Abstract:
A method and system for limiting access to shared content media items stored in a device. The method establishes a connection with another device and initiates a session with the other device. The method synchronizes the device and the other device by receiving a copy of content media items stored on the other device, and storing the received copy of the content media items as shared content media items on the device. The synchronizing of the device and the other device may include transmitting a copy of content media items stored on the device to the other device. The method allows a user operating the device to access the content media items, but restricts access to the shared content media items based on the status of the session with the other device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates, in general, to various game systems and game programs such as a trading card game, role playing game, adventure game, and the like. In particular, aspects of the present invention provide a system and method for limiting access to shared content media items stored in a device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Collectable card games, trading card games, board games, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games are an appealing genre of games because they combine collecting with strategic game play. Modern trading card games utilize a game console or personal computer to simulate collecting cards and playing the trading card game. The Internet provides the ability to play trading card games and board games online and has increased the popularity of trading card games and also rejuvenated the popularity of board games. Online trading card games are available for a multitude of subjects. In massively multiplayer online role-playing games a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world in which the players assume the role of a fictional character and take control over many of the character&#39;s actions. 
         [0005]    Current trading card games for portable platforms, such as the Marvel Trading Card Game, allow a player to purchase cards and build decks of cards that the player will use to play against other players via either a wired or wireless connection. Since these cards are already resident on the game cartridge inserted into the platforms, the same cards are available to both players in a game. 
         [0006]    The Marvel game also supports online play that includes the ability to purchase additional cards that are not part of the baseline game on the cartridge. Each playing card will include a card image and additional text description that explains that specific card&#39;s effect, or modification, on the game. These cards may only be used for only play via a game server. The Marvel game allows a player to build a deck of cards offline, but the deck of cards may only be used for play via a game server. 
         [0007]    In massively multiplayer online role-playing games, such as World of Warcraft, players interact with one another in a virtual world. Each player has an avatar that is the player&#39;s computer representation of himself or herself, and a description of the player&#39;s character. Each player explores the landscape in a persistent digital video game world, fighting monsters, performing quests, building skills, and interacting with non-player characters, and other player characters. The game rewards success with in-game money, items, experience and reputation, which allow the player to improve their skill and power. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for limiting access to shared content media items stored in a device. An exemplary method establishes a connection with another device and initiates a session with the other device. The method synchronizes the device and the other device by receiving a copy of content media items stored on the other device, and storing the received copy of the content media items as shared content media items on the device. The synchronizing of the device and the other device may include transmitting a copy of content media items stored on the device to the other device. The method allows a user operating the device to access the content media items, but restricts access to the shared content media items based on the status of the session with the other device. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment, the user operating the device selects one of the content media items on the device. If the session is a game, the selection by the user plays the selected content media item in the game. The method displays the selected content media item on the device, and sends a request to the other device to display the item in the content media items transmitted to the other game device that corresponds to the selected content media item. In another embodiment, the user operating the device receives a request from the other device to reveal an item in the shared content media items. The device displays the item in the shared content media items based on the request. In yet another embodiment, the user breaks the connection to the other game device and deletes the shared content media items stored in the device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limited in the following figures, in which like numerals indicate like elements. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a network diagram that illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the hardware components of a system operable in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are block diagrams that illustrate, in detail, an exemplary embodiment of the hardware components shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a message flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the embodiments are described by referring mainly to examples thereof. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, that the embodiments may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, well known methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the embodiments. 
         [0015]    Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to limiting access to shared content media items in a game between a first player operating a first game device, and a second player operating a second game device. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. 
