U.S. patent application number 12/082505 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-16 for data flow control.
Invention is credited to Justin Holmes, Peter Sispoidis, Jeffrey Thibeault.
Application Number | 20080256234 12/082505 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39854232 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080256234 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sispoidis; Peter ; et
al. |
October 16, 2008 |
Data flow control
Abstract
A system and method for managing content data in a gaming
environment to control the flow of information is provided wherein
the method includes initiating a game configured to receive content
data from at least one of a plurality of content servers,
identifying at least one preferred content server from the
plurality of content servers, operating the game to receive the
content data from the at least one preferred content server,
associating the content data with a content map based upon at least
one characteristic, monitoring the content map to identify changed
content data and adjusting content data based upon the changed
content data.
Inventors: |
Sispoidis; Peter; (Guilford,
CT) ; Holmes; Justin; (Guilford, CT) ;
Thibeault; Jeffrey; (Branford, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE LAW OFFICES OF STEVEN MCHUGH, LLC
46 WASHINGTON STREET
MIDDLETOWN
CT
06457
US
|
Family ID: |
39854232 |
Appl. No.: |
12/082505 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60923264 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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60923344 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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60923345 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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60923346 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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60923351 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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60923352 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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60923353 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/224 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/3227 20130101; G06Q 30/0202 20130101; G06Q 30/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/224 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/173 20060101
G06F015/173 |
Claims
1. A method for managing content data in a gaming environment to
control the flow of information, comprising: initiating a game
configured to receive content data from at least one of a plurality
of content servers; identifying at least one preferred content
server from the plurality of content servers; operating the game to
receive the content data from the at least one preferred content
server; associating the content data with a content map based upon
at least one characteristic; monitoring the content map to identify
changed content data; and adjusting content data based upon the
changed content data.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said initiating includes a user
logging into a game.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating the content data
includes logging the content data into a database and propagating
the content data to the content map.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said propagating includes
propagating said content data based upon a desired characteristic
of said content data.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring includes
transferring said content data to a server, wherein said server
monitors changes in said content map.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring includes
transferring said content data to a server, wherein said server
updates the content map with new content data.
7. A system for implementing a method for managing content data in
a gaming environment to control the flow of information, the system
comprising: a network having a database; and a gaming device
connected to the network and configured to operate in a gaming
environment, wherein at least one of the gaming device and the
network includes a means for, initiating a game configured to
receive content data from at least one of a plurality of content
servers; identifying at least one preferred content server from the
plurality of content servers; operating the game to receive the
content data from the at least one preferred content server;
associating the content data with a content map based upon at least
one characteristic; monitoring the content map to identify changed
content data; and adjusting content data based upon the changed
content data.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein said initiating includes a user
logging into a game.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein said associating the content data
includes logging the content data into a database and propagating
the content data to the content map.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said propagating includes
propagating said content data based upon a desired characteristic
of said content data.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein said monitoring includes
transferring said content data to a server, wherein said server
monitors changes in said content map.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein said monitoring includes
transferring said content data to a server, wherein said server
updates the content map with new content data.
13. A computer readable storage medium having computer executable
instructions for implementing a method for managing content data in
a gaming environment to control the flow of information, the method
comprising: initiating a game configured to receive content data
from at least one of a plurality of content servers; identifying at
least one preferred content server from the plurality of content
servers; operating the game to receive the content data from the at
least one preferred content server; associating the content data
with a content map based upon at least one characteristic;
monitoring the content map to identify changed content data; and
adjusting content data based upon the changed content data.
14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein said
initiating includes a user logging into a game.
15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein said
associating the content data includes logging the content data into
a database and propagating the content data to the content map.
16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said
propagating includes propagating said content data based upon a
desired characteristic of said content data.
17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein said
monitoring includes transferring said content data to a server,
wherein said server monitors changes in said content map.
