Patent Application
20080242284
A mobile game is a video or computer game played on a mobile phone, smart phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld computer, or other portable device. Users usually download mobile games via the mobile operator's radio network, but in some cases, games are loaded into the mobile devices by the device manufacturer or phone carrier when purchased, or via infrared connection, Bluetooth, Universal Serial Bus (USB), or memory card. Mobile operators often tightly control the content (e.g., games, applications, and ring tones) available on their network. Mobile operators may have concerns about the security and support issues of executable code running on user's devices, and may want to control the revenue generated by restricting the sources of content.
Game makers develop mobile games using platforms and technologies such as Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian OS, Macromedia's Flash Lite, DoCoMo's DoJa, Sun's Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME), Qualcomm's BREW (Binary Runtime for Wireless), WIPI, and Infusio's Execution Environment (ExEn). Java was initially the most common platform for mobile games; however, its performance limitations have led to the adoption of various native binary formats for more sophisticated games. Game makers must often make many different builds of a game to target each of the available platforms. Often the game maker does not have time to target every platform, so the game maker may limit the game to a few of the most popular platforms. In addition, some platforms have hardware limitations that do not accommodate a particular game. Even when a game build is available for a particular platform, a carrier may choose not to support that game, so the game may be unavailable to a particular user of that carrier. As a result, it can be hard to determine what games are available for a specific device. Even if the user knows the exact name of a game they want, users can spend hours trying to find whether their mobile operator is selling the game in their country.
Another problem is that users often do not know basic model information about their mobile device, such as the manufacturer and model number. Many sites that provide mobile games require that a user select the manufacturer and model number of their device to determine which applications are available. Some devices do not display the model information on the device, and require that the user remove a battery cover or perform other disassembly to discover the model of the device. Without knowing the model information, a site may present the user with hundreds of pictures of similar looking phones and ask the user to select their phone. Users get discouraged by the time wasted identifying their phone, particular if the process results in few or no games being available once the site has identified the user's device.
There is a need for a system that overcomes the above problems, as well as one that provides additional benefits.
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.
A method and system for making it easy for users to identify their mobile device and the applications available for their device is provided, referred to as a device identification system. The device identification system simplifies the process of determining the device a user is using and the applications available for that device. The device identification system displays one or more queries to the user that describe distinguishing characteristics of multiple devices. The device identification system selects the queries in such a way that the average user is likely to be able to easily determine the answer. For example, the device identification system may ask the user whether the user's device is a flip or slider phone. The device identification system receives responses to the queries from the user, and determines the type of the user's device based on the responses received.
For example, if the user indicates that his device is a flip phone, then the device identification system may narrow down the types of device that the user may have and ask the user subsequent questions until only one device or a handful of devices match the user's responses. Then, the system may present the device or devices to the user for confirmation that the device identification system has identified the correct device. Based on the determined device, the device identification system presents the user with information related to the determined device. For example, the device identification system may present the user with information about downloading a particular game that is available for the user's device. Users are generally much more familiar with their device's features than they are with information such as the model number. Thus, the device identification system makes it easy for users to determine their device type by asking them questions to which they are likely to know the answer.
In addition, the device identification system may provide the user real-time feedback as the user responds to queries to indicate that the user is making progress towards finding applications for her device. Once the device identification system identifies a user's particular device, the device identification system may store information about the type of device as the user navigates a web site, and between visits to the web site. The device identification system may also provide cross-platform up selling opportunities by offering applications compatible with the user's mobile device when the user purchases applications for other devices (e.g., a desktop computer).
The following description describes the invention with respect to various examples or embodiments. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding of, and enabling description for, these embodiments of the invention. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of the invention.
The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description section.
Unless described otherwise below, aspects of the invention may be practiced with conventional systems. Thus, the construction and operation of the various blocks shown in
Aspects of the invention can be embodied in a special purpose computer or data processor that is specifically programmed, configured, or constructed to perform one or more of the computer-executable instructions explained in detail herein. Aspects of the invention can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks or modules are performed by remote processing devices, which are linked through a communications network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
Aspects of the invention may be stored or distributed on computer-readable media, including magnetically or optically readable computer discs, hard-wired or preprogrammed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memory, biological memory, or other data storage media. Indeed, computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen displays, and other data under aspects of the invention may be distributed over the Internet or over other networks (including wireless networks), on a propagated signal on a propagation medium (e.g., an electromagnetic wave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over a period of time, or they may be provided on any analog or digital network (packet switched, circuit switched, or other scheme). Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that portions of the invention reside on a server computer, while corresponding portions reside on a client computer such as a mobile or portable device, and thus, while certain hardware platforms are described herein, aspects of the invention are equally applicable to nodes on a network.
