Methods and Systems for Using Mini-Games to Form a Hierarchical Social Network

• US 20140141888A1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Plaor, Inc. (Native Games America LLC)
• Original Assignee: Plaor, Inc. (Native Games America LLC)
• Inventors: Pavlish, Alan
• Application Number:
  US14/054,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141888A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

The present specification describes a method of online gaming among members of a social network, that provides a database of content, in a plurality of formats, for a game allowing an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access and select at least one format from a plurality of formats, from the database, receive a first piece of content corresponding to at least one format, and provide a response to the first piece of content, by planting a seed and growing a tree. Further, when the response is received from the first user, the trunk of a tree is formed. Subsequent users interact with content and form branches and leaves on the tree, thereby creating a viral tree community based on a game.

Claims

1. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of questions and answers, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access a first question from said database and receive a first question;

receiving a first answer from said initiating user to said first question;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of second users from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending a first question associated with a challenge to each one of said plurality of second users via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of second users to independently view and answer said first question associated with a challenge;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to the first question to said plurality of second users;

enabling each one of said second users to i) progress with said game if said answer to said first question is correct by re-answering the first question with a personal response or receiving a second question to respond to or ii) providing each one of said second users the opportunity to spend virtual currency to remain in the game if said answer to said first question is incorrect;

enabling each of said second users to choose a plurality of third users from a contact list of each one of said second users after each one of said second users answers said first or second question;

sending a first or second question to each one of said plurality of said third users via a social network message; and

,

repeating the steps of enabling members to choose additional members from contact lists as questions are answered correctly, thereby indefinitely adding new members to said game.

2. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 1, wherein said first or second question comprises a restatement of the first or second question after a response to said first or second question is provided by said initiating user, forming a challenge.

3. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 1, wherein each member has a predetermined time period to answer a question, further wherein said member is removed from said game if said question is not answered by said member within said time period.

4. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 3, wherein said time period is 24 hours.

5. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 4, wherein said gaming site sends periodic social network messages during said time period to remind said member to answer said question.

6. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing each member a graphical user interface wherein said questions and members of said game are graphically represented by a tree, further wherein said initiating user is represented by a trunk of said tree, said first players are represented by a first set of branches emanating from said trunk, and said second players are represented by a second set of branches emanating from said first set of branches, and so forth.

7. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 6, further comprising the step of enabling said members to view member profiles, send questions to new members, answer questions, and view gaming statistics from said graphical user interface.

8. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of questions and answers, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access a first question from said database and receive a first question, by planting a seed and growing a tree;

receiving a first answer from said initiating user to said first question, forming a trunk of a tree;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of second users from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending a first question to each one of said plurality of second users via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of second users to independently view and answer said first question;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to the first question to said plurality of second users; and

enabling each one of said second users to become a leaf on said tree by choosing not to progress with said game.

9. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 8, wherein said first or second question comprises a restatement of the first or second question after a response to said first or second question is provided.

10. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of questions and answers, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access a first question from said database and receive a first question;

receiving a first answer from said initiating user to said first question;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of second users from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending said first question to each one of said plurality of second users via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of second users to independently view and answer said first question;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to the first question to said plurality of second users; and

enabling each one of said second users to i) progress with said game if said answer to said first question is correct by re-answering the first question or receiving a second question or ii) providing each one of said second users the opportunity to spend virtual currency to remain in the game if said answer to said first question is incorrect.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of enabling each of said second users to choose a plurality of third users from a contact list of each one of said second users after each one of said second users answers said first or second question.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of sending said answered first or second question to each one of said plurality of said third users via a social network message.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising repeating the steps of enabling members to choose additional members from contact lists as questions are answered correctly, thereby indefinitely adding new members to said game.

14. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 10, wherein each member has a predetermined time period to answer a question, further wherein said member is removed from said game if said question is not answered by said member within said time period.

15. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 14, wherein said time period is 24 hours.

16. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 14, wherein said gaming site sends periodic social network messages during said time period to remind said member to answer said question.

17. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 10, further comprising the step of providing each member a graphical user interface wherein said questions and members of said game are graphically represented by a tree, further wherein said initiating user is represented by a trunk of said tree, said first players are represented by a first set of branches emanating from said trunk, and said second players are represented by a second set of branches emanating from said first set of branches, and so forth.