18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein said
monitoring includes transferring said content data to a server,
wherein said server updates the content map with new content data.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application relates to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/923,264 (Atty. Docket No. IGA-0001-P),
filed Apr. 12, 2007, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
60/923,344 (Atty. Docket No. IGA-0002-P), filed Apr. 12, 2007, U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/923,345 (Atty. Docket
No. IGA-0003-P), filed Apr. 12, 2007, U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/923,346 (Atty. Docket No. IGA-0004-P),
filed Apr. 12, 2007, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
60/923,351 (Atty. Docket No. IGA-0005-P), filed Apr. 12, 2007, U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/923,352 (Atty. Docket
No. IGA-0006-P), filed Apr. 12, 2007, U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/923,353 (Atty. Docket No. IGA-0007-P),
filed Apr. 12, 2007, all of which are incorporated by reference
herein in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to the transfer of
information and more particularly to a method for controlling the
transfer of information over a network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As the placement of realistic advertisements in video games
becomes more popular and acceptable in the gaming community, more
and more video games are beginning to utilize video game
advertisements as a viable source of revenue. Currently, most video
games that employ realistic advertisements typically utilize a
static advertising technique that involves placing each
advertisement in one site throughout game play. As such, the
location of the advertisement cannot change or move and other
advertisements cannot take its place. Thus, although there may be
multiple advertisements in one game, each advertisement can only
occupy a single location throughout the entire game. This is
undesirable because it lacks the ability to maximize the effect of
the advertisement on the gamer.
[0004] One way to increase the effectiveness of the advertisement
on the gamer is to utilize real-time dynamic advertising techniques
which allow for the targeting of advertisements to specific garners
or groups of gamers. These dynamic advertising techniques allow
multiple advertisements from different advertisers to be rotated
through the same site during game play. Moreover, these dynamic
advertising techniques allow for different content types, such as
Billboard, Logo, Video, Audio and Beacons, to be used to display
advertisements to the gamer. Each of these content types is capable
of receiving and displaying multiple advertisements throughout the
game for display to the gamer. For example, a racing game may have
a billboard display advertising one product as the racing car goes
around the curve and passes the billboard. However, subsequent
times the race car goes around the curve and passes the billboard,
entirely different advertisements may be displayed. Thus, dynamic
advertising not only enhances the reality of the game's content, it
maximizes the revenue generating capability of the software product
by generating multiple revenue streams, as opposed to one revenue
stream generated using static advertising techniques.
[0005] Unfortunately however, currents methods of data flow control
don't allow the flow of content and impression data to be
dynamically modified or adjusted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A method for managing content data in a gaming environment
to control the flow of information is provided and includes
initiating a game which is configured to receive content data from
at least one of a plurality of content servers, identifying at
least one preferred content server from the plurality of content
servers, operating the game to receive the content data from the at
least one preferred content server, associating the content data
with a content map based upon at least one characteristic,
monitoring the content map to identify changed content data and
adjusting content data based upon the changed content data.
[0007] A system for implementing a method for managing content data
in a gaming environment to control the flow of information is
provided, wherein the system includes a network having a database
and a gaming device connected to the network and configured to
operate in a gaming environment, wherein at least one of the gaming
device and the network includes a means for, initiating a game
which is configured to receive content data from at least one of a
plurality of content servers, identifying at least one preferred
content server from the plurality of content servers, operating the
game to receive the content data from the at least one preferred
content server, associating the content data with a content map
based upon at least one characteristic, monitoring the content map
to identify changed content data and adjusting content data based
upon the changed content data.
[0008] A computer readable storage medium having computer
executable instructions for implementing a method for managing
content data in a gaming environment to control the flow of
information is provided, wherein the method includes initiating a
game which is configured to receive content data from at least one
of a plurality of content servers; identifying at least one
preferred content server from the plurality of content servers,
operating the game to receive the content data from the at least
one preferred content server, associating the content data with a
content map based upon at least one characteristic, monitoring the
content map to identify changed content data and adjusting content
data based upon the changed content data.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
present invention will be more fully understood from the following
detailed description of illustrative embodiments, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying figures in which like elements
are numbered alike:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a high level schematic block diagram illustrating
one embodiment of a gaming system, in accordance with the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a lower level schematic block diagram illustrating
the integration server of the embodiment of the gaming system of
FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a network having a near real-time feedback system, in
accordance with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 4A is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a method for managing content data;
[0014] FIG. 4B is a block diagram illustrating the method of FIG.
