Systems and methods for skinning an application with interactive content

Abstract

A method of skinning an application with content includes receiving, by a client device from a content provider over a data network, a replacement asset associated with a tag specifying an event type, and displaying, by a graphical user interface of the client device, an initial asset of an application executed by the client device. The method further includes determining, by a hooking component of the client device, that an event corresponding to the event type occurred during execution of the application, and selecting, by the hooking component, the replacement asset associated with the tag specifying the event type, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred. The method yet further includes replacing, by the client device, the initial asset with the selected replacement asset for display by the graphical user interface, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of skinning an application with content, comprising:
 receiving, by a client device from a content provider over a data network, a replacement asset associated with a tag specifying an event type;   displaying, by a graphical user interface of the client device, an initial asset of an application executed by the client device;   determining, by a hooking component of the client device, that an event corresponding to the event type occurred during execution of the application;   selecting, by the hooking component, the replacement asset associated with the tag specifying the event type, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred; and   replacing, by the client device, the initial asset with the selected replacement asset for display by the graphical user interface, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein replacing the initial asset with the selected replacement asset further comprises replacing a first graphical image of the initial asset with a second graphical image of the replacement asset. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein replacing the initial asset with the selected replacement asset further comprises incorporating a color theme, sound or logo of the selected replacement asset with the application. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein incorporating the color theme, sound or logo of the selected replacement asset with the application further comprises incorporating the color theme, sound or logo of the selected replacement asset on a game character, game background, or game map of the application. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the event corresponding to the event type occurred further comprises identifying the event type from a header file of the replacement asset or in metadata associated with the replacement asset. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the client device, that a predetermined time interval has elapsed since an update of the application; and   requesting, by the client device from the content provider, the replacement asset associated with the tag specifying the event type, responsive to the determination that the predetermined time interval has elapsed.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the client device, the initial asset of the application from a second content provider.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the hooking component, that a second event corresponding to a second event type occurred during execution of the application;   selecting, by the hooking component, a second replacement asset associated with a tag specifying the second event type, responsive to the determination that the second event corresponding to the second event type occurred; and   replacing the first replacement asset with the selected second replacement asset, responsive to the determination that the second event corresponding to the second event type occurred.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the client device, the second replacement asset from the content provider or a second content provider.   
     
     
         10 . A system for skinning an application with content, comprising:
 a data processing system comprising a network interface, a graphical user interface, and a processor executing an application and a hooking component;   wherein the network interface is configured to receive, from a content provider over a data network, a replacement asset associated with a tag specifying an event type;   wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display an initial asset of the application;   wherein the hooking component is configured to:
 determine that an event corresponding to the event type occurred during execution of the application, and 
 select the replacement asset associated with the tag specifying the event type, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred; and 
   wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display the selected replacement asset in place of the initial asset, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display a graphical image of the initial asset, and to display a graphical image of the replacement asset in place of the initial asset responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display the selected replacement asset in place of the initial asset by performing a process that includes incorporating a color theme, sound or logo of the selected replacement asset with the application. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to incorporate the color theme, sound or logo of the selected replacement asset with the application by performing a process that includes incorporating the color theme, sound or logo of the selected replacement asset on a game character, game background, or game map of the application. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the hooking component is further configured to determine that the event corresponding to the event type occurred during execution of the application by performing a process that includes identifying the event type from a header file of the replacement asset or in metadata associated with the replacement asset. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured to determine that a predetermined time interval has elapsed since an update of the application; and   the network interface is further configured to request, from the content provider, the replacement asset associated with the tag specifying the event type, responsive to the determination that the predetermined time interval has elapsed.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the hooking component is further configured to:
 determine that an event corresponding to a second event type occurred during execution of the application, and 
 select a second replacement asset associated with a tag specifying the second event type, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the second event type occurred; and 
   the graphical user interface is further configured to display the selected second replacement asset in place of the replacement asset, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the second event type occurred.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the network interface is further configured to receive the second replacement asset from the content provider or a second content provider. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions to skin an application with interactive content that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive, from a content provider over a data network, a replacement asset associated with a tag specifying an event type;   display an initial asset of an application at a graphical user interface;   determine, using a hooking component, that an event corresponding to the event type occurred during execution of the application;   select, using the hooking component, the replacement asset associated with the tag specifying the event type, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred; and   replace the initial asset with the selected replacement asset for display by a graphical user interface, responsive to the determination that the event corresponding to the event type occurred.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
 determine, using the hooking component, that a second event corresponding to a second event type occurred during execution of the application;   select, using the hooking component, a second replacement asset associated with a tag specifying the second event type, responsive to the determination that the second event corresponding to the second event type occurred; and   replace the replacement asset with the selected second replacement asset for display by the graphical user interface, responsive to the determination that the second event corresponding to the second event type occurred.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
 receive the second replacement asset from the content provider or a second content provider.