System for viewing content over a network and method therefor
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for viewing content over the Internet wherein a user accesses a service provider server to view a character icon provided by the service provider to a user interface device. The user will select web site addresses of subscriber target sites where the user can access enhancement content for the character icon to provide functionality to the character icon such as for animating the character icon on the user device. Addresses for such web sites may be provided to the user based on a particular character icon selection which may, in and of itself, signify interests and/or demographic information of the user. Access to enhancement content will be provided by accessing authorization codes present at the target sites. In a preferred embodiment, only certain enhancement content will be operable on certain character icons, thus requiring the user to locate enhancement content that is compatible with the user'"'"'s character icon.
22 Citations
54 Claims
-
1-45. -45. (canceled)
-
46. A method of acquiring enhancement functions for character icons, with each character icon having a corresponding attribute for manipulating the display of respective ones of said character icons on a first user device and a second user device, said first user device depicting a first icon having a first corresponding attribute, and said second device depicting a second icon having a second corresponding attribute, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) accessing a service provider with said first and second user devices;
(b) providing the user devices with addresses of content providers offering content having enhancement authorization codes corresponding to the first character icon and the second character icon;
(c) accessing at least one of the addresses on each of said first and second user devices;
(d) obtaining at least one enhancement authorization code on said first and second user devices upon access of the at least one of the addresses, said at least one enhancement authorization code corresponding to enhancement functions for the first and second character icons;
(e) selecting the at least one enhancement authorization code by performing an action on the user devices;
(f) determining whether the at least one selected enhancement authorization code corresponding to the selected enhancement icons are authorized to be used with the presently-selected character icons displayed on said first and second user devices;
(g) adding an access code for the enhancement function to a first user enhancement file associated with a first user operating said first user device remotely located from said first user device if the enhancement function corresponding to the selected authorization code selected by the first user device is authorized to be used with the presently-displayed character icon on said first user device;
(h) adding an access code for the enhancement function to a second user enhancement file associated with a second user operating said second user device remotely located from said second user device if the enhancement function corresponding to the selected authorization code selected by said second user device is authorized to be used with the presently-displayed character icon on said second user device; and
(i) providing an indication to the first and second user devices that the selected enhancement functions have been added to the respective user enhancement files. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
-
54. The method of claim 54, wherein said step (j) allows for the first and second character icons to simulate a battle.
Specification