WO2018140407A2 - Gamification of media content - Google Patents

Abstract

A method is described for engaging players in competitive gameplay relating to content including television programming, music & film industry releases and events. Gamification of content occurs via the creation of 'Team Positions', analogous to positions on a sports team. An example of Positions for a TV show like 'The Bachelor' might be 'Sweetheart', 'Backstabber', or 'Party Animal'. Players may assign elements relating to the content being gamified to Positions, such as show contestants, celebrities, actors, movies, songs, or music artists. For example, a Player would assign a show contestant from 'The Bachelor' to the Position of 'Sweetheart'. Generating a Position may comprise of identifying one or more actions or results associated with the Position, and identifying point values to be assigned for completion of the action or said result. Positions are assigned points based on events and results that occur in the content, such as during a TV episode.

Description

GAMIFICATION OF MEDIA CONTENT

[0001] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific

details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will

be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order

to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Gamification of sporting events over recent years has increased viewership by

creating a new way of interacting with the sporting events. Gamification is the application of

gaming elements to different areas of activity. In the context of sporting events, fantasy leagues

allow for a different type of betting on sporting events.

[0003] In a sports fantasy league, players are presented with a plurality of positions that

correspond to positions of the athletes. For example, in fantasy football a player will be

presented with positions of "kicker", "quarterback", "wide receiver", and "running back". The

player identifies one or more athletes for each position based on the positions that the athletes

play. For example, a player will select a kicker from any team to be the selected kicker for the

player's fantasy team. When the kicker successfully performs actions associated with his

position in a sporting event, such as kicking a field goal, the player is granted points.

[0004] Fantasy sports is able to accomplish gamification easily by simply applying existing positions, actions, and score values to a fictional environment. Positions each correspond to existing positions that the athletes play. Scores are tied to tangible statistics kept of each athlete.

[0005] In an embodiment, in order to gamify a particular type of media, a plurality of positions that do not correspond to positions prescribed by the media are generated. For example, in the television show THE BACHELOR, produced by ABC, there are no prescribed positions for the contestants on the show. Thus, in order to gamify the show, a method may comprise generating positions that may be filled by show contestants.

[0006] Generating a position may comprise identifying a position type, identifying one

or more actions associated with the position, and identifying one or more point values to be

assigned for completion of the action. As an example, a position type of "The Sweetheart"

may be generated for THE BACHELOR. Generating "The Sweetheart" as a position may comprise identifying the actions of "Kisses the Bachelor" and "Receives a Rose" as actions. Each action may then be associated with a point value. For example, "Kisses the Bachelor" may be associated with 200 points while "Receives a Rose" may be associated with 500 points. A player may then be granted the ability to draft any of the contestants in THE BACHELOR as "The Sweetheart" and earn points based on the actions of the drafted character in the show.

[0007] In an embodiment, positions are fillable by any contestant. For example, in THE BACHELOR, the position of "The Sweetheart" may be filled by any existing contestant. Additionally, contestants may be eligible to fill a plurality of positions.

Thus, one player may select a contestant for a first position while a second player selects the same contestant for a second position.

[0008] While the generation of arbitrary positions with their own actions and point values has been described above with respect to a particular type of media, the methods described herein may be applied to any of the types of media defined above. For example, a position of "Zombie Killer" may be defined for the popular AMC television show

THEWALKING DEAD with points awarded for each zombie killed by the selected character. As another example, a position of "Unpredictable" may be defined for election coverage with points awarded for differences between the polling of a particular state and the actual election results for the particular state.

[0009] In an embodiment, arbitrary positions may be assigned to elements outside of the media content. For example, an arbitrary position of "Coach" may be assigned to a fantasy sport. The "Coach" position may be filled by another player of the fantasy sport, such as an opponent, and earns points based on how that player's team performs. These additional arbitrary positions based on elements outside of the media can add extra depth to fantasy sports games and/or to fantasy media games that already contain arbitrary positions.

[0010] Gamification of media content may additionally include generating betting options on quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative questions refer to the occurrence or non- occurrence of a future event. For example, a quantitative question may ask what color dress a contestant will wear to the competition. Each answer may be associated with a point value that is awarded if the answer was selected and correct.

