Untitled record

Apparatus and method for executing a game program includes ad

Claim 1 (a) and the Figure 1 (b) shows the image representation of the diagram turn auto racing game in which two different advertisements are displayed.

Claim 2 (a) and the FIG. 2 (b) to turn expression of a schematic diagram showing an image of a car racing game in which scene another two different advertisements are displayed.

The 3 (a) and the FIG. 3 (b) turning a schematic diagram showing a data structure of a game program stored in the game system of the present invention.

The fourth turn a flow diagram of the operation of the game system of the present invention.

The 5 (a) and the FIG. 5 (b) turning a schematic diagram showing a data structure of a game program stored in the game system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claim 6 according to the invention of claim 5 degrees (a) and also a flow chart showing operation of the game system having the data structure shown in claim 5 (b) Fig.

7 turn a block diagram showing a reception side and the transmission side of the game system of the present invention.

Section 8 of the turning block diagram of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Block diagram of a game system according to another embodiment of the present invention the ninth turn.

Claim 10 (a) and the FIG. 10 (b) turning a schematic diagram showing the data structure of game data received by the game system shown in Figure 9.

11 a schematic diagram showing a turn of the game system, a plurality of receiving the game data from a single host computer in accordance with the present invention.

Description of the Related Art -

2: The system controller

6, 8: a memory (for example, hard disk drive)

10: switch circuit 12: Encoder

14: transmitter 16, 25: communication line

18: 20 receiver: Decoder

22: 24 consoles: Memory

26: a transceiver / interface 28, 38, 42: memory

30, 48: system controller 32, 50: key input transducer

34, 44: decoder, 36, 46: image controller

53: 54 Antenna: Host computer

56, 58, 60: a game machine (game machine)

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for executing the game program containing the ads, and more particularly to a device for executing a game program, which can be by downloading new advertisement data prior to the execution of the game program advertisement displayed is updated, and a method.

As is known, video games or "game of" The popularity is very high within the general video arcade. A plurality of video game in recent years, for example, auto racing programs and flight simulators, and so is in the form of the game system and a computer program which may be executed by personal computers in the home, it is commercially available. This game programs, for example, auto racing programs at home, the city skyline with running a car, billboards, displays a background scenario, such as a tree makes "realistic" a car racing game. In order to make more realistic games, billboards in the racing program and other such advertising signs are typical "non-commercial" information, for example, "New York City 20 miles around" display or company's ad created by the software. However, these ads are not a commercial advertisement because it is not intended to be persuaded to buy a particular product allows the viewer. Further, even if an advertisement specific game program, which can be considered as commercial advertising in that, in general, game programs once since it is not corrected when released for purchase by the public, for example, the advertisements items more Such advertisements are included in the game program as if it is not likely to be sold "as cliché" in a short period of time after the purchase of the program.

Thus, one problem encountered is that the normal game programs general inability to maximize the benefit obtained from the advertisements displayed during his run. In general, benefits are intended to get from buying expense of the game program sponsors not get from (ie, advertisers). If the advertisement is displayed when game programs are executed can be changed in a manner similar to the advertisement of television programs, that is, if it can be changed by providing a means for changing commercial advertisements in the already purchased game programs, sale of such game programs profit will be substantially increased. Furthermore, if the commercial television and similarly, the benefit from the commercial ads in the game program increase, in theory, software companies will be able to lower considerably the purchase price of such game programs, and therefore typically a game program purchase the consumer It will increase.

<u>The purpose of the invention</u>

It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for executing a game program included to overcome the shortcomings of existing game programs and systems, ads.

Another object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method for playing a game program to change the advertisement included in the game program.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a method to prohibit the execution of the game program when the advertising data in the game program is not updated.

Various other objects of the present invention, advantages and features will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the new features will be revealed particularly in the appended claims.

<u>Summary of invention</u>

The method and apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention stores a game program in a memory, and at least one advertisement associated with the advertisement data in the predetermined time (for example, a game program to the new date or each game to be executed Each time the program is executed, or the game system is to be) received and each time the turn-on (i.e., download via a communication line), stores the received advertising data in the memory, execute the game program stored in the memory, the game program Accordingly, the operation to output the display data corresponding to the advertisement data stored in memory.

