Method for managing social games

• US 7,849,212 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ties Social Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mordechai Teicher
• Inventors: Teicher, Mordechai
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer; Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALGIBHAH, HAMZA N
• Application Number:
  US11/925,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,136 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method for managing inter-personal activities to facilitate matchmaking between single individuals, by instructing each individual what to do and with whom during a series of game sessions. Singles join a forum in which a plurality of activities contained in a database are individually assigned to participants, who confidentially express their preferences for specific activities and for other participants with whom to conduct activities. Expressed preferences are not disclosed to other individuals, but are input to a secure computer system that assigns the activities. Participants'"'"' wish-lists influence assignments made by the computer, and random factors provide variety and protect privacy by obscuring the effect of the wish-lists. After each assignment, participants can update their wish-list to affect further assignments.

Claims

1. A computerized method for generating assignments for a plurality of subscribers, the method comprising:

receiving from a user terminal of each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers a scoring that quantifies said each subscriber'"'"'s relative level of interest in each of a plurality of other subscribers, from the plurality of subscribers, whom said each subscriber has previously met;

providing to a user terminal of a first subscriber;

identification of a second subscriber that has been picked as a partner for said first subscriber in accordance with at least;

the scoring of said first subscriber'"'"'s relative level of interest in said second subscriber,

the scoring of said second subscriber'"'"'s relative level of interest in said first subscriber, and

a plurality of additional scorings made by subscribers of the plurality of subscribers, said additional scorings being other than;

the scoring of said first subscriber'"'"'s relative level of interest in said second subscriber, and the scoring of said second subscriber'"'"'s relative level of interest in said first subscriber, and

a first assignment that has been assigned to said first subscriber from an assignment database that contains a plurality of assignments;

providing to a user terminal of said second subscriber;

identification of said first subscriber, and

a second assignment, from said assignment database, that has been assigned to said second subscriber and matches said first assignment; and

subsequent to said providing to a user terminal of said first subscriber and said providing to said user terminal of said second subscriber;

receiving from a user terminal of said first subscriber an update for said first subscriber'"'"'s scoring of relative level of interest in said second subscriber, and receiving from a user terminal of said second subscriber an update for said second subscriber'"'"'s scoring of relative level of interest in said first subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first assignment and said second assignment are identical.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first assignment and said second assignment are complementary.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first assignment and said second assignment are face-to-face assignments.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first assignment and said second assignment are virtual assignments.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

assignments from said assignment database include a qualification by at least one of a level of intensity and a level of intimacy;

each instance of said first subscriber and said second subscriber being picked is counted by a number respective to said first subscriber and said second subscriber; and

said first assignment and said second assignment have been assigned in accordance with at least;

comparing said qualification with said number respective to said first subscriber and said second subscriber.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

introducing subscribers from said plurality of subscribers to one another.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the plurality of subscribers from a larger community of subscribers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first subscriber and said second subscriber have been picked in accordance also with a random number.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a user terminal of each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers a ranking of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in assignments from said assignment database;

and wherein each of said first assignment and said second assignment have been assigned in accordance with at least;

said ranking received from said first subscriber and said ranking received from said second subscriber.