Game-based incentives for location-based actions

• US 8,388,452 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Mullin, Benjamin, Talapatra, Shantanu, Waldron, Justin, Wang, Jackson, Auterio, Kathleen, Ersever, Deniz, Kheskani, Hardik, Lam, Serena, Makarsky, Christopher Joseph, Mosites, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/244,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 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

Systems and methods for providing game-based incentives to users of online games as a reward for performing actions at physical locations are provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving verification data identifying a user of a computer-implemented game and indicating performance of a location-based action by the user at a physical location that is external to the computer-implemented game, the location-based action being determined based on retrieved game state data of the computer-implemented game;

accessing an account of the user;

identifying the computer-implemented game from the account; and

crediting, using a processor of a machine, the account with a reward based on the received verification data indicating the performance of the location-based action by the user at the physical location, the reward being usable within the computer-implemented game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification data further indicates when the location-based action was performed by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification data further indicates where the location-based action was performed by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification data further indicates how the location-based action was performed by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based action is a purchase of an item at the physical location, the verification data including purchase information usable to identify the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based action is a presence of the user at the physical location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the verification data is based on a specified proximity of the user to the physical location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the proximity is determined using a selection from a group consisting of GPS, a social networking site, a location tracking site, and a location reservation site.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the presence of the user is verified at the physical location based on a code located at the physical location that the user captures and transmits with their mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is a virtual item provided to a character controlled by the user in a virtual world of the computer-implemented game.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the reward to be provided to the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the reward based on intellectual property information associated with the location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is a mystery prize.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the location-based action based on preferences of an operator of the physical location.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the location-based action based on inventory of an operator of the physical location.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is determined based on a stored attribute of the physical location.

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

receiving verification data identifying a user of a computer-implemented game and indicating performance of a location-based action by the user at a physical location that is external to the computer-implemented game, the location-based action being determined based on retrieved game state data of the computer-implemented game;

accessing an account of the user;

identifying the computer-implemented game from the account; and

crediting the account with a reward based on the received verification data indicating the performance of the location-based action by the user at the physical location, the reward being usable within the computer-implemented game.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the location-based action is a purchase of an item at the physical location, the verification data including purchase information usable to identify the user.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the location-based action is a presence of the user at the physical location.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, wherein the verification data is based on a proximity of the user to the physical location.

21. A system comprising:

at least one processor of a machine; and

a game networking system configured to;

receive verification data identifying a user of a computer-implemented game and indicating performance of a location-based action by the user at a physical location that is external to the computer-implemented game, the location-based action being determined based on retrieved game state data of the computer-implemented game,

access an account of the user,

identify the computer-implemented game from the account, and credit, using the at least one processor, the account with a reward based on the received verification data indicating the performance of the location-based action by the user at the physical location, the reward being usable within the computer-implemented game.