Abstract:
A system and method for downloading video games over the Internet, for flexible time-limited play, incorporating sliding scale fees. Consumer playing interests are monitored thereby calculating a software price point and shelf life. User profiles are developed based on a combination of demographic, economic, and social information and playing preferences.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention is directed to the field of software distribution. It is particularly directed toward software to be used for a limited time period.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Computer software games are costly for the average consumer especially because a child&#39;s interest in a particular game may not last beyond a few plays. Accordingly, consumers necessarily limit the number of games they are willing to purchase, not only because of the absolute cost, but also because they do not perceive the games as offering value on a per-play basis. Video games are available in hotels and in video game parlors on a per-play basis and there have been some attempts to distribute video games via cable television. However, until the proliferation of access to the Internet, distribution on a per-play basis was not practical.  
           [0005]    Methods of providing software for a limited time period are well known in the art and used by vendors to provide consumers with an opportunity to try out their software. Methods of controlling the length of time a user can use a particular software package, and methods for curtailing its use, are well known. Generally, each time the user runs the program, the user is notified of the remaining number of days or uses available and advised as to how to purchase the software. At the end of the predetermined allotted time, the software automatically becomes inoperable. Typically such trial software has been distributed on CD-ROM. However, as PCs have become more powerful and Internet connections have grown faster, software may now be distributed, in compressed form, via the Internet. The consumer downloads the software file to disk and then runs an install program, which decompresses and may also decrypt the software program. The user may connect to the Internet to purchase the software, at any time.  
           [0006]    International Publication Number WO 9641449 entitled Try Before You Buy Software: Distribution and Marketing System describes a system and method of distributing trial software in locked form. As long as the software is locked, the user is prevented from copying or modifying the software. The system keeps a record of which programs have been sampled and the frequency of sampling. The number of times or the duration that a user can sample a particular program is limited.  
           [0007]    European Patent Application EP 684538 Apparatus and Method for Software Access enables software to be installed on systems for an evaluation period. In recognition of the fact that some time must be spent installing the software and enabling it to run properly before evaluation can begin, a predetermined delay feature is built-in. This delay feature delays the start of the evaluation period, thereby extending the evaluation period for the amount of time the vendor estimates is required to install the software and have it operating properly.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,234 entitled System with Software Usage Timer and Counter for Allowing Limited Use but Preventing Continued Unauthorized Use of Protected Software, to Gordon L. Edwards, Jr., describes a method for allowed unauthorized copies of protected software to be installed and to operate for a limited time. The number of times the software is used and the elapsed time since installation are monitored. If the user does not register the software within a prescribed period of time, the software is disabled.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,608 entitled Computer Software Delivery System, to Reed, et al., describes an apparatus and method of broadcasting video game computer data, over cable television, to subscribers.  
           [0010]    The prior art does not address both the consumer&#39;s interest in downloading video games over the Internet or via cable broadband, satellite and other means, for flexible time-limited play, as well as the marketer&#39;s interest in tracking the consumer&#39;s playing interests.  
         OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to offer consumers a convenient alternative to buying games outright, which would also be affordable and provide good value. As the profit margin may be lower when software is vended for a limited time period, at a lower cost for a limited number of plays, it would also be desirable to offset this lower margin by providing the vendor with marketing information regarding the consumer&#39;s interests. This information would enable the vendor to more accurately price its software, determine its shelf life, and better determine what to sell, and to whom.  
           [0012]    The present invention addresses the foregoing needs by providing a system, (i.e., a method, an apparatus, and computer-executable process steps), for providing video games to a consumer for a limited time period. This time period may be as much as one week or more, or as little as a few hours, the usage period being consumed as the user wishes. The system includes a server, with associated storage, which communicates with a client in a network. The client downloads video games from the server for a predetermined time period.  
           [0013]    Authorization to download is controlled by an identification scheme, which assigns a unique identifier to each item of software and a unique identifier to each client device. The identifiers are associated to form an authorization set, which will permit the user to download. Prior to download, the user registers, providing economic, social, and demographic information, as well as other information such as likes and dislikes, which is stored in a user profile and can be joined with the authorization set to track consumer software usage.  
           [0014]    If the user deletes the downloaded software prior to expiration of the predetermined allowed usage time, this information is recorded by a monitoring portion. An incentive is provided for deletion before expiration. When the predetermined time period expires, the user is allowed to extend the time period for free, for a predetermined term. Subsequently, the user may extend the time period again for a reduced fee. A history of extensions is maintained so that the true value of the software to the user can be determined from the number of extensions. A price per use is developed based on the price, the shelf life, and the duration of a typical one-time use.  
           [0015]    Time of usage is used to calculate a shelf life for the software. Fee information is used to calculate a price point for the software.  
