System and method for providing an enhanced marketing, sale, or order fulfillment experience related to action figures or action figure accessories having corresponding virtual counterparts

• US 9,266,027 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jumo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jumo, Inc.
• Inventors: Yano, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US14/622,354
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/30
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• 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 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

In certain implementations, user performance related to a virtual environment may be utilized to provide a targeted presentation of action —figures, action figure accessories, or other items (e.g., services, products, etc.) available for purchase in an online marketplace. As an example, performance indicator information related to performance of a user of the virtual environment may be obtained. One or more of the action figures or action figure accessories may be selected based on the performance indicator information. The selected action figures or action figure accessories may be presented to the user in the online marketplace.

Claims

1. A method of providing a targeted presentation of action figures or action figure accessories available for purchase in an online marketplace associated with a virtual environment, the presentation being based, in part, on user performance in the virtual environment in which virtual counterparts of the action figures or action figure accessories interact with one another, the method being implemented on a computer system that includes one or more physical processors executing computer program instructions, which when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the computer system, performance indicator information related to performance of a user of the virtual environment;

selecting, by the computer system, one or more of the action figures or action figure accessories based on the performance indicator information;

presenting, by the computer system, the one or more selected action figures or action figure accessories to the user in the online marketplace;

receiving, at the computer system, a purchase confirmation indicating that an action figure or action figure accessory has been purchased by the user;

providing, by the computer system, a temporary virtual object to the user based on the purchase of the action figure or action figure accessory such that the temporary virtual object is available for use by the user in the virtual environment, wherein the temporary virtual object comprises at least one of a virtual counterpart of the action figure or action figure accessory in the virtual environment or a substitute for the virtual counterpart;

receiving, at the computer system, order fulfillment information related to a delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory; and

assigning, by the computer system, based on the order fulfillment information, a time of expiration such that use of the temporary virtual object by the user in the virtual environment is limited based on the time of expiration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual counterparts of the action figures comprise virtual character entities that represent the action figures in the virtual environment, and the virtual counterparts of the action figure accessories comprises virtual accessories of the virtual character entities.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the computer system, virtual counterpart information related to a first virtual counterpart of a first action figure assigned to the user, wherein the virtual counterpart information identifies one or more enhancements that are obtained by the first virtual counterpart when at least one of;

(i) at least a second action figure of the action figures or action figure accessories is assigned to the user;

or (ii) at least a second virtual counterpart of the second action figure is assigned to the user,

wherein selecting the one or more action figures or action figure accessories comprises selecting the second action figure further based on the virtual counterpart information, and

wherein presenting the one or more selected action figures or action figures accessories comprises presenting the second action figure to the user in the online marketplace.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance indicator information indicates a performance of the user with respect to an objective for the user in the virtual environment.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

comparing, by the computer system, the virtual counterparts of the action figures or action figure accessories with one another,

wherein selecting the one or more action figures or action figure accessories comprises selecting the one or more action figures or action figure accessories based on the comparison indicating that one or more virtual counterparts of the one or more action figures or action figure accessories provide greater benefit to the user with respect to achieving the objective than other ones of the virtual counterparts of the action figures or action figure accessories.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

obtaining, by the computer system, virtual counterpart information related to a first virtual counterpart of a first action figure assigned to the user, wherein the virtual counterpart information identifies one or more enhancements that are obtained by the first virtual counterpart when at least one of;

(i) at least a second action figure of the action figures or action figure accessories is assigned to the user;

or (ii) at least a second virtual counterpart of the second action figure is assigned to the user;

determining, by the computer system, whether the one or more enhancements are related to achieving the objective; and

wherein selecting the one or more action figures or action figure accessories comprises selecting the second action figure based on a determination that the one or more enhancements are related to achieving the objective, and

wherein presenting the one or more selected action figures or action figures accessories comprises presenting the second action figure to the user in the online marketplace.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, a purchase confirmation indicating that an action figure or action figure accessory has been purchased by the user;

providing, by the computer system, a randomly-selected version of the action figure or action figure accessory for delivery to the user, wherein the version of the action figure or action figure accessory is randomly selected from a plurality of versions of the action figure or action figure accessory; and

providing, by the computer system, a virtual counterpart of the randomly-selected version of the action figure or action figure accessory to the user in the virtual environment.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

assigning, by the computer system, a first probability to a first version of the action figure or action figure accessory; and

assigning, by the computer system, a second probability to a second version of the action figure or action figure accessory,

wherein the random selection of the version of the action figure or action figure accessory comprises a random selection of one of the versions of the action figure or action figure accessory based on the first probability and the second probability.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, order fulfillment information related to a delivery of an action figure or action figure accessory that has been purchased by the user; and

presenting, by the computer system, based on the order fulfillment information, an indication of progress of the delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory in the virtual environment.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

selecting, by the computer system, based on the purchase of the action figure or action figure accessory, a first virtual object in the virtual environment that is to provide an appearance of delivering or preparing for delivery of a virtual counterpart of the action figure or action figure accessory,

wherein presenting the progress indication comprises presenting, based on the order fulfillment information, the first virtual object delivering or preparing for delivery of the virtual counterpart in the virtual environment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the order fulfillment information indicates that the progress of the delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory has reached a first level of progress, and wherein presenting the first virtual object comprises presenting, based on the order fulfillment information, the first virtual object such that the first virtual object is presented at a first location in the virtual environment corresponding to the first level of progress, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, updated order fulfillment information indicating that the progress of the delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory has reached a second level of progress; and

