INTERACTIVE ASYNCHRONOUS COMPUTER GAME INFRASTRUCTURE

• US 20100160038A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tetris Online, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tetris Online, Inc.
• Inventors: Youm, Eui-Joon, Thomas, Glyn C., Lim, Chang-ha
• Granted Patent: US 8,357,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computers, receives a request for game play, and in response to the request, causing prior game play data to be retrieved, where the prior game play data was stored in response to prior game play of another user. Further, an asynchronous game play environment may be provided where an active participant, who made the request, is able to play against and interact with an apparently live participant based on the prior game play data.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

a. receiving a request for game play;

b. in response to the request, causing prior game play data to be retrieved, wherein the prior game play data was stored in response to prior game play of another user; and

c. in further response to the request, providing an asynchronous game play environment wherein an active participant, who made the request, is able to play against and interact with, at least more than once during an active period of game play, an apparently live participant based on the prior game play data.

2. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

d. receiving a request for game play, the request including desired opponent information relating to a desired opponent;

e. in response to the request, causing game play data to be retrieved, wherein the game play data was stored in response to prior game play of a game player that meets the requirements identified by the desired opponent information; and

f. in further response to the request, providing an asynchronous game play environment wherein an active participant, who made the request, is able to play against and interact with, at least more than once during an active period of game play, an apparently live participant based on the game play data.

3. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

a. receiving a request for game play, the request including desired opponent information relating to a desired opponent;

b. in response to the request, causing game play data to be retrieved, wherein the game play data was stored in response to prior game play of a game player that meets the requirements identified by the desired opponent information; and

c. in further response to the request, providing an asynchronous game play environment wherein an active participant, who made the request, is able to play against and interact with an apparently live participant based on the game play data;

wherein the interaction causes a change in the apparently live participant'"'"'s progress more than once before the end of a game presented in the asynchronous game play environment.

4. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

a. receiving a request for game play, the request including desired opponent information relating to a desired opponent;

b. in response to the request, causing game play data to be retrieved, wherein the game play data was stored in response to prior game play of a game player that meets the requirements identified by the desired opponent information; and

c. in further response to the request, providing an asynchronous game play environment wherein an active participant, who made the request, is able to play against and interact with an apparently live participant based on the game play data;

wherein a game provided in the asynchronous game play environment includes a beginning period, an active mid-game period, and an end and the interaction occurs during at least the active mid-game period.

5. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

a. receiving a request for game play, the request including desired opponent information relating to a desired opponent;

b. in response to the request, causing game play data to be retrieved, wherein the game play data was stored in response to prior game play of a game player that meets the requirements identified by the desired opponent information; and

c. in further response to the request, providing an asynchronous game play environment wherein an active participant, who made the request, is able to play against and interact with an apparently live participant based on the game play data;

wherein the interaction is provided during game play to generate an impression that the active participant is playing against another live participant.