Providing network and game content based on wireless signals

• US 8,152,635 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aspyr Media Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aspyr Media Incorporated
• Inventors: Leingang, Justin, White, Jeffrey Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): KUCAB, JAMIE R
• Application Number:
  US12/684,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content

Abstract

Providing content on a web site based on content in a game based. A wireless signal may be detected. Content in a game may be provided based on the detection of the wireless signal. The content may have been unavailable in the game prior to said detecting the wireless signal. For example, a characteristic of the wireless signal (e.g., an ID of a wireless signal from a wireless access point) may be determined and the content may be based on the characteristic of the wireless signal. Information regarding the content may be provided to one or more computer systems over a network, which may be configured to provide an indication of the content in the game on the web site based on the information.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions, wherein the memory medium is comprised in a portable device, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:

present a game on a display of the portable device, wherein the game is configured to display various content on the display to provide entertainment to the user;

detect a wireless signal received by the portable device;

determine an ID of a wireless access point providing the wireless signal;

determine if the ID of the wireless access point is a new ID for the portable device;

based on the ID being new, provide content in the game based on the ID of the wireless access point, wherein the content was unavailable in the game prior to said detecting the wireless signal, and wherein the content was previously stored in a memory local to the portable device;

automatically generate information regarding the content in the game; and

provide the information to one or more computer systems over a network, wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide an indication of the content in the game on a web site based on the information.

2. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

generate a hash of the ID;

wherein said providing content is based on the hash of the ID.

3. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the content comprises a reward in the game based on discovery of a new wireless access point.

4. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein said providing content in the game comprises unlocking content in a game based on the wireless signal.

5. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the content comprises an object, wherein said providing the content in the game comprises displaying the object on the display of the portable device, wherein the information regarding the content in the game specifies the object, and wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide the object for display on the web site based on the information.

6. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the content comprises an article of clothing for an avatar, wherein said providing the content in the game comprises displaying the article of clothing on the avatar on the display of the portable device in response to user input, wherein the information regarding the content in the game specifies that the article of clothing is on the avatar, and wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide the article of clothing for display on a corresponding avatar on the web site based on the information.

7. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive user input using the content in the game to create one or more songs;

wherein the information regarding the content in the game comprises information corresponding to the one or more songs, and wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide the one or more songs on the web site based on the information.

8. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein said detecting the wireless signal is performed at a first physical location, and wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

detect a second wireless signal at a second physical location;

provide second content in the game based on said detecting the second wireless signal at the second physical location.

9. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein said providing the information is performed automatically without user input specifying the provision of the information.

10. A method, comprising:

presenting a game on a display of a portable device, wherein the game is configured to display various content on the display to provide entertainment to the user;

detecting a wireless signal received by the portable device;

determining an ID of a wireless access point providing the wireless signal;

determining if the ID of the wireless access point is a new ID for the portable device;

based on the ID being new, providing content in the game based on the ID of the wireless access point, wherein the content was unavailable in the game prior to said detecting the wireless signal, and wherein the content was previously stored in a memory local to the portable device; and

providing information regarding the content in the game to one or more computer systems over a network, wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide an indication of the content in the game on a web site based on the information.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a hash of the ID;

wherein said providing content is based on the hash of the ID.

12. The method of claim 10,

wherein the content comprises a reward in the game based on discovery of a new wireless access point.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the content comprises an object, wherein said providing the content in the game comprises displaying the object on the display of the portable device, wherein the information regarding the content in the game specifies the object, and wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide the object for display on the web site based on the information.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the content comprises an article of clothing for an avatar, wherein said providing the content in the game comprises displaying the article of clothing on the avatar on the display of the portable device in response to user input, wherein the information regarding the content in the game specifies that the article of clothing is on the avatar, and wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide the article of clothing for display on a corresponding avatar on the web site based on the information.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive user input using the content in the game to create one or more songs;

wherein the information regarding the content in the game comprises information corresponding to the one or more songs, and wherein the one or more computer systems are configured to provide the one or more songs on the web site based on the information.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting the wireless signal is performed at a first physical location, and wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

detect a second wireless signal at a second physical location;

provide second content in the game based on said detecting the second wireless signal at the second physical location.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said providing the information is performed automatically without user input specifying the provision of the information.