Abstract:
The present invention provides techniques for dynamically creating and integrating advertisements into video games based at least in part on user interests. Techniques are provided in which user interest information may be obtained substantially in real time. The user interest information and video game information may then be used to generate or select advertisements that may be relevant to the users and still be consistent with the theme of the video game. The advertisements may be dynamically integrated substantially in real time into the video game for presentation to the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Advertisers (including proxies, agents, or other entities acting on behalf of or in the interest of advertisers) compete for user attention. By effective referencing and use of topics of interest in their advertising, advertisers grab attention, build rapport with audiences, and increase brand cachet. For example, in maintaining distinctiveness and relevance, advertisers benefit from, among other things, knowledge of interests and trending interests of their target audiences. 
         [0002]    One particular target audience of interest to advertisers is users who are play video games. There is a need for techniques for, among other things, the ability to base advertisements that are integrated into video games on the nature and interest of the gamer. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for dynamically selecting or generating advertisements substantially in real-time, and integrating the advertisements into a video game as a user is actively playing the game. 
         [0004]    Information relating to a user&#39;s interests may be obtained. The information may include user profile information, search history and/or search trends, email communications, social network communication information including conversations, status updates, etc. In one embodiment, this information may be captured substantially in real time. Additionally, in some embodiments, the user&#39;s behavioral and interest pattern may be tracked/monitored substantially in real time by tracking/monitoring user profile information, search history and/or search trends, email communications, social network communication information including conversations, status updates, etc. The user profile information may include for example, the user&#39;s age, geographic location, education level, ethnicity, etc. 
         [0005]    An advertisement to be inserted into a video game may be selected substantially in real time based at least in part on the information relating to the user&#39;s interests and on a theme of the video game that the user is actively playing. In some embodiments, the advertisement may be generated or created substantially in real time based at least in part on the information relating to the user&#39;s interests and on the theme of the video game. For example, if the user is playing a medieval themed game, an advertisement for a car would not be consistent with the theme of the game, and would likely ruin the game experience. However, an advertisement for a collector&#39;s edition sword, for example, may be selected because it is consistent with the theme of the game. 
         [0006]    The advertisement may be integrated substantially in real time into the video game while the user is actively playing the video game. For example, the selected advertisement may be displayed on a billboard which is part of a scene in the video game. In another example, if the user is into construction tools and there is a tool usage in the game, the tool used by the characters in the game may be branded with a specific brand such as Black and Decker. This type of ad selection may be dynamic based on a bidding system for advertisers. Thus different ads may appear on subsequent playing sessions of the same game. The advertisements may include textual, audio, visual, and/or graphical data. In some embodiments, the advertisement may be click-able from within the videogame, and may be accessed directly from video game. This may advantageously result in a higher rate of ad conversions. Users may be given incentives in exchange for allowing advertisements to be displayed in the video game. The incentives may include for example, game credits, deals, coupons, cash rewards and rewards points. The user may configure the game, for example, to see an ad every predetermined number of levels, where higher frequencies of ad display may lead to deeper discounts, or even better future deals/discounts. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a distributed computer system according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating exemplary data structures according to one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    While the invention is described with reference to the above drawings, the drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the invention contemplates other embodiments within the spirit of the invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a distributed computer system  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. The system  100  includes user computers  104 , advertiser computers  106  and server computers  108 , all coupled or able to be coupled to the Internet  102 . Although the Internet  102  is depicted, the invention contemplates other embodiments in which the Internet is not included, as well as embodiments in which other networks are included in addition to the Internet, including one more wireless networks, WANs, LANs, telephone, cell phone, or other data networks, etc. The invention further contemplates embodiments in which user computers  104  may be portable or handheld devices such as cell phones, PDAs, tablets, mobile navigation units, etc. 