In one aspect of the present invention, the game program is running is prohibited when the advertisement data is not received in a predetermined time.

In still another aspect of the present invention, the game program is received with the advertising data when it is first launched.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a game identification code identifying the game program to be executed is sent to the game service provider advertising data corresponding to the game program identified by the game identification code is received from the game service provider.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of advertising data corresponding to a plurality of game programs are received (e.g., via a satellite transmission), the display data corresponding to the advertisement data of the executed game program is a game program, The output during the run.

Another according to an embodiment the apparatus and method of the present invention, store the advertisement data, and game program related to the number ad in the memory, receiving the advertising selection data identifying selected advertisement stored in the memory at a predetermined time and, executing the game program stored in the memory, the display data corresponding to the selected advertisements identified in the advertising selection data each time the output in accordance with the game program.

<u>Detailed description of the preferred embodiments</u>

The following detailed description of the invention provided as an example only and is not intended to limit the present invention will be clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements or parts.

Referring now be described with reference to the drawings, and claim 1 (a) Fig., And a 1 (b) image representation of the turning motor racing game, a video display, the commercial advertisement "A" is the 1 (a) separate display on a billboard and another commercial "B" is displayed on the billboard as shown in claim 1 (b) Fig. Similarly, the Article 2 (a) Fig., And a 2 (b) turning the image representations of another "scene" of the auto racing program and the image expressed in the motorist for the commercial "C" and "D" respectively 10000000000000000 weeks It is displayed on the apparel. Claim 1 (a) as shown, and in the 1 (b) help claim 2 (a) can, and seen from a 2 (b) degrees of both sets, advertising "A" and "B" is the same scene of the auto racing program It is shown in (of course, at different times), and Ad "C" and "D" are also displayed in the same scene of the auto racing program.

Referring next to the 3 (a) and a first see Fig 3 (b) also, a data structure of a game program at two different run-time according to the invention in (discussed below) is shown. As claim 3 (a) in Fig., Jimyeo game program comprises a main program M and advertisement data A and C, the main program M generally represents the entire game program except advertisement data, the advertisement data A, and C is stored in respective memory areas A0 and C0. Advertisement data A and C are each a 1 (a) and Figure 2 (a) is also shown in commercial "A" and shows a "C". Thus, when the 3 (a) is also a game program having the data structure shown executed, commercial advertisement A is displayed in one scene of the auto racing program and advertisement C is displayed in the other scenes.

The 3 (b) to turn, except that advertisement data A and C, instead of storing each of the advertisement data B and D memory areas A0 and C0 to and shows a data structure of claim 3 (a) is also shown in the same game program have. Thus, in the 3 (b), when the auto racing program having the data structure shown in Fig executed, commercial advertisement B is displayed in the same scene it was advertisement A is displayed (claim 1 (b), see Fig.), A commercial advertisement D It is displayed in the same scene advertisement C was displayed (see section 2 (b) too). Therefore, if the advertisement data of the game program A and C are replaced by advertisement data B and D, respectively, after purchase the game program would be more valuable than it is to advertisers. Memory areas A0 and the advertisement data and a main program stored in the C 0 M may be stored in a single memory or a separate memory, as is well known is in the art.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a flow chart of the operation of a game system according to the invention. When a home game system is turned on, the game program (for example, claim 3 (a) has a data structure shown in Fig.), Running on this command S41, a series of operations are performed in accordance with the program code of main program M . At an appropriate time during the execution of main program M, the advertisement data contains, for example, stored in area A0, as advertisement data A, as shown in claim 1 (a) also, is read and displayed (command S42). However, if the advertisement data B is stored in memory area A0, commercial advertisement B (shown in claim 1 (b) Fig.) Is displayed at instruction S42. The game program continues at instruction S43, the appropriate time designated by the game program, the advertisement data stored in memory area C0 from the command S44, as shown in Claim 2 (a) also, is read out and displayed. Upon completion of instruction S44, the game program continues its operation until the completion of the game program (command S45).