18. The method of online gaming among members of an online social network of claim 17, further comprising the step of enabling said members to view member profiles, send questions to new members, answer questions, and view gaming statistics from said graphical user interface.

19. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of questions and answers, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access a first question from said database and receive a first question, by planting a seed and growing a tree;

receiving a first answer from said initiating user to said first question, forming a trunk of a tree;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of second users from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending said first question to each one of said plurality of second users via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of second users to independently view and answer said first question;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to the first question to said plurality of second users;

enabling each one of said second users to i) progress with said game if said answer to said first question is correct by re-answering the first question or receiving a second question or ii) providing each one of said second users the opportunity to spend virtual currency to remain in the game if said answer to said first question is incorrect;

enabling each of said second users to choose a plurality of third users from a contact list of each one of said second users after each one of said second users answers said first or second question;

sending said answered first or second question to each one of said plurality of said third users via a social network message, allowing said second user to become a branch on the tree; and

,

repeating the steps of enabling members to choose additional members from contact lists as questions are answered correctly, thereby indefinitely adding new branches to said tree.

20. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of content, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access and select at least one content type from said database, receive a first piece of content corresponding to said at least one content type, and provide a response to said first piece of content;

receiving a first response from said initiating user from said user'"'"'s interaction with said first piece of content;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of first players from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending said first piece of content to each one of said plurality of first players via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of first players to independently view and respond to said first piece of content;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to said first piece of content to said plurality of second users;

enabling each one of said first players to i) progress with said game if said response to said first piece of content is correct by providing a personal response to said first piece of content or receiving a second piece of content to provide a response to or ii) providing each one of said first players the opportunity to spend virtual currency to remain in the game if said response to said first piece of content is incorrect;

enabling each of said first players to choose a plurality of second players from a contact list of each one of said first players after each one of said first players responds to said first or said second piece of content;

sending said answered first or second piece of content to each one of said plurality of said second players via a social network message; and

,

repeating the steps of enabling members to choose additional members from contact lists as content is responded to correctly, thereby indefinitely adding new members to said game.

21. The method of online gaming among members of a social network of claim 20, wherein after a response is provided to each of a first, second, and any subsequent piece of content, the piece of content is modified by at least one processor in accordance with said response prior to being sent to each of a first, second or subsequent player.

22. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of content, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access and select at least one content type from said database, receive a first piece of content corresponding to said at least one content type, and provide a response to said first piece of content, by planting a seed and growing a tree;

receiving a response from said first user to said first piece of content, forming a trunk of a tree;

enabling said first user to choose a plurality of second users from a contact list of said first user;

sending said first piece of content to each one of said plurality of second users via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of second users to independently view and answer said first piece of content;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to the first piece of content to said plurality of second users; and

enabling each one of said second users to become a leaf on said tree by choosing not to send the content along to subsequent players and to not progress with said game.

23. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of content, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access and select at least one content type from said database and receive a first piece of content corresponding to said at least one content type;

receiving a first response from said initiating user from said user'"'"'s interaction with said first piece of content;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of first players from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending said first piece of content to each one of said plurality of first players via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of first players to independently view and respond to said first piece of content;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to the first piece of content to said plurality of first players; and

enabling each one of said first players to i) progress with said game if said response to said first piece of content is correct by providing a personal response to said first piece of content or receiving a second piece of content to provide a response to or ii) providing each one of said first players the opportunity to spend virtual currency to remain in the game if said response to said first piece of content is incorrect;

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of enabling each of said first players to choose a plurality of second players from a contact list of each one of said first players after each one of said first players responds to said first or said second piece of content.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of sending said answered first or second piece of content to each one of said plurality of said second players via a social network message.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of enabling members to choose additional members from contact lists as content is responded to correctly, thereby indefinitely adding new members to said game.

27. The method of online gaming among members of a social network of claim 23, wherein after a response is provided to each of a first, second, and any subsequent piece of content, the piece of content is modified by at least one processor in accordance with said response prior to being sent to each of a first, second or subsequent player.

28. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of questions and answers, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access a first question from said database and receive a first question;

receiving a first answer from said initiating user to said first question, thereby creating a challenge;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of first players from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending said challenge to each one of said plurality of first players via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of first players to independently view and respond to said challenge;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to said first question to said plurality of first players;

enabling each one of said first players to i) progress with said game if said challenge is responded to correctly by re-creating a challenge with a personal response or receiving a second question to create a new challenge or ii) providing each one of said first players the opportunity to spend virtual currency to remain in the game if said response to said challenge is incorrect;

enabling each of said first players to choose a plurality of second players from a contact list of each one of said first players after each one of said first players responds to said first or said new challenge;

sending said first challenge or said new challenge to each one of said plurality of said second players via a social network message; and

,

repeating the steps of enabling members to choose additional members from contact lists as challenges are responded to correctly, thereby indefinitely adding new members to said game.

29. A method of online gaming among members of a social network, said online gaming effectuated by a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-volatile memory, either remote or local to client devices and servers, and executed by processors at the client devices or servers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming application for downloading onto a mobile device and for use on a mobile platform;

providing a database of content, in a plurality of formats, for said game;

enabling an initiating user who has downloaded the gaming application to access and select at least one content type from said database, receive a first piece of content corresponding to said at least one content type, and provide a response to said first piece of content;

receiving a response from said initiating user to said first piece of content, thereby creating a challenge;

enabling said initiating user to choose a plurality of first players from a contact list of said initiating user;

sending said challenge to each one of said plurality of first players via a social network message;

enabling each one of said plurality of first players to independently view and respond to said challenge;

revealing said initiating user'"'"'s answer to said first piece of content to said plurality of first players;

enabling each one of said first players to i) progress with said game if said response to said challenge is correct by re-responding to said challenge receiving a second piece of content to create a new challenge or ii) providing each one of said first players the opportunity to spend virtual currency to remain in the game if said response to said challenge is incorrect;

enabling each of said first players to choose a plurality of second players from a contact list of each one of said first players;

sending said first challenge or new challenge to each one of said plurality of second players via a social network message; and

,

repeating the steps of enabling members to choose additional members from contact lists as challenges are created and responded to correctly, thereby indefinitely adding new members to said game.

30. A method for providing a mobile game, comprising:

providing a first question to a first user;

receiving a first response to the first question by the first user;

storing said first response to the first question;

offering to the first user an option to send a version of said first question to a plurality of second users;

prompting each of said plurality of second users to answer the version of the first question;

receiving a plurality of second responses from at least a portion of said plurality of second users based upon said prompting;

storing said plurality of second responses in a database;

comparing each of said plurality of second responses against said first response; and

based upon said comparing, prompting the portion of said plurality of second users to either respond to a second question and send a version of the second question to a plurality of third users, wherein the first user, the portion of said plurality of second users, and a portion of said plurality of third users form a hierarchical social network or spend virtual currency to remain part of said hierarchical social network.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the first question is the same as the second question.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the first question is not the same as the second question.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein the first question is selected by the first user from a plurality of questions.

34. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of providing the first user an option to record an audio, text, video or pictorial message after said first user inputs the first response.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein the step of prompting each of said plurality of second users to answer the version of the first question occurs within a predefined time period.

36. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of notifying each of said plurality of second users of an existence of said version of the first question during said predefined time period using an electronic message.

37. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of dropping a portion of the plurality of second users from the hierarchical social network who do not respond to the version of said first question within the predefined time period.

38. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of dropping a portion of the plurality of second users from the hierarchical social network who do not spend virtual currency to remain part of said hierarchical social network.

39. The method of claim 30 wherein said plurality of second users and plurality of third users do not have any individual users in common.

40. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of providing one of the portion of said plurality of second users with an interface to post an electronic message to other users of the portion of said plurality of second users.

41. The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second response to the second question by one of the portion of said plurality of second users;

storing said second response to the second question;

offering to the one of the portion of said plurality of second users an option to send a version of said second question to the plurality of third users;

prompting each of said plurality of third users to answer the version of the second question;

receiving a plurality of third responses from at least a portion of said plurality of third users based upon said prompting;

storing said plurality of third responses in a database;

comparing each of said plurality of third responses against said second response; and

based upon said comparing, prompting the portion of said plurality of third users to either respond to a third question and send a version of the third question to a plurality of fourth users, wherein the first user, the portion of said plurality of second users, the portion of said plurality of third users, and a portion of said plurality of fourth users form said hierarchical social network or spend virtual currency to remain part of said hierarchical social network.