ENABLING USERS TO TRANSFER VIRTUAL ITEMS BASED ON THEIR LOCATIONS

• US 20130005475A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Mahajan, Amitt, Ocko, Matthew Adam, Revnolds, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A method of enabling users to transfer virtual items based on their locations is disclosed. A presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a location is detected. A presence of an additional player of the computer-implemented game at the location is detected. The player is enabled to transfer a virtual item to the additional player based on the detection of the presence of the player at the location and the detection of the presence of the additional player at the location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a physical location, the computer-implemented game including a virtual world, the player of the computer-implemented game controlling a player character in the virtual world;

detecting a presence of an additional player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location, the additional player of the computer-implemented game controlling an additional player character in the virtual world; and

enabling the player to transfer a virtual item from an inventory of the player character to the inventory of the additional player character based on the detection of the presence of the player at the physical location and the detection of the presence of the additional player at the physical location, the transferring of the virtual item from the inventory of the player character to the inventory of the additional player character helping the player character complete a quest in the virtual world, wherein the enabling of the player to transfer the virtual item is performed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the additional player to transfer an additional virtual item to the player in exchange for the virtual item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring of the virtual item includes moving the virtual item from an inventory of a player character of the first player to an inventory of a player character of the additional player within the computer-implemented game.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the enabling of the player to transfer the virtual item to the additional player is based on a time period between the detecting of the presence of the player and the detecting of the presence of the additional player.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a reward to the player based on transfer of the virtual item to the additional player by the player.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling of the player to transfer the virtual item to the additional player includes enabling the player to drop the virtual item while being present at the location and enabling the additional player to pick up the virtual item while being present at the location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the player need not be present at the location at the same time as the additional player.

8. A system comprising:

a processor-implemented game networking system configured to;

detect a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a physical location, the computer-implemented game including a virtual world, the player of the computer-implemented game controlling a player character in the virtual world;

detect a presence of an additional player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location, the additional player of the computer-implemented game controlling an additional player character in the virtual world; and

enable the player to transfer a virtual item from an inventory of the player character to the inventory of the additional player character based on the detection of the presence of the player at the physical location and the detection of the presence of the additional player at the physical location, the transferring of the virtual item from the inventory of the player character to the inventory of the additional player character helping the player character complete a quest in the virtual world.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor-implemented game networking system is further configured to enable the additional player to transfer an additional virtual item to the player in exchange for the virtual item.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the transferring of the virtual item includes moving the virtual item from an inventory of a player character of the first player to an inventory of a player character of the additional player within the computer-implemented game.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the enabling of the player to transfer the virtual item to the additional player is based on a time period between the detecting of the presence of the player and the detecting of the presence of the additional player.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor-implemented game networking system is further configured to provide a reward to the player based on transfer of the virtual item to the additional player by the player.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the enabling of the player to transfer the virtual item to the additional player includes enabling the player to drop the virtual item while being present at the location and enabling the additional player to pick up the virtual item while being present at the location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the player need not be present at the location at the same time as the additional player.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

detecting a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a physical location, the computer-implemented game including a virtual world, the player of the computer-implemented game controlling a player character in the virtual world;

detecting a presence of an additional player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location, the additional player of the computer-implemented game controlling an additional player character in the virtual world;

enabling the player to transfer a virtual item from an inventory of the player character to the inventory of the additional player character based on the detection of the presence of the player at the physical location and the detection of the presence of the additional player at the physical location, the transferring of the virtual item from the inventory of the player character to the inventory of the additional player character helping the player character complete a quest in the virtual world.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising enabling the additional player to transfer an additional virtual item to the player in exchange for the virtual item.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transferring of the virtual item includes moving the virtual item from an inventory of a player character of the first player to an inventory of a player character of the additional player within the computer-implemented game.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the enabling of the player to transfer the virtual item to the additional player is based on a time period between the detecting of the presence of the player and the detecting of the presence of the additional player.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising providing a reward to the player based on transfer of the virtual item to the additional player by the player.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the enabling of the player to transfer the virtual item to the additional player includes enabling the player to drop the virtual item while being present at the location and enabling the additional player to pick up the virtual item while being present at the location.