         [0016]    In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a network diagram that illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the hardware components of a system operable in accordance with the present invention. The architecture shown in  FIG. 1  utilizes a network  100  to connect game devices  110 A,  110 B to a game server  120 . In one embodiment, Player A operates a game device  110 A that connects to the game server  120 , via the network  100 , to perform a method embodying aspects of the present invention, and Player B operates another game device  110 B that connects to the game server  120 , via the network  100 , to perform a method embodying aspects of the present invention. In another embodiment, the game device  110 A which Player A operates is connected to the game device  110 B which Player B operates to perform a method embodying aspects of the present invention. The connection between the game device  110 A which Player A operates and the game device  110 B which Player B operates is a peer-to-peer network connection, mobile ad-hoc network connection, wireless ad-hoc network connection, Bluetooth, short range wireless connection, or the like, to either connect the game devices  110 A,  110 B directly or via the network  100 . In yet another embodiment, the game devices  110 A,  110 B and the game server  120  shown in  FIG. 1  utilize distributed processing to perform a method embodying aspects of the present invention. 
         [0018]    The network  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , in an exemplary embodiment, is a public communication network that connects and enables data transfer between the game devices  110 A,  110 B and the game server  120 . The present invention also contemplates the use of comparable network architectures. Comparable network architectures include the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a public packet-switched network carrying data and voice packets, a wireless network, and a private network. A wireless network includes a cellular network (e.g., a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network), a satellite network, and a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) (e.g., a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network). A private network includes a LAN, a Personal Area Network (PAN) such as a Bluetooth network, a wireless LAN, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), an intranet, or an extranet. An intranet is a private communication network that provides an organization such as a corporation, with a secure means for trusted members of the organization to access the resources on the organization&#39;s network. In contrast, an extranet is a private communication network that provides an organization, such as a corporation, with a secure means for the organization to authorize non-members of the organization to access certain resources on the organization&#39;s network. The system also contemplates network architectures and protocols such as Ethernet, Token Ring, Systems Network Architecture, Internet Protocol, Transmission Control Protocol, User Datagram Protocol, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, and proprietary network protocols comparable to the Internet Protocol. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram that illustrates, in detail, an exemplary embodiment of the hardware components shown in  FIG. 1 . In particular,  FIG. 2  illustrates the hardware and software components that comprise the game device  110 A which Player A operates and the game device  110 B which Player B operates. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the game device  110 A can comprise a general-purpose computer, such as a mobile telephone, handheld game console, mobile computer, desktop computer, or the like. A bus  200  is a communication medium that connects a central processor unit (CPU)  205 , data storage device  210  (such as a disk drive, or flash memory), input device  215  (such as a keyboard, keypad, or touchscreen), output device  220  (such as a monitor, or graphic display), network adapter  225 , and memory  230 . In one embodiment, the network adapter  225  also connects to the network  100  and is the mechanism that facilitates the passage of network traffic between the game device  110 A and the network  100 . In another embodiment, the network adapter  225  also connects to another game device  110 B and is the mechanism that facilitates the passage of network traffic between the game device  110 A and the other game device  110 B. 
         [0021]    The CPU  205  performs the disclosed methods by executing the sequences of operational instructions that comprise each computer program resident in, or operative on, the memory  230 . The reader should understand that the memory  230  may include operating system, administrative, and database programs that support the programs disclosed in this application. In one embodiment, the configuration of the memory  230  of the game device  110 A includes a game program  232 , player identifier  234 , owned content media items  236 , shared content media items  238 , and browser program  240 . The game program  232  performs the method of the present invention. In one embodiment, the player identifier  234  is stored in a file referred to as a cookie. The game server  120  may assign and send the player identifier  234  to the game device  110 A once when the game device  110 A first communicates with the game server  120 . From then on, the game device  110 A includes the player identifier  234  with all messages sent to the game server  120  so the game server  120  can identify the source of the message. In another embodiment, the player identifier  234  is installed on the game device  110 A by the manufacturer. The owned content media items  236  and shared content media items  238  include trading cards, character roles, or the like. In one embodiment, the owned content media items  236  store the content media that Player A either purchases from the game server  