Systems and methods for filtering communication within a location-based game

• US 10,300,395 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
• Inventors: Kornmann, David, Aubin, Mark A., Nijamkin, Alejandro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US14/981,351
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for filtering communication within a location-based game are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of filtering communication for a location-based game is disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a computing device, communication data for a plurality of players associated with the location based-game. The method further includes filtering the communication data for each player based on one or more signals associated with the respective player.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for filtering communication messages for a location-based game, the method comprising:

identifying, by a computer system, a plurality of communication messages associated with a location based-game comprising a virtual world that parallels at least a portion of a real world, wherein movements of a player in the real world are paralleled in the virtual world;

selecting, by the computer system from the plurality of communication messages, a subset of communication messages based on a distance between a real-world location of the player and real-world locations of additional players associated with the communication messages, wherein selecting the subset of communication messages comprises;

determining the real-world location of the player; and

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, communication messages related to additional players located within a threshold distance of the real-world location of the player; and

transmitting, by the computer system, the subset of messages to a client device associated with the player, the subset of messages displayed to the player via an interface of the location based-game.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, an additional communication message not part of the subset of communication messages, the additional communication message selected based on a constraint applicable to the additional communication message; and

transmitting the additional communication message to the client device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the constraint comprises not filtering communication messages that are a part of an ongoing communication exchange.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of the plurality of communication messages is further based on a profile associated with the player.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold distance is determined based on a population density corresponding to the real-world location of the player.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication messages comprise messages from additional players and game status updates.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of communication messages is further based on which of the additional players are contacts of the player.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of communication messages is further based on a mode associated with the player in the location-based game, and selecting the subset of communication messages further comprises:

determining the mode associated with the player; and

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, communication messages from additional players associated with the determined mode.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of communication messages is further based on a game level associated with the player in the location-based game, and selecting the subset of communication messages further comprises:

determining the game level associated with the player; and

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, communication messages from additional players associated with the game level.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein select communication messages from the subset are displayed to the player and, responsive to the player requesting to expand the messages, the interface including the subset of messages is displayed to the player.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations for filtering communication messages for a location-based game, the operations comprising:

identifying, by a computer system, a plurality of communication messages associated with a location based-game comprising a virtual world that parallels at least a portion of a real world, wherein movements of a player in the real world are paralleled in the virtual world;

selecting, by the computer system from the plurality of communication messages, a subset of communication messages based on a distance between a real-world location of the player and real-world locations of additional players associated with the communication messages, wherein selecting the subset of communication messages comprises;

determining the real-world location of the player; and

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, communication messages related to additional players located within a threshold distance of the real-world location of the player; and

transmitting, by the computer system, the subset of messages to a client device associated with the player, the subset of messages displayed to the player via an interface of the location based-game.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, an additional communication message not part of the subset of communication messages, the additional communication message selected based on a constraint applicable to the additional communication message; and

transmitting the additional communication message to the client device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the constraint comprises not filtering communication messages that are a part of an ongoing communication exchange.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein selecting the subset of communication messages is further based on which of the additional players are contacts of the player.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein select communication messages from the subset are displayed to the player and responsive to the player requesting to expand the messages, the interface including the subset of messages is displayed to the player.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the threshold distance is determined based on a population density corresponding to the real-world location of the player.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:

identifying a plurality of communication messages associated with a location based-game comprising a virtual world that parallels at least a portion of a real world, wherein movements of a player in the real world are paralleled in the virtual world;

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, a subset of communication messages based on a distance between a real-world location of the player and real-world locations of additional players associated with the communication messages;

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, an additional communication message not part of the subset of communication messages, the additional communication message selected based on a constraint applicable to the additional communication message; and

transmitting the subset of messages and the additional communication message to a client device associated with the player, the subset of messages and the additional communication message displayed to the player via an interface of the location based-game.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein selecting the subset of communication messages comprises:

determining the real-world location of the player; and

selecting, from the plurality of communication messages, communication messages related to additional players located within a threshold distance of the real-world location of the player.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the threshold distance is determined based on a population density corresponding to the real-world location of the player.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the constraint comprises not filtering communication messages that are a part of an ongoing communication exchange.