In-application universal storefront apparatuses, methods and systems

• US 10,688,385 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PlaySpan, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PlaySpan, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rose, Mark, Shafie, Afshin, Bayer, Lex N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Tramar Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Jeffrey K
• Application Number:
  US14/037,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20140213344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,463 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 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• 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 30/0641 : Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking

Abstract

The DYNAMIC PAYMENT OPTIMIZATION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“DPO”) transform requests for on-demand and flexible monetization and related services via DPO components into currency transfers, purchase receipt notifications, social networking communications and transaction analytics reports. In some embodiments, the DPO obtains a user product purchase request for a user engaged in an online experience at a point of sale device. The DPO parses the user product purchase request, and thereby identifies at least one attribute of at least one of: the user; the online experience; and the point of sale device. The DPO customizes one or more properties of a user interface for initiating a purchase transaction related to the user product purchase request, according to the identified at least one attribute of the user, the online experience or the point of sale device; and providing the customized user interface.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented universal in-game storefront application method for virtual goods purchasing and in-game instantiation of purchased items, comprising:

receiving, via a processor, an in-game inventory manifest, wherein the manifest includes a plurality of virtual items for in-game purchase;

storing the in-game inventory manifest in a data store;

receiving, from an in-game storefront loading application component instantiated within a running game application having no existing in-game storefront, a request to provide an instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, said instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront provides a user-interactive graphical user interface (GUI), in a separate lightbox front end GUI reserved for the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, wherein the user-interactive GUI is seamlessly integrated into the running game application customized with the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, while the processor providing backend support for the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront;

providing, via the processor, the plurality of virtual items from the stored in-game inventory manifest for in-game purchase via the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront;

reordering, via the processor, payment methods in an order that is most likely to have a user complete a purchase based on demographic information, historic data and payment method preferences around users purchasing activity, behavior, location, and language of the user of the running game application;

receiving a request to purchase an in-game virtual item from the instantiated in-game virtual item purchase storefront within the user-interactive GUI; and

providing an in-game virtual item purchase response to complete the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the virtual item purchase response includes a purchase success message, additionally comprising:

embedding in the purchase response an in-game virtual good instantiation request for use by the in-game storefront loading application component to instantiate the purchased virtual good for use in game-play.

3. The method of claim 2, additionally comprising:

receiving an indication from the in-game storefront loading application component that the purchased virtual good has been made available for in-game use.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual item for in-game purchase is one of:

an in-game tool or weapon for use by an in-game character;

an in-game currency;

an extra life for an in-game character; and

enhanced capabilities associated with an in-game character.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-game inventory manifest additionally includes descriptive meta-data associated with each of the plurality of virtual items.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the descriptive meta-data is one of:

a virtual item description;

a virtual item virtual currency price;

a virtual item real currency price; and

a photo of a virtual item.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the descriptive meta-data includes data related to displaying the virtual items for sale on different user devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user device is one of:

a game console;

a mobile device;

a smart phone;

a television;

a web browser;

a tablet computer;

a laptop; and

a desktop computer.

9. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

determining a device type that the in-game storefront loading application component is running on.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the device type is one of:

a game console;

a mobile device;

a smart phone;

a television;

a web browser;

a tablet computer;

a laptop; and

a desktop computer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein customizing the in-game virtual item purchase storefront includes customizing based on the device type.

12. A universal in-game storefront application apparatus for virtual goods purchasing and in-game instantiation of purchased items, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor disposed in communication with said memory, and configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor issues instructions to;

receive, via a processor, an in-game inventory manifest, wherein the manifest includes a plurality of virtual items for in-game purchase;

store the in-game inventory manifest in a data store;

receive, from an in-game storefront loading application component instantiated within a running game application having no existing in-game storefront, a request to provide an instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, said instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront provides a user-interactive graphical user interface (GUI), in a separate lightbox front end GUI reserved for the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, wherein the user-interactive GUI is seamlessly integrated into the running game application customized with the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, while the processor providing backend support for the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront;

provide, via the processor, the plurality of virtual items from the stored in-game inventory manifest for in-game purchase via the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, wherein the processor provides a backend infrastructure to instantiate the in-game virtual item purchase storefront, said backend infrastructure includes inventory management modules, catalog and offer management modules, merchandizing modules, coupon code and discount promotion modules, inclusion of virtual currency wallet across games, one-click purchases, recommendation engine, and search engine;

reorder, via the processor, payment methods in an order that is most likely to have a user complete a purchase based on demographic information, historic data and payment method preferences around users purchasing activity, behavior, location, and language of the user of the running game application;

receive a request to purchase an in-game virtual item from the instantiated in-game virtual item purchase storefront within the user-interactive GUI; and

provide an in-game virtual item purchase response to complete the request.

13. A processor-implemented global universal catalog and currency method, comprising:

receiving, via a processor, configuration information for a plurality of storefront applications and a list of virtual products to be sold, wherein the configurations information of plurality of storefront applications represents different storefronts for a single universal application having no preexisting in-application storefront, the different storefronts provides a user-interactive graphical user interface (GUI), in a separate lightbox front end GUI reserved for the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront, wherein the user-interactive GUI is seamlessly integrated into the running game application customized with the instantiateable in-game virtual item purchase storefront;

providing, via the processor, a backend infrastructure to instantiate the storefronts, said backend infrastructure includes inventory management modules, catalog and offer management modules, merchandizing modules, coupon code and discount promotion modules, inclusion of virtual currency wallet across the plurality of storefront applications, one-click purchases, recommendation engine, and search engine;

associating a virtual currency with the universal application;

providing the virtual currency as a payment method within the plurality of storefront applications; and

determining a first virtual currency usage rule when the virtual currency is used through a first storefront application and a second virtual currency usage rule when the virtual currency is used through a second storefront application.

14. The method of claim 13 additionally comprising:

allowing a first plurality of virtual products to be sold when accessed from the first storefront application and a second plurality of virtual products to be sold when accessed from the second storefront application.

15. The method of claim 13, additionally comprising:

associating a storefront application with a user device type, wherein the user device type is one of;

a game console;

a mobile device;

a smart phone;

a television;

a web browser;

a tablet computer;

a laptop; and

a desktop computer.

16. The method of claim 13, additionally comprising:

maintaining a single virtual currency balance associated with a plurality of the storefront applications.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the list of virtual products to be sold is specified by the universal application.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the virtual product is a subscription to access a game.