The 5 (a) Fig., And a 5 (b) by one turn shown and the data structure of a game program in accordance with another embodiment of the schematic of the present invention, stored in the main program M and all of the advertisement data A, B, C, D is It remains unchanged (i.e., "fixed" the data). However, the advertisement selection code S is variable and, claim 5 (a) to turn the advertisement data A and C are selected to indicate that the advertisement selection code S_ACShows a data structure of a game program having, claim 5 (b) turning the advertisement data B and D are selected to indicate that the advertisement selection code S_BDIt shows the data structure of a game program having a. Thus, the main program M and all of the advertisement data A, B, C, D are fixed data and only the advertisement selection code S is "variable" data.

Sixth turn is the 5 (a) or even a flow chart illustrating the operation of a game system executing the game program having the data structure shown in claim 5 (b) Fig. When the user selects a particular game to be executed, the game system is the fixed data of that particular game, that is, the 5 (a) is also shown in the main program M and advertisement data A, B, C, line that fixed data consisting of D The "Download" from the game system service providers (discussed below) (command S59). The main program M and the advertisement data of the game system memory, typically are stored in non-volatile memory. If this fixed data already is stored in memory of the game system, the instruction S59 is not executed. Selection code S is downloaded at instruction S60, whether with or be executed instruction S59 is executed, this selection code S identifies which advertisements are to be displayed during the execution of the game program. When downloading of selection code S, main program M is executed by a fourth-degree command S41 in the similar manner described above and (command S61), during execution of the game program, selection at the appropriate time code S is read from the memory of a game system ( command S62), the first ad is identified to be displayed (the query S63). If selection code S identifies the "A" as the first advertisement to be displayed (i.e., S = S_ax), Advertisement data A is displayed is read from the memory (command S64). On the other hand, if advertisement B is identified as the first advertisement to be displayed (i.e., S = S_bx), Advertisement data B is displayed is read from the memory (command S65). Then, the game program continues and (command S66), at the appropriate time, selection code S is read from the memory (command S67), the next commercial advertisement to be displayed is to be identified (inquiry S68). If advertisement C is identified by selection code S (S = S_xc), Advertisement data C is read from the memory are displayed sequentially (command S69). However, if the advertisement D is identified by selection code S (S = S_xd), Advertisement data D is read from the display memory (command S70). Then, the game program continues to completion (command S71). The 6 as shown in Fig., "X" in the query of S63 and S68 is to indicate the "no interest (do not care)" condition, and because the query S63 is identified only the first commercial advertisement to be displayed and inquiry S68 is to be second only to display a commercial advertisement display. In addition, the 6 shows an exemplary flow diagram of a game system of the present invention, more than two commercial advertisements identified by selection code S may be present.

Referring back to FIG. 4, an instruction prior to the execution of the game program in S41, the advertisement data is stored in the memory area AO and CO also claim 5 (a), claim 5 (b) also, the above-described with reference to the sixth degree downloaded from the online game system provider in a manner similar to that. That is, each time the user wishes to run a particular game program, the game system stores the advertisement data in the memory area AO and CO by downloading the advertising data from an external source. Similarly, when the user selects a game program in the game system which operates in the manner shown in the sixth degree, the choice of identifying advertisement in memory to be displayed during the execution of the game program code S is downloaded. However, the desired game program memory of the game system, if it is not stored (e. G., Hard disk, floppy disk, CD ROM, magneto-optical disks, etc.), the present invention described above in the embodiment of the static data of all the game program Download. Thus, before executing a game program in the game system of the invention, the particular advertisement data representing the image data of advertisements displayed during execution of the program are downloaded or the advertisement selection code S is downloaded to the game system. In any case, commercial advertisements are kept "as", the amount of advertisement data is relatively small compared to the size of the game program itself, "download" the amount of time in the first embodiment described is small. Of course, the download time of advertisement selection code S in the second embodiment described is impractical.

