Rules-based engine for cross-promotion platform

• US 8,834,276 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• 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:
  US13/793,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20130324259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 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 cross-promoting electronic games is provided. First and second electronic game databases are configured to store first and second game user attributes relating to first and second electronic game, respectively. An aggregator database is coupled to the first and second electronic game databases and is configured to store a first game user attribute, associated with the user and relating to a first electronic game, and user data of a user of the first electronic game. A processor is coupled to the aggregator database and configured to automatically associate a second game user attribute to the user according to a predetermined rule based on at least one of the first game user attribute stored in the aggregator database and the user data. The second game user attribute associated to the user by the processor is stored in the aggregator database.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first electronic game database configured to store first game user attributes relating to a first electronic game;

a second electronic game database configured to store second game user attributes relating to a second electronic game different from the first electronic game;

an aggregator database communicatively coupled to the first and second electronic game databases, the aggregator database configured to store a first game user attribute, associated with a user of the a first electronic game the user and relating to the first electronic game, electronic game, and further configured to store user data of the user of the first electronic game; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the aggregator database and configured to automatically provide associate a second game user attribute to the user according to a predetermined rule based on at least one of;

the first game user attribute stored in the aggregator database; and

the user data;

wherein the second game user attribute provided to the user by the processor is stored in the aggregator database; and

wherein the processor is configured to automatically provide another first game user attribute to the user based on the second game user attribute stored in the aggregator database, the user data, and the predetermined rule.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second game user attributes comprise at least one of a level of achievement within a respective electronic game, a virtual item for use within the respective electronic game, and user access to the respective electronic game.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein an additional first game user attribute is provided to the user based on the user playing the first electronic game.

4. The system of claim 2:

wherein the first and second electronic game databases are further configured to store first and second game data, respectively, the first and second game data comprising the respective first and second game attributes and at least one of;

data relating to an amount of time the user has engaged with the respective first and second electronic games;

a version of the respective first and second electronic games; and

user activities within the respective first and second electronic games; and

wherein the processor is configured to automatically provide the second game user attribute to the user based, at least in part, on the predetermined rule and the first game data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user data is 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.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching the level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, playing the first electronic game for a predetermined period of time, and achieving one or more of the first game user attributes within the first electronic game.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third electronic game database communicatively coupled to the first and second electronic game databases and the aggregator database and configured to store a third game user attribute relating to a third electronic game different from the first and second electronic games;

wherein the aggregator database is configured to store the third game user attribute; and

wherein the processor is configured to automatically provide another one of the first, second, and third game user attributes to the user further based on the first, second, and third user attributes stored in the aggregator database.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within any one of the first, second and third games, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, achieving a goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games, and achieving a cumulative goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games.

9. A system, comprising:

a hardware-implemented aggregator module to configured to aggregate a first game user attribute relating to a first electronic game and a second game user attribute relating to a second electronic game, the first game user attribute associated with a user of the first electronic game, and further configured to store user data of the user; and

a hardware-implemented rules module configured to automatically provide a second game user attribute to the user according to a predetermined rule based on;

the first game user attribute stored in the hardware-implemented aggregator database; and

the user data;

wherein the second game user attribute assigned associated to the user by the hardware-implemented rules module is stored by the hardware-implemented aggregator module; and

wherein the hardware-implemented rules module is configured to automatically provide another first game user attribute to the user based on the second game user attribute stored in the hardware-implemented aggregator module, the user data, and the predetermined rule.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first and second game user attributes comprise at least one of a level of achievement within a respective electronic game, a virtual item for use within the respective electronic game, and user access to the respective electronic game.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware-implemented rules module is configured to provide an additional first game user attribute to the user based on the user playing the first electronic game.