The profile store component 350 may store information about the user's device for subsequent requests by the user. For example, the profile store component 350 may store a cookie using the user's web browser that identifies the type of the user's mobile device. The application store component 360 stores information about applications compatible with each device. The application store component 360 may also contain builds of each application for one or more types of devices. The receive purchase component 370 handles purchases from users, such as for content selected through a web site. The receive purchase component 370 may provide the user with information about how to download a purchased application or may send a link (e.g., using an SMS message) directly to the user's mobile device. More details regarding the functionality of each of these components are presented herein.
In some embodiments, the device identification system may select from many device attributes to select queries for determining the type of a user's device. These may include the mobile operator of the user's device, the manufacturer, whether the device is a flip, slide, or candy bar style, whether there is a key for each letter of alphabet, whether the device has a color screen, whether the device has a camera, where the camera is located (e.g., the front or back of the device), the operating system run by the device (e.g., Windows Mobile, Palm OS), whether the device has an external antenna, and whether the device has a touch screen. Any attribute that distinguishes one device from other devices and that is readily identifiable by a user could be used by the device identification system for determining the type of a user's device.
In one embodiments, the queries are presented to the user in the following order:
In some embodiments, the device identification system offers a “don't know” option for responding to a query. In some cases, a user may not have the device in front of them or for some other reason may not feel confident in the answer to a particular query. Thus, the device identification system may allow the user to skip that particular question and may choose another question to identify the user's device. For example, the user may not know the operating system used by her device, and may select “don't know” in response to a query about the operating system.
In some embodiments, the device identification system is used in conjunction with a web merchant's or other company's website. The website may offer applications, games, or other content for mobile devices, and may use the device identification system to present users with products compatible with the user's device. The website may present a user interface of the device identification system to the user before the user has selected any content so that the content can be restricted to content compatible with the user's device. For example, if the user has a Samsung D347, then the device identification system may only present applications that are compatible with that model phone to the user. Alternatively or additionally, the website may present the user interface of the device identification system to the user after the user has selected content (e.g., a particular game). For example, the user may come to the site through a search engine after searching for a particular game (e.g., Peggle), and may want to determine if the game is available for the user's device.
In some embodiments, if content selected by the user is not available for the user's device, the device identification system offers substitute content to the user. For example, a user searching for the popular game Bejeweled may be saddened to discover that Bejeweled is not available for their model of phone. However, the popular game Zuma may be available for the user's phone, and therefore the device identification system may offer the user Zuma as a substitute. Thus, the user is more satisfied with the experience of searching for games for their device and ends up with a great game to play.
In some embodiments, if content selected by the user is not available for the user's device, the device identification system suggests devices to the user that are compatible with the selected content. For example, the user may have an older device, such as the Nokia 8290, that does not support some downloadable games. Thus, the device identification system may suggest newer devices that do support the content that the user selected. In some embodiments, the operator of the device identification system may determine which devices to offer based on promotional agreements with phone carriers.
In some embodiments, the device identification system stores the type of the user's device for subsequent visits. For example, the device identification system may store the type of the user's device in a cookie associated with the user's web browser or in a profile associated with the user. The next time the user visits the web site, the device identification system determines the user's device based on the stored information and does not need to re-query the user.
In some embodiments, the device identification system may show an indication of matching devices as the user progresses through one or more queries. Users often feel more comfortable completing a process when there is an indication that the process is achieving the user's goals. Thus, by showing the user an indication, such as a count or list, of devices that currently could be the user's device, and narrowing the indication as the user answers queries, the device identification system provides the user with a sense of progress toward the user's goal of identifying his device. Alternatively or additionally, if a list is presented the user may at any time select her phone from the list when the choices become sufficiently narrow without responding to additional queries.