Qualitative questions refer to audience reactions to a particular event. For example, a qualitative question may include a prediction as to how the other players will rate a particular performance.

[0011] The gamification of media may additionally increase audience engagement in the media by including live betting events. Using the gamification interface described further herein, a quantitative or qualitative question may be generated and pushed to client computing devices during broadcast of related media content. The questions may include timers that limit the amount of time the players have to answer the question, thereby making the questions relevant in the moment.

[0012] In an embodiment, an application for playing a game based on media content is displayed on a device separate from the media viewing device. For example, a player may play the game on a smart phone while watching the media on a television. Additionally or alternatively, the game and media may be display on the same device. For example, a smart television or personal computer may display a border around the media content that includes options for answering questions, messaging capabilities for discussing the media content with other players, and/or data identifying correct answers.

[0013] In an embodiment, after a qualitative or quantitative question is answer, the results are displayed to the player. In embodiments where the game is displayed along with the media, question answers may be tracked in a border of the screen. For example, an over- under question may be based on how many times a character of a show performs a particular action. Each time the character performs the particular action, a counter in the border may be incremented. If a question is based on the occurrence or non-occurrence of an action, the border may include data identifying whether the action has occurred yet in the media.

[0014] In an embodiment, questions are associated with particular media clips. For example, a question may be based on a promotional video for the show that hints at the occurrence or occurrence of an event. The clip may be displayed on a client computing device prior to the question, thereby giving the player context for the question. In the mobile device user interface described in section 3, the video clip may be included in a tile prior to the question tile.

[0015] In an embodiment, a gamification application displays explanation clips along with specific results. Explanation clips may be associated with qualitative questions, quantitative questions, and/or positions. For quantitative questions, an explanation clip may include media showing the occurrence of a particular event. If the question is based on a number of occurrences of an event, each occurrence may be displayed in the explanation clip. For positions, an explanation clip may include media showing each time the selected person performed an action associated with the selected position. As an example, an explanation clip for the "Zombie Killer" position may show each instance that the character killed a zombie in the episode. A running tally of points may be incremented with each occurrence of the event. If the position includes more than one event type, each event type may be included in the explanation clip.

2. GAMIFICATION INTERFACE

[0016] An interface for gamification of various types of media is described herein. The interface may be configured for generation of positions and assignment of actions for the position, point values for the actions, and possible contenders for the position. The interface may also be configured for generation of various types of questions, predictions, videos, advertisements, and information display.

[0017] FIG. I depicts an example interface for gamification of various types of media. Various statistics and analytics may be displayed on a dashboard according to an embodiment. Different types of statistics and analytics are described further herein in section 4. Statistics and analytics may be generalized for all games and/or events or specified to one or more particular games and/or events.

[0018] The interface of FIG. I includes a plurality of selectable options in a side panel. The options of FIG. I include Events, Games, Rooms, Tile Library, Tile Assets, Players, and Performers. Each of the options of FIG. I are described further herein. The interface may also include additional options, such as an option to define new statistics or analytics.

[0019] In response to a selection of the Events option, the interface displays data identifying one or more events along with event information. An event, as used herein, refers to a grouping of one or more games for a particular type of media. For example, events may include a season of a reality show, competition show, serialized show, and/ or sporting event, an ongoing news story, and/or singular live broadcasts. Each event may comprise one or more individual game are associated with the event. For example, an event for a season of a particular show may include one or more games for each episode of the particular show. A selection of a particular event may cause the interface to display each game associated with the event.

[0020] In response to a selection of the Games option, the interface displays data identifying one or more games along with game information. A game, as used herein, refers to a singular competition within an overarching event. For example, a particular game may be a singular tournament associated with a singular episode of a television show. The particular game may have a game start time, a duration, and a plurality of tiles associated with the game.

[0021] In an embodiment, a plurality of games may be associated with a single episode of a television show. The different games may have different buy-ins, different prizes, different tiles, and/or different criteria for players. A buy-in refers to an amount of virtual or real currency required for a player to partake in the game, A prize refers to an award for winning a game. Tiles refer to modular elements of a game. Tiles are described further herein. Criteria refer to one or more requirements a player must meet to partake in a game. For example, games may be segmented by a player's skill level, experience, and/or location.

