Transaction systems and methods for virtual items of massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds

• US 20080220876A1
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PlaySpan, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PlaySpan, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mehta, Kaushal N., Peruvemba, Subramanian V., Kolkowitz, Dan Elias
• Granted Patent: US 8,888,598 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

Systems and methods for trading, exchanging, and/or valuating virtual items that exist in MMOGs or other types of virtual worlds. According to various embodiments, the present invention utilizes a homogenous database to store virtual objects and their attributes across different MMOGs and virtual worlds. The items in the database are indexed and searchable. Using the system, users can trade, exchange, sell and/or valuate their virtual objects

Claims

1. A virtual game system comprising:

a computerized virtual item trading system for communicating with one or more virtual game servers, wherein each virtual game server is for providing a virtual online game to users thereof, wherein the virtual item trading system is programmed to;

translate attributes of virtual items from the one or more virtual online games to a homogenous virtual object data format;

store the attributes of the virtual items in the homogenous virtual object data format in a database; and

in response to search query, search the database for one or more virtual items responsive to the search query.

2. The virtual game system of claim 1, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to determine a value for the virtual items.

3. The virtual game system of claim 2, wherein the virtual item trading system is for determining the value for the virtual items based on transaction data for prior transactions.

4. The virtual game system of claim 3, wherein the virtual item trading system is programmed to determine the value of the virtual items according to a common currency.

5. The virtual game system of claim 4, wherein an exchange rate for the common currency is based on the demand for a game currency outside of the game.

6. The virtual game system of claim 1, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to execute a transaction for a virtual item.

7. The virtual game system of claim 6, wherein the transaction is a transaction selected from the group consisting of an exchange, a purchase, or a sale.

8. A method for transacting virtual items used in virtual online games, the method comprising:

receiving attribute data for the virtual items;

storing the attribute data in a database using a homogenous virtual object data format for each virtual item;

searching, in response to search query, the database for one or more virtual items responsive to the search query; and

executing a transaction involving at least one of the virtual items.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving attribute data comprises receiving attribute data from a user via a web-interface.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving attribute data comprises receiving attribute data from a user via an in-game user interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the in-game user interface is launched by a user'"'"'s activation of an icon on a user game display.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the icon is translucent.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the in-game user interface further allows a user to request a transaction involving a virtual item.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the in-game user interface is translucent on the user game display.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a value for the virtual items.

16. A virtual game system comprising:

a game server platform comprising one or more game servers that provide a virtual online game to users;

a plurality of user client devices in communication with the game server platform, each client user device comprising a client application; and

a computerized virtual item trading system in communication with the game server platform, wherein the virtual item trading system is programmed to;

translate attributes of virtual items from the virtual online game to a homogenous virtual object data format;

store the attributes of the virtual items in the homogenous virtual object data format in a database; and

in response to search query, search the database for one or more virtual items responsive to the search query.

17. The virtual game system of claim 16, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to determine a value for the virtual items.

18. The virtual game system of claim 16, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to execute a transaction for a virtual item.

19. The virtual game system of claim 16, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to receive attribute data for the virtual items.

20. The virtual game system of claim 19, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to receive the attribute data via a web-interface.

21. The virtual game system of claim 19, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to receive the attribute data via an in-game user interface.

22. The virtual game system of claim 18, wherein the virtual item trading system is in communication with a plurality of game server platforms, each game server platform providing a different online virtual game.

23. The virtual game system of claim 22, wherein the virtual item trading system is further programmed to value virtual items from the plurality of online virtual games according to a common currency.