USER TO USER GAME REFERRALS

• US 20090111581A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Stouffer, Trisha Eileen, Ostergren, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,313 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method is disclosed in a gaming and media system for quickly and easily creating and sending mail communications including pre-populated, or preformed, messages. Upon receipt of a communication, a recipient may also quickly and easily download a game discussed in the message.

Claims

1. In a gaming and media system having a user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of facilitating communication between a user and one or more recipients via a network messaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving one or more preformed messages from memory;

(b) adding dynamic information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s gaming accomplishments to the one or more preformed messages retrieved in said step (a);

(c) displaying the one or more preformed messages over the display including the dynamic information added in said step (b);

(d) receiving an indication of at least one of the one or more preformed messages, via the user interface selection device, for inclusion in a communication;

(e) receiving an indication of the one or more recipients via the user interface selection device; and

(f) transmitting the communication to the one or more recipients.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (a) of retrieving one or more preformed messages from memory comprises the step of retrieving one or more preformed messages that are generic to a plurality of games.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a preformed message contains information indicating a user'"'"'s opinion of a game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a preformed message contains information relating to one or more accomplishments of a user within a game.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a preformed message contains statements issuing a challenge to the recipient of the message to improve upon the user'"'"'s accomplishments set forth in the preformed message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a preformed message retrieved from memory in said step (a) has been edited and/or added to by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) of adding dynamic information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s gaming accomplishments to the one or more preformed messages comprises the step of adding information stored in memory and updated in substantially real time relating to the user'"'"'s accomplishments in the game then being played by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step (g) of receiving edits to a preformed message after it has been displayed in said step (c).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more preformed messages retrieved from memory in said step (a) are selected at least in part based on a progress of a user within the game being played by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (e) of receiving an indication of the one or more recipients via the user interface selection device comprises the step of retrieving the one or more potential recipients from memory and displaying the one or more potential recipients for selection to receive the preformed message.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step (h) of transmitting data relating to the name of the game being played by the user with the communication transmitted in said step (f).

12. A method of facilitating communication between a first and second user via a network messaging system, the first user playing a game, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying the one or more preformed messages over a display of the first user, the preformed messages including a first portion generic to a plurality of games and a second portion dynamically changing based on a user'"'"'s progress in the game;

(b) receiving an indication of at least one of the one or more preformed messages for inclusion in a communication to be sent to the second user;

(c) transmitting the communication to the second user;

(d) presenting the communication to the second user; and

(e) generating an option for the second user, as a result of the transmission in said step (c), for the second user to download the game.

13. The method as claim 12, further comprising the step (f) of transmitting data with the communication transmitted in said step (c) to the second user, the data including an identity of the game.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said steps (d) and (e) comprise the steps of displaying a communication over a display of the second user together with a link allowing the second user to download the game described within the communication.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step (g) of connecting the second user to an Internet location upon the second user accessing the link, the Internet location allowing the user to download the game.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein a preformed message contains information indicating at least one of:

(i) the name of the game;

(ii) the first user'"'"'s opinion of the game;

(iii) one or more accomplishments of the first user within the game; and

(iv) a challenge to the second user to improve upon the first user'"'"'s accomplishments in the game.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step (a) of displaying the one or more preformed messages including a dynamically changing second portion comprises the step of displaying one or more preformed messages including a second portion updated in substantially real time relating to the first user'"'"'s accomplishments in the game.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for programming a processor on a gaming and media system to perform a method of facilitating communication between a first and second user via a network messaging system, the first user playing a game, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving one or more preformed messages from memory, the preformed messages including a first portion generic to a plurality of games;

(b) adding information to the one or more preformed messages retrieved in said step (a), the information being unique to the game or relating to a user'"'"'s progress within the game;

(c) displaying the one or more preformed messages over the display including the dynamic information added in said step (b);

(d) receiving an indication of at least one of the one or more preformed messages for inclusion in a communication to be sent to the second user;

(e) transmitting the communication to the second user;

(f) displaying the communication over a display of the second user together with a link allowing the second user to download the game described within the communication.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein said step (b) of adding information to that preformed messages that is unique to the game or relates to a user'"'"'s progress within the game comprises the step of adding information that changes in substantially real time based on a user'"'"'s progress in the game.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the preformed message retrieved in said step (a) contains information indicating at least one of:

(i) the name of the game;

(ii) the first user'"'"'s opinion of the game;

(iii) one or more accomplishments of the first user within the game; and

(iv) a challenge to the second user to improve upon the first user'"'"'s accomplishments in the game.