Advertisement scheme for use with interactive content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604144-B2
Application number	US-201615050288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2016
Priority date	Nov 9, 2006
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

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; and
displaying a different item of 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 , further comprising:
resuming playing of the interactive content.

7. The method of claim 6 , 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.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different item of content comprises an advertisement.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying a different item of content comprises displaying a different item of content that is the same for all of the plurality of users.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying a different item of content comprises displaying a different item of content that is not the same for all of the plurality of users.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different item of content is selected based on a user profile.

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

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

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

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the indication comprises a warning message.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more computer programs configured to cause a processor based system to execute steps comprising:
initiating playing of interactive content;
suspending playing of the interactive content; and
displaying a different item of 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.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the interactive content is played over a network.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the interactive content is configured to have the plurality of users interacting with the interactive content simultaneously.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content further comprises suspending playing of the interactive content for all of the plurality of users.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , 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.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more computer programs are further configured to cause the processor based system to execute a step comprising:
resuming playing of the interactive content.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , 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.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the different item of content comprises an advertisement.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the displaying a different item of content comprises displaying a different item of content that is the same for all of the plurality of users.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the displaying a different item of content comprises displaying a different item of content that is not the same for all of the plurality of users.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the different item of content is selected based on a user profile.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a predefined time.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content is performed at a random time.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more computer programs are further configured to cause the processor based system to execute a step comprising:
providing a user with an indication that the playing of the interactive content will be suspended.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29 , wherein the indication comprises a warning message.

31. A system, comprising:
a display; and
a processor based apparatus configured to initiate playing of interactive content, suspend playing of the interactive content, and display a different item of content on the display;
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.

32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the interactive content is played over a network.

33. The system of claim 31 , wherein the interactive content is configured to have the plurality of users interacting with the interactive content simultaneously.

34. The system of claim 31 , wherein the suspending playing of the interactive content further comprises suspending playing of the interactive content for all of the plurality of users.

35. The system of claim 31 , 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.

36. The system of claim 31 , wherein the p

Assignees

• Sony Computer Entertainment America Llc
• Sony Interactive Entertainment America Llc

Inventors

• Zalewski Gary M

Classifications

• A63F13/61 Primary

  using advertising information · CPC title

• G07F17/32

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

• A63F13/493

  Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure · CPC title

• G11B27/007

  reproducing continuously a part of the information, i.e. repeating · CPC title

• G06Q30/0252

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