Real-time data services API

• US 8,821,294 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: McCaffrey, Daniel, Zhang, Yan, Lee, Cadir
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SKAARUP, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US13/793,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20130324261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 705/14.12
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and computer-implemented method for promoting an electronic game of a plurality of electronic games is provided. A storage module may store a user attribute relating to a first electronic game. An aggregator module is configured to aggregate a user attribute from each of a plurality of electronic games including the first electronic game. A transmitter module may transmit the user attribute relating to the first electronic game to the aggregator module upon the user attribute being stored in the storage module. An association module may associate, using an application programming interface, a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the association module associating based on a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of the user attribute of the first electronic game and game data of the second electronic game.

Claims

1. A method of promoting an electronic game of a plurality of electronic games, comprising:

modifying, using a processor, a user attribute of a user in association with a first electronic game of the plurality of electronic games;

storing the user attribute in a database associated with the first electronic game;

transmitting the user attribute from the database to an aggregator database, the aggregator database incorporating a user attribute from each of the plurality of electronic games, wherein transmitting the user attribute to the aggregator database is based on storing the user attribute in the database;

automatically providing to the user, using an application programming interface (API) implemented on a server, a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the API automatically providing the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user based, at least in part, on a predetermined rule executed by a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of;

the user attribute of the first electronic game; and

game data of the second electronic game; and

automatically providing to the user, with the API, another user attribute of the first electronic game based on the game data of the second electronic game and the predetermined rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by storing the user attribute in the database associated with the first electronic game.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by the processor:

receiving an indication that the user attribute is stored in the database associated with the first electronic game; and

commanding, substantially immediately after receiving the indication, the database associated with the first electronic game to transmit the user attribute to the aggregator database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically providing, using the API, the user attributes of at least one of the plurality of electronic games based, at least in part, on the rule engine, the user attributes of the at least one of the plurality of electronic games, and the game data of the second electronic game.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the rule engine is configured to be applied by the API to each of the plurality of electronic games to automatically provide one or more of the user attributes of that electronic game to the user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined rule executed by the rule engine comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first electronic game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time in the first electronic game, playing the first electronic game a predetermined period of time, and achieving a cumulative goal in the plurality of electronic games.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the API provides the user attribute of the first electronic game further based, at least in part, on a user characteristic comprising at least one of a user age, a user gender, a geographic location of the user, and a propensity of the user to engage in future game play.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of:

(i) the user attribute of the first electronic game comprises at least one of a level of achievement within the first electronic game, a virtual item for use within the first electronic game, and user access to the first electronic game; and

(ii) the user attribute of the second electronic game comprises at least one of a level of achievement within the second electronic game, a virtual item for use within the second electronic game, and user access to the second electronic game.

9. A system comprising:

a network adaptor configured to send and receive data packets over a network;

a processor communicatively coupled to the network adaptor; and

a storage medium, the storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor and including instructions which, when performed on the processor, cause the processor to;

modify a user attribute of a user in association with a first electronic game of a plurality of electronic games;

store the user attribute in a database associated with the first electronic game;

transmit the user attribute from the database to an aggregator database, the aggregator database incorporating a user attribute from each of the plurality of electronic games, wherein transmitting the user attribute to the aggregator database is based on storing the user attribute in the database;

automatically provide to the user, using an application programming interface (API) implemented on a server, a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the API automatically providing the user attribute of the second electronic game to the user based, at least in part, on a predetermined rule executed by a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of;

the user attribute of the first electronic game; and

game data of the second electronic game; and

automatically provide to the user, with the API, another user attribute of the first electronic game based on the game data of the second electronic game and the predetermined rule.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by storing the user attribute in the database associated with the first electronic game.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator database is triggered, at least in part, by the instructions configuring the processor to:

receive an indication that the user attribute is stored in the database associated with the first electronic game; and

command, substantially immediately after receiving the indication, the database associated with the first electronic game to transmit the user attribute to the aggregator database.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions further configure the processor to automatically provide, using the API, the user attributes of at least one of the plurality of electronic games based, at least in part, on the rule engine, the user attributes of the at least one of the plurality of electronic games, and the game data of the second electronic game.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the rule engine is configured to be applied by the API to each of the plurality of electronic games to automatically provide one or more of the user attributes of that electronic game to the user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined rule executed by the rule engine comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first electronic game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time in the first electronic game, playing the first electronic game a predetermined period of time, and achieving a cumulative goal in the plurality of electronic games.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the API to provide the user attribute of the first electronic game further based, at least in part, on a user characteristic comprising at least one of a user age, a user gender, a geographic location of the user, and a propensity of the user to engage in future game play.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of:

(i) the user attribute of the first electronic game comprises at least one of a level of achievement within the first electronic game, a virtual item for use within the first electronic game, and user access to the first electronic game; and

(ii) the user attribute of the second electronic game comprises at least one of a level of achievement within the second electronic game, a virtual item for use within the second electronic game, and user access to the second electronic game.

17. A system, comprising:

a storage module configured to store a user attribute of a user in association with a first electronic game;

an aggregator module configured to aggregate a user attribute from each of a plurality of electronic games including the first electronic game;

a transmitter module configured to transmit the user attribute relating to the first electronic game to the aggregator module upon the user attribute being stored in the storage module;

a provision module configured to;

automatically provide to the user, using an application programming interface (API), a user attribute of a second electronic game of the plurality of electronic games different from the first electronic game, the provision module automatically providing the user attribute of the second electronic game based, at least in part, on a predetermined rule executed by a rule engine implemented by the API and at least one of;

the user attribute of the first electronic game; and

game data of the second electronic game; and

automatically provide to the user, with the API, another first game user attribute to the user based on the second game data and the predetermined rule.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator module is triggered, at least in part, by storing the user attribute in the storage module.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein transmission of the user attribute to the aggregator module is triggered, at least in part, by the transmitter module:

receiving an indication that the user attribute is stored in the storage module associated with the first electronic game; and

commanding, substantially immediately after receiving the indication, the storage module to transmit the user attribute to the aggregator module.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the provision module is further configured to automatically provide at least one of the user attributes of the plurality of electronic games based, at least in part, on the rule engine, the user attributes of the at least one of the plurality of electronic games, and the game data of the second electronic game.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the rule engine is configured to be applied by the API to each of the plurality of electronic games to automatically provide one or more of the user attributes of that electronic game to the user.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the predetermined rule executed by the rule engine comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first electronic game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time in the first electronic game, playing the first electronic game a predetermined period of time, and achieving a cumulative goal in the plurality of electronic games.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the provision module provides the user attribute of the first electronic game further based, at least in part, on a user characteristic comprising at least one of a user age, a user gender, a geographic location of the user, and a propensity of the user to engage in future game play.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of:

(i) the user attribute of the first electronic game comprises at least one of a level of achievement within the first electronic game, a virtual item for use within the first electronic game, and user access to the first electronic game; and

(ii) the user attribute of the second electronic game comprises at least one of a level of achievement within the second electronic game, a virtual item for use within the second electronic game, and user access to the second electronic game.