Patent Publication Number: US-2012028709-A1

Title: System and Method for Facilitating a User Appropriate Electronic Environment

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This Application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 61/370,059 filed Aug. 2, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Disclosed is a system and method that, using biometrics, facilitates the efficient and timely insertion of product placement advertisements into displays including video games, websites, and on-demand programming, provides age appropriate game play, and determines player physical condition. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Product placement is an advertising technique by which products are displayed or mentioned in movies, video games, television shows, books, other advertisements, and the like. With the advent of more complex and realistic video games, product placement in such games is becoming a more important avenue of advertising. Further, given the nature of digital video recorders (DVRs) more people skip advertisements while watching television shows. Therefore, product placement of advertisements in as many venues as possible including movies, video games, and television shows is becoming increasingly more important. Further, while browsing web pages on the Internet, pop-up blockers and like prevent pop-up ads from being displayed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     What is needed is a system and method for providing product placement and condition analysis directed towards a specific user. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the system includes a gaming console and a virtual input device used to control the gaming console as a gaming input. Alternatively, the virtual input can be used for surfing the Internet, using the virtual input as a computer input, using the virtual input to control a DVR, or the like. Preferably, the virtual input device includes a sensor device that detects and tracks the user. In one embodiment, biometric data is determined via one or more sensors in the sensor device. It should be noted that as used herein, biometric data includes both user specific data as well as population normalized data such as generalized physical attributes for a given individual in a group. The actual input can be a virtually generated keyboard, gamepad, sensing apparatus that monitors user activity or motion, or the like. 
     In one embodiment such as using a gaming console to play a driving game, the virtual controller would comprise a steering wheel. In a preferred embodiment, the steering wheel would be tailored to the size of the user based at least in part on biometric data determined by one or more sensors. For example, an adult steering wheel would be larger than a child&#39;s steering wheel. Alternatively, the position and/or orientation in which the user places his/her hands would determine the size of the virtual input. In other words, the virtual input is adaptive to the user. The virtual controller would preferably determine the user age by correlating the user size with an age table. Additionally or alternatively, the users profile or overall outline may be used to determine age and/or if the user is male or female. In one embodiment, a user file would also include such demographic data. 
     Given that the virtual controller will adjust or be adaptive to the size of the user, and the age or age range is determined from that size, product placement appropriate for the determined age or age group can be presented in the driving game. In this manner an age appropriate environment as well as age appropriate advertisements can be generated. The appropriate electronic environment can include the displayed material, the controller, the virtual controller, the physical controller, and the like. For example, if it is determined if the user is 12 or under, billboards can be displayed along the side of the road for other toys, games, television shows, comics, cartoons, child specific television stations, theme parks, or the like. If is determined that the user is in a teenage range, teen appropriate advertisements would be displayed. Finally, if it is determined that the user is an adult i.e., 18 or over or a specific age range, age appropriate advertisements may be presented such as for banks, brokerage houses, or more adult oriented advertisements if appropriate for a given application. For example, advertisements for birth control or lingerie would only be presented to users over the age of 18. 
     In addition to product placement advertisements, the data from the sensor device, which may include biometric data, is used to create an age appropriate game play environment. The biometric data can also be used to monitor a user&#39;s physical needs and vary game play or the game environment in response to the biometric data. In one embodiment, the sensor data and/or biometric data is used to diagnose physical conditions of the user and cause an appropriate response. For example, if the user is displaying signs of being tired, an advertisement for a caffeine product may be displayed. Alternatively, if a user&#39;s wrist is warm indicating repetitive stress injury (RSI) or carpal tunnel syndrome game adjustments can be made and medical appliance advertisements for braces and the like can be displayed. 
     In an alternative embodiment, in place of product placements, learning material is presented to the user. In this manner, facts or other information can be presented to the user in a fun way. 