[0022] In response to a selection of the Rooms option, the interface displays data identifying one or more rooms along with room information. A room, as used herein, refers to a singular instance of a game. Each room may have a limit on a number of players for the room, thereby allowing players to compete against a limited number of opponents. New rooms may be created whenever an existing room reaches capacity on a number of players. Rooms may be designated as public or private. Private rooms may be joinable only by invite from a room creator. This allows players to compete against friends only. Public rooms may be joinable by any player that meets the game's criteria. In an embodiment, some games are limited to only public rooms. For example, games with particularly high prizes or criteria may not allow private rooms in order to ensure fair competition.

[0023] In response to a selection of the Tile Library option, the interface displays data identifying categories for each tile. FIG. 2 depicts an example interface for viewing, editing, and creating tiles. The tile categories allow tiles to be specified for particular events and/or games. Selecting a particular category may cause the interface to display each tile that has been created for the category. In response to receiving a selection of the "New Tile" option, the interface may display options for generating new tiles.

[0024] FIG. 3 depicts a first interface for generating a new tile. The first interface includes options for selecting an existing category for the tile. The tile categories allow the user of the interface to pre-filter tiles by type. For example, a tile category may be made for each event and/or each game within an event. Additionally, categories may refer to types of tiles. For example, an advertisements category may include all advertisements that can be placed in different games and/or events.

[0025] FIG. 4 depicts a second interface for generating a new tile. The second interface includes options for specifying a tile type, a name, and an optional description. The selected tile type may affect the next steps for the tile creation. For example, in FIG. 4, vote has been selected from the drop down menu. Thus, the next step identified at the top of the tile is "Vote Details." Depicted tile types include Vote, Predictlt,

Predict! tResults, Ad, VideoAd, Ratelt, Announcement, Offer, Info, Achievement, News, and DraftPick. Other tile types may also be included, such as a Position tile and a QuestionRequest tile.

[0026] FIG. 5 depicts a first interface for editing a Predictlt tile. The Predictlt tile type may be used for requesting predictions from the players. For example, a user may type a question into the Question portion of FIG. 5 that involves an event which has not occurred yet. The user may also specify one or more display options for the question.

[0027] The Question Timer option allows the user to specify how long a question is displayed for answering. The Question Timer option may be used to limit the amount of time a player has to answer the question. The time limit may be used to ensure that the player answers the question before the media displays the answer. If the answer is known by the user of the interface in advance, the user may set the Question Timer to end right before the answer is given by the media.

[0028] The Question Coming option allows the user to specify an amount of time before the tile is displayed. If no time is set, then the question may be pushed to a game immediately after it has been created. Otherwise, the Question Coming option may be used to identify a time when the question will be posed to the players, thereby allowing questions to be generated in advance of a broadcast, but only displayed at an optimal time during the broadcast.

[0029] The Question Complete Timer option allows the user to specify an amount of time after the Predictlt tile is displayed before a PredictltResults tile is displayed. The PredictltResults tile identifies a correct answer to a question and a number of points awarded to the player if the player answered the Predictlt question correctly. By including the Question Complete Timer, the interface allows a user to upload results in advance and cause the results to be displayed after the predicted event occurs in the broadcast. The Question Results Duration option allows the user to specify an amount of time that the PredictltResults tile is displayed. Setting this value to none causes the interface to not remove the PredictltResults tile from viewing by the players.

[0030] FIG. 6 depicts a second interface for editing a Predictlt tile. The interface of FIG. 6 allows the user to input text answers to the question posed in the interface of FIG. 5. Additionally, the interface of FIG. 6 allows the user to set point values for each option. For example, if a question has a first answer that is highly likely and a second answer that is less likely, a lower point value may be specified for the first option. Thus, while the risk is higher for those who select the second answer, the possible point reward is also higher.

[0031] In an embodiment, the Predictlt tile may be used for predictions about audience reactions. For example, a Predictlt tile may pose a question as to whom the audience thought was the best performer in a particular show. A Vote tile may be used to gauge the audience opinion for the question. The most selected option of the Vote tile may be identified through the interface as the correct answer to the Predictlt tile.

