Enabling game features based on location-based actions

• US 8,608,570 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Ocko, Matthew Adam, Reynolds, Brian, Mahajan, Amitt
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US13/174,729
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/309, 273/274, 273/311, 273/313, 273/371, 463/1, 463/2, 463/13, 463/16, 463/22, 463/25, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A method of enabling game features based on location-based actions is disclosed. An indication is received of a performance of a location-based action by a player of a computer-implemented game. A feature of the computer-implemented game is enabled based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a performance of a location-based action by a player of a computer-implemented game, the computer-implemented game being a game played by the player via a client system of the player independently of the location-based action by the player, the location-based action being specified by an operator of a location of the location-based action; and

enabling a feature of the computer-implemented game based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game, the feature of the computer-implemented game providing the player an ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to an additional player, the enabling of the feature of the computer-implemented game based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game being performed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the player the ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to an additional player includes enabling the player to trade a virtual item of the player of the computer-implemented game for a virtual item of the additional player of the computer implemented game.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the enabling of the player to trade the virtual item of the player of the computer-implemented game for the virtual item of the additional player of the computer-implemented game is based on a detecting of a presence of the player of the computer-implemented game at a location of the location-based action and a detecting of a presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented game at the location of the location-based action.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the detecting of the presence of the player of the computer-implemented game and the detecting of the presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented is within a predetermined time period.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the player the ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to an additional player includes enabling the player to drop a virtual item with respect to a location of the location-based action, the dropping enabling the additional player of the computer-implemented game to pick up the virtual item with respect to the location of the location-based action.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving an indication of a performance of a location-based action by the additional player of the computer-implemented game and wherein the enabling of the additional player of the computer-implemented game to pick up the virtual item is based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the additional player of the computer-implemented game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling of the feature is based on the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game occurring within a specific time frame.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based action is one of an aggregation of a plurality of actions, the plurality of actions including at least one of an additional location-based action and an in-game action, and wherein the enabling of the feature is based on a receiving of an indication of a performance of each of the plurality of actions.

9. A system comprising:

a game networking system configured to;

receive an indication of a performance of a location-based action by a player of a computer-implemented game, the computer-implemented game being a game played by the player via a client system of the player independently of the location-based action by the player, the location-based action being specified by an operator of a location of the location-based action; and

enable a feature of the computer-implemented game based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game, the feature of the computer-implemented game providing the player ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to an additional player.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the providing the player the ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to the additional player includes enabling the player to trade a virtual item of the player of the computer-implemented game for a virtual item of the additional player of the computer implemented game.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the enabling of the player to trade the virtual item of the player of the computer-implemented game for the virtual item of the additional player of the computer-implemented game is based on a detecting of a presence of the player of the computer-implemented game at a location of the location-based action and a detecting of a presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented game at the location of the location-based action.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the presence of the player of the computer-implemented game and the detecting of the presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented is within a predetermined time period.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the providing the player the ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to an additional player includes enabling the player to drop a virtual item with respect to a location of the location-based action, the dropping enabling the additional player of the computer-implemented game to pick up the virtual item with respect to the location of the location-based action.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the game networking system is further to receive an indication of a performance of a location-based action by the additional player of the computer-implemented game and wherein the enabling of the additional player of the computer-implemented game to pick up the virtual item is based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the additional player of the computer-implemented game.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the enabling of the feature is based on the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game occurring within a specific time frame.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the location-based action is one of an aggregation of a plurality of actions, the plurality of actions including at least one of an additional location-based action and an in-game action, and wherein the enabling of the feature is based on a receiving of an indication of a performance of each of the plurality of actions.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a performance of a location-based action by a player of a computer-implemented game, the computer-implemented game being a game played by the player via a client system of the player independently of the location-based action by the player, the location-based action being specified by an operator of a location of the location-based action; and

enabling a feature of the computer-implemented game based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game, the feature of the computer-implemented game providing the player ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to an additional player.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the providing the player the ability to transfer virtual items associated with the computer-implemented game to the additional player includes enabling the player to trade a virtual item of the player of the computer-implemented game for a virtual item of the additional player of the computer implemented game.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the enabling of the player to trade the virtual item of the player of the computer-implemented game for the virtual item of the additional player of the computer-implemented game is based on a detecting of a presence of the player of the computer-implemented game at a location of the location-based action and a detecting of a presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented game at the location of the location-based action.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the detecting of the presence of the player of the computer-implemented game and the detecting of the presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented is within a predetermined time period.