Apparatus and method for executing a game program having advertisements therein

• US 6,882,978 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ebisawa, Kan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US10/007,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 463/19, 463/42
• US Class Current: 705/14.5
• 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• 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 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/208 Use of an ATM as a switch or hub
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/375 : Commercial
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 : Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A game system which is operable to update advertisements that are displayed when a game program is executed. The system stores a game program in a memory, receives (i.e., downloads), at predetermined times of operation, for example, on each new day the game program is executed or each time the game program is executed, updated advertising data that relates to at least one advertisement, stores the received advertising data in the memory, executes the game program stored in the memory, and outputs during the execution of the game program display data which corresponds to the stored advertisement data in accordance with the game program code. Further, instead of downloading new advertisements, plural advertisements may be prestored with the game program and only advertisement selection codes are downloaded to update the advertisements that are displayed when the game program is executed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for executing an executable game program displaying data having a plurality of images, said plurality of images including advertisements therein, comprising:

storage means for storing an executable game program;

means for receiving new advertising data on a recurring basis relating to at least one advertisement, and wherein said storage means stores the received new advertising data; and

execution means for executing said executable game program stored in said storage means and outputting display data incorporating the new advertising data stored in said storage means within an originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data each new day on which said executable game program is executed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data each time said executable game program is executed.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for turning on said apparatus;

and wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data each time said apparatus is turned on.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data relating to a plurality of new advertisements;

and said program execution means outputs display data incorporating each of said plurality of new advertisements at respective times within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data at predetermined times.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for inhibiting said program execution means from executing said executable game program when said means for receiving does not receive said new advertising data at said predetermined times.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said executable game program with said new advertising data when said executable game program is executed a first time;

and said storage means is operable to store said executable game program received by said means for receiving.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said executable game program with said new advertising data when said executable game program is not stored in said storage means;

and said storage means stores said executable game program received by said means for receiving.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting to a program service provider a program identification code identifying the executable game program to be executed, and wherein said means for receiving receives from the program service provider said new advertising data corresponding to the executable game program identified by said program identification code.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said new advertising data received by said means for receiving may be the same or different from the advertising data previously received by said means for receiving and stored in said storage means.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives a plurality of new advertising data corresponding to a plurality of executable game programs;

and said storage means stores the received plurality of new advertising data corresponding to the executable game program to be executed by said program execution means.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data from a program transmitting system over a transmission line.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data from a satellite transmission.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data via a global computer network.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data via the Internet.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said originally displayed plurality of images includes a representation of at least one traditional advertising location upon which said new advertising data is displayed.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said traditional advertising location is a billboard.

19. An apparatus for executing an executable game program displaying data having a plurality of images, said plurality of images including advertisements therein, comprising:

storage means for storing an executable game program and new advertising data on a recurring basis relating to a plurality of new advertisements;

means for receiving at predetermined times new advertising selection data identifying selected ones of said plurality of new advertisements stored in said storage means; and

program execution means for executing said executable game program stored in said storage means and outputting display data incorporating selected advertisements identified in said new advertising selection data at respective times within an originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising selection data each new day on which said executable game program is executed.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising selection data each time said executable game program is executed.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for turning on said apparatus;

and wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising selection data each time said apparatus is turned on.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising selection data identifying plural ones of said plurality of new advertisements;

and said program execution means outputs display data incorporating each identified advertisement at respective times within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for inhibiting said program execution means from executing said executable game program when said means for receiving does not receive said new advertising selection data at said predetermined times.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said executable game program and said new advertising data with said new advertising selection data when said executable game program is executed a first time;

and said storage means stores the received executable game program and new advertising data.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said executable game program and said new advertising data with said new advertising selection data when said executable game program and said new advertising data is not stored in said storage means;

and said storage means stores the received executable game program and said new advertising data.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for transmitting to a program service provider a program identification code identifying the executable game program to be executed, and wherein said means for receiving receives from the program service provider said new advertising selection data corresponding to the executable game program identified by said identification code.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives a plurality of new advertising selection data corresponding to a plurality of executable game programs;

and said program execution means displays data incorporating selected advertisements identified in said new advertising selection data within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executed game program.

29. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said new advertising selection data received by said means for receiving are permitted to be the same or different from advertising selection data previously received by said means for receiving.

30. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising selection data over a transmission line from a program transmitting system.

31. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data from a satellite transmission.

32. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data via a global computer network.

33. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for receiving receives said new advertising data via the Internet.

34. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said originally displayed plurality of images includes a representation of at least one traditional advertising location upon which said new advertising data is displayed.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said traditional advertising location is a billboard.

36. An apparatus for executing an executable game program displaying data having a plurality of images, said plurality of images including advertisements therein, comprising:

a memory for storing an executable game program;

a receiver for receiving new advertising data on a recurring basis relating to at least one advertisement, and wherein said memory stores the received new advertising data; and

an execution apparatus for executing said executable game program stored in said memory and outputting display data incorporating the new advertising data stored in said memory within an originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data each time said executable game program is executed.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data each time said executable game program is executed.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data each time said apparatus is turned on.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data relating to a plurality of new advertisements;

and said execution apparatus outputs display data incorporating each of said plurality of new advertisements at respective times within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

41. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data at predetermined times.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said execution apparatus is inhibited from executing said executable game program when said receiver does not receive said new advertising data at said predetermined times.

43. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said executable game program with said new advertising data when said executable game program is executed a first time;

and said memory is operable to store said executable game program received by said receiver.

44. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said executable game program with said new advertising data when said executable game program is not stored in said memory;

and said memory stores said executable game program received by said receiver.

45. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting to a program service provider a program identification code identifying the executable game program to be executed, and wherein said receiver receives from the program service provider said new advertising data corresponding to the executable game program identified by said program identification code.

46. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said new advertising data received by said receiver are permitted to be the same or different from advertising data previously received by said receiver and stored in said memory.

47. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives a plurality of new advertising data corresponding to a plurality of executable game programs;

and said memory stores the received new advertising data corresponding to the executable game program to be executed by said execution apparatus.

48. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data from a program transmitting system over a transmission line.

49. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data from a satellite transmission.

50. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data via a global computer network.

51. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data via the Internet.

52. An apparatus for executing an executable game program displaying data having a plurality of images, said plurality of images including advertisements therein, comprising:

a memory for storing an executable game program and new advertising data on a recurring basis relating to a plurality of new advertisements;

a receiver for receiving at predetermined times new advertising selection data identifying selected ones of said plurality of new advertisements stored in said memory; and

an execution apparatus for executing said executable game program stored in said memory and outputting display data incorporating selected advertisements identified in said new advertising selection data at respective times within an originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising selection data each new day on which said executable game program is executed.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising selection data each time said executable game program is executed.

55. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising selection data each time said apparatus is turned on.

56. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising selection data identifying plural ones of said plurality of new advertisements;

and said execution apparatus outputs display data incorporating each identified advertisement at respective times within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by said executable game program.

57. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said execution apparatus is inhibited from executing said executable game program when said receiver does not receive said new advertising selection data at said predetermined times.

58. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said executable game program and said new advertising data with said new advertising selection data when said executable game program is executed a first time;

and said memory stores the received executable game program and said new advertising data.

59. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said executable game program and said new advertising data with said new advertising selection data when said executable game program and said new advertising data is not stored in said memory;

and said memory stores the received executable game program and said new advertising data.

60. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting to a program service provider a program identification code identifying the executable game program to be executed, and wherein said receiver receives from the program service provider said new advertising selection data corresponding to the executable game program identified by said program identification code.

61. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives a plurality of new advertising selection data corresponding to a plurality of executable game programs;

and said execution apparatus displays data incorporating selected advertisements identified in the new advertising selection data within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executed game program.

62. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said new advertising selection data received by said receiver is permitted to be the same or different from the new advertising selection data previously received by said receiver.

63. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising selection data over a transmission line from a program transmitting system.

64. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data from a satellite transmission.

65. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data via a global computer network.

66. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said receiver receives said new advertising data via the Internet.

67. A method of executing an executable game program displaying data having a plurality of images, said plurality of images including advertisements therein, comprising the steps of:

storing an executable game program in memory;

receiving new advertising data on a recurring basis relating to at least one advertisement at predetermined times;

storing the received new advertising data in the memory;

executing the executable game program stored in the memory; and

outputting display data incorporating the new advertising data stored in the memory within an originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executable game program.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising data each new day on which the executable game program is executed.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising data each time the executable game program is executed.

70. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of turning on a system which executes the executable game program;

and wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising data each time the system is turned on.

71. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising data relating to a plurality of new advertisements;

and said step of outputting is carried out by outputting display data incorporating each of the plurality of new advertisements at respective times within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executable game program.

72. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of inhibiting the executable game program from being executed when said new advertising data is not received at the predetermined times.

73. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the executable game program with the new advertising data when the executable game program is executed a first time.

74. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the executable game program with the new advertising data when the executable game program is not stored in the memory.

75. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of transmitting to a program service provider a program identification code identifying the executable game program to be executed;

and wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving from the program service provider said new advertising data corresponding to the executable game program identified by the program identification code.

76. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving a plurality of new advertising data corresponding to a plurality of executable game programs;

and said step of outputting is carried out by outputting display data incorporating the new advertising data within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executable game program that is executed.

77. The method of claim 67, wherein the received new advertising data are permitted to be the game or different from advertising data previously received by said step of receiving.

78. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising data from a program transmitting system over a transmission line.

79. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising data from a satellite transmission.

80. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising data via a global computer network.

81. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising data via the Internet.

82. The method of claim 67, wherein said originally displayed plurality of images includes a representation of at least one traditional advertising location upon which said new advertising data is displayed.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein said traditional advertising location is a billboard.

84. A method of executing an executable game program displaying data having a plurality of images, said plurality of images including advertisements therein, comprising the steps of:

storing an executable game program and new advertising data on a recurring basis relating to a plurality of new advertisements in a memory;

receiving at predetermined times new advertising selection data identifying selected ones of the plurality of new advertisements stored in the memory;

executing the executable game program stored in the memory; and

outputting display data incorporating selected advertisements identified in the new advertising selection data at respective times within an originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executable game program.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising selection data each new day on which the executable game program is executed.

86. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising selection data each time the executable game program is executed.

87. The method of claim 84, further comprising the step of turning on a system which executes the executable game program;

and wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising selection data each time the system is turned on.

88. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving said new advertising selection data identifying plural ones of the plurality of new advertisements;

and said step of outputting is carried out by outputting display data incorporating each of the identified plurality of new advertisements at respective times within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executable game program.

89. The method of claim 84, further comprising the step of inhibiting the executable game program from being executed when said new advertising selection data is not received at the predetermined times.

90. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the executable game program and the new advertising data with the new advertising selection data when the executable game program is executed a first time;

and said step of storing is carried out by storing the received executable game program and said new advertising data.

91. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the executable game program and the new advertising data with the new advertising selection data when the executable game program and said new advertising data are not stored in the memory;

and said step of storing is carried out by storing the received executable game program and said new advertising data.

92. The method of claim 84, further comprising the step of transmitting to a program service provider a program identification code identifying the game program to be executed;

and wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving from the program service provider said new advertising selection data corresponding to the executable game program identified by the program identification code.

93. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving a plurality of new advertising selection data corresponding to a plurality of executable game programs;

and said step of outputting is carried out by outputting display data incorporating selected new advertisements identified in the new advertising selection data within the originally displayed plurality of images generated by the executed game program.

94. The method of claim 84, wherein the received new advertising selection data are permitted to be the game or different from advertising selection data previously received by said step of selecting.

95. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising selection data over a transmission line from a program transmitting system.

96. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising data from a satellite transmission.

97. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising data via a global computer network.

98. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of receiving is carried out by receiving the new advertising data via the Internet.