[0032] Additionally, the Predictlt tile may be used for predictions about audience ratings and/or judge ratings. The interface may include an option for specifying a rating scale for a Predictlt tile. For example, the interface may include options that allow the user to specify a 1-10 rating scale for singing, dancing, and song choice. When the tile is presented to a player, the tile may include sliders that allow the user to specify a prediction for each category on a scale of 1-10. The Predictlt tile may also allow the user to specify an amount of points that the player can earn for each answer. Points may be earned if the player is within a particular range of the correct answer, such as within 1 point, or a fraction of the total possible points may be awarded based on distance from the correct answer. For example, answers within 0.5 of the correct rating may be awarded 25 points while answers between 1.0 and 0.5 of the correct answer may be awarded 20 points.

[0033] The PredictltResults tile may be used for displaying results of the Predictlt tile along with earned point values if the user predicted correctly. The interface for editing a PredictltResults tile may include options for specifying a Predictlt tile and for specifying a correct answer to the Predictlt tile. The PredictltResults tile interface may additionally include additional options, such as an option to specify when to display the PredictltResults tile. While options for this may exist in the original Predictlt tile, including the options in the PredictltResults tile allows the user to generate a PredictltResults tile on the fly, such as with a live broadcast where an answer is not known ahead of time.

[0034] The Vote tile type may be used for generating a question to pose to players about their views on media associated with a particular game. The questions posed using the Vote tile type may not have point values associated with responses. Instead, the Vote tile type is used to gauge audience reaction. For example, a Vote tile type may pose a question as to whom the player believes produced the best performance. An interface for editing the Vote tile type may include similar options as those depicted in FIG. 5 and FIG, 6, but without the option to specify point values.

[0035] The Ratelt tile may be used for generating a rating question to pose to players. For example, a Ratelt tile may be used for rating a particular performer in an episode of a competition show. As discussed above with the Predictlt tile, the Ratelt interface may include options for selecting rating categories and a rating scale. The Ratelt tile may be used to generate results of a Predictlt tile. For example, a Predictlt tile may ask how the user believes the audience will rate a particular performer. After the performance has been broadcasted, the Ratelt tile may be displayed to each player, thereby allowing the players to rate the performance. Average rating values for each category may be used as the results of the Predictlt tile.

[0036] Ad and VideoAd tiles may be used for displaying advertisements as modular units. The Ad and VideoAd creation interfaces may allow a user to select a stored image and video respectively to be displayed on an individual tile. Other tile types, such as Info, Achievement, News, and Offer may be used to display information to the players.

[0037] The DraftPick tile may be used for generating a draft pick question. The draft pick question may allow the player to select a particular performer, actor, celebrity, or other element of an associated media event as a winner, loser, or specified position type. For example, the DraftPick tile may include options for selecting a previously generated arbitrary position and/or for generating a new arbitrary position. An interface for generating a new arbitrary position may include options for naming the position, identifying actions for the position, and identifying point awards if a selected performer, actor, celebrity, or other element of the associated media event performs the identified actions.

[0038] FIG. 7 depicts an interface for selecting performer options for a DraftPick tile, Ratelt tile, and/or Predictlt tile. The interface of FIG. 7 depicts a plurality of performer options that can be selected by the user. For Ratelt questions, only one performer is likely to be selected for each question. For DraftPick questions, the user may select each element of the associated media event that is relevant to the question. For example, in a performance show, the user may select only the performers that are expected to perform in a particular episode of the show. Additionally, when a performer has been eliminated, the next created tile may not include the eliminated performer. Performers may be created or edited using the Performers option of the side panel.

[0039] After a tile has been created, it may be added to a particular game. For example, a user may create a game or select an existing game from the Games interface. The user may then select an option for adding an existing tile, select the category of the tile, and select the tile to be added to the game.

[0040] The interface described above may be used to generate questions to be displayed to a player well in advance of a broadcast, during a broadcast, or both. For example, some base questions like position selections may be displayed in advance in a particular game. Other questions may be generated in advance or on the spot and displayed immediately to all players. The display of live questions during a broadcast increases audience engagement with both the application and the media.