According to the present invention, updated or "new" advertisement data is downloaded or, or a new advertisement selection code is downloaded each time the game program is executed. However, this data does not need to be downloaded each time the game program is executed not, may be downloaded only on a new day or a new week (or month) on which the game program is executed instead. Since commercial advertisements generally do not change multiple times on the same day, downloading one or more of such is the commercial ads per day may be necessary. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, commercial advertisement data or advertisement selection code S is downloaded each time the game system is turned on.

Referring now to FIG 7, the game system according to the present invention (i.e., the receiver), and is a block diagram of a transmission system (i.e., the transmitting side) is shown. Transmission system, which may be applied to the present invention, the commercial sale for telecommunication companies and game manufacturers and, on-line game system service provider, or other may be any other suitable system. Transmission system is generally a system controller (2), a memory (6, 8) (for example, hard disk drive), a switching circuit 10, and an encoder 12, and transmitter 14. Transmission system providing the main program M and the advertisement data of the game in the game system of the present invention, a game system generally includes a communication line 16, for example, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) or a general telephone line, or it is arranged in the home via any other suitable communication link. The game system of the present invention relates generally to memory 24, for example, a magneto-optical disk drive or other suitable game machine including a non-volatile read / write memory 22, and a receiver 18, decoder 20 .

7 the system controller of the transmission side shown in Figure 2 has a memory for storing the main program M of a game program (6), a memory for storing the advertisement data (8), and a memory (6, 8) between the output of the and it controls the switch 10 to switch on. If desired to display a different advertisement when the game program is executed, the advertisement data stored in memory 8 may be changed. When the download to the main program M of a game system, in response to a suitable request from the game system, system controller 2, a memory 6 and switch control 10, main program M is stored in the memory 6 and supplied to the encoder 12, the encoder 12 encodes the supplied data in a well-known manner to suit the transmission data and transmitting the encoded data in the game system of the present invention via a communication line 16 It is supplied to the transmitter 14. A receiver at the receiving end 18 receives the transmitted signal, decoder 22 decodes the transmitted signal, the game device 22 the decoded signal (i.e., main program M) stores in the memory 24 . Then, the system controller 2 controls memory 8 and switch 10 to read out and supply the advertisement data stored in memory 8, it should be transmitted to the game system. Advertising data is received and decoded are stored in the memory 24.

When main program M already is stored in memory 24, only advertisement data stored in the memory is transmitted to the game system (8). As described above, the main program M stored in memory 6 and advertisement data is stored in the memory (8). However, the claim 5 (a), claim 5 (b) also, in the sixth embodiment described above with reference to FIG., The main program M and advertisement data A, B, C, D is stored in the memory 6, only the advertisement selection code S is stored in the memory (8). Thus, the main program M and the advertisement data (i.e., the fixed data), only advertisement selection code S when there is already stored is transmitted to the game system. Of course, as is technically well-known, memories 6 and 8 may represent simply different memory locations in different memories, or the same memory unit in the transmission system.

8 is a block diagram of a turning game system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the game program stored on a permanent storage medium such as an optical disk is purchased by the user. The optical disc is inserted into the optical magnetic disk drive to play the game program stored on the 38 (or other suitable reproducing device). As shown, the game system comprising: memory composed of a magneto-optical disk drive having a load of an optical disc in 38, a transceiver / interface 26, memory 28, system controller 30, keyboard interface 32, , decoder 34, and a video controller (36). Identifying the game program stored on the optical disc, the identification data is stored on the optical disk is reproduced and transmitted to the online game service provider, such as disclosed in Figure 7 through the transceiver 26. In response to the transmission of identification data, the service provider as is described above, the advertisement data (i.e., advertisement data A, B, C, D, or a combination thereof) or advertisement selection code S in any one of the updated "variable" data to be transmitted to the game system illustrated in Fig. The updated variable data is received by the transceiver 26 are stored in the memory 28. Then, the variable data stored in the memory 28 is stored in the optical disk memory 38. Alternatively, the variable data is not stored permanently. In another case, the updated commercial advertisement data is supplied from the service provider to time, a game program recorded on the optical disk is not executed.

