Financing Options in a Virtual Environment

• US 20070087822A1
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leviathan Entertainment, LLC
• Original Assignee: Leviathan Entertainment, LLC
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/559,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

The disclosure provides novel video game methods and systems for allowing players to purchase virtual goods and services using a variety of purchasing options. Methods and systems include virtual barter systems and means for financing purchases using real and virtual credit and financing mechanisms.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a virtual environment that is accessible to one or more players;

displaying items for sale in the virtual environment;

displaying the purchase price of the item for sale in the virtual environment;

allowing a player to use a virtual financing agreement to purchase an item for sale in the virtual environment;

securing the virtual financing agreement with a real world financial instrument;

determining if the player has breached a term of the virtual financing agreement; and

if the player has breached a term of the virtual financing agreement, charging a fee to the real world financial instrument.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase price is displayed in multiple currencies.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the multiple currencies are real and virtual currencies.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the player can choose to pay in real or virtual currencies or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the player chooses the virtual currency price, the virtual currency amount is debited from a virtual currency account associated with the player.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein if the player selects the real currency price, the real currency amount is charged to the real world financial instrument.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the purchase price in multiple currencies is calculated based on a current exchange rate.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising charging a periodic finance charge to the real world financial instrument during the life of the virtual financing agreement.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising verifying that the real world financing instrument contains sufficient credit or funds to cover the purchase price before allowing the player to enter into the virtual financing agreement.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, upon the player entering into the virtual financing agreement,

paying the seller the full purchase price;

and

periodically charging a portion of the purchase price plus a fee to a virtual financial instrument associated with the player.

11. A virtual environment comprising:

one or more characters able to interact with the virtual environment;

a user-interface configured to provide access to virtual goods and services available for purchase in the virtual environment;

a database configured to dynamically calculate terms for a virtual financing agreement based on a character'"'"'s action;

a user interface configured to present the dynamically calculated terms to a player controlling the character.

12. The virtual environment of claim 11 further comprising a user-interface configured to allow the player to accept, reject, or counteroffer the terms of the financing agreement.

13. The virtual environment of claim 11 further comprising a system configured to identify and track any accepted terms in the financing agreement.

14. The virtual environment of claim 13 further comprising a system configured to identify any breaches of the accepted terms by the player.

15. A method comprising:

providing a virtual environment that is accessible to one or more players;

displaying items for sale in the virtual environment;

embedding a financing module in the virtual shopping cart of the virtual environment;

wherein the financing module;

offers virtual finance options to purchasers of the virtual items;

secures the virtual finance options with a real world financial instrument; and

identifies whether the real world financial instrument has sufficient funds to secure purchases made by the purchasers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the finance option is an installment plan.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the finance option is a credit card.

18. The method of claim 15 where the method further comprises displaying a price for an item for sale.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the currency in which the price is displayed is dependant upon the specific character viewing the item.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the currency that is displayed is based on a billing address associated with a player account for the character.