Systems and methods for managing electronic interactive gaming-based investments

• US 10,192,271 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Investable Games Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cruttenden Partners LLC
• Inventors: Martell, Jason, Cruttenden, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Kito R
• Application Number:
  US15/197,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20160379307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 705 36 R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 : Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 : Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

The field of the invention relates to systems and methods for facilitating investments through interactive online gaming. In one embodiment, an interactive electronic gaming system includes a game server for hosting a Web application game, accessible over a data network. One or more client communication devices are configured to access the game server. An index fund server is accessible over said data network for maintaining electronic investment portfolios. The game server is configured to intercept any electronic payment transactions over a payment gateway server through the Web application game from one or more client devices and redirect the intercepted transaction to the index fund server.

Claims

1. An interactive electronic gaming system comprising:

a payment gateway server;

a game server in electronic communication with the payment gateway server, the game server being configured to intercept an authorized transaction of electronic funds sent through the payment gateway server;

one or more client communication devices configured to create an electronic payment gateway with the payment gateway server during an in-game transaction, over a data network;

a portfolio server, the portfolio server is accessible to the client communication device over the data network;

a portfolio database in electronic communication to the portfolio server for maintaining electronic investment portfolios;

wherein the game server is operatively coupled to a computer program product, the computer program product having a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a process that creates investment projections based on the intercepted authorized transaction of electronic funds and redirects the authorized transaction of electronic funds to the portfolio database, the process comprising;

hosting, at the game server, a game, the game configured to receive electronic payments in exchange for virtual currency;

intercepting the authorized transaction of electronic funds conducted through the electronic payment gateway, the authorized transaction of electronic funds having a first numerical amount of electronic funds and an indication of authorization to transfer the first numerical amount of electronic funds to the portfolio database the intercepting comprising listening for the authorized transaction of electronic funds sent through the electronic payment gateway to an intended recipient;

electronically transferring, by the game server, the first numerical amount to the portfolio database at the portfolio server over the data network in exchange for virtual currency to be used during the game;

generating, by the game server, a metric quantifying a performance of an account associated with previous first electronic transfers associated with a first user; and

transmitting, by the game server to a social media platform, the metric for display on a client device configured to receive data from the social media platform.

2. The system of claim 1, the generating further based upon a comparison between an average rate of return of the account and an average rate of return of a second account.

3. The system of claim 2, the generating further based upon comparing the performance of the account to a second performance of a second account associated with previous second electronic transfers associated with a second user.

4. The system of claim 2, the metric comprising a graph illustrating the average rate of return of the account compared with the average rate of return of the second account.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the metric is generated based upon a comparison of the performance with a second performance associated with a plurality of accounts associated with a plurality of other users.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is in response to received user-input authorizing the transmitting and displaying of the metric.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the metric occurs automatically in response to the game server detecting that a milestone has been attained by the account.

8. A method of redirecting in-game consumer transactions between a game server in electronic communication with a payment gateway server to a portfolio database, the payment gateway server configured to create an electronic payment gateway with the game server and the game server configured to intercept an authorized transaction of electronic funds sent through the payment gateway server, the method comprising:

intercepting the authorized transaction of electronic funds conducted through the electronic payment gateway, the authorized transaction of electronic funds having a first numerical amount of electronic funds and an indication of authorization to transfer the first numerical amount of electronic funds to the portfolio database the intercepting comprising listening for the authorized transaction of electronic funds sent through the electronic payment gateway to an intended recipient;

computing an expected return, wherein the return is based on the investment of the first numerical amount of electronic funds;

electronically transferring, by the game server, the first numerical amount to the portfolio database at the portfolio server over the data network in exchange for virtual currency to be used during the game;

generating, by the game server, a metric quantifying a performance of an account associated with previous first electronic transfers associated with a first user; and

transmitting, by the game server to a social media platform, the metric for display on a client device configured to receive data from the social media platform.

9. The method of claim 8, the generating further based upon comparing the performance of the account to a second performance of a second account associated with previous second electronic transfers associated with a second user.

10. The method of claim 8, the generating further based upon a comparison between an average rate of return of the account and an average rate of return of a second account.

11. The method of claim 10, the metric comprising a graph illustrating the average rate of return of the account compared with the average rate of return of the second account.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the metric is generated based upon a comparison of the performance with a second performance associated with a plurality of accounts associated with a plurality of other users.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting of the metric occurs automatically in response to the game server detecting that a milestone has been attained by the account.

14. A computer program product, the computer program product having a non-transient computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a process that creates investment projections based on the intercepted authorized transaction of electronic funds and redirects the authorized transaction of electronic funds to the portfolio database, the process comprising:

hosting, at the game server, a game, the game configured to receive electronic payments in exchange for virtual currency;

intercepting the authorized transaction of electronic funds conducted through the electronic payment gateway, the authorized transaction of electronic funds having a first numerical amount of electronic funds and an indication of authorization to transfer the first numerical amount of electronic funds to the portfolio database the intercepting comprising listening for the authorized transaction of electronic funds sent through the electronic payment gateway to an intended recipient;

electronically transferring, by the game server, the first numerical amount to the portfolio database at the portfolio server over the data network in exchange for virtual currency to be used during the game;

generating, by the game server, a metric quantifying a performance of an account associated with previous first electronic transfers associated with a first user; and

transmitting, by the game server to a social media platform, the metric for display on a client device configured to receive data from the social media platform.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, the generating further based upon comparing the performance of the account to a second performance of a second account associated with previous second electronic transfers associated with a second user.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, the generating further based upon a comparison between an average rate of return of the account and an average rate of return of a second account.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, the metric comprising a graph illustrating the average rate of return of the account compared with the average rate of return of the second account.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the metric is generated based upon a comparison of the performance with a second performance associated with a plurality of accounts associated with a plurality of other users.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the transmitting of the metric occurs automatically in response to the game server detecting that a milestone has been attained by the account.