System and method for facilitating play of a video game via a web site

• US 20020193162A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Fincham, Magdalena M., Sammon, Russell P., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,192,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8064 Quiz
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method and system for operating a video game or video game tournament (e.g., via a Web site) is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system a bonus is provided to a player playing the video game or participating in the video game tournament. In some embodiments a bonus is provided to the player if a rating associated with the player is worse than a threshold rating. In some embodiments a bonus is provided to the player if the occurrence of at least one predetermined condition is identified. Such a condition may be, for example, a condition that indicates the player will soon cease playing the video game or participating in the tournament.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating play of a video game, comprising:

identifying a measurement of a first player'"'"'s success in a video game, thereby identifying a player rating associated with the first player;

identifying a threshold value;

determining whether the measurement is worse than the threshold value; and

causing a bonus to be provided to the first player if the measurement is worse than the threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success comprises a measurement relating to at least one of:

(i) a number of points scored by the player while playing the video game;

(ii) a number of points scored by the player while playing a particular portion of the video game;

(iii) a number of video game rounds completed successfully;

(iv) a number of consecutive video game rounds that were losing rounds;

(v) a value of one or more prizes won while playing the video game;

(vi) a level of skill of the player;

(vii) a trend in a change of the player'"'"'s skill in playing the video game; and

(viii) a trend in a change of the player'"'"'s skill in playing other video games.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is a numerical value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a threshold value comprises:

identifying a plurality of second measurements, each second measurement associated with a respective second player who is different from the first player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of identifying a threshold value further comprises:

determining one of a mean value and an average value based on the plurality of second measurements, thereby determining the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of identifying a threshold value further comprises:

determining a distribution of the plurality of second measurements;

determining a predetermined percentile based on the distribution; and

setting the threshold value such that each player whose measurement of success is within the predetermined percentile will receive a bonus.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of second measurements is associated with a respective second player who is at least one of a player who:

(i) has played the video game;

(ii) is associated with the first player;

(iii) is a teammate of the first player;

(iv) is a competitor of the first player;

(v) is associated with a predetermined level of skill;

(vi) has a particular characteristic; and

(vii) has played at least one video game associated with a particular classification of video games.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a player who is associated with the first player comprises:

at least one of a player who has been identified by the first player as a friend, a player who has been identified by the first player as a family member, and a player who has a characteristic in common with the first player.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a threshold value comprises:

retrieving the threshold value from a database.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is worse than the threshold value comprises:

determining whether the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is greater than a threshold value; and

wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player if the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is worse than the threshold value comprises;

causing a bonus to be provided to the first player if the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is greater than the threshold value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player comprises:

causing a bonus to be provided to the first player if the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is greater than the threshold value by at least a predetermined magnitude.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is worse than the threshold value comprises:

determining whether the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is less than a threshold value; and

wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player if the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is worse than the threshold value comprises;

causing a bonus to be provided to the first player if the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is less than the threshold value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player comprises:

causing a bonus to be provided to the first player if the measurement of the first player'"'"'s success is less than the threshold value by a predetermined magnitude.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player comprises:

crediting an account associated with the first player by an amount associated with the bonus.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the account comprises at least one of a financial account and an alternate currency account.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player comprises:

adding a number of points to a balance of points associated with the first player.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player comprises:

advancing the first player to a different portion of the video game.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player comprises:

causing a product to be provided to the first player.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing a bonus to be provided to the first player comprises:

causing an amount of currency to be dispensed to the first player.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a notification of the bonus to be provided to the first player.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a notification of the bonus to be provided to at least one person that is different from the first player.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor in communication with the storage device,

the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 1.

23. A medium encoded with a program for implementing a method, said program for directing a device to perform the steps of:

the method of claim 1.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

identifying that the player has lost a predetermined number of consecutive rounds of the video game.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

identifying that the player is attempting to log off a Web site via which the player is playing the video game.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

identifying that a value of at least one prize won by the first player within a predetermined amount of time is below a predetermined value.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

identifying that the player'"'"'s score for a predetermined portion of the video game is below a predetermined score.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

identifying that the player'"'"'s performance in the video game is below a performance of a predetermined percentage of other players playing the video game.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

determining that a performance of the player is such that the player is ineligible to advance to a next level of the video game.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

determining that the performance of the player is such that the player is ineligible to win a prize associated with the video game.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying the occurrence of a condition comprises:

determining that a balance the player uses to pay an entry fee associated with the video game is inadequate to pay for another round of the video game.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying a bonus comprises:

identifying a bonus to provide to the player based on the condition the occurrence of which was identified.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining a value of the bonus based on the condition the occurrence of which was identified.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of determining a value comprises:

identifying data associated with the player,

wherein the data corresponds to activity of the player not associated with the play of the video game; and

determining the value of the bonus based on the condition the occurrence of which was identified and the data.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of causing the bonus to be provided to the player before the player ceases playing the video game comprises:

causing a notification of the bonus to be immediately output to the player.

37. The method of claim 24, causing the bonus to be provided to the player before the player ceases playing the video game comprises:

adjusting at least one video game parameter based on the bonus.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of adjusting at least one video game parameter comprises:

advancing the player to a particular portion of the video game.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of adjusting at least one video game parameter comprises:

adding a number of points to a balance of points earned by the player during play of the video game.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of adjusting at least one video game parameter comprises:

adding an amount of currency to an account associated with the player.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the account comprises an account from which the player pays an entry fee associated with the video game.

42. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor in communication with the storage device,

the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 24.

43. A medium encoded with a program for implementing a method, said program for directing a device to perform the steps of:

the method of claim 24.

24. A method of facilitating play of a video game, comprising:

identifying the occurrence of a condition that indicates a player of a video game may soon cease playing the video game;

identifying a bonus to provide to the player; and

causing the bonus to be provided to the player before the player ceases playing the video game.

44. A method of facilitating play of a video game tournament, comprising:

determining a first value of a measurement of success associated with a first player participating in a video game tournament,

wherein the video game tournament is operated Web site, and

wherein the first player is participating in the video game tournament via a first computing device;

determining a second value of the measurement of success associated with a second player participating in the video game tournament,

wherein the second player is participating in the video game tournament via a second computing device;

determining the difference between the first value associated with the first player and the second value associated with the second player; and

providing a bonus to the first player if the difference is of at least a predetermined magnitude.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of determining a second value comprises:

determining a plurality of second values, each second value being associated with a respective second player; and

wherein the step of determining the difference between the first value associated with the first player and the second value associated with the second player comprises;

identifying a threshold value based on the plurality of second values; and

determining a difference between the first value associated with the first player and the threshold value.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of providing a bonus comprises:

advancing the first player in a placement of players participating in the tournament.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of providing a bonus comprises:

adding a number of points to a balance of points associated with the first player,

wherein the tournament is conducted such that prizes are awarded based on a final number of points associated with each player at the end of the tournament.

48. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor in communication with the storage device,

the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 44.

49. A medium encoded with a program for implementing a method, said program for directing a device to perform the steps of:

the method of claim 44.