System and method of generating and providing interactive annotation items based on triggering events in a video game

• US 10,226,703 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: De La Cruz, Allen Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/136,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 463 43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players

Abstract

A system and method is provided that automatically annotates gameplay based on triggering events that occur during a gameplay session. The system may automatically annotate the gameplay in real-time, such as during a gameplay session associated with an electronic-sports tournament. For example, the system may obtain and parse a game log corresponding to the gameplay session, identify triggering events based on the game log, obtain an annotation rule associated with the triggering event, generate an annotation item based on the annotation rule, and cause the annotation item to be presented in association with video of the gameplay session. An annotation item may be displayed interactively such that, when selected, causes the system to take an action. The action may include obtaining additional information relating to the selected annotation item; saving, sharing, liking/disliking or commenting on the selected annotation item; removing the selected annotation item from a display, and/or other actions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing interactive annotation items, which are generated based on triggering events during gameplay, and performing actions responsive to user interactions with the interactive annotation items, the method being implemented in a computer system having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the one or more physical processors, cause the computer system to perform the method, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a gameplay annotator, an annotation item that is generated based on one or more triggering events during the gameplay, wherein the annotation item comprises graphical and/or audio data distinct from video of the gameplay;

generating, by the gameplay annotator, a user interface comprising a display portion that includes video of the gameplay and a graphical and/or audio annotation portion that includes the annotation item and that is presented in combination with the video of the gameplay;

receiving, by the gameplay annotator, an indication that the annotation item was interacted with via the user interface;

determining, by the gameplay annotator, an action to be taken based on the indication; and

causing, by the gameplay annotator, the action to be taken.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the action to be taken comprises:

determining, by the gameplay annotator, that the annotation item should be shared, and wherein causing the action to be taken comprises sharing, by the computer system, the annotation item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sharing the annotation item comprises:

causing, by the gameplay annotator, the annotation item to be posted to a social media site.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein sharing the annotation item comprises:

causing, by the gameplay annotator, the annotation item to be transmitted via electronic mail.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the action to be taken comprises:

determining, by the gameplay annotator, that the annotation item should be stored in association with a user identification, and wherein causing the action to be taken comprises causing, by the gameplay annotator, the annotation item to be stored in association with the user identification.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the action to be taken comprises:

determining, by the gameplay annotator, that additional information relating to the annotation item should be obtained and provided, and wherein causing the action to be taken comprises obtaining, by the gameplay annotator, the additional information and providing the additional information via the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the action to be taken comprises:

determining, by the gameplay annotator, that the annotation item should be removed from the annotation portion, and wherein causing the action to be taken comprises removing, by the gameplay annotator, the annotation item from the annotation portion.

8. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising:

replacing, by the gameplay annotator, the removed annotation item with a different annotation item.

9. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the computer system, at least a portion of a game log for a gameplay session during which the gameplay occurs, said game log being generated by a game engine;

identifying, by the gameplay annotator, a triggering event based on the game log;

generating, by the gameplay annotator, the annotation item based on the triggering event.

10. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising:

storing, by the gameplay annotator, the indication that the annotation item was interacted with along with a previous indication that a previous annotation item was interacted with, wherein generating the annotation item is based further on the previous indication that the previous annotation item was interacted with, indicating that a given user was interested in the previous annotation item.

11. A system of providing interactive annotation items, which are generated based on triggering events during gameplay, and performing actions responsive to user interactions with the interactive annotation items, the system comprising:

a computer system comprising one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the one or more physical processors, program the computer system to;

have a game annotator obtain an annotation item that is generated based on one or more triggering events during the gameplay, wherein the annotation item comprises graphical and/or audio data distinct from video of the gameplay;

have the game annotator generate a user interface comprising a display portion that includes video of the gameplay and a graphical and/or audio annotation portion that includes the annotation item and that is presented in combination with the video of the gameplay;

have the game annotator receive an indication that the annotation item was interacted with via the user interface;

have the game annotator determine an action to be taken based on the indication; and

have the game annotator cause the action to be taken.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein to determine the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to:

determine that the annotation item should be shared, and wherein to cause the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to share the annotation item.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein to share the annotation item, the game annotator is programmed to:

cause the annotation item to be posted to a social media site.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein to share the annotation item, the game annotator is programmed to:

cause the annotation item to be transmitted via electronic mail.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein to determine the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to:

determine that the annotation item should be stored in association with a user identification, and wherein to cause the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to cause the annotation item to be stored in association with the user identification.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein to determine the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to:

determine that additional information relating to the annotation item should be obtained and provided, and wherein to cause the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to obtain the additional information and providing the additional information via the user interface.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein to determine the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to:

determine that the annotation item should be removed from the annotation portion, and wherein to cause the action to be taken, the game annotator is programmed to remove the annotation item from the annotation portion.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the game annotator is programmed to:

replace the removed annotation item with a different annotation item.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer system is programmed to:

obtain at least a portion of a game log for a gameplay session during which the gameplay occurs;

have the gameplay annotator identify a triggering event based on the game log;

have the gameplay annotator generate the annotation item based on the triggering event.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the game annotator is programmed to:

store the indication that the annotation item was interacted with along with a previous indication that a previous annotation item was interacted with, wherein the annotation item is generated based further on the previous indication that the previous annotation item was interacted with, indicating that a given user was interested in the previous annotation item.