updating, by the computer system, based on the updated order fulfillment information, the presentation of the first virtual object such that the first virtual object is presented at a second location in the virtual environment corresponding to the second level of progress.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the order fulfillment information indicates that the progress of the delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory has reached a first level of progress, and wherein presenting the first virtual object comprises presenting, based on the order fulfillment information, the first virtual object such that the first virtual object is presented performing a first activity in the virtual environment corresponding to the first level of progress, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, updated order fulfillment information indicating that the progress of the delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory has reached a second level of progress; and

updating, by the computer system, based on the updated order fulfillment information, the presentation of the first virtual object such that the first virtual object is presented performing a second activity in the virtual environment corresponding to the second level of progress.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the order fulfillment information indicates that the progress of the delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory has reached a first level of progress, the method further comprising:

selecting, by the computer system, based on the order fulfillment information, a first virtual object in the virtual environment corresponding to the first level of progress that is to provide an appearance of delivering or preparing for delivery of a virtual counterpart of the action figure or action figure accessory, wherein presenting the progress indication comprises presenting the first virtual object delivering or preparing for delivery of the virtual counterpart in the virtual environment;

receiving, at the computer system, updated order fulfillment information indicating that the progress of the delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory has reached a second level of progress; and

selecting, by the computer system, based on the updated order fulfillment information, a second virtual object in the virtual environment corresponding to the second level of progress that is to provide an appearance of delivering or preparing for delivery of the virtual counterpart; and

presenting, by the computer system, the second virtual object delivering or preparing for delivery of the virtual counterpart in the virtual environment.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

selecting, by the computer system, based on (i) the purchase of the action figure or action figure accessory and (ii) the action figure or action figure accessory being associated with a first object type, a first virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects that is to provide an appearance of delivering or preparing for delivery of a virtual counterpart of the action figure or action figure accessory, wherein presenting the progress indication comprises presenting, based on the order fulfillment information, the first virtual object delivering or preparing for delivery of the virtual counterpart in the virtual environment;

receiving, at the computer system, second order fulfillment information related to a delivery of a second action figure or action figure accessory purchased by the user;

selecting, by the computer system, based on (i) the purchase of the second action figure or action figure accessory and (ii) the second action figure or action figure accessory being associated with a second object type, a second virtual object from the plurality of virtual objects that is to provide an appearance of delivering or preparing for delivery of a second virtual counterpart of the second action figure or action figure accessory; and

presenting, by the computer system, based on the second order fulfillment information, the second virtual object delivering or preparing for delivery of the second virtual counterpart in the virtual environment.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, by the computer system, one or more other action figures or action figure accessories to the user in the online marketplace;

receiving, at the computer system, updated inventory information; and

presenting, by the computer system, based on the updated inventory information, one or more additional action figures or action figure accessories to the user in the online marketplace.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the computer system, pricing information indicating one or more prices for the one or more selected action figures or action figure accessories; and

presenting, by the computer system, the one or more prices with the presentation of the one or more selected action figures or action figure accessories in the online marketplace.

17. A system for providing a targeted presentation of action figures or action figure accessories available for purchase in an online marketplace associated with a virtual environment, the presentation being based, in part, on user performance in the virtual environment in which virtual counterparts of the action figures or action figure accessories interact with one another, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more physical processors to;

obtain performance indicator information related to performance of a user of the virtual environment;

select one or more of the action figures or action figure accessories based on the performance indicator information;

present the one or more selected action figures or action figure accessories to the user in the online marketplace;

receive a purchase confirmation indicating that an action figure or action figure accessory has been purchased by the user;

provide a temporary virtual object to the user based on the purchase of the action figure or action figure accessory such that the temporary virtual object is available for use by the user in the virtual environment, wherein the temporary virtual object comprises at least one of a virtual counterpart of the action figure or action figure accessory in the virtual environment or a substitute for the virtual counterpart;

receive order fulfillment information related to a delivery of the action figure or action figure accessory; and

assign based on the order fulfillment information, a time of expiration such that use of the temporary virtual object by the user in the virtual environment is limited based on the time of expiration.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the virtual counterparts of the action figures comprise virtual character entities that represent the action figures in the virtual environment, and the virtual counterparts of the action figure accessories comprises virtual accessories of the virtual character entities.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more physical processors are further caused to:

obtain virtual counterpart information related to a first virtual counterpart of a first action figure assigned to the user, wherein the virtual counterpart information identifies one or more enhancements that are obtained by the first virtual counterpart when at least one of;

(i) at least a second action figure of the action figures or action figure accessories is assigned to the user;

or (ii) at least a second virtual counterpart of the second action figure is assigned to the user,

wherein selecting the one or more action figures or action figure accessories comprises selecting the second action figure further based on the virtual counterpart information, and

wherein presenting the one or more selected action figures or action figures accessories comprises presenting the second action figure to the user in the online marketplace.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the performance indicator information indicates a performance of the user with respect to an objective for the user in the virtual environment.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more physical processors are further caused to:

compare the virtual counterparts of the action figures or action figure accessories with one another,

wherein selecting the one or more action figures or action figure accessories comprises selecting the one or more action figures or action figure accessories based on the comparison indicating that one or more virtual counterparts of the one or more action figures or action figure accessories provide greater benefit to the user with respect to achieving the objective than other ones of the virtual counterparts of the action figures or action figure accessories.