System and methods to display icons based on messaging activity

• US 10,406,447 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Raja, Danielson, Ross W., Pansuria, Sachin B., Tarre, Dylan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yen, Jason T
• Application Number:
  US15/637,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20170296933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game

Abstract

A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method to load a game user interface is provided. A request is received from a second player to access a game user interface for a computer-implemented game. First player messaging activity information associated with messaging activity of the first player is accessed. During loading of the game user interface, a chat interface is displayed to enable text communication between the first and second player. Concurrently, a loading progress indicator is displayed.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory device holding an instruction set executable on the processor to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising;

identifying notification activity indicating that a first player, of an online game provided by a game networking system, is sending a notification for presentation in a social network user interface to a second player, the first and second player having a social network connection in a social networking system external to the game networking system;

receiving a request from the second player to access a game user interface of the online game;

based on the request from the second player, initiating loading of a user interface of the online game; and

during loading of the user interface of the online game, causing concurrent presentation of;

a communication interface that enables text communication between the second player and the first player; and

a progress indicator that dynamically indicates loading progress of the user interface of the online game.

2. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein identifying notification activity comprises:

identifying the notification activity while the second player is not currently accessing the online game.

3. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein identifying notification activity comprises:

identifying the notification activity before a user interface of an instance of the online game to be played by the second player is fully loaded at a mobile client device associated with the second player.

4. The computer system as in claim 3, further comprising:

upon completion of loading of the user interface of the instance of the online game, displaying an icon representative of the first player in the user interface of the instance of the online game.

5. The computer system as claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the communication user interface concurrently with the user interface of the instance of the online game.

6. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the communication user interface is a chat interface, the chat interface including a selectable icon representing the first player.

7. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein receiving a request from the second player to access a game user interface of the online game comprises:

receiving the request from the social network system.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying notification activity indicating that a first player, of an online game provided by a game networking system, is sending a notification for presentation in a social network user interface to a second player, the first and second player having a social network connection in a social networking system external to the game networking system;

receiving a request from the second player to access a game user interface of the online game;

based on the request from the second player, initiating loading of a user interface of the online game; and

during loading of the user interface of the online game, causing concurrent presentation of;

a communication interface that enables text communication between the second player and the first player; and

a progress indicator that dynamically indicates loading progress of the user interface of the online game.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein identifying notification activity comprises:

identifying the notification activity while the second player is not currently accessing the online game.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein identifying notification activity comprises:

identifying the notification activity before a user interface of an instance of the online game to be played by the second player is fully loaded at a mobile client device associated with the second player.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 10, further comprising:

upon completion of loading of the user interface of the instance of the online game, displaying an icon representative of the first player in the user interface of the instance of the online game.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, further comprising:

displaying the communication user interface concurrently with the user interface of the instance of the online game.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein the communication user interface is a chat interface, the chat interface including a selectable icon representing the first player.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein receiving a request from the second player to access a game user interface of the online game comprises:

receiving the request from the social network system.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying notification activity indicating that a first player, of an online game provided by a game networking system, is sending a notification for presentation in a social network user interface to a second player, the first and second player having a social network connection in a social networking system external to the game networking system;

receiving a request from the second player to access a game user interface of the online game;

based on the request from the second player, initiating loading of a user interface of the online game; and

during loading of the user interface of the online game, causing concurrent presentation of;

a communication interface that enables text communication between the second player and the first player; and

a progress indicator that dynamically indicates loading progress of the user interface of the online game.

16. The computer-implemented method as in claim 15, wherein identifying notification activity comprises:

identifying the notification activity while the second player is not currently accessing the online game.

17. The computer-implemented method as in claim 15, wherein

identifying notification activity comprises:

identifying the notification activity before a user interface of an instance of the online game to be played by the second player is fully loaded at a mobile client device associated with the second player.

18. The computer-implemented method as in claim 17, further comprising:

upon completion of loading of the user interface of the instance of the online game, displaying an icon representative of the first player in the user interface of the instance of the online game.

19. The computer-implemented method as in claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the communication user interface concurrently with the user interface of the instance of the online game.

20. The computer-implemented method as in claim 15, wherein the communication user interface is a chat interface, the chat interface including a selectable icon representing the first player.