Changing a virtual world based on real-world locations of players

• US 9,033,803 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Reynolds, Brian, Ocko, Matthew Adam, Monahan, Jay, Etter, Nathan Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US13/651,929
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 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 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• 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 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• 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 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A method of changing a virtual world of a computer-implemented game based on real-world locations of players of the computer-implemented game is disclosed. A presence of a player of the computer-implemented game is detected at a physical location. A presence of an additional player of the computer-implemented game is detected at the physical location based on a communication received from the player of the computer-implemented game. An aspect of the virtual world of the computer-implemented game is changed based on the detecting of the presence of the player at the physical location and the detecting of the presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a physical location based on an aggregation of a plurality of inputs received from a plurality of additional players of the computer-implemented game, the aggregation of the plurality of inputs including determining a reliability of each of the plurality of inputs based on an analysis of past inputs received from a corresponding one of the additional players and weighting each of the plurality of inputs based on the determining of the reliability; and

making a perceptible change to an aspect of a virtual world of a computer-implemented game based on the detecting of the presence of the player at the physical location, one or more modules incorporated into a game networking system to specially-configure the game networking system to perform the detecting and the changing, the one or modules implemented by one or more processors of the game networking system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the aspect of the virtual world is a visual characteristic of a virtual item in the virtual world.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visual characteristic reflects a number of performances of a location-based action by the player.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the visual characteristic reflects a brand associated with the physical location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the aspect of the virtual world is a level of power of a virtual item.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a weight to each input of the plurality of inputs based on a reliability of the source of the input.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining the reliability of the source of the input based on an analysis of a plurality of past inputs received from the source of the input.

6. A system comprising:

one or modules implemented by one or more computer processors of a game networking system, the one or more modules incorporated into the game networking system to specially-configure the game networking system to;

detect a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a physical location based on an aggregation of a plurality of inputs received from a plurality of additional players of the computer-implemented game, the aggregation of the plurality of inputs including determining a reliability of each of the plurality of inputs based on an analysis of past inputs received from a corresponding one of the additional players and weighting each of the plurality of inputs based on the determining of the reliability; and

make a perceptible change to an aspect of a virtual world of a computer-implemented game based on the detecting of the presence of the player at the physical location.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the aspect of the virtual world is a visual characteristic of a virtual item in the virtual world.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the visual characteristic reflects a number of performances of a location-based action by the player.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the visual characteristic reflects a brand associated with the physical location.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the aspect of the virtual world is a level of power of a virtual item.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when incorporated into a game networking system as one or more modules implemented by at least one processor of the game networking system, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

detecting a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a physical location based on an aggregation of a plurality of inputs received from a plurality of additional players of the computer-implemented game, the aggregation of the plurality of inputs including determining a reliability of each of the plurality of inputs based on an analysis of past inputs received from a corresponding one of the additional players and weighting each of the plurality of inputs based on the determining of the reliability; and

making a perceptible change to an aspect of a virtual world of a computer-implemented game based on the detecting of the presence of the player at the physical location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the aspect is a visual characteristic of a virtual item in the virtual world.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the visual characteristic reflects a number of performances of a location-based action by the player.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the visual characteristic reflects a brand associated with the physical location.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the aspect is a level of power of a virtual item.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, the operations further comprising:

detecting a lack of a presence of the player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location; and

reversing the changing of the aspect of the virtual world of the computer-implemented game based on the detecting of the lacking of the presence of the player at the physical location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the presence of the player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location is not based on a communication received from the player of the computer-implemented game.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the presence of the player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location is based on a communication received from an inventory system of an operator of the physical location.