Geographic-based content curation in a multiplayer gaming environment

• US 10,035,065 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Music Social, LLC
• Original Assignee: Music Social, LLC
• Inventors: Schupak, Nick, Silston, Brian, Schupak, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US15/436,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20180015369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed for selecting, distributing, and/or consuming content, including but not limited to recorded speech, written productions, images, recorded music, and video recordings. A multiplayer game based on content curation includes information associated with a graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment including a plurality of different locations, a plurality of different compositions, a plurality of user profiles, and a plurality of playlists, each electronically linked to a user profile and specifying at least one composition of a plurality of different compositions, a map representing at least a subset of the plurality of different locations and at least one user icon occupying a location of at least the subset of the plurality of different locations based on associated user location information.

Claims

1. A method for running a multiplayer game for a plurality of users including a first user and a second user based on content curation in a system comprising at least one communication interface for communicating information with a plurality of user devices including a first user device used by the first user and a second user device used by the second user, at least one memory for storing processor-executable instructions, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one communication interface and the at least one memory, the information associated with a graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment including a plurality of different locations and a plurality of different compositions, the method comprising:

storing, in the at least one memory, a plurality of user profiles to be used in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, each user profile generated from a user profile generation request having associated user location information;

automatically determining the associated user location information for each user profile from at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a radio-frequency identification (RFID), a Wi-Fi connection location, a satellite navigation position, and a Cell ID;

storing, in the at least one memory, a plurality of playlists to be shared in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, each playlist generated from a playlist generation request having associated user profile information and associated playlist composition information such that each playlist is electronically linked to a corresponding user profile based on the associated user profile information and specifies at least one composition of a plurality of different compositions based on the associated playlist composition information;

generating, via the at least one processor, a first graphical display including a map representing at least a subset of the plurality of different locations and at least a first user icon associated with the first user, the first user icon occupying a first location of at least the subset of the plurality of different locations based on first associated user location information and electronically linking the first graphical display to a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles and any corresponding playlists of the plurality of playlists based on the first associated user profile information; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, first information associated with the first graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the first graphical display on at least the second user device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning, via the at least one processor, an amount of points to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles, the amount of points based on at least one of:

(A) a selection, by the second user of the second user device, of at least one composition specified in at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile;

(B) a deselection, by the second user of the second device, of the at least one composition specified in the at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile;

(C) a copy operation, by the second user of the second device, to specify at least one composition from the at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile in a different playlist electronically linked to a different user profile of the plurality of user profiles; and

(D) a recommendation command, made by the second user of the second device, to recommend at least one composition from the at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking, via the at least one processor, at least a subset of the plurality of user profiles in at least some of the plurality of different locations based on an amount of points assigned to each user profile relative to a total amount of points assigned to at least the subset of the plurality of user profiles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a graphical property of the first user icon is determined based on an amount of points assigned to the first user profile, the graphical property being at least one of a color, a lighting effect, a size, and a shape of the first user icon.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking, via the at least one processor, at least a subset of the plurality of different compositions in at least some of the plurality of different locations based on at least one of:

(A) a number of composition selections, made by the at least one user device plurality of user devices, of each composition relative to the total amount of composition selections by the at least one user device plurality of user devices of at least the subset of the plurality of different compositions;

(B) a number of composition deselections, made by the at least one user device plurality of user devices, of each composition relative to the total amount of composition deselections by the at least one user device plurality of user devices of at least the subset of the plurality of different compositions;

(C) a number of composition copy operations, made by the at least one user device plurality of user devices, to specify each composition from a first one playlist electronically linked to a first corresponding user profile of the plurality of user profiles in a different playlist electronically linked to a different user profile of the plurality of user profiles; and

(D) a number of recommendation commands, made by the at least one user device plurality of user devices, to recommend each composition.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a new user profile generation request from a new user device, the new user profile generation request identifying a new user profile to be used in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, the new user profile generation request having new associated user location information;

generating, via the at least one processor, and storing, in the at least one memory, the new user profile;

generating, via the at least one processor, a second graphical display including a new user icon occupying a new location of at least the subset of the plurality of different locations based on the new associated user location information, the new user icon electronically linking the second graphical display to the new user profile; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, second information associated with the second graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the second graphical display on at least the second user device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a new playlist generation request from the first user device, the new playlist generation request identifying a new playlist to be shared in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, the new playlist generation request having the first associated user profile information and associated new playlist composition information;

generating, via the at least one processor, and storing, in the at least one memory, the new playlist specifying at least one composition of the plurality of different compositions based on the associated new playlist composition information;