4A; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a
method for controlling the flow of information over a network, in
accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] It should be appreciated that the present invention allows
for an efficient flow of content and impression data due to a
real-time (or near real-time) feedback approach that allows for the
monitoring and adjustment of performance using predetermined data,
as well as trend and forecasting analysis. Although the invention
is discussed herein in terms of a Software Development Kit (SDK),
it should be appreciated that any type and/or configuration of
application software may be used to practice the method of present
invention. Moreover, the application software may be implemented
via any type or configuration of software suitable to the desired
end purpose, such as a generic SDK and/or an application specific
SDK, where the software application may or may not be embedded, in
whole or in part. Furthermore, it is contemplated that any type of
advertising content may be implemented with the invention,
including but not limited to 3-Dimensional and/or holographic
content.
[0017] It should be appreciated that although the concepts as
discussed herein are discussed with regards to a gaming environment
as follows, any type of gaming environment or configuration may be
used. Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a gaming system 10 for
implementing the method of the invention showing the connectivity
between the elements is shown and includes a user gaming device 20
having gaming software 30 and application software (SDK) 40, a
gaming server 50 (optional) and an integration server 60 which
includes advertiser information 70. In accordance with the present
invention, a gaming server is optional and the game may be wholly
or partially implemented via one or more computer(s) and/or gaming
device(s) as desired. During gameplay, the gaming software 30
communicates with the gaming server 50 (optional) to facilitate the
gameplay and the SDK 40 communicates with the integration server 60
to facilitate the integration of advertising content. Referring to
FIG. 2, a lower level block diagram illustrating the elements of
the integration server 60. As shown, the interaction within the
integration server 60 is illustrated by a first set of arrows 75
which represents the flow of impressions through the integration
server 60, a second set of arrows 80 which represents the flow of
advertising content through the integration server 60 and a third
set of arrows 85 which represents the flow of control messages
(i.e. figuring out a user location, start session message, etc.)
through the integration server 60.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 3, a schematic block diagram illustrating
one embodiment of a network 100 having a near real-time feedback
capability in accordance with the invention is shown and includes a
web server 104 which receives content data 102 and communicates the
received content data to a database 106 for storage. The network
100 includes application software 110, such as a Software
Development Kit (SDK), that is communicated with an application
server 108, wherein the application software 110 is typically
located on a game players gaming device (for example, integrated
into the game software), but may be located in any location
suitable to the desired end purpose. The application server 108
manages the content data requests from the application software
110, wherein the application software 110 requests the list of
cells and/or the list of content data, provides the content data to
the game, provides services for tracking impression views and/or
collects impression data from the gaming software. It should be
appreciated that a content data request may include a request for
any type of data. The content data and/or impression data is then
provided to a collection server 112 which receives and processes
the content data and/or impression data. It should be appreciated
that the content data and/or impression data may be processed for
efficient transmission between system elements as described in U.S.
Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/923,344, the contents of
which is included herein in its entirety.
[0019] A data warehouse 114 collects, combines and/or exports the
processed content data and/or impression data to a server 116 (such
as an OLAP server) which provides analytic services for putting the
content data and/or impression data into reports, where the
analytic services may include any information involving the content
data and/or impression data, i.e. impressions, server, statistics,
etc. It is contemplated that other servers or programs may be used
in place of an OLAP server, such as Excel.RTM., Access.RTM., etc.
In accordance with the invention, a feedback loop is implemented to
allow the data warehouse 114 to monitor the insertion of impression
data into the game environment and to adjust content items on the
database 106 so that they are delivered more or less frequently to
the application server 108 as desired. The data warehouse 114 can
also monitor the amount of traffic generated on the network and by
means of weighting can lighten the network load. In accordance with
the invention, this impression monitoring allows the system to
allocate or consolidate resources as desired and/or as necessary to
ensure that the system is running as efficiently as possible, for
example by adding more computers based on content numbers.
[0020] It should be appreciated that the present invention is
discussed herein in terms of managing content data and controlling
the flow of information in order to aid in the understanding of the
invention.