[0041] In an embodiment, the interface may include options for fan created questions. For example, a tile type of "Fan Question" may be included in the tile types. The Fan Question tile may display to a player the option to input text for a question and text for various answers. Fan Questions may then be displayed to a subset of other players who can vote on which Fan Questions are used for future games.

[0042] Additionally, the subset of other players may identify their answers to the Fan Questions. The answers provided by other players may be used to identify point values for each answer. For example, if 75% of players select a first answer choice and 25% of people select a second answer choice, the second answer choice may be allotted three times as many points as the first answer choice. Alternatively, the point values for the question may be initially equal to each other. As players select questions, point values for non-selected questions may rise in proportion to selected questions. This allows the players to set the odds for questions over time.

[0043] Additionally or alternatively, a player may select point values for answers in the Fan Question tile. In an embodiment, a player bets a certain amount of virtual or real currency on the question and provides point values for any players that accept the bet. This allows the player to take larger risks but bet a smaller amount of currency on the question. The tile may also allow the player to specify a maximum number of other players that may accept the bet, thereby limiting a total possible loss for the player.

3. USER INTERFACE

[0044] A user interface is described herein for cycling through options on a single tile and cycling through tiles. While the user face is described herein in reference to

gamification of media, the user interface may be used for other methods of cycling through options in a plurality of question templates.

[0045] FIG. 8 depicts an example of cycling through options for one type of position. In FIG. 8, the user interface displays a category and a plurality of options for selection. The category in FIG. 8 is "Sweetheart." On the first screen, a first option of "Alexis" is displayed as an option for the "Sweetheart" category. The option of "Alexis" includes a name, a graphic, and a selectable information option. A selection of the selectable information option may cause the interface to display information regarding the contestant Alexis. For example, in response to receiving a selection of the selectable information option, the option of "Alexis" may flip over to reveal text, images, and/or video describing Alexis.

[0046] Underneath the option of "Alexis," a plurality of other options are depicted in a manner that indicates the options exist, but are not currently selected. These options are made smaller and are partially obscured by the currently displayed option. An option entitled "HOW TO EARN POINTS" is depicted underneath the plurality of other options. A selection of the "HOW TO EARN POINTS" option may cause the interface to display text describing actions that earn points for the particular position depicted. In the case of FIG. 8, a selection of the "HOW TO EARN POINTS" option on the "Sweetheart" tile may cause the interface to display each action associated with the position of "Sweetheart" and point amounts associated with each action.

[0047] When the computing device receives a request to view the next option, the current option is moved upwards and the next option is displayed. In FIG. 8, the display is a touch screen and the request to view the next option is received as an upwards swipe. In response to an upward swipe on the display, the "Alexis" option is replaced by the "Astrid" option. The "Alexis" option is depicted above and behind the "Astrid" option, thereby indicating that a downward swipe will bring back the "Alexis" option. The "Astrid" option also includes a name, a graphic, and a selectable information option.

[0048] As "Astrid" is not the first selectable option, only a single option is depicted below the "Astrid" option, thereby indicating that there are additional options below and above the "Astrid" option. In response to a second upwards swipe, the "Astrid" option is replaced by the "Brittany" option. In this manner, the interface allows the user to easily search through a plurality of options on a single tile before making a selection.

[0049] FIG. 9 depicts a method of moving from tile to tile. The first interface of FIG. 9 displays the "Sweetheart" category with a plurality of options for the "Sweetheart" category. Using the methods described in FIG. 8, a user may search through the different options in the "Sweetheart" category in order to make a selection. The interface may be configured to interpret any of a plurality of actions as a selection of the current option, including a swipe left, a swipe right, and a tapping of the option.

[0050] In FIG. 9, in response to receiving a wipe to the left, the computing device identifies the currently displayed option as selected and causes display of the next tile. In the second interface of FIG. 9, a plurality of options are depicted for the "Trainwreck" category. Although "Alexis" was selected for the "Sweetheart" position, "Alexis" is still a selectable option for the "Trainwreck" category. In alternative embodiments, a selection of "Alexis" as a "Sweetheart" would remove the "Alexis" option from the remaining categories.

