Display of a game through a primary and mobile display with individualized audio through the mobile device

• US 9,539,497 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kabam (Netmarble Corporation)
• Inventors: Harrington, Clifford J., Wakeford, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALL, SHAUNA-KAY N
• Application Number:
  US13/889,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for communicating a primary display comprising information that facilitates visual presentation of a view of a game space and general audio to a primary client device and facilitating communication of individualized audio through a secondary client device such as a user'"'"'s smartphone. The system may include a computing device that allows a user to play a video game through a primary client device, and send or receive individualized audio through a secondary client device while playing the video game. The system may include a set top box or other media device configured to provide general audio to a display device and individualized audio through a user'"'"'s secondary client device. The individualized audio may include audio tracks, voice communications (e.g., verbal utterances from a user to another user), and/or other sounds intended for a particular user and/or group of users.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating gameplay of a multi-user game through a primary client device and individualized audio related to the game for a particular user through a mobile device that is separate from the primary client device, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

provide to the primary client device;

information facilitating visual presentation of a view of the game space on the primary client device, the view forming a multi-user graphical user interface through which multiple users present at the primary client device input game commands, and

general audio related to the view of the game space, the general audio being intended for the multiple users present at the primary client device, the multiple users including a first user and a second user; and

obtain identifications of individual ones of the multiple users present at the primary client device,

obtain individualized audio specifically intended for individual ones of the users present at the primary client device, such individualized audio including first individualized audio intended for the first user and second individualized audio intended for the second user,

identify a first mobile device of the first user and a second mobile device of the second user, and

communicate the individualized audio to the mobile device of the users present at the primary client device such that the first individualized audio is communicated to the first mobile device for play on the first mobile device concomitant with participation by the first user in the game space through the primary client device such that both the first individualized audio and the general audio are presented to the first user, and the second individualized audio is communicated to the second mobile device for play on the second mobile device concomitant with participation by the second user in the game space through the primary client device such that both the second individualized audio and the general audio are presented to the second user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first individualized audio comprises a voice communication specifically intended for the first user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to obtain the voice communication from the second user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to obtain the voice communication from the second user via the second mobile device of the second user via a communication channel also used by the second mobile device for non-gaming voice communication.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first individualized audio comprises game-related audio specifically intended for the first user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to identify the first mobile device of the user via a registration of the first mobile device during a logon process in which the system logs on the first user for gameplay on the primary client device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to obtain the first individualized audio specifically intended for the first user based on the first user being a member of a team of users, wherein the first individualized audio is specifically intended for at least some members of the team of users.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first individualized audio is specifically intended for only particular members of the team of users.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to provide information facilitating visual presentation of individualized views of game information pertaining to the game space to the multiple users present at the primary client device, such information including:

first information facilitating visual presentation of a first individualized view of game information pertaining to the game space on the first client device; and

second information facilitating visual presentation of a second individualized view of game information pertaining to the game space on the second client device.

10. A computer-implemented method for facilitating gameplay of a multi-user game through a primary client device and individualized audio related to the game for a particular user through a mobile device that is separate from the primary client device, the method being implemented in a computer that includes one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

Providing, by the one or more processors, to the primary client device;

information facilitating visual presentation of a view of the game space on the primary client device, the view forming a multi-user graphical user interface through which multiple users present at the primary client device input game commands, and

general audio related to the view of the game space, the general audio being intended for the multiple users present at the primary client device, the multiple users including a first user and a second user;

obtaining, by the one or more processors, identifications of individual ones of the multiple users present at the primary client device;

obtaining, by the one or more processors, individualized audio specifically intended for individual ones of the users present at the primary client device, such individualized audio including first individualized audio intended for the first user and second individualized audio intended for the second user;

identifying, by the one or more processors, a first mobile device of the first user and a second mobile device of the second user, and

communicating, by the one or more processors, the individualized audio to the mobile device of the users present at the primary client device such that the first individualized audio is communicated to the first mobile device for play on the first mobile device concomitant with participation by the first user in the game space through the primary client device such that both the first individualized audio and the general audio are presented to the first user, and the second individualized audio is communicated to the second mobile device for play on the second mobile device concomitant with participation by the second user in the game space through the primary client device such that both the second individualized audio and the general audio are presented to the second user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first individualized audio comprises a voice communication specifically intended for the first user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to obtain the voice communication from the second user.

13. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the one or more processors, the voice communication from the second user via the second mobile device of the second user via a communication channel also used by the second mobile device for non-gaming voice communication.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first individualized audio comprises game-related audio specifically intended for the first user.

15. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

identifying, by the one or more processors, the first mobile device of the user via a registration of the first mobile device during a logon process in which the system logs on the first user for gameplay on the primary client device.

16. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the one or more processors, the first individualized audio specifically intended for the first user based on the first user being a member of a team of users, wherein the first individualized audio is specifically intended for at least some members of the team of users.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first individualized audio is specifically intended for only particular members of the team of users.

18. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising:

providing, by the one or more processors, an individualized view for visual presentation of an aspect of the game intended for the user to the mobile device of the user.