           [0016]    This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the attached drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 depicts a system on which the present invention may be implemented.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a diagram of the server processor.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram used for explaining the operation of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 a  is a flow diagram used for explaining, in more detail, a sub-process of the main flow diagram. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows a system in which the present invention can be implemented. The server  4  is a computer containing a processor  6 , input/output  5 ,and memory  7 , which is associated with storage  8 . The server  4  communicates with a client device  12  through a communications portion  10 . The client device is a PC, personal digital assistant, cell phone, television set including a processor, set-top box, or dedicated video game console, for example. The client and server communicate via a wiring system, cable, satellite, or through wireless communication.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 shows the elements of the server processor  6 . The assignment portion assigns a unique identifier to each software program available for download and each client device. The identifier for the client device is for example a television serial number, set-top box number, or some variation of the number. The association portion associates the unique identifiers so there is a record of those programs each client device is authorized to download via the downloading portion  24 . The association must be verified by the authorization portion  22  before a download is permitted.  
         [0023]    The association is stored via the storage portion  26 . As shown in FIG. 1, storage may be in the secondary storage  8  or in memory  7 . Secondary storage may be a diskette, CD-ROM, zip disk, memory stick or other type of non-transitory memory. The software to be downloaded is encrypted prior to download, via the encryption portion  32  and decrypted by the client.  
         [0024]    Returning to FIG. 2, the monitoring portion  18  monitors the client&#39;s usage and notifies the client, via the notification portion  28 , when the predetermined time period has expired. If the client decides not to extend the time period, the software package is deleted from the client via the deletion portion  20 . This can be done in numerous ways well known in the art.  
         [0025]    For example, when the client connects to the network  2 , as shown in FIG. 1, a process on the server may activate a process on the client and delete the software. In an alternate embodiment, a monitoring portion on the client, monitors when the predetermined time period has elapsed and activates a deletion process which runs in the background on the client. In still another way, the software program itself may contain a counter program, which measures the number of times the software has been loaded, and deletes the software after a predetermined number of loads.  
         [0026]    If the client decides to extend the predetermined period, the client can do so for free for one additional week, for example. After the first free extension, the client can extend the predetermined period for a reduced fee. There is no limit on the number of such extensions. The extension terms are variable from package to package, from user to user, and from time period to time period.  
         [0027]    The monitoring portion  18 , working in conjunction with the storage portion  26 , tracks all usage time and fees charged to a particular client, related to a particular software package. This information is stored via the storage portion  26  so a complete record of usage is associated with a particular software package and a particular user, by joining the tables below.  
         [0028]    The tables contain the following information:  
                                             Authorization Table            Association ID   Software ID   User ID               00002   00001   00005                  
 
         [0029]    [0029]                                                 Usage Table            Association ID   Start Time   End Time   Fee               00002   Aug. 18, 2000   Aug. 26, 2000   $5.00           2:12:31 PM   2:12:31 PM       00001   Aug. 26, 2000   Sep. 3, 2000   $0.00           2:12:31 PM   2:12:31 PM       00001   Sep. 3, 2000   Sep. 10, 2000   $2.50           2:12:31 PM   2:12:31 PM                    
         [0030]    [0030]                                                     Software Table            Software                       ID   Title   Size   Initial Fee   Category               00001   Beat the Bad Guys   5 megabytes   $5.00   Action                    
         [0031]    These tables are merely illustrative of one way of storing this information. Numerous variations are possible. These tables are joined with personal profile information, which is input to the registration portion by the client. An example of a personal profile table is shown below:  
                                                             Personal Profile Table                                Zip   Family       User ID   Age   Income   Gender   Race   Code   Members               00005   &lt;10   &lt;$50,000   Male   White   10001   Mother,                               Sister                  
 
         [0032]    The personal profile table can be joined with the authorization table and usage table to provide information to marketers on the target audience for a particular piece of software.  
         [0033]    The calculation portion  30  uses the information stored in the tables to calculate the shelf life of each software package. The shelf life is the duration of time a user wants to play a particular software package. Shelf life is calculated on a user by user basis and then aggregated. For the example given in the Usage Table above, shelf life would be calculated by subtracting the start time from the end time, giving a usage time, and summing the usage times, giving a shelf life of 24 days. A shelf life reflecting all users can be aggregated by averaging individual user shelf lives or using other well-known statistical methods.  
         [0034]    The calculation portion  30  also calculates a price point for each software package, the price point being the dollar amount a user would be willing to pay to purchase a particular software package. In the example tables given above, the price point would be calculated by summing the fee column, giving a total of $7.50.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 3 is a flow chart explaining the operation of the invention. After the user accesses the system in step S 301 , a list of software available for download is presented to the user in step S 302 . This may be in the form of a web page displayed on the client device, an email message, or a display on the user&#39;s cell phone, for example. The user selects an item to download in step S 303  using an input device such as a mouse, television remote control, or touch screen, for example. In step S 304 , a unique identifier is assigned to the program to be downloaded. This identifier is stored in memory so it can be accessed and applied each time the particular software package is downloaded, by any user.  