     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of the disclosed system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a game console  10  is coupled to a Virtual controller adapter  20 . The virtual device is coupled to the game console  10  via a wire or wirelessly. The virtual controller has one or more sensors or detectors  21 ,  22  that detect user  30 . The sensors  21 ,  22  of Virtual controller adapter  20  include one or more IR sensor, ultrasonic sensor, CCD camera, sound sensor, microphone, temperature, and the like. In one embodiment, the sensors are part of a physical controller. The Virtual controller adapter  20  is considered to include physical controllers and sensors. The sensors are preferably configured to capture biometric data relating to user  30 . Data from these sensors is processed at least one of locally by game console  10  or remotely by server  50  to determine the size and orientation of user  30 . In one embodiment, the data is processed to determine physical characteristics of the user  30 . In one embodiment, the sound sensor adds data to further define the user  30  including such data as accent, spoken language, tone, pitch, and the like. Preferably, a thorough demographic profile can be generated for the user  30  using data from the Virtual controller adapter  20  without the user  30  being required to enter the demographic data. In one embodiment, the user  30  confirms the determined demographic data. 
     In one embodiment, the Virtual controller adapter  20  may include a camera  21  and/or an ultrasonic transducer  22 . Virtual controller adapter  20  preferably tracks user  30  using motors to move the virtual controller or has a wide enough range to capture user activity. The images captured by the camera  21  can be processed by the game console  10  and compared to a library of images stored in database  40  coupled to the game console  10  to determine one or more of the size, age, and gender of user  30 . Similarly, an ultrasonic transducer  22  can be used to determine the size and profile of user  30 , which can be used to determine age or gender of user  30 . It should be noted that the database  40  can be a part of game console  10 , a computer readable medium inserted into game console  10 , or a virtual storage location accessible over the internet or the like by game console  10 . In one embodiment, database  40  is part of server  50 . In addition or instead of using the outline of user  30 , the system determines a user&#39;s age from the user&#39;s hand position. Thus as the user  30  varies hand position, the system determines the appropriate control position as well as the user&#39;s approximate age or age group. 
     Once the game console  10  determines an age or age range for user  30 , product placement advertisements stored by the game console  10 , on a computer readable media, in database  40 , at server  50 , or at a remote location, are rendered during display of the video game being played on game console  10 . In one embodiment, server  50  provides the product placement advertisements. Further, for online gaming, the server  50 , which may comprise multiple servers, memories, and databases, provides both the gaming and product placement. 
     In one embodiment, once an age is determined for used  30 , game console  10  generates an age appropriate game environment for user  30 . For example, games will have themes altered to be less violent or the like. A game can have multiple ratings and the proper level will be played given the determination. 
     In one embodiment, Virtual controller adapter  20  provides user biometric data used for determining a user need. For example, based on the sensor data, if a user  30  meets criteria for being tired, an advertisement or pop-up will appear suggesting caffeine. Alternatively, if the user  30  is overheating, a cool of drink will be suggested. In one embodiment, the biometric analysis is used to determine physical need and address that need. For example, motions corresponding to tendonitis are analyzed or physical attributes related to other physical conditions are determined either by the game console  10  or the server  50  or some combination thereof. 
     The game console  10  includes a microprocessor and a device to read a computer readable device. Preferably, the game console  10  also includes a memory. The game console  10  preferably analyzes data captured by the Virtual controller adapter  20 . The Virtual controller adapter  20  generates a virtual input device. In other words, depending on the desired input device, Virtual controller adapter  20  will generate an appropriate device or interpret the user&#39;s motions as using an appropriate device. For example, if typing is required, the user&#39;s movements using a keyboard will be sensed. The keyboard will be sized for the user&#39;s hands and hand position. This data will also be used to determine the user&#39;s age. Because the system is preferably responsive to the user  30 , the user&#39;s position can be used to determine the user&#39;s age. In a preferred embodiment, age range is determined using a look up table that compares the sensed size to an age group. Further, sensed physical attributes are used to determine age and or gender. 
     Once an age is determined, the game console  10  will present advertisements to the user  30 , preferably in the form of product placements. In one embodiment, the advertisements are stored in a database  40  locally present with respect to the game console  10 . In another embodiment, the user&#39;s age is transmitted over the Internet, LAN, or the like, to a server  50 . The server  50  provides advertising content based on the determined age or age group. Alternatively, the server  50  determines the user&#39;s age. Server  50  can be continuously updated to vary the provided content. Thus, the advertising content is preferably dynamically presented. Age appropriate content based on the data, preferably biometric date, is presented to the user  30 . 