generating, via the at least one processor, a second graphical display including an indication of the new playlist electronically linking the second graphical display to the new playlist; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, second information associated with the second graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the second graphical display on at least the second user device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a map navigation command indicating that the second user device has selected at least a portion of the plurality of different locations on the map;

generating, via the at least one processor, a second graphical display including at least the portion of the plurality of different locations on the map; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, second information associated with the second graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the second graphical display on at least the second user device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second graphical display depicts at least one of a different level of focus and a different subset of locations than the first graphical display.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a spin request from the second user device, the spin request identifying at least one of a content category input and a geographical input;

generating, via the at least one processor, and storing, in the at least one memory, a spin playlist specifying at least one composition of the plurality of different compositions based on at least one of the content category input and the geographical input;

generating, via the at least one processor, a second graphical display including an indication of the spin playlist electronically linking the second graphical display to the spin playlist; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, second information associated with the second graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the second graphical display on at least the second user device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a user icon selection command indicating that the second user device has selected the first user icon electronically linking the first graphical display to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles;

generating, via the at least one processor, a second graphical display including a first graphical indication electronically linking the second graphical display to a first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, second information associated with the second graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the second graphical display on at least the second user device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a playlist selection command indicating that the second user device has selected the first graphical indication electronically linking the second graphical display to the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles;

generating, via the at least one processor, a third graphical display including a second graphical indication electronically linking the third graphical display to a first composition specified by the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, third information associated with the third graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the third graphical display on at least the second user device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a recommendation command indicating that the second user device associated with a second user profile has recommended a composition for the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles;

assigning, via the at least one processor, an amount of points to the second user profile based on the recommendation command;

generating, via the at least one processor, a fourth graphical display including a third graphical indication electronically linking the fourth graphical display to the recommended composition; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, fourth information associated with the fourth graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the fourth graphical display on at least the second user device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, at least one of;

(A) a composition selection command indicating that the second user device has selected the second graphical indication electronically linking the third graphical display to the first composition specified by the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile;

(B) a composition deselection command indicating that the second user device has deselected the second graphical indication electronically linking the third graphical display to the first composition specified by the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile; and

(C) a composition copy command indicating that the second user device has specified the first composition in a second playlist electronically linked to a second user profile; and

assigning, via the at least one processor, an amount of points to the first user profile based on the at least one of (A), (B), and (C).

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a composition push command indicating that the second user device associated with a second user profile of the plurality of user profiles has pushed a composition into a first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile such that the first playlist specifies the composition for a time period;

if an amount of points is to be assigned to the first user profile based on the composition during the time period, assigning, via the at least one processor, a first portion of the amount of points to the first user profile and a second portion of the amount of points to the second user profile.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different compositions include at least one of recorded speech, an image, a music recording, and a video recording.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user icon is represented by a virtual world object.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the virtual world object includes at least one of a building and a vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the map includes at least one of:

a virtual world boundary representing a real world boundary; and

a virtual world landmark representing a real world landmark.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles at least one of pays and plays to activate a mass composition push command for a time period such that the first user device associated with the first user profile pushes a composition into at least one playlist of the plurality of playlists, the first user profile electronically linked to the first user icon, at least one of the location and rank of the first user icon determining a radius including at least one other user icon, the at least one other user icon electronically linked to at least one other user profile, the at least one other user profile corresponding to the at least one playlist, and at least a portion of any amount of points to be assigned to the at least one other user profile based on the composition during the time period is assigned to the first user profile.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user profiles includes at least one advertiser profile, and the at least one advertiser profile pays for a watermark to advertise over at least a portion of the map for a time period, the portion of the map including at least one of:

a grid tile in at least one grid plane representing each location of the plurality of different locations;

an area enclosed by at least one virtual world boundary representing a real world boundary; and

a virtual world landmark representing a real world landmark.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user profiles includes at least one advertiser profile, the at least one advertiser profile pays for a virtual world object to advertise on the map for a time period.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the virtual world object includes at least one of:

a building;

a vehicle; and

a boat located in virtual body of water representing a real world body of water.

