Methods and Apparatus for Remote Updates

• US 20140256451A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zyngs Incorporated
• Inventors: Mahajan, Amitt, Rajlich, Luke Thomas, Lu, Sifang, Wang, Timothy D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,937,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• 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: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor

Abstract

Software on a server transmits a copy of a string of text data containing game state parameters to a client device executing an instance of a computer-implemented game. The string is serialized and unstructured. The instance modifies the game state parameters according to game logic and events generated by a user as the user plays the game. The software on the server then receives a batch file transmitted after a threshold period of time by the instance. The batch file includes a plurality of events. The software processes the plurality of events in the batch file against game logic to update one or more of game state parameters in the string and stores the text data in the updated string in a persistent database.

Claims

1. A method, comprising operations of:

receiving a batch file transmitted after a threshold period of time from an instance of a computer-implemented game executing on a client device, wherein the batch file includes a plurality of events; and

processing the plurality of events in the batch file against game logic to update one or more of game state parameters contained in a string of text data which is serialized and unstructured, wherein each operation is performed by one or more processors.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the text data in the string is stored in a persistent database that is partitioned into multiple parts and wherein each part is used to store one or more specific types of game application data.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of events includes an action and an object identifier.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the batch file includes at least one update to a user object.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the user object includes a player state and a world state.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the batch file includes successive updates to a user object that are processed in sequence.

7. One or more non-transitory media that are computer-readable storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, perform the following operations:

receiving a batch file transmitted after a threshold period of time from an instance of a computer-implemented game executing on a client device, wherein the batch file includes a plurality of events; and

processing the plurality of events in the batch file against game logic to update one or more of game state parameters contained in a string of text data which is serialized and unstructured.

8. The media of claim 7, further comprising an operation of:

transmit a copy of the string to the client device, wherein the instance modifies the game state parameters according to game logic and events generated by a user as the user plays the game.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of events includes an action and an object identifier.

10. The media of claim 7, wherein the batch file includes at least one update to a user object.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the user object includes a player state and a world state.

12. The media of claim 7, wherein the batch file includes successive updates to a user object that are processed in sequence.

13. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

transmitting a copy of a string of text data containing game state parameters to a client device executing an instance of a computer-implemented game, wherein the string is serialized and unstructured and wherein the instance modifies the game state parameters according to game logic and events generated by a user as the user plays the game;

receiving a batch file transmitted after a threshold period of time by the instance, wherein the batch file includes a plurality of events; and

processing the plurality of events in the batch file against game logic to update one or more of game state parameters in the string and storing the text data in the updated string in a persistent database.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of events includes an action and an object identifier.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the batch file includes at least one update to a user object.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user object includes a player state and a world state.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the batch file includes successive updates to a user object that are processed in sequence.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the persistent database is partitioned into multiple parts and wherein each part is used to store one or more specific types of game application data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein one of the parts stores social network contacts.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the updated string is stored as a single object in the persistent database.