US 6,196,920 B1Granted

On-line game playing with advertising

AssigneeMasque Publishing, Inc.

InventorsCharles W. Spaur, Edward Lappin, James M. Wisler

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Abstract

The playing of games with advertising over a network, such as the Internet, is provided. The system for on-line game playing and advertising includes one or more client machines, game servers with advertisement servers, together with at least one database server. One advertisement is displayed using the client machine immediately after a validated detection of the completion of the game is made by the game server. This advertisement is displayed using the client machine for at least a predetermined time interval during which the player is not provided with control for removing the advertisement. Another advertisement is displayed using the client machine at the time the game is being played using game elements, such as card backs and banners. Advertising data is stored related to each displayed advertisement including the identity of the advertisement, when the advertisement was displayed, and the reaction to the advertisement by each player playing the on-line game utilizing a client machine.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A system for advertising while on-line games are being played, comprising:

a plurality of client machines including at least a first client machine, said first client machine storing executable game software for playing at least a first on-line game that includes at least one of a first card game and a first board game having a first set of game elements including at least a first game element associated with playing said first on-line game, said game software being provided with at least first advertising information and associating said first advertising information with at least said first game element, said game software executing on said first client machine and controlling said first advertising information to be located within said first game element including controlling movement of said first advertising information with said first game element when said first game element moves as part of playing said first on-line game;
a central subsystem for providing said first advertising information to said first client machine and for monitoring playing of said first on-line game including monitoring to determine when said first on-line game is finished;
and
a communications network that enables said central subsystem to communicate with said plurality of client machines including said first client machine.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.