24. A method for running a multiplayer game for a plurality of users including a first user and a second user based on content curation in a system comprising at least one communication interface for communicating information with a plurality of user devices including a first user device used by the first user and a second user device used by the second user, at least one memory for storing processor-executable instructions, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one communication interface and the at least one memory, the information associated with a graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment including a plurality of different locations and a plurality of different compositions, the method comprising:

storing, in the at least one memory, a plurality of user profiles to be used in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, each user profile generated from a user profile generation request having associated user location information;

automatically determining the associated user location information for each user profile from at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a radio-frequency identification (RFID), a Wi-Fi connection location, a satellite navigation position, and a Cell ID;

storing, in the at least one memory, a plurality of playlists to be shared in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, each playlist generated from a playlist generation request having associated user profile information and associated playlist composition information such that each playlist is electronically linked to a corresponding user profile based on the associated user profile information and specifies at least one composition of a plurality of different compositions based on the associated playlist composition information;

generating, via the at least one processor, a first graphical display including a map representing at least a subset of the plurality of different locations and at least a first user icon associated with the first user, the first user icon occupying a first location of at least the subset of the plurality of different locations based on first associated user location information and electronically linking the first graphical display to a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles and any corresponding playlists of the plurality of playlists based on the first associated user profile information;

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, first information associated with the first graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the first graphical display on at least the second user device;

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a map navigation command indicating that the second user device has selected at least a portion of the plurality of different locations on the map;

generating, via the at least one processor, a second graphical display including at least the portion of the plurality of different locations on the map;

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, second information associated with the second graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the second graphical display on at least the second user device; and

assigning, via the at least one processor, an amount of points to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles, the amount of points based on at least one of;

(A) a selection, by the second user of the second user device, of at least one composition specified in at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile;

(B) a deselection, by the second user of the second device, of the at least one composition specified in the at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile;

(C) a copy operation, by the second user of the second device, to specify at least one composition from the at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile in a different playlist electronically linked to a different user profile of the plurality of user profiles; and

(D) a recommendation command, made by the second user of the second device, to recommend at least one composition from the at least one playlist electronically linked to the first user profile.

25. A method for running a multiplayer game for a plurality of users including a first user and a second user based on content curation in a system comprising at least one communication interface for communicating information with at least one user device with a plurality of user devices including a first user device used by the first user and a second user device used by the second user, at least one memory for storing processor-executable instructions, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one communication interface and the at least one memory, the information associated with a graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment including a plurality of different locations and a plurality of different compositions, the method comprising:

storing, in the at least one memory, a plurality of user profiles to be used in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, each user profile generated from a user profile generation request having associated user location information;

automatically determining the associated user location information for each user profile from at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a radio-frequency identification (RFID), a Wi-Fi connection location, a satellite navigation position, and a Cell ID;

storing, in the at least one memory, a plurality of playlists to be shared in the graphically simulated multiplayer gaming environment, each playlist generated from a playlist generation request having associated user profile information and associated playlist composition information such that each playlist is electronically linked to a corresponding user profile based on the associated user profile information and specifies at least one composition of a plurality of different compositions based on the associated playlist composition information;

generating, via the at least one processor, a first graphical display including a map representing at least a subset of the plurality of different locations and at least a first user icon associated with the first user, the first user icon occupying a first location of at least the subset of the plurality of different locations based on first associated user location information and electronically linking the first graphical display to a corresponding first user profile of the plurality of user profiles and any corresponding playlists of the plurality of playlists based on the first associated user profile information;

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, first information associated with the first graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the first graphical display on at least the second user device;

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a user icon selection command indicating that the second user device has selected the first user icon electronically linking the first graphical display to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles;

generating, via the at least one processor, a second graphical display including a first graphical indication electronically linking the second graphical display to a first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile;

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, second information associated with the second graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the second graphical display on at least the second user device;

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a playlist selection command indicating that the second user device has selected the first graphical indication electronically linking the second graphical display to the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles;

generating, via the at least one processor, a third graphical display including a second graphical indication electronically linking the third graphical display to a first composition specified by the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile;

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, third information associated with the third graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the third graphical display on at least the second user device;

receiving, via the at least one communication interface, a recommendation command indicating that the second user device associated with a second user profile has recommended a composition for the first playlist electronically linked to the first user profile of the plurality of user profiles;

assigning, via the at least one processor, an amount of points to the second user profile based on the recommendation command;

generating, via the at least one processor, a fourth graphical display including a third graphical indication electronically linking the fourth graphical display to the recommended composition; and

transmitting, via the at least one communication interface, fourth information associated with the fourth graphical display to at least the second user device to facilitate rendering of the fourth graphical display on at least the second user device,

wherein;

the plurality of different compositions include at least one of recorded speech, an image, a music recording, and a video recording;

the first user icon is represented by a virtual world object; and

the virtual world object is a house includes at least one of a building and a vehicle.