METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TAG-BASED GROUPING OF ONLINE COMMUNITIES

• US 20130017872A1
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: PARKS, WILLIAM T.
• Application Number:
  US13/181,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20130017872A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/33 using wide area network [WAN] connections
• 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 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• 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 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items

Abstract

Method and system for tag-based grouping of online communities are disclosed. One or more tags associated with a user of a computer game system may be obtained by the computer system. One or more groups compatible with the user'"'"'s one or more tags may be identified by the computer system. The user may then be prompted to join the one or more clans located by the computer game system.

Claims

1. A method for tag-based grouping of online communities, comprising:

a) obtaining one or more tags associated with a user of a computer game system by the computer system;

b) identifying one or more groups compatible with the user'"'"'s one or more tags with the computer system; and

c) prompting the user to join the one or more groups identified in b) with the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) enrolling the user as a member of a group upon receiving a notification of acceptance from the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more tags associated with the user contribute to a group profile for each group joined by the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein d) includes allowing the user to compete in a computer-game related activity as a member of the group joined by the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the computer-game related activity is a turn-based game.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the computer-game related activity is a team-based quiz game.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the computer-game related activity is a team-based event, wherein the event involves competing against an opposing group.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the team-based event involves wagering one or more assets of the group against one or more assets of the opposing group.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein allowing the user to compete involves permitting the user to vote for an action to be performed at each turn of the turn-based game.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s vote is weighted differently that votes of other members of the group.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising performing an action with the computer system during game play indicating the user'"'"'s group affiliation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tags associated with the user are determined from a user profile accessible by the computer system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tags associated with the user are determined from previous behavior of the user with the computer system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tags associated with the user include one or more pre-set tags.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tags associated with the user include one or more open-text tags.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more groups identified in b) include groups that are specific to a particular game title.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more groups identified in b) include groups that span across game titles.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more groups in b) includes generating one or more rival groups based on a context of real world events.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more groups include one or more groups for a social network system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more groups include one or more chat groups or forums.

21. A system for implementing tag-based grouping of online communities, comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

computer coded instructions embodied in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer coded instructions are configured to implement a method for tag-based grouping of online communities, comprising;

a) obtaining one or more tags associated with a user of a computer game system by the computer system;

b) identifying one or more groups compatible with the user'"'"'s one or more tags with the computer system; and

c) prompting the user to join the one or more groups identified in b) with the computer system.

22. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for implementing a method for tag-based grouping of online communities, said computer program product having;

a) computer readable program code means for obtaining one or more tags associated with a user of a computer game system by the computer system;

b) computer readable program code means for identifying one or more groups compatible with the user'"'"'s one or more tags with the computer system; and

c) computer readable program code means for prompting the user to join the one or more groups identified with the computer system.