In some embodiments, the device identification system uses the determined device to provide the user with instructions for downloading selected content. For example, the user may be using a mobile device operator or wireless service provider that only allows receiving new content through that operator. A user visiting a web merchant's site may find a game that the user would like, but not know how to receive the game on her phone. Thus, the device identification system may determine the user's device and provide the user with specific instructions for downloading the selected game to her phone. Alternatively or additionally, the device identification system may provide the user with a deep link to a specific web page within the operator's web site and instructions indicating how to download the game there to save the user from having to dig through the operator's web site to find this information.
In some embodiments, the device identification system sends a link to selected content to the user's mobile device. For example, some devices can receive content through links contained in Short Message Service (SMS) messages, via email, or directly through a browser over the Internet. Based on the user's responses to device related queries, the device identification system can send a link specific to the user's type of device. For example, if the content is a game and a different build is required based on the platform of the user's device, then the device identification system can send a link for the specific build appropriate for the user's device. Some devices, such as smart phones, allow the user to insert the device in a docking cradle and download applications using a personal computer (PC). The device identification system may send links or the content itself to the user's PC that allow the user to download and install the applications to her mobile device through the docking cradle.
In some embodiments, the device identification system depends on the mobile phone operator to send the correct link for selected content to the user. For example, some mobile operators do not require knowledge of the user's type of device before sending an SMS message to download a game. Thus, once the mobile phone operator is known, the device identification system can skip certain queries related to the device type and forward the user's request for content directly to the mobile phone operator. The mobile phone operator then sends the user a link to the appropriate content for the user's device.
In some embodiments, the device identification system displays multiple queries simultaneously. Rather than presenting queries to the user in series, the device identification may display several (e.g., three) queries at the same time. This reduces the feeling that the user is going through a long interview by reducing the number of screens that the user sees. In many cases, the user may be able to find their device after answering a single display of several questions.
The device identification system may display the determined device to the user in subsequent displays after the device identification system has determined the user's device type. Users are wary about searching for content only to find out that no content is available for their particular device. By repeatedly reinforcing that the site is aware of the user's type of device, the device identification system increases the user's confidence to search for additional confidence. Thus, because the user knows that they will find an application that works for his device, he is more likely to buy more content or spend more time browsing the web site.
In some embodiments, the device identification provides a reset link to indicate that the type of the user's phone is incorrect. For example, if the user purchases a new phone, a web site using the device identification system may provide a “change phone” link that the user can activate to repeat the device identification process and determine the type of the user's new device.
The device identification system may use stored information about the user's device type to provide marketing information to the user. For example, when the user visits a web merchant's site to purchase a game for his PC, if the web merchant also offers a mobile version of the game that is compatible with the user's mobile device, the web merchant may offer the mobile version of the game as part of the purchase. The web merchant may charge an additional fee for the mobile version or include the game free.
In some embodiments, the operator of the device identification system may provide their own branded phone. For example, when a user cannot find a game for his phone, the device identification system may display an offer to the user to purchase a phone compatible with the operator's web site. The phone may be preloaded with content from the operator, such as games, applications, and so on.
In some embodiments, the device identification system uses stored information about users' devices for statistical purposes. For example, the device identification system may provide a report to mobile operators indicating the most popular types of devices, or content that users selected but were unable to obtain because of the type of their devices or restrictions imposed by the carrier. In some embodiments, mobile operators may bid with a web merchant for placement as a suggested replacement for devices that do not support popular content. For example, if a web merchant offers a downloadable game, but users having an older phone cannot play the game, the web merchant may suggest a particular updated phone model or particular mobile operator that is compatible with the selected content.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the device identification system have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although mobile phones have been used by way of example, other mobile devices can be used with the device identification system such as PDAs, portable gaming devices, smart phones, smart watches, and so on. In addition, although games are used by way of example, other content such as ring tones, applications, and other types of content may be used with the system. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” The word “coupled,” as generally used herein, refers to two or more elements that may be either directly connected, or connected by way of one or more intermediate elements. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.
The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps, or employ systems having blocks, in a different order, and some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified. Each of these processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. In addition, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performed in parallel, or may be performed at different times.
The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.
These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in implementation details, while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.
While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventors contemplate the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. For example, while only one aspect of the invention is recited as embodied in a computer-readable medium, other aspects may likewise be embodied in a computer-readable medium. Accordingly, the inventors reserve the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.
