Server and units

• US 6,942,575 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Mergler, Iwo-Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): Skaarup, Jason
• Application Number:
  US10/308,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20030109311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 463 7- 8, 463/16, 463 29- 30, 463/32, 463/35, 463/38, 463/42, 463/1, 463/9, 463/43, 700 90- 83
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method comprises linking a plurality of units with a central server, operating a virtual game on the server, and offering purchasing options to users of the units to purchase virtual non-monetary assets for use in the virtual game. Also described is a system comprising a central server, and a plurality of units linked to the server via a communication link, wherein a unit of the system includes purchasing means operable by a user to purchase virtual non-monetary assets for use by a user in the virtual game.

Claims

1. A method comprising linking a plurality of units with a central server, operating a virtual game on said server, and offering purchasing options to users of said units to purchase virtual non-monetary assets for use in said virtual game;

wherein at least some of the purchased non-monetary assets expire after a fixed time;

at least some of the purchased non-monetary assets expire due to usage;

at least a portion of a user score can be exchanged into virtual money for the purchase of non-monetary assets, thereby lowering the user score; and

the user score and purchased non-monetary assets deteriorate at a predetermined rate while the user is offline.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said linking is carried out over a public network.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said public network is the Internet.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said unit is a digital television receiver.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said unit is a personal computer.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said virtual game is accessible at no charge to the user.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein a user may virtually test a non-monetary asset prior to purchase.

8. A system comprising a central server, and a plurality of units linked to said server via a communication link, wherein a unit of said system includes purchasing means operable by a user to purchase virtual non-monetary assets for use by a user in a virtual game operating on said server;

wherein the system is operable such that at least some of the purchased non-monetary assets will expire after a fixed time;

at least some of the purchased non-monetary assets will expire due to usage;

at least a portion of a user score can be exchanged into virtual money for the purchase of non-monetary assets, thereby lowering the user score; and

the user score and purchased non-monetary assets deteriorate at a predetermined rate while the user is offline.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said link is a public network.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said public network is the Internet.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein said unit is a digital television receiver.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein said unit is a personal computer.

13. A system according to claim 8 wherein said purchasing means comprises a computer program.