         [0036]    In step S 305 , the stored personal profiles are checked to determine whether the user has already registered to download software. If the user is not on file, the user is asked to register. During the registration process step S 306 , the user answers questions, which reveal economic, social, and demographic information. These may include questions such as “What is your zip code?” or “Are you a student?” This personal profile information is stored and associated with a unique identifier, which identifies the user.  
         [0037]    Next in step S 307 , the association file is checked to determine whether the user is authorized to download the particular software package he has requested. If the user has already been authorized, the user proceeds in step S 308  to step S 311 , to transmit the software. Generally the user must submit an initial fee for the first download. If for some reason the software is deleted or becomes inoperable, the user can re-download as long as the user is authorized.  
         [0038]    If the user is not authorized, a unique identifier for the software package is assigned, or retrieved from memory and assigned, and the pair of unique identifiers, one for the user and one for the software package are associated in step S 310  and stored. In step S 311  the software is transmitted from the server to the client via the communications portion.  
         [0039]    After download, in step S 312 , the monitoring portion tracks any fees paid by the user and the amount of time the user is using the software. Fees paid and the duration of any periods of use are captured and stored in the Usage Table, pictured above. There may be multiple periods of use. Tracking is accomplished in numerous ways well known in the art. The beginning and end of each time period of use is date-stamped, for example, as the operating system provides a clock. Fees paid may be captured via a form on a web page which asks the user to select a time period and fee, for example. Alternatively, the fee is calculated, and then the user is prompted for acceptance of the fee, via an e-mail message, for example.  
         [0040]    Periodically, the monitoring portion will verify, in step S 313 , that the time period of use allotted to the user has not expired. For example, each time a user logs into the system, or at a preset time of day, the usage table is accessed to determine which users have expended their allotted time. Users whose time has expired are flagged for notification.  
         [0041]    The monitoring portion in step S 314  also checks to see whether a user has deleted the downloaded software before the expiration of the allotted usage period. This is important as it enables marketing personnel to more accurately calculate the shelf life of a software product. An incentive for early deletion is provided. For example, a portion of the fee is returned or the user receives a reduction in the purchase price of another product offered by the vendor, or an affiliate of the vendor. Monitoring is accomplished, for example, through a program, which is installed on the client, at the time of download, which monitors deletion of the file containing the software program. When the user issues a delete command, the monitor program asks the user if the user really wants to delete the software. If the user does, the server is notified. Notification can be accomplished in many ways, for example via an email message to the server, which is sent via a background process.  
         [0042]    When the monitor determines that a user&#39;s allotted usage period has expired, in step S 313 , the user is notified. In step S 315 , the user is asked whether the user wants to extend the time period. Notification is via email or other method, a message the next time the user logs into the system, or through other well-known methods. If the user wants to extend the user&#39;s time of use, an extension routine in step S 316 , shown in FIG. 3 a  is activated.  
         [0043]    Referring now to FIG. 3 a , in step S 317 , the monitor determines whether or not the user is entitled to a free extension period. This is derived from the usage table, by checking for a zero dollar amount in the fee column, or using an ancillary calculation routine, for example. If there have been no time extensions, the user is given a free one-week extension in step S 319  which is then entered into the usage table. Calculating whether or not the allotted time period has expired is now based upon the renewal date, not the initial date of download. If there has already been a free extension, in step S 318 , the user is given an extension, for a fee less than the original fee charged at download. In either case, when there is a renewal, a new expiration date for the allotted time period is sent to the client.  
         [0044]    Returning to FIG. 3, in step S 320 , the software is automatically deleted if the user has not requested an extension. By default, the deletion program is set to run at a preset time of expiration. However, when there is a renewal, the preset time of expiration is reset to an advanced date. The deletion program is automatically run from the client at the expiration time. However, in alternate embodiments it can also be run from the server. Each time the user activates a game, login to the server is activated as a background process and deletion initiated therefrom.  
         [0045]    Once an item of software has been deleted, in step S 321 , the shelf life of the software is calculated. The shelf life is the sum of all the periods of usage, which can be ascertained from the Usage Table pictured above. In step S 322 , the price point is calculated as the sum of the fees paid in the Usage Table. A variety of methods of calculating the price point are possible and may take into account the demographics of the user. Price point and shelf life can be aggregated across the total number of users giving a mean price point and shelf life. Analysis of the information in the Usage and Personal Profile Tables, pictured above, provides marketing information at the local level, based on zip code, as well as demographics.  
         [0046]    The present invention has been described with respect to particular illustrative embodiments. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications thereto, and that various changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.