Automation of in-game purchases

• US 10,226,691 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: DeLaet, Michael C., Oshima, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pinheiro, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/169,139
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An online gaming system for automating purchases of virtual items for users of the online game even when users are logged off. Users may input purchase instructions for setting and/or scheduling automatic purchases of virtual items through a shop interface. Purchase instructions may include purchase criteria which must be satisfied for the purchase to be realized. After a purchase is completed, the user'"'"'s inventory of items may be updated to reflect the newly purchased items so that the user can use the items when logged in.

Claims

1. A system for automating virtual item purchases in an online game, the system comprising:

a server including one or more physical processors configured by computer-readable instructions to;

execute an instance of an online game, and implement the instance of the online game to facilitate participation of users in the online game;

effectuate extension of offers to sell virtual items usable in the online game to subsets of the users, the offers including a first offer to sell a first virtual item to a first subset of users;

set prices of items offered for sale to users within the online game, the prices including a first price of the first virtual item;

set sale prices of the virtual items offered for sale in the offers, wherein the online game sets the sale prices of the virtual items offered for sale to the users, the sale prices including a first sale price of the first virtual item for the first subset of users such that the first offer to sell the first virtual item for the first sale price is not available to users not included in the first subset of users wherein the first sale price of the first virtual item for the first subset of users is different than a sale price offered to at least one other subset of users for the first virtual item, and the first sale price is less than the first price of the first virtual item;

effectuate presentation of a shop interface to the users of the online game, the shop interface configured to display the offers to the users of the online game to solicit virtual item purchases associated with the offers;

receive purchase instructions defined by the users of the online game, the purchase instructions including criteria for triggering purchases of the virtual items associated with the offers that were extended to the users even if the users are logged off of the online game, including receiving first purchase instructions from a first user of the online game, wherein the first purchase instructions include first criteria indicating a per item sale price level and a purchase quantity for triggering purchase of the purchase quantity of the first virtual item by the first user, the per item sale price level being below the first sale price; and

effectuate purchase of virtual items offered for sale triggered by criteria in purchase instructions being met even when the users are logged off of the online game, such that for the first purchase instructions identifying the first virtual item for purchase, and by virtue of the first sale price of the first virtual item being reduced by the online game to at least the per item sale price level that satisfies the first criteria included in the first purchase instructions while the first user is logged off of the online game, and further responsive to the first user being included in the first subset of users while the first user is logged off of the online game, effectuate purchase of the purchase quantity of the first virtual item while the first user is logged off the online game,

whereby such purchases made while users are logged off of the online game reduces a server load on the server by such users not having to log on to the online game to purchase the virtual items offered for sale.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured to:

manage virtual item inventories associated with the users of the online game, the inventories including one or more virtual items available for use by the users in the online game, including a first inventory of virtual items available for use by the first user; and

responsive to effectuating purchase of the first virtual item, when the first user is logged off of the online game, update the first inventory to include the purchase of the first virtual item such that the purchase of the first virtual item is made available to the first user for use in the online game.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that purchase instructions include a currency spending amount defined by the users, the currency spending amount indicating an amount of currency to spend on the purchases of virtual items when the criteria is satisfied, such that the first purchase instructions include a first currency spending amount defined by the first user which indicates the amount of currency to spend on purchases of the first virtual item when the first criteria included in the first purchase instructions is satisfied.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processor are configured such that purchases of virtual items are carried out in virtual currency and/or real currency.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that criteria defined by the users comprises date criteria, such that by virtue of an offer being extended to the users at a date which satisfies the date criteria, the purchase is effectuated.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured to, responsive to effectuating purchases of virtual items, send notifications to the users notifying the user of the completed virtual item purchases.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that the notifications are sent external to the system.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more physical processors are configured such that the notifications include one or more of a text message sent to a mobile device associated with the user or an email sent to an external email account associated with the user.

9. A method of automating virtual item purchases in an online game, the method being implemented in a computer system including a server including one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising;

executing an instance of an online game, and implementing the instance of the online game to facilitate participation of users in the online game;

effectuating extension of offers to sell virtual items usable in the online game to the users, the offers including a first offer to sell a first virtual item to a first subset of users;

setting prices of items offered for sale to users within the online game, the prices including a first price of the first virtual item;

setting sale prices of the virtual items offered for sale in the offers, wherein the online game sets the sale prices of the virtual items offered for sale to the users, the sale prices including a first sale price of the first virtual item for the first subset of users such that the first offer to sell the first virtual item for the first sale price is not available to users not included in the first subset of users, wherein the first sale price of the first virtual item for the first subset of users is different than a sale price offered to at least one other subset of users for the first virtual item, and the first sale price is less than the first price of the first virtual item;

effectuating presentation of a shop interface to the users of the online game, the shop interface configured to display the offers to the users of the online game to solicit virtual item purchases associated with the offers;

receiving purchase instructions defined by the users of the online game, the purchase instructions including criteria for triggering purchases of the virtual items associated with the offers that were extended to the users even if the users are logged off of the online game, including receiving first purchase instructions from a first user of the online game, wherein the first purchase instructions include first criteria indicating a per item sale price level and a purchase quantity for triggering purchase of the purchase quantity of the first virtual item by the first user, the per item sale price level being below the first sale price; and

effectuating purchase of virtual items offered for sale triggered by criteria in purchase instructions being met even when the users are logged off of the online game, such that for the first purchase instructions identifying the first virtual item for purchase, and by virtue of the first sale price of the first virtual item being reduced by the online game to at least the per item sale price level that satisfies the first criteria included in the first purchase instructions while the first user is logged off of the online game, and further responsive to the first user being included in the first subset of users while the first user is logged off of the online game, effectuate purchase of the purchase quantity of the first virtual item while the first user is logged off the online game,

whereby such purchases made while users are logged off of the online game reduces a server load on the server by such users not having to log on to the online game to purchase the virtual items offered for sale.

10. The method of claim 9 additionally including:

managing virtual item inventories associated with the users of the online game, the inventories including one or more virtual items available for use by the users in the online game, including a first inventory of virtual items available for use by the first user; and

responsive to effectuating purchase of the first virtual item, when the first user is logged off of the online game, updating the first inventory to include the purchase of the first virtual item such that the purchase of the first virtual item is made available to the first user for use in the online game.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the purchase instructions include a currency spending amount defined by the users, the currency spending amount indicating an amount of currency to spend on the purchases of virtual items when the criteria is satisfied, such that the first purchase instructions include a first currency spending amount defined by the first user which indicates the amount of currency to spend on purchases of the first virtual item when the first criteria included in the first purchase instructions is satisfied.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein purchases of virtual items are carried out in virtual currency and/or real currency.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the criteria defined by the users comprises date criteria, such that by virtue of an offer being extended to the users at a date which satisfies the date criteria, the purchase is effectuated.

14. The method of claim 9 additionally including, responsive to effectuating purchases of virtual items, sending notifications to the users notifying the user of the completed virtual item purchases.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the notifications are sent external to the system.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the notifications include one or more of a text message sent to a mobile device associated with the user or an email sent to an external email account associated with the user.