System and method for facilitating a game through a primary client device and in-game content purchases through a mobile device

• US 10,430,844 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Harrington, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/664,950
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for communicating a primary display comprising information that facilitates visual presentation of a view of a game space to a primary client device and facilitating purchases of content for use in the game through a secondary client device such as a user'"'"'s smartphone. The system may include a game device that allows a user to play a video game or otherwise interact with a virtual environment using the primary client device and purchase content for use in the video game using a secondary client device while playing the video game using the primary client device. The purchased content may be integrated into the game space such that purchased content is available for use while the user is playing the video game.

Claims

1. A primary client device that facilitates game play through the primary client device and acceptance of game-related content offers through a mobile device separate from the primary client device, the primary client device comprising:

one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

effectuate presentation of a view of a game space via a primary display connected to or associated with the primary client device, wherein an online game is played within the game space, and wherein game events occur during the online game within the game space;

facilitate pairing of the mobile device and the primary client device via a local wireless or wired communication channel such that the mobile device and the primary client device are communicably coupled;

communicate one or more selectable content offers for presentation to the user via the mobile device, the mobile devices being separate from the primary display through which the game space is presented and from the primary client device, the one or more selectable content offers being offers for content in the online game that are presented by the mobile device, the one or more selectable content offers being identified for communication to the mobile device based on game events in the online game, wherein such communication is enabled by the pairing of the mobile device and the primary client device via the local wireless or wired communication channel;

receive, from the mobile device, information indicating acceptance of at least one content offer; and

effectuate incorporation of content from the at least one content offer that was accepted into the online game.

2. The primary client device of claim 1, further comprising:

a content database comprising content available for inclusion within selectable content offers; and

wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to identify content to offer based on game events in the online game, wherein the one or more selectable content offers offers include the identified content.

3. The primary client device of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

receive a request during the online game from the mobile device to provide the one or more selectable content offers.

7. The primary client device of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable content offers are communicated such that the one or more selectable content offers are presented to the user via the mobile device while the user is not currently playing the online game on the primary client device.

8. The primary client device of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable content offers are communicated such that the one or more selectable content offers are presented to the user via the mobile device while the user is currently playing the online game.

4. A computer-implemented method of facilitating gameplay of an online game through a primary client device and acceptances of game-related content offers through a mobile device separate from the primary client device, the method being implemented in the primary client device, the primary client device including one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

effectuating, by the one or more processors, visual presentation of a view of a game space via a primary display, wherein the online game is played within the (lame space, and wherein game events occur during the online game within the game space;

facilitating, by the one or more processors, pairing of the mobile device and the primary client device via a local wireless or wired communication channel such that the mobile device and the primary client device are communicably coupled;

communicating, by the one or more processors, one or more selectable content offers for presentation to the user via the mobile device, the mobile device being separate from the primary display through which the game space is presented and from the primary client device, the one or more selectable content offers being offers for content in the game that are presented by the mobile device, the one or more selectable content offers being identified for communication to the mobile device based on (lame events in the online (lame, wherein such communication is enabled by the pairing of the mobile device and the primary client device via the local wireless or wired communication channel; and

receiving, at the one or more processors, from the mobile device, information indicating acceptance of at least one content offer; and

effectuating incorporation of content from the at least one content offer that was accepted into the online game.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing, by a content database, content available for inclusion within selectable content offers; and

identifying, by the one or more processors, content to offer based on game events in the online game, wherein the one or more selectable content offers include the identified content.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request during the online game from the mobile device to provide the one or more selectable content offers.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the one or more selectable content offers are communicated such that the one or more selectable content offers are presented to the user via the mobile device while the user is not currently playing the online game on the primary client device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the one or more selectable content offers are communicated such that the one or more selectable content offers are presented to the user via the mobile device while the user is currently playing the online game.