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

• US 8,715,081 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• 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:
  US13/775,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 42, 463 20- 31
• 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 method comprising:

allocating at least one vote to a player of a game;

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

receiving at least one vote from the player of the game for at least one participant of a television program; and

influencing, using a processor, an action performed by the at least one participant of the television program based at least in part on the at least one completed in-game task and the at least one received vote.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocating the at least one vote to the player of the game is based at least in part on a voting history of the player.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocating the at least of vote to the player of the game is based at least in part on the determination that the player completed the at least one in-game task.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one in-game task corresponds to the action to be performed by the participant of the television program.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a number of players that completed a plurality of in-game tasks; and

selecting an in-game task from the plurality of in-game tasks based on the number of players that completed the in-game task.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein influencing the action performed by the participant of the television program comprises assigning the selected in-game task to the participant.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a number of votes received for a plurality of participants of the television program;

selecting a participant from the plurality of participants based on the received number of votes; and

assigning the completed in-game task to the selected participant.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising allocating a reward to the selected participant, the reward usable by the participant in performing the assigned in-game task.

9. A system comprising:

a processor-implemented game module configured to;

allocate at least one vote to a player of a game;

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

receiving at least one vote from the player of the game for at least one participant of a television program; and

influence an action performed by the at least one participant of the television program based at least in part on the at least one completed in-game task and the at least one received vote.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the game module is configured to allocate the at least one vote to the player of the game based at least in part on a voting history of the player.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the game module is configured to allocate the at least one vote to the player of the game based at least in part on the determination that the player completed the at least one in-game task.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one in-game task corresponds to the action performed by the at least one participant of the television program.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the game module is further configured to:

determine a number of players that completed a plurality of in-game tasks; and

select an in-game task from the plurality of in-game tasks based on the number of players that completed the in-game task.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the game module is configured to assign the selected in-game task to the participant of the television program.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the game module is further configured to:

determine a number of votes received for a plurality of participants of the television program;

select a participant from the plurality of participants based on the received number of votes; and

assigning the completed in-game task to the selected participant.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the game module is further configured to allocate a reward to the selected participant, the reward usable by the participant in performing the assigned in-game task.

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

allocating at least one vote to a player of a game;

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

receiving at least one vote from the player of the game for at least one participant of a television program; and

influencing an action performed by the at least one participant of the television program based at least in part on the at least one completed in-game task and the at least one received vote.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprising:

determining a number of players that completed a plurality of in-game tasks; and

selecting an in-game task from the plurality of in-game tasks based at least in part on the number of players that completed the in-game task.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprising:

determining a number of votes received for a plurality of participants of the television program;

selecting a participant from the plurality of participants based on the received number of votes; and

assigning the completed in-game task to the selected participant.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one in-game task corresponds to the action to be performed by the participant of the television program.