         [0015]    Each of the one or more computers  104 ,  106  and  108  may be distributed, and can include various hardware, software, applications, algorithms, programs and tools. Depicted computers may also include a hard drive, monitor, keyboard, pointing or selecting device, etc. The computers may operate using an operating system such as Windows by Microsoft, etc. Each computer may include a central processing unit (CPU), data storage device, and various amounts of memory including RAM and ROM. Depicted computers may also include various programming, applications, algorithms and software to enable searching, search results, and advertising, such as graphical or banner advertising as well as keyword searching and advertising in a sponsored search context. Many types of advertisements are contemplated, including textual advertisements, graphical advertisements, rich advertisements, video advertisements, etc. 
         [0016]    As depicted, each of the server computers  108  includes one or more CPUs  110  and a data storage device  112 . The data storage device  112  includes a database  116  and a Video Game Advertising Program  114 . 
         [0017]    The Program  114  is intended to broadly include all programming, applications, algorithms, software and other and tools necessary to implement or facilitate methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. The elements of the Program  114  may exist on a single server computer or be distributed among multiple computers or devices. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating a method  200  according to one embodiment of the invention. At step  202 , using one or more computers, information relating to a user&#39;s interests is obtained. The information may include user profile information, search history and/or search trends, email communications, social network communication information including conversations, status updates, etc. In one embodiment, this information may be captured substantially in real time. Additionally, in some embodiments, the user&#39;s behavioral and interest pattern may be tracked/monitored substantially in real time by tracking/monitoring user profile information, search history and/or search trends, email communications, social network communication information including conversations, status updates, etc. The user profile information may include for example, the user&#39;s age, geographic location, education level, ethnicity, etc. 
         [0019]    At step  204 , using one or more computers, an advertisement to be inserted into a video game may be selected substantially in real time based at least in part on the information relating to the user&#39;s interests and on a theme of the video game that the user is actively playing. In some embodiments, the advertisement may be generated or created substantially in real time based at least in part on the information relating to the user&#39;s interests and on the theme of the video game. For example, if the user is playing a medieval themed game, an advertisement for a car would not be consistent with the theme of the game, and would likely ruin the game experience. However, an advertisement for a collector&#39;s edition sword, for example, may be selected because it is consistent with the theme of the game. 
         [0020]    At step  206 , using one or more computers, the advertisement may be integrated substantially in real time into the video game while the user is actively playing the video game. For example, the selected advertisement may be displayed on a billboard which is part of a scene in the video game. In another example, if the user is into construction tools and there is a tool usage in the game, the tool used by the characters in the game may be branded with a specific brand such as Black and Decker. This type of ad selection may be dynamic based on a bidding system for advertisers. Thus different ads may appear on subsequent playing sessions of the same game. The advertisements may include textual, audio, visual, and/or graphical data. In some embodiments, the advertisement may be click-able from within the videogame, and may be accessed directly from video game. This may advantageously result in a higher rate of ad conversions. Users may be given incentives in exchange for allowing advertisements to be displayed in the video game. The incentives may include for example, game credits, deals, coupons, cash rewards and rewards points. The user may configure the game, for example, to see an ad every predetermined number of levels, where higher frequencies of ad display may lead to deeper discounts, or even better future deals/discounts. In some embodiments, the price of the game may be determined using: Price of Game=Manufacturer price−(Frequency of ads*WeightFactor)*(% given back*revenue per ad) 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method  300  according to one embodiment of the invention. At step  302 , using one or more computers, information relating to a user&#39;s interests may be obtained substantially in real time, wherein the information comprises one or more of user profile information, social networking status updates, social networking conversations, emails, and search trends. 
         [0022]    At step  304 , using one or more computers, an advertisement to be inserted into a video game may be selected substantially in real time based at least in part on the information relating to the user&#39;s interests and on a theme of the video game, wherein the user is actively playing the video game, and wherein the advertisement is consistent with the theme of the video game. 
