Game-Based Incentives for Location-Based Actions

• US 20120040761A1
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Game Network Incorporated (Zynga Incorporated)
• Inventors: Auterio, Kathleen, Ersever, Deniz, Kheskani, Hardik, Lam, Serena, Makarsky, Christopher Joseph, Mosites, Donald C., Mullin, Benjamin, Talapatra, Shantanu, Waldron, Justin, Wang, Jackson
• Granted Patent: US 8,454,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for providing game-based incentives to users of online games as a reward for performing actions at physical locations.

Claims

1. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

receiving a first message identifying a user;

accessing a game account of the user to identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user;

generating a location-based action for the user, wherein the location-based action is an action the user can perform at one or more locations; and

transmitting a second message, wherein the second message comprises a description of the location-based action, a description of an incentive reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action, wherein

the incentive reward is an in-game asset corresponding to one or more of the identified games.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message identifies one or more of the locations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises GPS coordinates of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises an indication that the user has visited one or more of the locations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises an indication that the user has purchased one or more items from one or more of the locations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises an indication of a search engine query by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is received from a client system of the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the client system is a mobile device, and wherein the first message is automatically generated by the mobile device based on the user'"'"'s proximity to the location.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third message indicating that the user performed the location-based action.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third message is received from a networking system associated with one or more of the locations.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the third message comprises an indication that the user has visited one or more of the locations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the third message comprises GPS coordinates of the user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the third message comprises a numerical code.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the third message comprises a scannable code.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the third message comprises a proof of purchase.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the third message is received from a client system of the user.

17. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

accessing a game account of a user to identify a game state of one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user;

generating a location-based action for the user based at least in part on the game state of one or more of the games, wherein the location-based action is an action the user can perform at one or more locations; and

transmitting a first message, wherein the first message comprises a description of the location-based action, a description of an incentive reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the game state comprises a player character state of a player character associated with the user in the one or more games, and wherein generating the location-based action for the user is based on the player character state of the player character associated with the user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the player character state comprises the in-game assets associated with the player character, and wherein generating the location-based action for the user is based on one or more of the in-game assets associated with the player character.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting a game of the one or more games, wherein generating the location-based action for the user is based at least in part on the game state of the selected game.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein selecting the game is based at least in part on a player character state of one or more player characters associated with the user in the one or more games.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein selecting the game is based at least in part on the frequency of play by the user of the one or more games.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a second message identifying a game in the one or more games, wherein selecting a game is selecting the identified game, and wherein the incentive reward is an in-game asset corresponding to the selected game.

24. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

accessing a location account of a location to identify one or more attributes associated with the location;

generating a location-based action for a user based at least in part on one or more of the attributes associated with the location, wherein the location-based action is an action the user can perform at one or more locations; and

transmitting a first message, wherein the first message comprises a description of the location-based action, a description of an incentive reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein generating the location-based action is further based at least in part on the incentive reward.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the attributes comprise the types of items available at the location.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein an item available at the location is the sale of admission.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein an item available at the location is a specific good.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein an item available at the location is a specific service.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the attributes relate to the demographics of visitors of the location.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the demographics include the age of visitors of the location.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the demographics include the income of visitors of the location.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the demographics include the type of activities performed by visitors of the location.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the demographics include the duration of activities performed by visitors of the location.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the attributes relate to the demographics of visitors of the area surrounding the location.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the attributes relate to the geography of the area surrounding the location.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein the attributes relate to the weather at the location.

38. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

receiving a first message identifying a user, the first message corresponding to a location-based action performed by the user, wherein the location-based action is an action the user can perform at one or more locations;

accessing a game account of the user to identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user;

generating an incentive reward for the user, wherein the incentive reward is an in-game asset corresponding to at least one of the one or more identified games; and

crediting the game account of the user with the incentive reward.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the location-based action is visiting one or more of the locations.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first message comprises GPS coordinates of the user.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the first message comprises an indication that the user has visited one or more of the locations.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the first message comprises a numerical code.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the first message comprises a scannable code.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the location-based action is purchasing an item at one or more of the locations.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the item is a specific good.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the item is a specific service.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the first message comprises a proof of purchase.

48. The method of claim 38, wherein the location-based action is purchasing an item from a specific merchant.

49. The method of claim 38, wherein the location-based action is visiting one or more of the locations for a specified duration.

50. The method of claim 38, wherein the location-based action is spending a specified amount of legal currency at a specific location.

51. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

accessing a game account of a user to identify a game state of one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user;

generating an incentive reward for the user based at least in part on the game state of one or more of the games, wherein the incentive reward is an in-game asset in one or more of the games;

transmitting a first message, wherein the first message comprises a description of the incentive reward, a description of a proposed location-based action, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the game state comprises a player character state of a player character associated with the user in the one or more games, and wherein generating the incentive reward for the user is based on the player character state of the player character associated with the user.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the player character state comprises the in-game assets associated with the player character, and wherein generating the incentive reward for the user is based on one or more of the in-game assets associated with the player character.

54. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

selecting a game from the one or more games, wherein generating the incentive reward for the user is based at least in part on the game state of the selected game.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein selecting the game is based at least in part on a player character state of one or more player characters associated with the user in the one or more games.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein selecting the game is based at least in part on the frequency of play by the user of the one or more games.

57. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

receiving a second message identifying a game in the one or more games, wherein selecting a game is selecting the identified game, and wherein the incentive reward is an in-game asset corresponding to the selected game.

58. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

accessing a location account of a location to identify one or more attributes associated with the location;

generating an incentive reward for a user based at least in part on one or more of the attributes associated with the location, wherein the incentive reward is an in-game asset corresponding to one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user; and

transmitting a first message, wherein the first message comprises a description of the incentive reward, a description of a location-based action, wherein the location-based action is an action the user can perform at one or more locations, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein generating the incentive reward is further based at least in part on the location-based action.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the in-game asset is non-fungible and is only available to users who perform the location-based action.

61. The method of claim 58, wherein at least one of the attributes is a brand or trademark associated with the location, and wherein the incentive reward has a mark based at least in part on the brand or trademark.

62. The method of claim 58, wherein the location-based action is purchasing an item at the location, and wherein generating the incentive reward is based at least in part on one or more of the attributes of the item.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the item is a specific good.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the item is a specific service.

65. The method of claim 58, wherein the location-based action is spending a specified amount of legal currency at the location, and wherein generating the incentive reward is based at least in part on the amount of legal currency.

66. The method of claim 58, wherein the location-based action is visiting the location.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the incentive reward is based at least in part on the length of the visit.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the incentive reward is based at least in part on the proximity of the user to the location.