Financing Options in a Virtual Environment

• US 20070111770A1
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• 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:
  US11/560,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111770A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• 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 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• 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 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• 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 present disclosure provides novel video game methods and systems for allowing players to make purchases including goods, services and financial instruments in a virtual environment. Methods and systems include means for trade within and between game environments, virtual environments and games.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a user interface that allows access to a virtual exchange, wherein the virtual exchange is in electronic communication with first and second virtual environments, wherein the first virtual environment provides a plurality of first environment assets;

receiving a request via the user interface from a player character to purchase a first environment asset for use in the second virtual environment;

determining a value for the first environment asset;

receiving the determined value from the player character; and

transferring the first environment asset to the player character'"'"'s possession for use in the second virtual environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the value of the first environment asset is determined based on a conversion rate between the assets of the first environment and the assets of the second environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the conversion rate is determined based on one or more variables associated with each virtual environment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a variable is the size of the size of the economy of each virtual environment.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a variable is the number of player characters in each virtual environment.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein a variable is the amount of the first virtual asset that is available in each virtual environment.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein a variable is the amount of production of the virtual asset that is available in each virtual environment.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second virtual environments have different currencies and determining the conversion rate comprises determining a currency conversion rate between the virtual environments.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual exchange is accessible only to player characters who have a seat on the exchange.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the number of seats on the virtual exchange is limited.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a player character who owns a seat on the virtual exchange can sell the seat to another player character.

12. A system for selling and exchanging assets between game environments comprising:

a first game environment comprising a plurality of first game environment assets;

a second game environment comprising a plurality of second game environment assets; and

a virtual exchange in electronic communication with the first and second game environments;

wherein the virtual exchange is configured to;

determine a value for a first game environment asset in the second game environment;

receive the value from a player character in the second game environment; and

transfer ownership of the first game environment asset to the player character so that the first game environment asset is available to the player character for use in the second environment.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first and second game environments have different currencies.

14. A system comprising:

a virtual environment comprising a plurality of virtual assets which can be purchased by player characters in the virtual environment; and

a virtual exchange through which player characters can trade ownership of virtual assets;

wherein, access to the virtual exchange is limited to player characters holding seats on the exchange.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the number of seats on the exchange is limited.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein a player character holding a seat on the exchange may facilitate trades for player characters who do not hold seats on the exchange.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the player character holding a seat on the exchange receives payment from the player characters who do not hold seats on the exchange in return for facilitating trades.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein seats on the exchange are virtual assets which can be sold in the virtual environment.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein a player character who holds a seat on the exchange can lose the seat upon the fulfillment of one or more conditions.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the virtual environment comprises rules for interacting with the environment and a condition is breaking a rule.