Game-based incentives for location-based actions

• US 8,287,384 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Talapatra, Shantanu, Waldron, Justin, Wang, Jackson, Auterio, Kathleen, Ersever, Deniz, Kheskani, Hardik, Lam, Serena, Makarsky, Christopher Joseph, Mosites, Donald C., Mullin, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/244,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 705/14.12
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for providing game-based incentives to users of online games as a reward for performing actions at physical locations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying one or more computer-implemented games associated with a user;

determining, using at least one processor of a machine, a reward for the user based at least in part on the one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user and based on at least one stored attribute of a physical location accessed from a location account of the physical location, the reward being an in-game asset in the one or more computer-implemented games;

determining a location-based action to be performed by the user in order to obtain the reward, the location-based action being an action performable by the user at the physical location; and

transmitting a message comprising a description of the location-based action, a description of the reward, and an offer of the reward for performing the location-based action to a device associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the determining of the reward or the determining of the location-based action is based on a game state of the one or more computer-implemented games.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location-based action is based on preferences of an operator of the location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location-based action is based on inventory of an operator of the location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the reward comprises selecting a game from the one or more computer-implemented games for which to offer a reward based on factors of the one or more computer-implemented games.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the factors are at least one selection from the group consisting of frequency of play, duration of play, and play preferences for each of the one or more computer-implemented games.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the reward comprises selecting a game based on social network information associated with the user for games that interface with a social network system, the social network information including a number of social network contacts of the user in the social network system that play the games that interface with the social network system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the reward is based on a thematic relationship between the reward and the one or more computer-implemented games.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location-based action is based on a thematic relationship between the location and the one or more computer-implemented games.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location-based action comprises selecting a game from the one or more computer-implemented games for which the location-based action is to be associated based on factors of the one or more computer-implemented games.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the factors are at least one selection from the group consisting of frequency of play, duration of play, and play preferences for each of the one or more computer-implemented games.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a game from the one or more computer-implemented games with little or no account activity for which to provide the over of the reward.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the determining of the incentive reward or determining of the location-based action is based on a type of goods or services available at the location.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the determining of the incentive reward or determining of the location-based action is based on personal and demographic information associated with users of the location.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the determining of the incentive reward or determining of the location-based action is based on purchase history of goods or services at the location.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the determining of the incentive reward or determining of the location-based action is based on geographic attributes of the location.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location-based action comprises identifying one or more stored attributes associated with the location by accessing a location account of the physical location.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the location account is stored on a game system that hosts the one or more computer-implemented games.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the location account is stored on a location system that is external to the physical location and the game system and is communicatively coupled to the physical location to receive, store, and transmit location attribute data associated with the physical location.

20. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying one or more computer-implemented games associated with a user;

determining a reward for the user based at least in part on the one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user and based on at least one stored attribute of a physical location accessed from a location account of the physical location, the reward being an in-game asset in the one or more computer-implemented games;

determining a location-based action to be performed by the user in order to obtain the reward, the location-based action being an action performable by the user at the physical location; and

transmitting a message comprising a description of the location-based action, a description of the reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action to a device associated with the user.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 20, wherein at least one of the determining of the reward or the determining of the location-based action is based on a game state of the one or more computer-implemented games.

22. A system comprising:

at least one processor of a machine; and

a game networking system configured to;

identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with a user;

determine a reward for the user based at least in part on the one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user and based on at least one stored attribute of a physical location accessed from a location account of the physical location, the reward being an in-game asset in the one or more computer-implemented games;

determine a location-based action to be performed by the user in order to obtain the reward, the location-based action being an action performable by the user at the physical location; and

transmit a message comprising a description of the location-based action, a description of the reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action to a device associated with the user.