[0021] In accordance with the invention, one embodiment of a method
200 for managing content data (albeit not the only embodiment) is
discussed herein in terms of an application server 108 and is
illustrated as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. When a user begins the
gaming session by initiating the start of the game, the game
software 202 sends out a StartSession call 204 to the login server
206, as shown in operational block 250. The StartSession call 204
starts the users gaming session, logs the user into the gaming
server and eventually leads to the user getting content. The
StartSession call 204 contains an encrypted Session Key 208, which
may include desired information, such as the user ID and the Game
Title ID. The login server 206 sends the IP address of the user
along with an IP lookup request 210 to the IPLocation server 212,
as shown in operational block 252. This causes the IPLocation
server 212 to look for the IP address of the `best` (or desired)
content server(s) 214 (from a group of content servers 216 although
the group of content servers 216 may include only one content
server 216) for the user based upon the IP address of the user.
Identifying the `best` content server may be accomplished via a
variety of ways, including but not limited to matching geographic
area, network speed, network load etc.
[0022] Once the `best` content server is identified, the IPLocation
server 212 sends redirect information 218 back to the login server
206 which sends the redirect information to the application
software 220 so that the application software 220 can redirect the
user to the identified `best` content server(s) 214, as shown in
operational block 254. This allows the user to connect to the
`best` content server for that particular user. Accordingly, the
application software 220 then redirects the user to the IP address
of the `best` content server(s) 214 as directed by the IPLocation
server 212, as shown in operational block 256. The application
software 220 sends messages to the identified `best` content
server(s) 214 to get further data, such as certificate information
and/or content data. The identified `best` content server(s) 214
then sends content data (such as advertising and/or game data) to
the application software 220 and/or game 202, as shown in
operational block 258.
[0023] It should be appreciated that the application software may
populate the cache with content data and that for a Beacon type,
Billboard type, Logo type, Video type and/or Audio type data, the
application software may track the content data as desired, such as
for example the ID of the cell, the percentage of the screen the
cell occupied, the angle at which the player viewed the cell and/or
the ID of the content item that was displayed in the cell.
Additionally, the server may communicate with the application
software which may send impression data to the server, wherein the
server may write the impression data to a file (i.e. the result is
impression data in a file). Moreover, it is contemplated that the
content may include updates, patches or other types of software (or
information) to allow for upgrades, repair, improvements or
augmentation of services to the game software, the application
software or even other software/hardware/firmware in the
system/network or in components of the system/network.
[0024] In accordance with the invention, when the data warehouse
114 (such as a collection server) collects, combines and exports
the impressions to a server 116 (such as an OLAP server) the server
116 may process the data for future use. One embodiment includes
using an OLAP server to feed a forecasting database. In this
embodiment, the data warehouse 114 may receive unprocessed (raw)
data and process the raw data (i.e. raw data impressions) to
generate OLAP data cubes based upon desired information (session
cubes, target cubes, total impression cubes, etc), where these data
cubes can also contain analytic formulas, such as moving averages,
day-to-day growth, average sessions per-user per-hour. The OLAP
data cubes (which may be queried in a fashion similar to querying a
database) may also be used to handle various tasks, including
business needs such as generating desired report, billing,
forecasting, and/or system monitoring.
[0025] In accordance with the invention, targeted and/or general
reports may be generated and used for tracking and/or analyzing
data, such as impression data (i.e. OLAP may include a
comprehensive matrix). A reporting hierarchy may be established and
any dimension of the data may be reported on, such as geographic
(country, region and/or city), cell, pricing model, content type,
session, title, organization and/or advertising unit. One example
of such a report may be a Daily Title Report, which shows (for a
single or specified title(s)) the unique (i.e. non-repeating) users
and the impressions generated for each day in a specified time
period, along with the duration of the advertisement on screen, the
size of the advertisement on screen and/or the deflection angle
(i.e. the angle at which the content is viewed at in degrees from a
predetermined location, such as the center of the screen). That
same report may also generate a Daily Title Report for an
individual or a group of cells, which may show users and
impressions for a desired timer period, such as each day in the
specified time period, for each cell viewed (for example, a
1.times.2 billboard). Still another example may be a report based
upon various other desired parameters, such as content type, which
may show users and impressions for each day in the specified time
period for each content type viewed (for example, a 1.times.2
billboard in PNG format). Furthermore, there may also be a report
that shows the same reports visually, such as in pie charts,
graphs, data tables, etc.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 5, a block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a method 300 for controlling the flow of information
over a network 100 in accordance with the invention is shown. The
method includes receiving a content data item 102, as shown in
operational block 302, wherein the content data item 102 may be
received/communicated using any method and/or device suitable to
the desired end purpose, such as a web-based interface device 104.
