System and method for using a game to interact with television programs

• US 8,360,885 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Patnaik, Pratyus, Etter, Nathan Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US13/244,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 463 20- 42, 463/9, 700/91
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games

Abstract

A system, computer-readable storage medium including instructions, and a computer-implemented method for obtaining votes for participants in a television program are described, in which code for a game is transmitted to a computer system, where the game includes an in-game voting module that allows a player of the game to cast votes for participants in a television program. At least one vote for at least one participant in the television program is received from the in-game voting module. A database including vote counts for the participants in the television program is updated based on the at least one vote for the at least one participant.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining that at least one in-game task in a computer-implemented game has been completed by a player of the computer-implemented game;

allocating a non-monetary in-game reward based at least in part on the completed at least one in-game task; and

influencing action in a television program based at least in part on determination of completion of the at least one in-game task and redemption of the non-monetary in-game reward by the player of the computer-implemented game.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein influencing the action in the television program comprises communicating information regarding completion of the at least one in-game task to a computer system of the television program.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising selecting at least one player of the computer-implemented game to assist at least one participant of the television program in performing a program task that the at least one participant is to perform in the television program.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising assigning a particular in-game task to the at least one selected player of the computer-implemented game, the particular in-game task corresponding to the program task that the at least one participant is to perform in the television program, wherein determining that the at least one in-game task has been completed comprises determining that the particular in-game task has been completed by the at least one selected player.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein selection of the at least one player to assist the at least one participant of the television program is based on a number of in-game tasks completed by the at least one player.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the particular in-game task is assigned to a plurality of players, the method further comprising determining a number of players that have completed the particular in-game task.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein influencing action in the television program comprises notifying the computer system of the television program of the number of players that have completed the particular in-game task.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting code for the computer-implemented game to a plurality of client devices respectively associated with a plurality of players of the computer-implemented game, the code comprising a plurality of in-game tasks that are performable by the plurality of players.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, for each of the plurality of in-game tasks, a number of players who have completed the respective in-game task; and

selecting at least one in-game task of the plurality of in-game tasks based on the number of players who completed the respective in-game tasks.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising assigning to participants of the television program at least one program task that corresponds to the at least one selected in-game task.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from an instance of the computer-implemented game on a particular client device, a request for statistics regarding a respective number of players of the computer-implemented game who have completed each of the plurality of in-game tasks;

compiling the statistics for the respective number of players of the computer-implemented game who have completed each of the plurality of in-game tasks; and

transmitting the compiled statistics to the instance of the computer implemented game on the particular client device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the television program is a television competition program, and wherein the at least one participant is a contestant in the television competition program.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented game is network-based social game.

14. A system comprising:

a processor-implemented game module configured to;

determine that at least one in-game task in a game has been completed by a player of the game;

allocate a non-monetary in-game reward based at least in part on the completed at least one in-game task; and

influence action in a television program based at least in part on determination of completion of the at least one in-game task and redemption of the non-monetary in-game reward by the player of the computer-implemented game.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the game module is further configured to select at least one player of the game to assist at least one participant of the television program in performing a program task that the at least one participant is to perform in the television program.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the game module is further configured to transmit code for the game to a plurality of client devices respectively associated with a plurality of players of the game, the code comprising a plurality of in-game tasks that are performable by the plurality of players.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the game module is further configured to:

determine, for each of the plurality of in-game tasks, a number of players who have completed the respective in-game task; and

select at least one in-game task of the plurality of in-game tasks based on the number of players who have completed the respective in-game tasks.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising assigning to participants of the television program at least one program task that corresponds to the at least one selected in-game task.

19. A computer readable storage medium storing at least one program that, when executed by at least on processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

determining that at least one in-game task in a computer-implemented game has been completed by a player of the computer-implemented game;

allocating a non-monetary in-game reward based at least in part on the completed at least one in-game task; and

influencing action in a television program based at least in part on determination of completion of the at least one in-game task and redemption of the non-monetary in-game reward by the player of the computer-implemented game.