game is played and without interrupting the computer game;

an adapter configured to communicate with the core transaction server program the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule and to process the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule for integration in the computer game across a plurality of computing environment platforms; and

a payment processing module in communication with the core transaction server program to reconcile payment for at least one executed transaction representative of the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule, wherein the instructions are received from at least one of the core transaction server program, the adapter, and the payment processing module;

wherein the core transaction server program is further configured to;

track buying habits of one or more users of the gaming environment with respect to the at least one circumvention; and

determine respective popularity of the circumventions of the at least one circumvention based on the tracked buying habits.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a web server providing a user website, wherein the user website and the computer game operate independently of each other, and wherein the user website and the computer game communicate information representative of the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule and the transaction of the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the core transaction server program is further configured to associate an amount with the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule, to track a number of instances where the at least one predefined rule is circumvented, and to generate a total charge amount based on the associated amount and the number of instances;

and

wherein the payment processing module is configured to reconcile the payment based on the charge amount.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the core transaction server program is further configured to adjust respective prices of circumventions of the at least one circumvention based upon the respective popularity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the core transaction server program is further configured to add credits to the user account information in response to the user assisting in subscribing another user to the at least one circumvention of the at least one predefined rule.

6. The system of claim 1, where in the core transaction server program is further configured to:

receive a user input associated with a user account associated with the user account information indicating whether the user account desires access to a capability of circumventing predefined rules of the computer game;

store the user input with the user account;

upon initiation of gaming action by the user account in the gaming environment, determine whether the user input indicates that the user account desires access to the capability of circumventing the predefined rules of the computer game; and

in response to the user input indicating that the user account desires access to the capability of circumventing the predefined rules, enable the user account to display in the computer game a plurality of circumventions that respectively have displayed prices.