     In one embodiment, the gaming experience takes place on the Internet via server  50 . Thus, in shared or online gaming, different users may see different contend based at least in part on the user&#39;s determined age. 
     While discussed in the gaming context, if the Virtual controller adapter  20  is being used while viewing web pages, the user&#39;s determined age or age group may be used to provide advertising content as well as block web sites. In other words, parental controls blocking adult material can be in place based at least in part on the user&#39;s determined age. Thus, an age appropriate environment can be maintained based on the sensor input. 
     In one embodiment, the Virtual controller adapter  20  has diagnostic capabilities. For example, the sensors can collect data that is then compared to criteria in database  40 , server  50 , or another location, to provide a user  30  appropriate solution to the matching criteria. For example, if a tendonitis is observed during game play or a diagnostic session, exercises and over the counter treatments or appliances can be recommended. On one embodiment, the game play adapts to incorporate the exercises or in-game advertisements for medical appliances or the like. 
     Preferably, the user&#39;s age or age group is determined using data captured by sensors  21 ,  22  in the Virtual controller adapter  20 . A program analyzes the captured data, preferably biometric data, and makes an appropriate determination as to the user&#39;s age, condition, or the like. This age or condition is then used to deliver content. 
     The present invention may be described herein in terms of functional block components, code listings, optional selections and various processing steps. It should be appreciated that such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, the present invention may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. 
     Similarly, the software elements of the present invention may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C, C++, C#, Java, COBOL, assembler, PERL, html, or the like, with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or other programming elements. 
     Further, it should be noted that the present invention may employ any number of conventional techniques for data transmission, signaling, data processing, network control, and the like. 
     It should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Indeed, for the sake of brevity, conventional data networking, application development and other functional aspects of the systems (and components of the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or virtual couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical or virtual connections might be present in a practical electronic data communications system. 
     As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, a device for data processing, and/or a computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely software embodiment, an entirely hardware embodiment, or an embodiment combining aspects of both software and hardware. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in the storage medium. Any suitable computer-readable storage medium may be utilized, including hard disks, CD-ROM, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, and/or the like. 
     The present invention is described below with reference to block diagrams and flowchart illustrations of methods, apparatus (e.g., systems), and computer program products according to various aspects of the invention. It will be understood that each functional block of the block diagrams and the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, respectively, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks. 
     These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the function specified in the flowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks. 
     Accordingly, functional blocks of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each functional block of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by either special purpose hardware-based computer systems that perform the specified functions or steps, or suitable combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     One skilled in the art will also appreciate that, for security reasons, any databases, systems, or components of the present invention may consist of any combination of databases or components at a single location or at multiple locations, wherein each database or system includes any of various suitable security features, such as firewalls, access codes, encryption, de-encryption, compression, decompression, and/or the like. 
     The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given herein. For example, the steps recited in any method claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented in the claims. Moreover, no element is essential to the practice of the invention unless specifically described herein as “critical” or “essential.” 
     In the specification, the term “media” means any medium that can record data therein. The term “media” includes, for instance, a disk shaped media for such as CD-ROM (compact disc-read only memory), magneto optical disc or MO, digital video disc-read only memory or DVD-ROM, digital video disc-random access memory or DVD-RAM, a floppy disc, a memory chip such as random access memory or RAM, read only memory or ROM, erasable programmable read only memory or E-PROM, electrical erasable programmable read only memory or EE-PROM, a rewriteable card-type read only memory such as a smart card, a magnetic tape, a hard disc, and any other suitable means for storing a program therein. 
     A recording media storing a program for accomplishing the above mentioned apparatus maybe accomplished by programming functions of the above mentioned apparatuses with a programming language readable by a computer or processor, and recording the program on a media such as mentioned above. 
     A server equipped with a hard disk drive may be employed as a recording media. It is also possible to accomplish the present invention by storing the above mentioned computer program on such a hard disk in a server and reading the computer program by other computers through a network. 
     As a computer processing device, any suitable device for performing computations in accordance with a computer program may be used. Examples of such devices include a personal computer, a laptop computer, a microprocessor, a programmable logic device, or an application specific integrated circuit. 
     While this invention has been described by reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims. 
     Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.