Method and system for automatically managing a content approval process for use in in-game advertising

• US 20060135235A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Willis, Daniel, Godse, Dhananjay
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• 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 2300/5506 using advertisements

Abstract

A method for approving data wherein a request for approval of advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within a known advertising spot within a known video game is provided. Based on the advertising spot and the video game a system determines at least a party for approving of the advertising content. Then, the system automatically transmits a message to the at least a party requesting their approval of the advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within the known advertising spot within the known video game.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a request for approval of advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within a known advertising spot within a known video game;

determining based on the advertising spot and the video game at least a party for approving of the advertising content; and

automatically transmitting a message to the at least a party requesting their approval of the advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within the known advertising spot within the known video game.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the at least a party comprises a plurality of parties for approving of the advertising content.

3. A method according to claim 2 comprising each of the plurality of parties for approving of the advertising content securing first data related to the advertising content for indicating their approval of the advertising content.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein securing comprises digitally signing of the first data.

5. A method according to claim 3 comprising:

evaluating each of the secured first data according to a Boolean expression to determine an approval status of the advertising content.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the Boolean expression comprises an AND expression for approving of advertising content only when all secured first data are indicative of approval.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the message comprises one of a multimedia representation of the advertising content within the advertising spot and a link to a multimedia representation of the advertising content within the advertising spot.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the message provides an opportunity to approve or not approve the advertising content.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein restrictions include at least one of temporal restrictions, frequency restrictions, and geographic location based restrictions.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the restrictions comprise temporal restrictions specifying a time of day during which the advertising content is other than to be displayed.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the restrictions comprise temporal restrictions specifying a geographic location wherein the advertising content is other than to be displayed.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein the opportunity to approve comprises an opportunity to approve with restrictions.

13. A method according to claim 8 wherein the opportunity to not approve comprises an opportunity to not approve with comments.

14. A method according to claim 1 comprising:

receiving the message and automatically placing the message within one of a plurality of groups, the message placed within the groups in dependence upon parties associated with the advertising content.

15. A method according to claim 14 comprising:

automatically after a predetermined period of time approving the advertising content relating to messages within at least one of the plurality of groups.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of groups is subject to a different internal approval process of the approving party.

17. A method according to claim 1 comprising:

receiving the message and automatically after a predetermined period of time approving the advertising content.

18. A method according to claim 17 comprising:

receiving a plurality of approval replies;

processing each of the approval replies to determine an approval status of the advertising content within the advertising spot;

when the approval status indicates that the advertising content is approved for being impressed within the advertising spot, securing the advertising content for delivery to the video game; and

storing the secured advertising content within an advertising server for delivery to the video game therefrom.

19. A method according claim 18 wherein the plurality of approval replies are received by one of the advertising broker and the game provider.

20. A method according claim 18 wherein some of the messages is transmitted serially, a reply from a first message received before a second message is transmitted.

21. A method according claim 18 wherein all of the messages is transmitted in parallel, each message transmitted without knowledge of a reply to another of the messages relating to a same advertising content and advertising spot.

22. A method according to claim 1 wherein the advertising content is other than provided to a video game in execution prior to completion of the approval process.

23. A method according to claim 22 comprising:

receiving an indication that content approval has been revoked for an advertising content within an advertising spot; and

communicating with the video game to indicate that approval for the advertising content within the advertising spot is revoked.

24. A method comprising:

receiving secured advertising content from a remote server, the advertising content secured against tampering;

determining from the secured advertising content an approval status thereof;

determining based on the secured advertising content an absence of tampering thereof; and

,

when the secured advertising content is both approved and absent tampering, storing of the advertising content in an accessible form within a memory storage for retrieval during video game execution and for impressing upon a gamer of the video game.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the secured advertising content is secured by an advertising broker.

26. A method according to claim 24 wherein the secured advertising content is secured by a game provider of the video game.

27. A method according to claim 24 wherein the secured advertising content is secured by a plurality of different parties each having approval authority.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein determining is performed a broker.

29. A method according to claim 27 wherein determining is performed a game provider.

30. A method according to claim 27 wherein determining is performed a game hardware platform.

31. A method according to claim 27 wherein determining is performed by a video game.

32. A method according to claim 27 wherein determining is performed by each of the approving parties, each party verifying their own approval.

33. A method according to claim 24,

wherein secured advertising content is received at a video game system;

wherein software in execution on the video game system determines from the secured advertising content an approval status thereof;

wherein software in execution on the video game system determines based on the secured advertising content an absence of tampering thereof; and

,

wherein storing of the advertising content comprises storing of the advertising content in an accessible form within a memory storage of the video game system for retrieval during video game execution and for impressing upon a gamer of the video game.

34. A method according to claim 24,

wherein storing of the advertising content comprises storing of the advertising content in an accessible form within a memory storage of a proxy server for retrieval during video game execution and for impressing upon a gamer of the video game.

35. A system comprising:

a suitably programmed processor for;

providing a request for approval of advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within a known advertising spot within a known video game;

determining based on the advertising spot and the video game at least a party for approving of the advertising content; and

automatically transmitting a message to the at least a party requesting their approval of the advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within the known advertising spot within the known video game.

36. A system comprising:

a suitably programmed processor for;

wherein secured advertising content is received at a video game system;

wherein software in execution on the video game system determines from the secured advertising content an approval status thereof;

wherein software in execution on the video game system determines based on the secured advertising content an absence of tampering thereof; and

,

wherein storing of the advertising content comprises storing of the advertising content in an accessible form within a memory storage of the video game system for retrieval during video game execution and for impressing upon a gamer of the video game.

37. A storage medium having data stored therein, the data for when executed resulting in performance of:

providing a request for approval of advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within a known advertising spot within a known video game;

determining based on the advertising spot and the video game at least a party for approving of the advertising content; and

automatically transmitting a message to the at least a party requesting their approval of the advertising content for being impressed upon video game players within the known advertising spot within the known video game.

38. A storage medium having data stored therein, the data for when executed resulting in performance of:

a suitably programmed processor for;

wherein secured advertising content is received at a video game system;

wherein software in execution on the video game system determines from the secured advertising content an approval status thereof;

wherein software in execution on the video game system determines based on the secured advertising content an absence of tampering thereof; and

,

wherein storing of the advertising content comprises storing of the advertising content in an accessible form within a memory storage of the video game system for retrieval during video game execution and for impressing upon a gamer of the video game.