Mobile Device Interface for Online Games

• US 20110319169A1
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Game Network Incorporated (Zynga Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lam, Serena, Auterio, Kathleen, Ersever, Deniz, Mullin, Benjamin, Kheskani, Hardik, Wang, Jackson
• Granted Patent: US 9,636,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates games and applications in general and in particular to computer-implemented online games playable on mobile devices.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data store of game state information corresponding to one or more instances of a computer-implemented game, wherein the computer-implemented game comprises a plurality of user-initiated in-game harvest mechanic actions; and

one or more servers operative to implement a first interface and a second user interface for the computer-implemented game on a client system over a computer network;

wherein the first user interface allows access to a first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions; and

wherein the second user interface allows access to a subset of the first set of game harvest mechanic actions.

2. The system of claim 1, herein the second user interface is accessible by a client system that is a mobile device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first or second user interfaces allow access to one or more in-game harvest mechanic actions in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the debit charge is a debiting of a first amount of virtual currency from a game account of the user.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the debit charge is a debiting of a second amount of legal currency from a financial account of the user.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions comprises one or more initiating actions and one or more collecting actions.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the subset of the first set of in-game actions excludes one or more initiating actions.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second user interface allows access to one or more excluded initiating actions in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the second user interface allows access to a single-action collecting action comprising a plurality of collecting actions.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second user interface allows access to a single-action collecting action in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

storing game state information corresponding to one or more instances of a computer-implemented game, the computer-implemented game comprising a plurality of user-initiated in-game harvest mechanic actions; and

implementing, by one or more servers each having one or more processors, a first user interface and a second user interface for the computer-implemented game on a client system over a computer network,

the first user interface allowing access to a first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions; and

the second user interface allowing access to a subset of the first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the second user interface is accessible by a client system that is a mobile device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the first or second user interfaces allow access to one or more in-game harvest mechanic actions in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the debit charge is a debiting of one of a first amount of virtual currency from a game account of the user and a second amount of legal currency from a financial account of the user.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions comprises one or more initiating actions and one or more collecting actions.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the subset of the first set of in-game actions excludes one or more initiating actions.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the second user interface allows access to one or more excluded initiating actions in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the second user interface allows access to a single-action collecting action comprising a plurality of collecting actions.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the second user interface allows access to a single-action collecting action in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations, comprising:

storing game state information corresponding to one or more instances of a computer implemented game, the computer-implemented game comprising a plurality of user-initiated in-game harvest mechanic actions; and

implementing, by one or more servers each having one or more processors, a first user interface and a second user interface for the computer-implemented game on a client system over a computer network,

the first user interface allowing access to a first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions; and

the second user interface allowing access to a subset of the first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the second user interface is accessible by a client system that is a mobile device.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the first or second user interfaces allow access to one or more in-game harvest mechanic actions in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the debit charge is a debiting of one of a first amount of virtual currency from a game account of the user and a second amount of legal currency from a financial account of the user.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the first set of in-game harvest mechanic actions comprises one or more initiating actions and one or more collecting actions.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the subset of the first set of in-game actions excludes one or more initiating actions.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the second user interface allows access to one or more excluded initiating actions in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the second user interface allows access to a single-action collecting action comprising a plurality of collecting actions.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the second user interface allows access to a single-action collecting action in connection with a debit charge to a user account of a user.