REAL-TIME DATA SERVICES API

• US 20130324261A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: McCaffrey, Daniel, Zhang, Yan, Lee, Cadir
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and computer-implemented method for promoting an electronic game of a plurality of electronic games is provided. A storage module may store a user attribute relating to a first electronic game. An aggregator module is configured to aggregate a user attribute from each of a plurality of electronic games including the first electronic game. A transmitter module may transmit the user attribute relating to the first electronic game to the aggregator module upon the user attribute being stored in the storage module. An association module may associate, using an application programming interface, a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the association module associating based on a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of the user attribute of the first electronic game and game data of the second electronic game.

Claims

1. A method of promoting an electronic game of a plurality of electronic games, comprising:

modifying, using a processor, a user attribute of a first electronic game of the plurality of electronic games;

storing the user attribute in a database associated with the first electronic game;

transmitting the user attribute from the database to an aggregator database incorporating a user attribute from each of the plurality of electronic games, wherein transmitting the user attribute to the aggregator database is based on storing the user attribute in the database;

associating, using an application programming interface (API) implemented on a server, a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the API associating based, at least in part, on a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of;

the user attribute of the first electronic game; and

game data of the second electronic game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by storing the user attribute in the database associated with the first electronic game.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by the processor:

receiving an indication that the user attribute is stored in the database associated with the first electronic game; and

commanding, substantially immediately after receiving the indication, the database associated with the first electronic game to transmit the user attribute to the aggregator database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating, using the API, user attributes of more than one of the plurality of electronic games, the associating based, at least in part, on the rule engine, the user attributes of the more than one of the plurality of electronic games, and game data of the second electronic game.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the rule engine is configured to be applied by the API to each of the plurality of electronic games to associate a user attribute of any one of the plurality of electronic games to the user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the rule engine comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first electronic game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time in the first electronic game, playing the first electronic game a predetermined period of time, and achieving a cumulative goal in the plurality of electronic games.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein associating the user attribute of the second electronic game comprises:

prompting the user, via the user interface, with an offer to associate the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user; and

associating the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user upon an acceptance of the offer by the user.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the API associates the user attribute further based, at least in part, on a user characteristic comprising at least one of a user age, a user gender, a geographic location of the user, and a propensity of the user to engage in future game play.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the user attributes comprise at least one of a level of achievement within at least one of the first and second electronic games, a virtual item for use within at least one of the first and second electronic games, and user access at least one of the first and second electronic games.

10. A system comprising:

a network adaptor configured to send and receive data packets over a network;

a processor communicatively coupled to the network adaptor; and

a storage medium, the storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor and including instructions which, when performed on the processor, cause the processor to;

modify a user attribute of a first electronic game of a plurality of electronic games;

store the user attribute in a database associated with the first electronic game;

transmit the user attribute from the database to an aggregator database incorporating a user attribute from each of the plurality of electronic games, wherein transmitting the user attribute to the aggregator database is based on storing the user attribute in the database;

associate, using an application programming interface (API) implemented on a server, a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the API associating based, at least in part, on a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of;

the user attribute of the first electronic game; and

game data of the second electronic game.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by storing the user attribute in the database associated with the first electronic game.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by the instructions configuring the processor to:

receive an indication that the user attribute is stored in the database associated with the first electronic game; and

command, substantially immediately after receiving the indication, the database associated with the first electronic game to transmit the user attribute to the aggregator database.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further configure the processor to associate, using the API, user attributes of more than one of the plurality of electronic games, the associating based, at least in part, on the rule engine, the user attributes of the more than one of the plurality of electronic games, and game data of the second electronic game.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the rule engine is configured to be applied by the API to each of the plurality of electronic games to associate a user attribute of any one of the plurality of electronic games to the user.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein rule engine comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first electronic game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time in the first electronic game, playing the first electronic game a predetermined period of time, and achieving a cumulative goal in the plurality of electronic games.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein associating the user attribute of the second electronic game comprises instructions that cause the processor to:

prompt the user, via the user interface, with an offer to associate the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user; and

associate the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user upon an acceptance of the offer by the user.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the API associates the user attribute further based, at least in part, on a user characteristic comprising at least one of a user age, a user gender, a geographic location of the user, and a propensity of the user to engage in future game play.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the user attributes comprise at least one of a level of achievement within at least one of the first and second electronic games, a virtual item for use within at least one of the first and second electronic games, and user access at least one of the first and second electronic games.

19. A system, comprising:

a storage module configured to store a user attribute relating to a first electronic game;

an aggregator module configured to aggregate a user attribute from each of a plurality of electronic games including the first electronic game;

a transmitter module configured to transmit the user attribute relating to the first electronic game to the aggregator module upon the user attribute being stored in the storage module;

an association module configured to associate, using an application programming interface (API), a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the association module associating based, at least in part, on a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of;

the user attribute of the first electronic game; and

game data of the second electronic game.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator module is triggered, at least in part, by storing the user attribute in the storage module.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator module is triggered, at least in part, by the transmitter module:

receiving an indication that the user attribute is stored in the storage module associated with the first electronic game; and

commanding, substantially immediately after receiving the indication, the storage module to transmit the user attribute to the aggregator module.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the association module is further configured to associate user attributes of more than one of the plurality of electronic games based, at least in part, on the rule engine, the user attributes of the more than one of the plurality of electronic games, and game data of the second electronic game.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the rule engine is configured to be applied by the API to each of the plurality of electronic games to associate a user attribute of any one of the plurality of electronic games to the user.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein rule engine comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first electronic game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time in the first electronic game, playing the first electronic game a predetermined period of time, and achieving a cumulative goal in the plurality of electronic games.

25. The system of claim 22, further comprising a user interface module, and wherein the association module is configured to:

prompt the user, via the user interface module, with an offer to associate the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user; and

associate the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user upon an acceptance of the offer by the user.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the association module associates the user attribute further based, at least in part, on a user characteristic comprising at least one of a user age, a user gender, a geographic location of the user, and a propensity of the user to engage in future game play.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the user attribute comprises at least one of a level of achievement within at least one of the first and second electronic games, a virtual item for use within at least one of the first and second electronic games, and user access at least one of the first and second electronic games.