Communications among users belonging to affiliations spanning multiple virtual spaces

• US 8,843,557 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Ranade, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Algibhah, Hamza
• Assistant Examiner(s): COX, NATISHA D
• Application Number:
  US13/330,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Communications may be facilitated among users belonging to affiliations spanning two or more virtual spaces accessible via virtual environments. In exemplary implementations, affiliations within individual virtual spaces may be managed. A given affiliation within a given virtual space may comprise a discrete group of users with a relationship having a functional significance within the given virtual space. A communications interface may be provided for presentation to individual users. The communications interface may be configured to enable a given user to observe in-coming communications and provide out-going communications. Synchronous and/or asynchronous communications may be facilitated via the communications interface between users belonging to one or more common affiliations. The communications may be facilitated among users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, which may encompass two or more affiliations from different virtual spaces that include substantially the same group of users.

Claims

1. A system configured to facilitate communications among users belonging to affiliations spanning two or more online games accessible via virtual environments, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a group module configured to manage affiliations within individual ones of the two or more online games, a given affiliation within a given online game comprising a discrete group of users with a relationship having a functional significance within the given online game that has an impact on game play within the given online game, wherein the affiliations comprise a first affiliation within a first online game between a group of users including a first user and a second user, the first affiliation having a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the first online game, and a second affiliation within a second online game between a group of users including the first user and the second user, the second affiliation having a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the second online game;

an overarching group module configured to manage one or more overarching affiliations, individual ones of the overarching affiliations encompassing affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users, such that the overarching affiliations comprise a first overarching affiliation between the group of users including the first user and the second user encompassing the first affiliation in the first online game and the second affiliation in the second online game;

a communications interface module configured to provide a communications interface for presentation to individual users, the communications interface being configured to enable a given user to observe in-coming communications and provide out-going communications; and

a synchronous communications module configured to facilitate synchronous communications via the communications interface between users belonging to common overarching affiliations, wherein the first user and the second user are enabled to exchange synchronous communications while the first user is engaged in the first online game and the second user is engaged in a second online game.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is presented within one or both of a online game or a virtual environment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is presented outside of a online game and outside of a virtual environment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein two or more synchronous communications are spatially grouped within the communications interface based on individual affiliations associated with the two or more synchronous communications.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise an affiliate status module configured to provide an indication via the communications interface of whether one or more users belonging to individual ones of the affiliations are available to exchange synchronous communications.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the affiliate status module is further configured to provide an indication of whether one or more users belonging to a common overarching affiliation are available to exchange synchronous communications, the common overarching affiliation encompassing two or more affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise an asynchronous communications module configured to facilitate asynchronous communications via the communications interface between users belonging to one or more common affiliations, and wherein the first user is enabled to send the second user asynchronous communications regardless of whether the second user is engaged in a online game or a virtual environment.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the asynchronous communications module is further configured to facilitate asynchronous communications among users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, the common overarching affiliation encompassing two or more affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the asynchronous communications module is further configured to manage inboxes associated with individual users, the inboxes being presented via the communications interface, and wherein a first inbox is associated with the first user such that the first inbox is configured to contain an asynchronous communication sent by the second user to the first user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein two or more asynchronous communications contained by a given inbox are organized within the given inbox based on individual affiliations associated with the asynchronous communications contained by the given inbox.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a privileges module configured to manage privileges associated with individual users based on statuses attributed to the individual users, the privileges including a first privilege.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user is enabled to edit asynchronous communications of one or more other users belonging to the first affiliation responsive to the first privilege being associated with the first user and the first privilege being unassociated with the one or more other users belonging to the first affiliation.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein communications from the first user are visibly distinct in the communications interface from communications from one or more other users responsive to the first privilege being associated with the first user and the first privilege being unassociated with the one or more other users belonging to the first affiliation.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise an alert module configured to distribute alerts via the communications interface to individual users belonging to the one or more common affiliations, individual ones of the alerts being distributed responsive to one or more predetermined events occurring within one or more online games associated with the one or more common affiliations, wherein the alerts are distributed regardless of whether the individual users belonging to the one or more common affiliations are engaged in the one or more online games associated with the one or more common affiliations.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the alert module is further configured to distribute alerts to users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, the common overarching affiliation encompassing two or more affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a first alert sent to a user associated with a privilege contains different information relative to the first alert sent to a user unassociated with the privilege.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a broadcast module configured to enable the first user to transmit one or both of a synchronous communication or an asynchronous communication to two or more other users belonging to the first affiliation associated with the first online game regardless of whether individual ones of the two or more other users are engaged in the first online game.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the broadcast module is further configured to enable the first user to transmit one or both of a synchronous or an asynchronous communication to users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, the common overarching affiliation encompassing two or more affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a broadcast module configured to enable the first user to transmit one or both of a synchronous communication or an asynchronous communication to two or more other users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, the common overarching affiliation encompassing two or more affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users regardless of whether individual ones of the two or more other users are engaged in the first online game.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more overarching affiliations have a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the two or more online games, such that the first overarching affiliation has a functional significance that has an impact on game play for the group of users including the first user and the second user.

