Advertisement scheme for use with interactive content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9275402-B2
Application number	US-201414528950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Nov 9, 2006
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A method for use in advertising includes initiating playing of interactive content, suspending playing of the interactive content, displaying an advertisement, and resuming playing of the interactive content. A computer program product includes a medium embodying a computer program for causing a computer to perform these operations, and a system for use in advertising includes a display and a processing system configured to perform these operations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
initiating, through a processor based apparatus, playing of interactive content;
suspending, through the processor based apparatus, playing of the interactive content;
displaying an advertisement; and
resuming playing of the interactive content;
wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content among a plurality of users interacting with the interactive content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive content is played over a network.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive content is configured to have the plurality of users interacting with the interactive content simultaneously.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content further comprises suspending playing of the interactive content for all of the plurality of users.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content so that the playing of the interactive content stops at a substantially same time for all of the plurality of users.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resuming playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the resuming playing of the interactive content so that the resuming playing of the interactive content starts at a substantially same time for all of the plurality of users.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a same advertisement is displayed for all of the plurality of users.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a different advertisement is displayed for at least one of the plurality of users.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the advertisement is selected based on a user profile.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a predefined time.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a random time.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a user with an indication that the playing of the interactive content will be suspended.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the indication comprises a warning message.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium for embodying a computer program for input to a computer and a computer program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium for causing the computer to perform steps comprising:
initiating playing of interactive content;
suspending playing of the interactive content;
displaying an advertisement; and
resuming playing of the interactive content;
wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content among a plurality of users interacting with the interactive content.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the interactive content is played over a network.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the interactive content is configured to have the plurality of users interacting with the interactive content simultaneously.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content further comprises suspending playing of the interactive content for all of the plurality of users.

18. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content so that the playing of the interactive content stops at a substantially same time for all of the plurality of users.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the resuming playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the resuming playing of the interactive content so that the resuming playing of the interactive content starts at a substantially same time for all of the plurality of users.

20. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein a same advertisement is displayed for all of the plurality of users.

21. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein a different advertisement is displayed for at least one of the plurality of users.

22. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the advertisement is selected based on a user profile.

23. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a predefined time.

24. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a random time.

25. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium is further configured for causing the computer to perform a step comprising:
providing a user with an indication that the playing of the interactive content will be suspended.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 , wherein the indication comprises a warning message.

27. A system, comprising:
a display; and
a processor based apparatus configured to initiate playing of interactive content, suspend playing of the interactive content, display an advertisement on the display, and resume playing of the interactive content;
wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content among a plurality of users interacting with the interactive content.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the interactive content is played over a network.

29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the interactive content is configured to have the plurality of users interacting with the interactive content simultaneously.

30. The system of claim 27 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content further comprises suspending playing of the interactive content for all of the plurality of users.

31. The system of claim 27 , wherein the synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the suspending playing of the interactive content so that the playing of the interactive content stops at a substantially same time for all of the plurality of users.

32. The system of claim 27 , wherein the resuming playing of the interactive content comprises synchronizing the resuming playing of the interactive content so that the resuming playing of the interactive content starts at a substantially same time for all of the plurality of users.

33. The system of claim 27 , wherein a same advertisement is displayed for all of the plurality of users.

34. The system of claim 27 , wherein a different advertisement is displayed for at least one of the plurality of users.

35. The system of claim 27 , wherein the advertisement is selected based on a user profile.

36. The system of claim 27 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a predefined time.

37. The system of claim 27 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a random time.

38. The system of claim 27 , wherein the processor based apparatus is

Assignees

• Sony Comp Entertainment Us

Inventors

• Zalewski Gary M

Classifications

• G06Q30/02 Primary

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G06Q30/0277 Primary

  Online advertisement · CPC title

• A63F13/61 Primary

  using advertising information · CPC title

• G06Q30/0252

  based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals · CPC title

• G07F17/32

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title