120  or obtains in a trade with the game server  120  or another player, and the shared content media items  238  store the content media that that game device  110 A receives from another game device during a game synchronization process. Since Player A is the owner of the owned content media items  236 , Player A has full access rights to use the owned content media items  236 , including viewing, playing, manipulating, trading, and deleting the owned content media items  236  either before, during, or after a game. Since Player A is not the owner of the shared content media items  238 , Player A has limited access rights to the shared content media items  238 . The limited access rights include no viewing or manipulation without the consent of the owner or the game device operated by the owner of the shared content media items  238 , and deleting only when there is no connection to the owner&#39;s game device. In addition, a connection needs to exist between the game device  110 A that stores the shared content media items  238  and the game device operated by the owner of the shared content media items  238  to enable viewing or manipulation. However, for faster game setup and reduced data exchange, the shared content media items  238  would typically remain on the game device  110 A even after the session/connection has been broken. The player identifier of the owner of the shared content media items  238  is stored with the shared content media items  238 , and the level of access would depend on connection to the game device operated by the owner of the shared content media items  238 . For example, Player A may be able to look at the number of cards stored in the shared content media items  238 , but cannot view individual items until establishment of a connection and game session. In another embodiment, the owned content media items  236  and the shared content media item  238  are stored together and each item is associated with an identifier, such as the player identifier  234 , to identify the owner of the item, and determine the rights that Player A has to use the item. The browser program  240  displays web pages on the output device  220 . These computer programs store intermediate results in the memory  230 , or data storage device  210 . In another embodiment, the memory  230  may swap these programs, or portions thereof, in and out of the memory  230  as needed, and thus may include fewer than all of these programs at any one time. 
         [0022]    The game device  110 B, shown in  FIG. 2 , is also a general-purpose computer, such as a mobile telephone, handheld game console, mobile computer, desktop computer, or the like. A bus  250  is a communication medium that connects a central processor unit (CPU)  255 , data storage device  260  (such as a disk drive, or flash memory), input device  265  (such as a keyboard, keypad, or touchscreen), output device  270  (such as a monitor, or graphic display), network adapter  275 , and memory  280 . In one embodiment, the network adapter  275  also connects to the network  100  and is the mechanism that facilitates the passage of network traffic between the game device  110 B and the network  100 . In another embodiment, the network adapter  275  also connects to another game device  110 A and is the mechanism that facilitates the passage of network traffic between the game device  110 B and the other game device  110 A. 
         [0023]    The CPU  255  performs the disclosed methods by executing the sequences of operational instructions that comprise each computer program resident in, or operative on, the memory  280 . The reader should understand that the memory  280  may include operating system, administrative, and database programs that support the programs disclosed in this application. In one embodiment, the configuration of the memory  280  of the game device  110 B includes a game program  282 , player identifier  284 , owned content media items  286 , shared content media items  288 , and browser program  290 . The game program  282  performs the method of the present invention. In one embodiment, the player identifier  284  is stored in a file referred to as a cookie. The game server  120  may assign and send the player identifier  284  to the game device  110 B once when the game device  110 B first communicates with the game server  120 . From then on, the game device  110 B includes the player identifier  284  with all messages sent to the game server  120  so the game server  120  can identify the source of the message. In another embodiment, the player identifier  284  is installed on the game device  110 B by the manufacturer. The owned content media items  286  and shared content media items  288  include trading cards, character roles, or the like. In one embodiment, the owned content media items  286  store the content media that Player B either purchases from the game server  120  or obtains in a trade with the game server  120  or another player, and the shared content media items  288  store the content media that that game device  110 B receives from another game device during a game synchronization process. Since Player B is the owner of the owned content media items  286 , Player B has full access rights to use the owned content media items  286 , including viewing, playing, manipulating, trading, and deleting the owned content media items  286  either before, during, or after a game. Since Player B is not the owner of the shared content media items  288 , Player B has limited access rights to the shared content media items  288 . The limited access rights include no viewing or manipulation without the consent of the owner or the game device operated by the owner of the shared content media items  288 , and deleting only when there is no connection to the owner&#39;s game device. In addition, a connection needs to exist between the game device  110 B that stores the shared content media items  288  and the game device operated by the owner of the shared content media items  288  to enable viewing or manipulation. However, for