[0051] In the second display of FIG. 9, the "Sweetheart" tile is displayed to the left of the "Trainwreck" tile. The interface may be configured to respond to a right swipe by displaying the "Sweetheart" category again with the previously selected option displayed. This allows a user to go back to previous categories and change selections without difficulty.

[0052] The display may also be programmed or configured to move to the next category in response to receiving input selecting a particular option. For example, in FIG. 9, a user taps a finger on the "Alexis" option in the second interface. The second interface interprets the tap as a selection of the "Alexis" option. In response to receiving the input selecting an option, the interface displays the next tile.

[0053] In an embodiment, the interface includes additional titles outside of position tiles. Additional tiles may include video tiles, question tiles, prediction tiles, result tiles, or any other tiles described herein. FIG. 10 depicts an interface comprising additional tiles. In the first interface of FIG. 10, a video tile is displayed. The video of the video tile may begin when the interface displays the tile. In response to receiving input requesting display of the next tile, the interface may pause the video and display the next tile. Additionally or alternatively, the interface may display the next tile automatically after the video is completed.

[0054] FIG. 10 depicts a question tile displayed after the video tile. In an embodiment, input requesting a new tile is not treated as a selection for question tiles as none of the options have been selected. Instead, input requesting a new tile is treated as a request to skip the current tile and the question is treated as unanswered. In an embodiment, input selecting one of the answer options causes the interface to store data indicating the user answered the question with the selected option and to display the next tile.

[0055] Prediction tiles may include sliders which indicate a level of predicted performance for one or more contestants on a show. When a prediction tile is displayed, the user may select a predicted performance level by moving the sliders to a desired position. Rating tiles may be displayed in a similar manner as prediction tiles, thereby allowing the user to rate a performance in the same way the user predicted the performance.

4. ANALYTICS

[0056] In an embodiment, a server computer system collects data from players of the gamified media content. The collected data may be used to generate different types of analytics that describe user engagement in the media content. As an example, the server computer system that hosts an application for gamification of media may identify when each user engages with the application. Engagement times help the content creator determine how long before an episode a player is engaged and how long after an episode the player remains engaged. Additionally, engagement times may be used to determine the effectiveness of advertising. For example, a content creator may view engagement times to determine if particular commercials are increasing engagement in the program through the application, [0057] The questions and answers to positions may be used to determine which content of the media is most engaging and which characters/performers are most engaging to the audience. For example, the server may track how often each performer is picked for one or more positions. The data from performer picks may help a content creator determine which characters/performers the audience finds most engaging. Additionally, how the players answer the individual questions may help content creators determine which content is most engaging. For example, if users generally predict a low score and low rating for a performer, the content creator may determine that the performer is not engaging to the viewers.

[0058] In an embodiment, the application allows the players to select a subset of positions for their team. For example, a particular show may include ten different position types of which each player is able to select three. The server computer system may track which positions are most selected. This data helps content creators determine what types of action in a show are most engaging. For example, if the "Zombie Killer" position is selected most in a particular show, it indicates that zombie killing is most engaging to the viewers.

[0059] In an embodiment, the server computer system additionally generates data from chat logs. For example, the application on the client computing device may include a messaging portion that allows different players to discuss the program with each other. The server computer system may perform searches for keywords, such as character/performer names, actions, and position titles. Based on the amount of chat activity at different times, occurrences of the keywords, the timing of the occurrences, the number of occurrences, the server computer system may generate different analytics that indicate levels of player engagement and levels of interest in particular character, actions, and events. These analytics may be invaluable to a media creator in determining which portions of the media content are most important to the viewers.

[0060] The engagement information also allows for the generation of targeted advertising. For example, if a particular player is most engaged during the action packed portions of a show, the server computer system may increase the number of advertisements for action-based shows. If the particular player is most engaged during the dramatic portions of the show, the server computer system may increase the number of

advertisements for drama shows.

