# US 7,610,392 B2 · Computer system and method for transmitting user status information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,392 B2 - Document ID: US7610392B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/999,591 - Filed: 2007-12-06 - Published: 2008-04-24 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2001-02-01 - Assignees: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. - Inventors: Ken Kutaragi; Shinichi Okamoto; Kazuo Miura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610392B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/12 - A63F 13/73: Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity - A63F 13/30: Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers - A63F 13/352: involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world - A63F 13/71: using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players - A63F 13/77: involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory - A63F 13/79: involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories - A63F 13/95: Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges - G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} - G06F 21/57: Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities - G11B 20/00086: {Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy (indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00)} - G11B 20/00855: {involving a step of exchanging information with a remote server} - A63F 2300/206: Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards - A63F 2300/401: Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication - A63F 2300/532: using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication - A63F 2300/8017: Driving on land or water; Flying - G06F 21/109: {by using specially-adapted hardware at the client} - G06F 2221/2109: Game systems - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A computer system enabling mutual exchange of information between users and digital content, in a manner corresponding to each individual disk, comprises a plurality of computers each capable of being loaded with a disk having a unique disk ID, and a verification server capable of being connected with the computers via a network. Each disk has a unique ID, and the verification server has a user database for accumulating user information corresponding to the disk ID. The verification server identifies the disk based on the disk ID, and transmits data corresponding to the disk to the computer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system comprising: a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with a recording medium having a unique recording medium ID; a verification server connected with the user computers via a network, the verification server including a user database provided with the unique recording medium IDs; and at least one content server connected to the verification server via a network and having a content database associated therewith; wherein the verification server is programmed to: require the recording medium ID from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server and for verifying the request based on information recorded in the user database; establish communications between the user computers and the desired content server when the request is verified; request user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and the user computer from the user computers and for transmitting the user status information to the desired content server; and receive information corresponding to the user status information from the content database of the desired content server and for transmitting content information from the desired content server to the user computers to thereby provide the content requested by the user computers and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the user status information comprises at least one of a serial number and a version number of a program. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the user status information comprises data indicative of the completion status of a game played on the user computer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the content information transmitted to the user computer comprises data for upgrading at least one of the programs and data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the content information transmitted to the user computer comprises data for debugging at least one of the programs and data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein: the user computers further comprise means for supplying to the verification server the user status information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein: the user computers each have unique device IDs; the user database contains information relating to the device IDs; and the verification server is further programmed to: obtain the device IDs from the user computers when the user computers request the data from the desired content server; and identify the user computers based on the device IDs and the user information in the user database. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein: each user of each of the user computers has a unique user ID; the user database contains information relating to the user IDs; and the verification server is further programmed to: obtain the user IDs from the user computers when the user computers request the data from the desired content server; and identify the user based on the user ID and the user information in the user database. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the verification server is connected, via a network, to at least one content server having digital content. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A computer system according to claim 9, wherein the verification server is further programmed to: perform verification of the recording medium based on the recording medium ID; and determine whether or not to permit providing of the digital content from the content server to the user computer, based on the results of the verification. ### Claim 11 A computer system comprising: a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with a recording medium storing at least one of programs and data; a verification server connected with the user computers via a network; and at least one content server connected to the verification server via a network and having a content database associated therewith; wherein the user computers each comprise means for supplying to the verification server user status information representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and the user computer; and the verification server is programmed to: obtain the user status information from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server connected to the verification server; prepare the requested data according to the user status information; and transmit the requested data to the user computers to thereby provide the data requested by the users and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said requested data is data for updating at least one of programs and data stored in said recording medium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A computer system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one content server having digital content, wherein the requested data is prepared by sending the user status information to the content server, and wherein the content server is programmed to select the digital content according to the user status information and transmit the selected digital content to the verification server. ### Claim 14 A computer system comprising: a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with a recording medium storing at least one of programs and data; and a verification server connected with the user computers via a network, wherein: each of the user computers has a unique device ID; and the verification server comprises: a user database provided with user status information corresponding to the device IDs; and the verification server is programmed to: require the device IDs from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server connected to the verification server; identify the user computer based on the device ID and the user status information in the user database; request user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and user computer from the user computer and for transmitting the user status information to the desired content server; prepare the requested data according to the identified user computer and the user status information; and transmit the requested data to the user computers to thereby provide the data requested by the users and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers. ### Claim 15 A verification server capable of being connected, via a network, with a plurality of user computers each capable of being loaded with one or more recording media each having a unique recording medium ID, the verification server comprising: a user database provided with user status information corresponding to the recording medium IDs; wherein the verification server is programmed to: require the recording medium IDs from the user computers when the user computers request data associated with a desired content server connected to the verification server; identify a given recording medium based on the recording medium ID and the user status information in the user database; request user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording media and the user computer from the user computer and for transmitting the user status information to the desired content server; prepare the requested data according to the identified recording medium and the user status information; and transmit the requested data to the user computers to thereby provide the data requested by the users and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers. ### Claim 16 A user computer capable of being loaded with a recording medium storing at least one of programs and data, and capable of being connected with a verification server via a network, the verification server being connected at least one content server via a network and having a content database associated therewith, and the recording medium having a unique ID, the user computer being programmed to: supply at least one of an ID unique of the user computer, an ID unique of the recording medium and an ID unique of the user, to the verification server as verification information, when a request for data associated with a desired content server is made by a user; supply user status information from the user computers representing data of partway-through games and data stored in at least one of the recording medium and the user computer to the verification server; receive a result of verification from the verification server; and receive content information corresponding to the user status information from the desired content server and upgrading or debugging programs based on the user status information of individual user computers.