19. A system configured to facilitate communications among users belonging to affiliations spanning two or more online games accessible via virtual environments, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a group module configured to manage affiliations within individual ones of the two or more online games, a given affiliation within a given online game comprising a discrete group of users with a relationship having a functional significance within the given online game that has an impact on game play within the given online game, wherein the affiliations comprise a first affiliation within a first online game between a group of users including a first user and a second user, the first affiliation having a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the first online game, and a second affiliation within a second online game between a group of users including the first user and the second user, the second affiliation having a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the second online game;

an overarching group module configured to manage one or more overarching affiliations, individual ones of the overarching affiliations encompassing affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users, such that the overarching affiliations comprise a first overarching affiliation between the group of users including the first user and the second user encompassing the first affiliation in the first online game and the second affiliation in the second online game;

a communications interface module configured to provide a communications interface for presentation to individual users, the communications interface being configured to enable a given user to observe in-coming communications and provide out-going communications; and

an asynchronous communications module configured to facilitate asynchronous communications via the communications interface between users belonging to common overarching affiliations, wherein the first user is enabled to send the second user asynchronous communications regardless of whether the second user is engaged in a online game or a virtual environment.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a synchronous communications module configured to facilitate synchronous communications via the communications interface between users belonging to one or more common affiliations, wherein the first user and the second user are enabled to exchange synchronous communications while the first user is engaged in the first online game and the second user is engaged in a second online game.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the synchronous communications module is further configured to facilitate synchronous communications among users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, the common overarching affiliation encompassing two or more affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the computer program modules further comprise an alert module configured to distribute alerts via the communications interface to individual users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, the common overarching affiliation encompassing two or more affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users, individual ones of the alerts being distributed responsive to one or more predetermined events occurring within one or more online games encompassed by the common overarching affiliation, wherein the alerts are distributed regardless of whether the individual users belonging to the common overarching affiliation are engaged in the one or more online games encompassed by the common overarching affiliation.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more overarching affiliations have a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the two or more online games, such that the first overarching affiliation has a functional significance that has an impact on game play for the group of users including the first user and the second user.

24. A method for facilitating communications among users belonging to affiliations spanning two or more online games accessible via virtual environments, the method comprising:

managing affiliations within individual ones of the two or more online games, a given affiliation within a given online game comprising a discrete group of users with a relationship having a functional significance within the given online game that has an impact on game play within the given online game , wherein the affiliations comprise a first affiliation within a first online game between a group of users including a first user and a second user, the first affiliation having a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the first online game, and a second affiliation within a second online game between a group of users including the first user and the second user, the second affiliation having a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the second online game;

managing one or more overarching affiliations, individual ones of the overarching affiliations encompassing affiliations from different online games that include substantially the same group of users, such that the overarching affiliations comprise a first overarching affiliation between the group of users including the first user and the second user encompassing the first affiliation in the first online game and the second affiliation in the second online game;

providing a communications interface for presentation to individual users, the communications interface being configured to enable a given user to observe in-coming communications and provide out-going communications; and

one or both of;

facilitating synchronous communications via the communications interface between users belonging to common overarching affiliations, wherein the first user and the second user are enabled to exchange synchronous communications while the first user is engaged in the first online game and the second user is engaged in a second online game;

or

facilitating asynchronous communications via the communications interface between users belonging to common overarching affiliations, wherein the first user is enabled to send the second user asynchronous communications regardless of whether the second user is engaged in a online game or a virtual environment.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing an indication via the communications interface of whether one or more users belonging to a common overarching affiliation are available to exchange synchronous communications.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising managing privileges associated with individual users based on statuses attributed to the individual users, the privileges including a first privilege, wherein (1) the first user is enabled to edit asynchronous communications of one or more other users belonging to a common overarching affiliation responsive to the first privilege being associated with the first user and the first privilege being unassociated with the one or more other users belonging to the common overarching affiliation, and/or (2) communications from the first user are visibly distinct in the communications interface from communications from one or more other users responsive to the first privilege being associated with the first user and the first privilege being unassociated with the one or more other users belonging to the common overarching affiliation.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising distributing alerts via the communications interface to individual users belonging to a common overarching affiliation, individual ones of the alerts being distributed responsive to one or more predetermined events occurring within one or more online games encompassed by the common overarching affiliation, wherein the alerts are distributed regardless of whether the individual users belonging to the common overarching affiliation are engaged in the one or more online games encompassed by the common overarching affiliation.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising enabling the first user to transmit one or both of a synchronous communication or an asynchronous communication to two or more other users belonging to a common overarching affiliation regardless of whether individual ones of the two or more other users are engaged in a online game encompassed by the common overarching affiliation.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more overarching affiliations have a functional significance that has an impact on game play within the two or more online games, such that the first overarching affiliation has a functional significance that has an impact on game play for the group of users including the first user and the second user.