         [0023]    At step  306 , using one or more computers, the advertisement may be integrated substantially in real time into the video game while the user is actively playing the video game. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a method  400  according to one embodiment of the invention. At step  402 , using one or more computers, information relating to a user&#39;s interests may be obtained substantially in real time, wherein the information comprises one or more of user profile information, social networking status updates, social networking conversations, emails, and search trends. At step  404 , using one or more computers, an advertisement to be inserted into a video game may be selected, substantially in real-time, based at least in part on the information relating to the user&#39;s interests and on a theme of the video game, wherein the user is actively playing the video game, and wherein the advertisement is consistent with the theme of the video game. 
         [0025]    At step  406 , using one or more computers, the advertisement may be integrated, substantially in real-time, into the video game while the user is actively playing the video game. At step  408 , using one or more computers, the user may be provided with one or more incentives to allow advertisements in the video game. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram  500  illustrating one embodiment of the invention. One or more data stores or databases  512  are depicted. Various types of information are stored in the database  512 . In particular, types of depicted information stored in the database  512  include, potentially among many other types of information, user profile information  502 , social networking communication information  504 , email communication information  506 , search history/trend information  508 , and game information  510 . User profile information  502  may include information such as the user&#39;s age, geographic location, education level, ethnicity, etc. Game information  510  may include for example, title (e.g., name), theme, genre, parental rating, etc. The information stored in database  512  may be obtained, gathered, or generated in various ways from various sources including directly from user computers, or from third party sources (e.g., game developers, social networking sites, etc.). 
         [0027]    Block  514  represents generation or selection of an advertisement, targeted to a user who is actively playing a video game. The advertisement may be generated or selected based at least in part on one or more of obtained information  502 - 510 . In some embodiments, a previously generated advertisement may be provided by one or more advertiser computers and stored in database  512 . The advertisement may be selected based at least in part on rules or criteria (specified by the advertiser) related to one or more of obtained information  502 - 510 . 
         [0028]    Block  516  represents integration of the selected or generated advertisement into the video game. The advertisement may be displayed, for example, on a billboard in a scene in the video game. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating exemplary data structures according to one embodiment of the invention. Data structures  602   a  and  602   b , which illustrate the type of information that may be stored for a user, may be stored in, for example, database  512  ( FIG. 5 ). 
         [0030]    The exemplary use case scenarios listed below further describe embodiments of the invention. 
         [0031]    User Case 1: User A is searching for a new lawn mower using the Yahoo Search engine. This information is tagged to the user, and as the user plays a game that is connected to the interne like the soccer game FIFA 2011, the system dynamically generates ads within the game containing deals of the latest lawn mowers. The ad may be integrated into the game such that as the commentator comments on the game, the commentator may mention the deals. Alternatively, or in addition, when the game hits a half time intermission, there may be a video ad displayed. 
         [0032]    User Case 2: If user A is sending love messages through a social network platform to user B, then the system may detect this pattern and trigger ads that expresses love and feelings to both/either user A and B through a game that they might be playing after their communication. Ads that may be triggered by this include, for example, flowers, food, entertainment, etc. 
         [0033]    User Case 3: It may be determined through the user&#39;s profile that the user is a fan of soccer and movies. While the user is playing a medieval time role-playing game the system may attempt to integrate an ad that will capture the interest of the user. Matching the type of game with the ad, it may be concluded that soccer does not match the type of game and hence will not be a good choice. Movies are a similar situation, but a specific type of movie may be an option. 
         [0034]    An exemplary algorithm used to select the type of ads, and when to show it is described below. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Show Video Ad IF 
               
               
                   there is an available intermission on the game (Sample games: FIFA, 
               
               
                   NBA, MLB) 
               
               
                 ELSE Show display Ads IF 
               
               
                   ((no intense user key sequence required) AND (no immediate 
               
               
                   response time needed)) (sample: detective games) 
               
               
                 ELSE Display (Audio Ad) IF 
               
               
                   no interference of audio game dialog or story telling (sample: 
               
               
                   WarCraft, StarCraft) 
               
               
                 ELSE Display (Textual Ad) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0035]    While the invention is described with reference to the above drawings, the drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the invention contemplates other embodiments within the spirit of the invention.