Once the content data item is received, the content data item is
logged into the database 106 and propagated to the appropriate
content data map(s) based on desired characteristics, such as its
type and targeting properties, as shown in operational block 304.
The content map is updated with the new content item and/or
monitored for changes in the content map(s), as shown in
operational block 306, wherein the content item and/or content map
is available for retrieval by the software application (SDK) 110,
as shown in operational block 308. As the application generates one
or more impressions, each impression is sent back to the system 100
via the impression/collection server 112, which processes the
impression and inserts the processed impression into the data
warehouse 114, as shown in operational block 310. It should be
appreciated that the impressions may be processed to put the
impression data into a desired format and/or to identify
statistical and/or non-statistical performance and/or operational
characteristics. The data warehouse 114 stores the impression data,
as shown in operational block 312 and communicates the impression
data to the analytics server 116, as shown in operational block
314. In accordance with the invention, the analytics server 116 is
used for reporting and forecasting services, wherein the
forecasting services allows impression generation to be adjusted as
desired so that the content data items may be delivered on a more
or less frequent basis and wherein the reporting services allow
reports to be generated that show desired data, parameters, such as
impressions statistics.
[0027] It should be appreciated that the method of the present
invention may or may not be embodied, in whole or in part, via
software, firmware and/or hardware. Accordingly, the invention may
be implemented via any type or configuration of software suitable
to the desired end purpose, such as a generic SDK and/or an
application specific SDK. Additionally, it should also be
appreciated that the method of the present invention may or may not
be embodied, in whole or in part, via instruction using training
manuals (i.e. text based materials), seminars, classes, and/or any
other media suitable to the desired end purpose. Moreover, it
should be appreciated that although the method of the present
invention may be implemented, in whole or in part, via software,
hardware, firmware and/or any combination thereof, it is also
contemplated that the method of the present invention may also be
implemented, in whole or in part, without the use of software,
hardware, firmware and/or any combination thereof. For example,
without the full or partial use of any software, hardware and/or
firmware and/or with any combination thereof, but rather via
instruction using PC based software and/or classroom instruction
with text materials (i.e. books, pamphlets, handouts, tapes,
optical media, etc.).
[0028] Moreover, it should be appreciated that each of the elements
of the present invention may be implemented in part, or in whole,
in any order suitable to the desired end purpose. In accordance
with an exemplary embodiment, the processing required to practice
the method of the present invention, either in whole or in part,
may be implemented, wholly or partially, by a controller operating
in response to a machine-readable computer program. In order to
perform the prescribed functions and desired processing, as well as
the computations therefore (e.g. execution control algorithm(s),
the control processes prescribed herein, and the like), the
controller may include, but not be limited to, a processor(s),
computer(s), memory, storage, register(s), timing, interrupt(s),
communication interface(s), and input/output signal interface(s),
as well as combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. It
should also be appreciated that the embodiments disclosed herein
are for illustrative purposes only and include only some of the
possible embodiments contemplated by the present invention.
[0029] Furthermore, the invention may be wholly or partially
embodied in the form of a computer system or controller implemented
processes. It should be appreciated that any type of computer
system (as is well known in the art) and/or gaming system may be
used and that the invention may be implemented via any type of
network setup, including but not limited to a LAN and/or a WAN
(wired or wireless). The invention may also be embodied in the form
of computer program code containing instructions embodied in
tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives,
and/or any other computer-readable medium, wherein when the
computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer or
controller, the computer or controller becomes an apparatus for
practicing the invention. The invention can also be embodied in the
form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a
storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer or
controller, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as
over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via
electromagnetic radiation, wherein when the computer program code
is loaded into and executed by a computer or a controller, the
computer or controller becomes an apparatus for practicing the
invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor the
computer program code segments may configure the microprocessor to
create specific logic circuits.
[0030] While the invention has been described with reference to an
exemplary embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it
is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular
embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out
this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments
falling within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, unless
specifically stated any use of the terms first, second, etc. do not
denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second,
etc. are used to distinguish one element from another.
* * * * *