System and method for generating virtual space messages based on information in a users contact list

• US 9,479,466 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Harrington, Clifford J., Wakeford, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): DESAI, MARGISHI V
• Application Number:
  US13/901,496
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A system and method for generating virtual space messages based on information indicated by a contact list associated with a virtual space user are disclosed. The contact list may be obtained for the virtual space user and contact entries may be extracted from the obtained contact list. Individual contact entries may be correlated with users in the virtual space. In some examples, relationships between the virtual space and his/her contacts may be determined based on the information indicated by the contact entries. Virtual space messages, such as, but not limited to, to facilitate social interactions, mentorship, friendship and/or any other relationships between the virtual space user and his/her contacts within the virtual space may be generated and communicated to the client computing platforms associated with the contacts.

Claims

1. A non-transitory electronic storage media storing information related to dynamically generating game messages on behalf of a user in an online game, the stored information comprising:

a memory configured to store information related to one or more users of the online game;

instructions configured to cause a client computing platform to;

obtain user information of individual ones of the users of the online game, the obtained user information comprising first user information associated with a first user in the online game and second user information associated with a second user in the online game;

obtain contact lists associated with the users of the online game, the contact lists including one or more contact entries, such that a first contact list associated with the first user is obtained;

obtain contact entries from the contact lists and correlate the contact entries with online game user information obtained such that responsive to the first contact list being obtained, a first contact entry is obtained from the first contact list and correlates the first contact entry with the second user;

determine relationships between the users of the online game based on the contact entries such that a relationship between the first user and the second user is determined based on the first contact entry correlating to the second user;

generate game messages to users of the online game without requiring initiations of the game messages by the users, such that responsive to the first contact entry being correlated to the second user a first game message is generated by the one or more processors on behalf of the first user for communication to the second user based on the first contact entry,

wherein generating the first game message comprises determining content of the first game message based on the relationship between the first user and the second user as determined, such that responsive to the first user and the second user having a first type of relationship, first content is included in the first game message, and responsive to the first user and the second user having a second type of relationship, second content is included in the first game message, wherein the first content and the second content are different, and

wherein generation of the first game message does not require initiation by the first user.

2. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that correlating the first contact entry with the second user comprises obtaining identifying information from the first contact entry and corresponding the obtained identifying information to the second user information.

3. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 2, wherein the obtained identifying information of the first contact entry indicates a name, a phone number, an email address, and/or a real-world address.

4. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause a client computing platform to determine users being present in the online game such that the second user is determined to be present in the online game, and wherein the first game message is generated responsive to the determination that the second user is present in the online game and responsive to the first entry being correlated with the second user.

5. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 4, wherein the determined relationship between the first user and the second user indicates that the second user is a friend, a relative, a co-worker or a classmate of the first user.

6. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 5, wherein the determined relationship between the first user and the second user further indicates that the second user was introduced to join the online game by the first user.

7. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 1, wherein the generated first message facilitates social interactions and/or mentorship between the first user and second user within the online game.

8. The non-transitory electronic storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause a client computing platform to determine a first communication means for contacting the second user based on the first contact entry, and to effectuate a transmission of the generated game messages such that the transmission of the first message is effectuated to a client computing platform associated with the second user through the first communication means.

9. A method for dynamically generating game messages on behalf of a user in an online game, the method being implemented in one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

obtaining user information of individual users of the online game, the obtained user information comprising first user information associated with a first user in the online game and second user information associated with a second user in the online game;

obtaining contact lists associated with the users of the online game, the contact lists including one or more contact entries, the obtained contact lists including a first contact list associated with the first user;

obtaining contact entries from the contact lists and correlating the contact entries with the user information obtained such that responsive to the first contact list being obtained, a first contact entry from the first contact list is obtained and correlated with the second user;

determining relationships between the users of the online game based on the contact entries such that a relationship between the first user and the second user is determined based on the first contact entry correlating to the second user; and

generating game messages to users of the online game without requiring initiations of the game messages by the users, such that responsive to the first contact entry being correlated to the second user, generating, on behalf of the first user, a first game message for communication to the second user based on the first contact entry,

wherein generating the first game message comprises determining content of the first game message based on the relationship between the first and the second user as determined such that responsive to the first user and the second user having a first type of relationship, first content is included in the first game message, and responsive to the first user and the second user having a second type of relationship, second content is included in the first game message, wherein the first content and the second content are different, and

wherein generation of the first game message does not require initiation by the first user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein correlating the first contact entry with the second user comprises obtaining identifying information from the first contact entry and corresponding the obtained identifying information to the second user information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the obtained identifying information of the first contact entry indicates a name, a phone number, an email address, and/or a real-world address.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprises determining that the second user is present in the online game, and wherein the first message is generated responsive to the determination that the second user is present in the online game and responsive to the first contact entry being correlated with the second user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the determined relationship between the first user and the second user indicates that the second user is a friend, a relative, a co-worker or a classmate of the first user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determined relationship between the first user and the second user further indicates that the second user was introduced to join the online game by the first user.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the generated first message facilitates social interactions and/or mentorship between the first user and second user within the online game.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a first communication means for contacting the second user based on the first contact entry, and effectuating a transmission of the first message to a client computing platform associated with the second user through the first communication means.