12. The system of claim 10:

wherein the first and second game data comprise the respective first and second game user attributes and at least one of;

data relating to an amount of time the user has engaged with the respective first and second electronic games;

a version of the respective first and second electronic games; and

user activities within the respective first and second electronic games; and

wherein the hardware-implemented rules module is configured to automatically provide the second game user attribute to the user based, at least in part, on the predetermined rule and the first game data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user data is 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.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching the level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, playing the first electronic game for a predetermined period of time, and achieving one or more of the first game user attributes within the first electronic game.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the hardware-implemented aggregator module is configured to store a third game user attribute relating to a third electronic game different from the first and second electronic games;

and wherein the hardware-implemented rules module is configured to automatically provide another one of the first, second, and third game user attributes to the user further based on the first, second, and third user attributes stored in the hardware-implemented aggregator database.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within any one of the first, second and third games, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, achieving a goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games, and achieving a cumulative goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games.

17. A method for cross-promoting electronic games, comprising:

storing, in a hardware-implemented aggregator module, a first game user attribute associated with a user of a first electronic game;

storing, in the hardware-implemented aggregator module, user data of the user;

automatically providing, using a hardware-implemented rules module, a second game user attribute to the user according to a predetermined rule based on at least one of;

the first game user attribute stored in the hardware-implemented aggregator module; and

the user data;

storing, in the hardware-implemented aggregator module, a second game user attribute provided to the user by the hardware-implemented rules module; and

automatically providing, with the hardware-implemented rules module, another first game user attribute to the user based on the second game user attribute stored in the hardware-implemented aggregator module, the user data, and the predetermined rule.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second game user attributes comprise at least one of a level of achievement within a respective electronic game, a virtual item for use within the respective electronic game, and user access to the respective electronic game.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing, with the hardware-implemented rules module, an additional first game user attribute to the user based on the user playing the first electronic game.

20. The method of claim 18:

wherein first and second game data comprise the respective first and second game user attributes and at least one of;

data relating to an amount of time the user has engaged with the respective first and second electronic games;

a version of the respective first and second electronic games; and

user activities within the respective first and second electronic games; and

wherein the automatic providing, with the hardware-implemented rules module, of the second game user attribute to the user is based, at least in part, on the predetermined rule and the first game data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the user data is 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.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching the level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, playing the first electronic game for a predetermined period of time, and achieving one or more of the first game user attributes within the first electronic game.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing, in the hardware-implemented aggregator module, a third game user attribute relating to a third electronic game different from the first and second electronic games;

and automatically providing, with the hardware-implemented rules module, another one of the first, second, and third game user attributes to the user further based on the first, second, and third user attributes stored in the hardware-implemented aggregator database.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within any one of the first, second and third games, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, achieving a goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games, and achieving a cumulative goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games.

25. 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;

store, in an aggregator module, a first game user attribute associated with a user of a first electronic game;

store, in the aggregator module, user data of the user;

automatically provide, using a rules module, a second game user attribute to the user according to a predetermined rule based on;

the first game user attribute stored in the aggregator module; and

the user data;

store, in the aggregator module, the second game user attribute automatically provided to the user by the rules module; and

automatically provide, with the rules module, another first game user attribute to the user based on the second game user attribute stored in the aggregator module, the user data, and the predetermined rule.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first and second game user attributes comprise at least one of a level of achievement within a respective electronic game, a virtual item for use within the respective electronic game, and user access to the respective electronic game.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the storage medium further includes instructions to provide an additional first game user attribute to the user based on the user playing the first electronic game.

28. The system of claim 26:

wherein the first and second game data comprise the respective first and second game user attributes and at least one of;

data relating to an amount of time the user has engaged with the respective first and second electronic games;

a version of the respective first and second electronic games; and

user activities within the respective first and second electronic games; and

wherein the second game user attribute is automatically provided to the user based, at least in part, on the predetermined rule and the first game data.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the user data is 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.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching the level of achievement, increasing a metric within the first game, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, playing the first electronic game for a predetermined period of time, and achieving one or more of the first game user attributes within the first electronic game.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the storage medium further includes instructions to:

store, in the aggregator module, a third game user attribute relating to a third electronic game different from the first and second electronic games; and

automatically provide, with the rules module, another one of the first, second, and third game user attributes to the user further based on the first, second, and third user attributes stored in the aggregator database.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the predetermined rule comprises at least one of reaching a level of achievement, increasing a metric within any one of the first, second and third games, achieving a goal within a predetermined period of time, achieving a goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games, and achieving a cumulative goal in at least two of the first, second, and third games.