HARDWARE OVERVIEW

[0061] According to one embodiment, the techniques described herein are implemented by one or more special-purpose computing devices. The special-purpose computing devices may be hard-wired to perform the techniques, or may include digital electronic devices such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that are persistently programmed to perform the techniques, or may include one or more general purpose hardware processors programmed to perform the techniques pursuant to program instructions in firmware, memory, other storage, or a combination. Such special-purpose computing devices may also combine custom hard- wired logic, ASICs, or FPGAs with custom programming to accomplish the techniques. The special- purpose computing devices maybe desktop computer systems, portable computer systems, handheld devices, networking devices or any other device that incorporates hard- wired and/or program logic to implement the techniques.

[0062] For example, FIG. 11 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 1100 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Computer system 1100 includes a bus 1102 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware processor 1104 coupled with bus 1102 for processing information. Hardware processor 1104 may be, for example, a general purpose microprocessor.

[0063] Computer system 1100 also includes a main memory 1106, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus 1102 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 1104. Main memory 1106 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 1104. Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to processor 1104, render computer system 1100 into a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions,

[0064] Computer system 1100 further includes a read only memory (ROM) 1108 or other static storage device coupled to bus 1102 for storing static information and instructions for processor 1104. A storage device 1110, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state drive is provided and coupled to bus 1102 for storing information and instructions.

[0065] Computer system 1100 may be coupled via bus 1102 to a display 1112, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device 1114, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus 1102 for communicating information and command selections to processor 1104. Another type of user input device is cursor control 1116, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for

communicating direction information and command selections to processor 1104 and for controlling cursor movement on display 1112. This input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in aplane.

[0066] Computer system 1100 may implement the techniques described herein using customized hard- wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and/or program logic which in combination with the computer system causes or programs computer system 1100 to be a special-purpose machine. According to one embodiment, the techniques herein are performed by computer system 1100 in response to processor 1104 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 1106. Such instructions may be read into main memory 1106 from another storage medium, such as storage device

1110. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory 1106 causes processor 1104 to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions.

[0067] The term "storage media" as used herein refers to any non-transitory media that store data and/or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a specific fashion. Such storage media may comprise no n- volatile media and/or volatile media. Non- volatile media includes, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, or solid-state drives, such as storage device 1110. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 1106. Common forms of storage media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, solid-state drive, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic data storage medium, a CD- ROM, any other optical data storage medium, any physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, NVRAM, any other memory chip or cartridge.

[0068] Storage media is distinct from but may be used in conjunction with transmission media. Transmission media participates in transferring information between storage media. For example, transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 1102. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio- wave and infra-red data communications .

[0069] Various forms of media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor 1104 for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk or solid-state drive of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem, A modem local to computer system 1100 can receive the data on the telephone Hne and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector can receive the data carried in the infra-red signal and appropriate circuitry can place the data on bus 1102, Bus 1102 carries the data to main memory 1106, from which processor 1104 retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by main memory 1106 may optionally be stored on storage device 1110 either before or after execution by processor 1104. [0070] Computer system 1100 also includes a communication interface 1118 coupled to bus 1102. Communication interface 1118 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 1120 that is connected to a local network 1122. For example, communication interface 1118 may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, communication interface 1118 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, communication interface 1118 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information. [0071] Network link 1120 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, network link 1120 may provide a connection through local network 1122 to a host computer 1124 or to data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 1126, ISP 1126 in tum provides data communication services through the world wide packet data communication network now commonly referred to as the "Internet" 1128. Local network 1122 and Internet 1128 both use electrical,

electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on network link 1120 and through communication interface 1118, which carry the digital data to and from computer system 1100, are example forms of transmission media.

[0072] Computer system 1100 can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link 1120 and communication interface 1118. In the Internet example, a server 1130 might transmit a requested code for an application program through Internet 1128, ISP 1126, local network 1122 and communication interface 1118.

[0073] The received code may be executed by processor 1104 as it is received, and/or stored in storage device 1110, or other no n- olatile storage for later execution.

[0074] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the invention, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the invention, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A data processing method, as shown and described.

2. A data processing method as shown in any one or more of the drawing figures, alone or in combination.

3. A data processing method as described in any one or more paragraphs of the disclosure, alone or in combination.

4. The data processing method of any of claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

5. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performing the method of any of claims 1, 2, or 3.