System and method for facilitating a game through a primary client device and in-game content purchases through a mobile device

• US 9,721,284 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Wakeford, Kent, Harrington, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/791,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• 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: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

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 to a primary client device and facilitating purchases of content for use in the game through a secondary client device such as a user'"'"'s smartphone. The system may include a game device that allows a user to play a video game or otherwise interact with a virtual environment using the primary client device and purchase content for use in the video game using a secondary client device while playing the video game using the primary client device. The purchased content may be integrated into the game space such that purchased content is available for use while the user is playing the video game.

Claims

1. A computing device configured to facilitate gameplay of a game through a primary client device and game-related purchases during the game through a mobile device separate from the primary client device, the computing device comprising:

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

communicate a primary display comprising information that facilitates visual presentation of a view of a game space to the primary client device, wherein the game accommodates content that is used during the game;

facilitate pairing of the mobile device and the primary client device via a local wireless or wired communication channel such that the mobile device and the primary client device are communicably coupled;

communicate one or more selectable sale offers for presentation to the user at the mobile device that is separate from the primary display on which the game space is presented and from the primary client device, the one or more selectable sale offers being for content in the game, and being presented during the game, such communication being enabled by the pairing of the mobile device and the primary client device via the local wireless or wired communication channel;

receive from the mobile device an indication to purchase at least one content being offered for sale during the game; and

integrate the at least one content responsive to the indication to purchase, the at least one content being integrated into the game during the game such that the primary display communicated to the primary client device incorporates the at least one content.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the game facilitates simultaneous gameplay among a plurality of users, and the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

communicate selectable sale offers to individual ones of a plurality of mobile devices used by respective ones of the plurality of users; and

receive indications to purchase content being offered for sale from the individual ones of the plurality of mobile devices.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to communicate the primary display to the primary client device such that individual ones of the plurality of users are presented with the game space during the game, wherein receipt of a first indication to purchase a particular virtual item from a first mobile device of a first user is not reflected on the primary display such that the first indication is obscured from view of a second user interacting with or receiving the primary display.

4. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the primary client device includes a plurality of primary client devices that individually displays the same primary display.

5. The computing device of claim 2, wherein different offers are communicated to different one of the plurality of users via respective mobile devices.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes a local computing device configured to communicate the primary display to the primary client device via a non-networked wireless or wired communication channel.

7. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a content database comprising a plurality of content that are available for sale; and

wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to identify one or more of the plurality of content to offer for sale, wherein the one or more selectable sale offers are based on the identified one or more of the plurality of content.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

receive an indication of an event occurring during the game, wherein the identification of the one or more of the plurality of content to offer for sale is based on the indication of the event.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

receive a request during the game from the mobile device to provide the selectable one or more selectable sale offers.

10. A computer-implemented method of facilitating gameplay of a game through a primary client device and game-related purchases during the game through a mobile device 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:

communicating, by the one or more processors, a primary display comprising information that facilitates visual presentation of a view of a game space to the primary client device, wherein the game accommodates content that is used during the game, such communication being enabled by the pairing of the mobile device and the primary client device via the local wireless or wired communication channel;

facilitating pairing, by the one or more processors, the primary client device and the mobile device via a local wireless or wired communication channel such that the primary client device and the mobile device are communicably coupled;

communicating, by the one or more processors, one or more selectable sale offers for presentation to the user at the mobile device that is separate from the primary display on which the game space is presented and from the primary client device, the one or more selectable sale offers being for content in the game, and being presented during the game;

receiving, by the one or more processors, from the mobile device an indication to purchase at least one content being offered for sale during the game; and

integrating, by the one or more processors, the at least one content responsive to the indication to purchase, the at least one content being integrated into the game during the game such that the primary display communicated to the primary client device incorporates the at least one content.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the game facilitates simultaneous gameplay among a plurality of users, the method further comprising:

communicating, by the one or more processors, selectable sale offers to individual ones of a plurality of mobile devices used by respective ones of the plurality of users; and

receiving, by the one or more processors, indications to purchase content being offered for sale from the individual ones of the plurality of mobile devices.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

communicating, by the one or more processors, the primary display to the primary client device such that individual ones of the plurality of users are presented with the game space during the game, wherein receipt of a first indication to purchase a particular virtual item from a first mobile device of a first user is not reflected on the primary display such that the first indication is obscured from view of a second user interacting with or receiving the primary display.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the primary client device includes a plurality of primary client devices that individually displays the same primary display.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein different offers are communicated to different one of the plurality of users via respective mobile devices.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the computing device includes a local computing device, the method further comprising:

communicating, by the local computing device, the primary display to the primary client device via a non-networked wireless or wired communication channel.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing, by a content database, a plurality of content that are available for sale; and

identifying, by the one or more processors, one or more of the plurality of content to offer for sale, wherein the one or more selectable sale offers are based on the identified one or more of the plurality of content.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, an indication of an event occurring during the game, wherein the identification of the one or more of the plurality of content to offer for sale is based on the indication of the event.

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

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request during the game from the mobile device to provide the selectable one or more selectable sale offers.