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Electronic game trackingRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), With Communication Link (e.g., Television Broadcast, Etc.), Network Type (e.g., Computer Network, Etc.)Electronic game tracking description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080070698, Electronic game tracking. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of the following provisional application that is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety: [0002] U.S. Provisional App. No. 60/825,870 filed Sep. 15, 2006. BACKGROUND [0003] 1. Field [0004] This invention generally relates to electronic gaming and particularly relates to tracking use of electronic games and other digital media. [0005] 2. Description of the Related Art [0006] Handheld electronic game platforms frequently use proprietary platforms that limit the available community of sponsors and in turn limit the number of available games and related media. Due to the proprietary nature of game platforms, many game developers do not have access to the platforms without working out costly and complex business arrangements with the providers of the proprietary electronic game platforms. Game developers and users have found electronic games to be an excellent source of entertainment and skill development that should be available without the constraints described above. Game developers and users may also desire access to free or low cost games that provide a level of visualization and challenge similar to the proprietary games. Therefore, a need exists for methods and systems that allow the development of games and related media by a wider community of sponsors, while supporting measured distribution and/or use of the games to allow for methods and systems that reward content providers for usage of the games. SUMMARY [0007] An electronic game tracking platform may facilitate deployment, use, and sponsoring of electronic games in a manner that avoids limitations associated with proprietary solutions. The electronic game tracking platform may provide a basis for rewarding game developers, sponsors, and the like. The platform may further provide methods and systems for game assessment, feedback, market research, trial offers, subscription, pay-per-use and the like. An electronic game tracking platform may be embodied as a game console, handheld game, handheld game controller, a USB dongle, electronic components within a standard computing facility, software deployed on a gaming device or computer, and the like. [0008] An electronic game tracking platform may facilitate tracking aspects of a game, such as a count of executions that may include the number of times the game is played, the duration of time a game is played, a count of game events (such as number of laps completed, levels completed, opponents defeated, items captured, property accumulated, goals achieved, items acquired, challenges overcome, lives lost, levels failed, times defeated, items lost, property lost, goals not achieved, and a wide range of other game events), processor time used, or the like. An electronic game tracking platform may facilitate local and on-line gaming, including multi-player games, online interactive games, sample games, downloaded games, uploading games, and the like. Access to games, features of games, and repeated use of a game may be enabled by the methods and systems provided by the electronic game tracking platform. [0009] The electronic game tracking platform may facilitate aspects of social networking, such as determining membership in online clubs, access to individuals' online information associated with a social networking site or page, distribution and tracking of games offered through social networking sites, and the like. [0010] In an aspect of the invention, a computer program for executing, on a computing facility, includes the following steps: receiving tracking criteria; accessing a code in a computer memory, the code enabling execution of a portion of the computer program; executing the enabled portion of the computer program; and tracking aspects of executing the enabled portion. In the aspect, the computer program does not use digital rights management. [0011] In the computer program, the computing facility includes one or more of a CPU, operating system, screen, video out, USB connector, input control device, button, keyboard, mouse, pointer, wired interface for an input control device, wireless interface for an input control device, a battery, a power port. [0012] The computer program is associated with an open-source software development kit. In the computer program, the computer memory is one of a USB memory facility, a commercial off-the-shelf memory facility, and a memory facility that is adapted to interface with a commercial off-the-shelf computing facility. The computer memory is a removable memory device. The removable memory device is adapted to track access to the code. [0013] The computer program further including the step of storing the code, from time to time, into the memory device. The code is part of a computer game program that is stored, from time to time, into the memory device. [0014] In the aspect of the invention, the computer program is a computer game. [0015] In the computer program, the memory device is further adapted to provide a report signal to the computer program, wherein the report signal encompasses information relating to the tracking. The report signal appears as a file in a file system of the memory device. [0016] In the computer program, the tracking criteria includes at least two of a game execution, game time, and a game event. Game time includes one or more of an accumulation of time the game is played, duration of a game execution, and a percent of idle time during a game execution. A game event is selected from the group consisting of downloading a game, uploading a game, starting a game, ending a game, pausing a game, defeating an opponent, capturing a game item, accumulating a game property, attempting a game level, completing a game level, achieving a goal, overcoming a challenge, loosing a game life, defeat, losing items, losing acquired property, reaching a game start count threshold, accessing a game feature, and adding a game participant to a game execution session. [0017] The computer program further includes the step of transmitting a report signal over a network associated with the computing facility, wherein the report signal is transmitted based on a comparison of tracked program aspect with a tracking criteria threshold. The threshold is one or more of a number of game starts, a number of online participants, a number of requests for online participation, completing a game level, and completing a game. [0018] In another aspect of the invention, a computer program for executing, on a computing facility includes the following steps: receiving tracking criteria; receiving a computer game program; storing a representation of the tracking criteria in a computer memory; wherein the game program accesses the stored tracking criteria; and tracking the accesses to the stored criteria. [0019] In the computer program, storing a representation includes storing a computer program adapted to execute on the computing facility when accessed by the game program. The stored computer program tracks aspects of the game program associated with the tracking criteria. The tracking criteria includes at least two of a game execution, game time, and a game event. Game time includes one or more of an accumulation of time the game is played, duration of a game execution, and a percent of idle time during a game execution. A game event is selected from the group consisting of downloading a game, uploading a game, starting a game, ending a game, pausing a game, defeating an opponent, capturing a game item, accumulating a game property, attempting a game level, completing a game level, achieving a goal, overcoming a challenge, loosing a game life, defeat, losing items, losing acquired property, reaching a game start count threshold, accessing a game feature, and adding a game participant to a game execution session. [0020] The computer program further includes the step of transmitting a report signal over a network associated with the computing facility, wherein the report signal is transmitted based on a comparison of tracked program aspect with a tracking criteria threshold. The threshold is one or more of a number of game starts, a number of online participants, a number of requests for online participation, completing a game level, and completing a game. [0021] These and other systems, methods, objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the drawings. All documents mentioned herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. Continue reading about Electronic game tracking... Full patent description for Electronic game tracking Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Electronic game tracking patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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