faster game setup and reduced data exchange, the shared content media items  288  would typically remain on the game device  110 B even after the session/connection has been broken. The player identifier of the owner of the shared content media items  288  is stored with the shared content media items  288 , and the level of access would depend on connection to the game device operated by the owner of the shared content media items  288 . For example, Player B may be able to look at the number of cards stored in the shared content media items  288 , but cannot view individual items until establishment of a connection and game session. In another embodiment, the owned content media items  286  and the shared content media item  288  are stored together and each item is associated with an identifier, such as the player identifier  284 , to identify the owner of the item, and determine the rights that Player B has to use the item. The browser program  290  displays web pages on the output device  270 . These computer programs store intermediate results in the memory  280 , or data storage device  260 . In another embodiment, the memory  280  may swap these programs, or portions thereof, in and out of the memory  280  as needed, and thus may include fewer than all of these programs at any one time. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram that illustrates, in detail, an exemplary embodiment of the hardware components shown in  FIG. 1 . In particular,  FIG. 3  illustrates, in detail, the hardware and software components that comprise the game server  120 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the game server  120  is a general-purpose computer that provides server functionality including file services, web page services, and the like. A bus  300  is a communication medium that connects a central processor unit (CPU)  305 , data storage device  310  (such as a disk drive, or flash memory), network adapter  315 , database  320 , and memory  330 . The network adapter  315  also connects to the network  100  and is the mechanism that facilitates the passage of network traffic between the game server  120  and the network  100 . 
         [0026]    The database  320  is a collection of data organized in such a way that a database management system can quickly store, modify, and extract the data from the database  320 . In one embodiment, the collection of data for the database  320  includes a player table  322 , and a content media table  324 . The player table  322  stores data related to each player registered with the game server  120  and operating the game devices  110 A,  110 B. The content media table  324  stores the content media that each registered player owns, and a status of the content media, including whether the registered player wants to trade or sell the content media. The database management system may employ a relational, flat, hierarchical, object-oriented architecture, or the like. 
         [0027]    The CPU  305  performs the disclosed methods by executing the sequences of operational instructions that comprise each computer program resident in, or operative on, the memory  330 . The reader should understand that the memory  330  may include operating system, administrative, and database programs that support the programs disclosed in this application. In one embodiment, the configuration of the memory  330  of the server computer  120  includes a game program  335 , and web server program  340 . The game program  335  performs a method embodying aspects of the present invention. The web server program  340  includes an engine  342 , and web pages  344 . These computer programs store intermediate results in the memory  330 , database  320 , or data storage device  310 . These programs also receive input from the players operating the game devices  110 A,  110 B, access the database  320 , and display the results to the players operating the game devices  110 A,  110 B. In another embodiment, the memory  330  may swap these programs, or portions thereof, in and out of the memory  330  as needed, and thus may include fewer than all of these programs at any one time. 
         [0028]    The engine  342  of the web server program  340  receives requests such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests from the game devices  110 A,  110 B to access the web pages  344  identified by uniform resource locator (URL) addresses and provides the web pages  344  in response. The requests include a registration request, purchase request, trade request, and game initiation request. The engine  342  receives the registration request from the game device  110 A which Player A operates to add Player A as a registered player of a game. The engine  342  receives the purchase request from the game device  110 A which Player A operates to purchase content media for Player A. The engine  342  receives the trade request from the game device  110 A which Player A operates to trade or sell a content media item that Player A owns. The engine  342  receives the game initiation request from the game device  110 A to begin a game with another registered player. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a message flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method embodying aspects of the present invention. In particular,  FIG. 4  illustrates the communication between a game device  110 A which Player A operates, and a game device  110 B which Player B operates. The method shown in  FIG. 4  begins with the game device  110 A which Player A operates sending a request to the game device  110 B which Player B operates to establish a peer-to-peer connection (step  405 ). The game device  110 B which Player B operates receives the request (step  410 ). If the game device  110 B which Player B operates is accepting connections, it sends an acknowledgement to the game device  110 A which Player A (step  415 ). The establishment of the peer-to-peer connection is complete when the game device  110 A which Player A operates receives the acknowledgement (step  420 ). 