Upon receipt of the updated commercial advertisement data, the game program is executed, at the appropriate time, the stored data is decoded in decoder 34 and supplied to the image controller 36, the video controller 36 is the video decoded data converted to a signal, a video monitor (not shown) and supplies the video signal to display the image. The user commands are entered on a keyboard (not shown) connected to keyboard interface 32, keyboard interface 32, and supplies the decoded decodes the received instruction command to the system controller 30. The system controller 30 controls the operation of various technical devices of the game system of the present invention, which method is well known. Therefore, the eighth-degree game system, except that stored on a magneto-optical disc purchased by the customer, not the main program M (the second embodiment, with the advertisement data A, B, C, D) that downloads is similar to the game system shown in Figure 7.

9 to turn "variable" data (i.e., advertisement data or advertisement selection code) is a block diagram of a further embodiment which is supplied to the game system via a satellite transmission. In a ninth separate embodiment, the variable data, a separate system of claim 9, before receiving the variable data corresponding to the selected specific game program to be executed to only "waits" for a relatively short time, repeated and transmitted via a satellite transmission. By inserting the user game program is stored CD ROM (or magneto-optical disk), a CD ROM drive 52, when executing the game program through the keyboard interface 50, a game identification code stored on the CD ROM is reproduced, Referring to Figure 8 and supplied to the RAM (42) in a manner similar to that described above. Next, the system controller 48 checks the transport channel data is transferred to the variable corresponding to the selected game program, and controls the receiver 40 to receive satellite transmissions from the identified channel.

Claim 10 (a) and the FIG. 10 (b) shows a data structure of data transmitted via the two different satellite transmission channel turn. As shown, the 10 (a) illustrates an data transmitted through the turning channel G, the 10 (b) shows the data transferred over the turn panel H. Channel G includes data corresponding to two game programs J and K, the channel H includes data corresponding to three game programs P, Q, R. Executed game program, for example, corresponding to the game J on channel G, receiver 40 is controlled to receive data transmitted on a channel (G), upon receipt of software identification data J on channel G, After the transmission of advertising data J-1 and J-2 is a memory 42, for example, it is stored as commercial A and C, respectively. The advertisement data is a non-volatile memory, for example, it may be stored in a hard disk or optical disk, advertisement data is not need to be downloaded again at the time of power failure. In addition, the game system, each time the game is executed, or each new day the game is running (or a state such as each), or the system each time the turn-on, or specific for each of the other desired time interval, the updated advertisement data be downloaded that may be designed to require. Then, the game program is executed in a manner similar to that described above with reference to the FIG.

The host computer 11 to turn through a number of the communication line 54 (that is, the game service provider) and each of the plurality of game system interface (56, 58, 60, ...) a schematic view showing a. The main program of the game program M is only at best be downloaded at a time each game system, since advertisement data or advertisement selection codes have a relatively small amount of data, the transmission time, a transmission system is generally of a relatively large number of household game relatively short to operate to support the system.

In the embodiments described above, the commercial advertisements are updated regularly so that it is expected to increase considerably the benefits obtained from such advertising. In addition, the amount of advertisement data that is downloaded to the game system, since relatively small for the amount of data of the game program, download times are relatively short. In addition, the game system shown in Figure 9 in a manner that is transparent to the user of such game system, operates to download updated advertisement data.

While the invention has been illustrated in connection with the preferred embodiment specifically described, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention that many variations are carried out it will be understood one of ordinary skill in the art readily. For example, although the invention has been described as displaying two commercial advertisements from a selection of four advertisements, the present invention is not limited to the number of these ads for a relatively large number during the execution of a particular game, for example, 20 one may be applied to game programs that display the advertising.

As another example, although the invention has been described with respect to home game systems, the present invention may be applied to a wide range of gaming machine located at different places, including game arcades and companies not limited to the home.

Therefore, with the following claims are described herein, embodiments, and the above-described alternative embodiments, it is to be interpreted as including all those equivalent examples.