System and method for determining in-game capabilities based on device information

• US 10,086,280 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Harrington, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doshi, Ankit
• Application Number:
  US15/236,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20160346688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet

Abstract

A virtual space is provided to users via client computing devices. Device information related to a client computing platform used by a user to interact with the virtual space may be obtained. Customized in-game capabilities available for the user may be determined based on the device information, which may include a description of or otherwise identify the client computing platform. The device information may include or otherwise by used to obtain device capabilities such as hardware, software, network, and/or other specifications. Different users using different client computing platforms may be provided with different in-game capabilities such as user roles, content items, levels, and/or other content or actions available for the user in the virtual space based on the client computing platform used by the users to interact with the virtual space.

Claims

1. A system for providing customized in-game capabilities to users based on respective client computing platforms used by the users to access a game, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

execute an instance of an online game to facilitate presentation of and interaction with the online game for users via the client computing platforms, wherein facilitating interaction with the online game for the users includes providing access to in-game capabilities to the users that enable the users to initiate and/or control actions within the online game;

obtain device information related to the client computing platforms, wherein the device information includes a first set of device information related to a first client computing platform used by a first user to interact with the instance of the online game, the first set of device information indicating one or more of a processing resource, a display resource, and/or a network communication resource of the first client computing platform, the first set of device information indicating at least one of a processor speed or a display resolution of the first client computing platform;

identify a first user class based on at least one of the processor speed or the display resolution of the first client computing platform;

determine roles to be made available to individual users based on the first user class, the roles being associated with specific sets of customized in-game capabilities, the roles being determined such that the in-game capabilities provided to the individual users are appropriate for the processing resources, display resources, and/or network communication resources of the individual client computing platforms the users are using to interact with the instance of the online game, the roles including a first role associated with a first customized in-game capability, such determination including determination to make the first role available to the first user based on one or more of the processing resource, the display resource, and/or the network communication resource indicated in the first set of device information; and

wherein facilitating interaction with the online game for the users includes providing access to the customized in-game capabilities associated with the roles determined for the individual users such that access to the first customized in-game capability is provided to the first user responsive to the determination to make the first role available to the first user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of device information is obtained from the first client computing platform and includes a device indicator that indicates a device class and/or a device type of the first user device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the roles include a second role associated with a second customized in-game capability that is different than the first customized in-game capability, wherein the determination to make the first role available to the first user is based on a first device indicator, and wherein the determination of roles to be made available to the individual users further includes a determination to make the second role available to a second user based on a second set of device information related to a second client computing platform used by a second user to interact with the instance of the online game, the second set of device information comprising a second device indicator different from the first device indicator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to detect a change of client computing platform, the change of client computing platform associated with a given user transitioning from use of a given client computing platform to another client computing platform.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to dynamically alter the roles available to the given user based on the detected change of client computing platform.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein responsive to the determinations to (i) make the first role available to the first user, (ii) make the second role available to the second user, and (iii) not make the first role available to the second user, the first customized in-game capability available is not accessible to the second user via the second client computing platform.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first client computing platform includes a display, a processor, and an input device.

8. A method for providing customized in-game capabilities to users based on respective client computing platforms used by the users to access a game, the method being implemented by one or more processors programmed with one or more computer program modules, the method comprising:

executing an instance of an online game to facilitate presentation of and interaction with the online game for users via the client computing platforms, wherein facilitating interaction with the online game for the users includes providing access to in-game capabilities to the users that enable the users to initiate and/or control actions within the online game;

obtaining device information related to the client computing platforms, wherein the device information includes a first set of device information related to a first client computing platform used by a first user to interact with the instance of the online game, the first set of device information indicating one or more of a processing resource, a display resource, and/or a network communication resource of the first client computing platform, the first set of device information indicating at least one of processor speed or display resolution of the first client computing platform;

identifying a first user class based on at least one of the processor speed or the display resolution of the first client computing platform;

determining roles to be made available to individual users based on the first user class, the roles being associated with specific sets of customized in-game capabilities, the individual users are appropriate for the processing resources, display resources, and/or network communication resources of the individual client computing platforms the users are using to interact with the instance of the online game, the roles including a first role associated with a first customized in-game capability, such determination including determination to make the first role available to the first user based on one or more of the processing resource, the display resource, and/or the network communication resource indicated in the first set of device information; and

wherein facilitating interaction with the online game for the users includes providing access to the customized in-game capabilities associated with the roles determined for the individual users such that access to the first customized in-game capability is provided to the first user responsive to the determination to make the first role available to the first user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first set of device information is obtained from the first client computing platform and includes a device indicator that indicates a device class and/or a device type of the first user device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the roles include a second role associated with a second customized in-game capability that is different than the first customized in-game capability, wherein determination to make the first role available to the first user is based on a first device indicator, and wherein the determination of roles to be made available to the individual users further includes a determination to make the second role available to a second user based on a second set of device information related to a second client computing platform used by a second user to interact with the instance of the online game, the second set of device information comprising a second device indicator different from the first device indicator.

11. The method of claim 8, the method further comprising:

detecting a change of client computing platform, the change of client computing platform associated with a given user transitioning from use of a given client computing platform to another client computing platform.

12. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

dynamically altering the roles available to the given user based on the detected change of client computing platform.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein responsive to the determinations to (i) make the first role available to the first user, (ii) make the second role available to the second user, and (iii) not make the first role available to the second user, the first customized in-game capability available is not accessible to the second user via the second client computing platform.