         [0030]    The method shown in  FIG. 4  continues when Player A operates a user interface on the game device  110 A to initiate a game with Player B. The user interface sends a request to the game device  110 B which Player B operates to initiate a game with Player B (step  425 ). The game device  110 B which Player B operates receives the request (step  430 ). If Player B consents to initiate a game with Player A, Player B operates a user interface on the game device  110 B to accept the game initiation request. The user interface sends an acknowledgement to the game device  110 A which Player A operates (step  435 ). The game initiation is complete when the game device  110 A which Player A operates receives the acknowledgement (step  440 ). 
         [0031]    The method shown in  FIG. 4  continues when the game device  110 A which Player A operates and the game device  110 B which Player B operates begin a synchronization process. The game device  110 A which Player A operates begins the synchronization process by sending the content media owned by Player A (step  445 ), such as the owned content media items  236  shown in  FIG. 2 . The game device  110 B which Player B operates receives the content media owned by Player A (step  450 ) and stores it, such as in the shared content media items  288  shown in  FIG. 2 . In response, the game device  110 B which Player B operates sends the content media owned by Player B (step  455 ), such as the owned content media items  286  shown in  FIG. 2 . The game device  110 A which Player A operates receives the content media owned by Player B (step  460 ) and stores it, such as in the shared content media items  238  shown in  FIG. 2 . When the synchronization process is complete, the game device  110 A which Player A operates and the game device  110 B which Player B operates each store the content media items owned by the other game device as shared content media items. Since the player is not the owner of the shared content media items, the player has limited access rights to the shared content media items. The shared content media items are initially hidden from the player, the player may only view the shared content media when the owner of the shared content media consents to the viewing, such as when the owner elects to play the one of the shared content media items during a move in the game, and the player may only delete the shared content media when the owner of the shared content media items is not connected to the game device that the player is operating. 
         [0032]    The method shown in  FIG. 4  continues with the iterative play cycles of the game, such as alternating moves between each player in the game. Player A operates a user interface on the game device  110 A to select one of the content media items owned by Player A  236  to play during a move in the game (step  265 ). The user interface displays the selected content media item on the game device  110 A which Player A operates (step  270 ) and sends a request to the game device  110 B which Player B operates to reveal the selected content media item (step  475 ). The game device  110 B which Player B operates receives the request (step  480 ) and reveals the selected content media item stored in the shared content media, such as in the shared content media items  238  shown in  FIG. 2  (step  485 ). 
         [0033]    Aspects of the present invention also provide support for multi-user ownership of content media items. In an illustrative example in accordance with an embodiment, Player A does not own content media item X, but fellow gamers Player B, Player C, and Player D own content media item X. The game device that Player A operates will store a limited use copy of content media item X and a list of associated owners (i.e., Player B, Player C, and Player D). Only when the game device that Player A operates is in communication/gaming with a game device operated by Player B, Player C, or Player D will access to the content media item X image and associated game modification rules occur. In this example, Player B may sell or trade the ownership right to content media item X to another player. When Player A connects to the online game server, the ownership rights stored in his device for content media item X is updated to reflect that Player B no longer has ownership right to content media item X. If all of the owners of content media item X (i.e., Player B, Player C, and Player D) sell or trade their ownership right to content media item X, the online game server directs the game device that Player A operates to delete the content media item X. 
         [0034]    In another exemplary embodiment, the shared content media items disclosed in the present invention include photographs, music, and the like. In this embodiment, the level of access to the shared content media items stored on the user device depends on the level of connectivity with the device of the owner of the shared content media items. 
         [0035]    Although the disclosed exemplary embodiments describe a fully functioning system and method for limiting access to shared content media items in a game between a first player operating a first game device that includes first content media items, and a second player operating a second game device that includes second content media items, the reader should understand that other equivalent exemplary embodiments exist. Since numerous modifications and variations will occur to those reviewing this disclosure, the system and method for limiting access to shared content media items in a game between a first player operating a first game device that includes first content media items, and a second player operating a second game device that includes second content media items is not limited to the exact construction and operation illustrated and disclosed. Accordingly, this disclosure intends all suitable modifications and equivalents to fall within the scope of the claims.