Providing content based on presentation control device

• US 9,764,227 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Harrington, Clifford J., Wakeford, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Wei
• Application Number:
  US14/037,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 463 23, 463 36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories

Abstract

An online gaming system for providing online game content to users based presentation control device. The system may comprise one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules including: a game module configured to execute an instance of an online game and to implement the instance of the online game to facilitate participation of users in the online game via presentation control devices; a user module configured to manage content sets corresponding to the individual users; a presentation control device module configured to manage game content sets corresponding to presentation control devices; a detection module configured to detect users physically present at the presentation control devices; and a content module configure to: determine appropriate content sets which are to be made available for participation by the users, and effectuate presentation of the game content to facilitate participation of the users in the determined appropriate game content sets.

Claims

1. An online gaming system providing game content to users of an online game based on presentation control devices, the system comprising;

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

execute an instance of an online game, and to implement the instance of the online game by determining state information and transmitting the state information over a network to presentation control devices to facilitate participation of the users in the online game via the presentation control devices;

manage user accounts associated with the users in the online game, the user accounts indicating game content sets which correspond to individual ones of the users, wherein the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the users are content made available to the users by virtue of the user accounts and independent of any presentation control devices used by the users to access the online game, the user accounts including a first user account associated with a first user, the first user account indicating a first game content set corresponding to the first user that is content to be made available to the first user by virtue of the first user being logged into the first user account, independent of which presentation control device is used by the first user to access the online game;

manage game content sets corresponding to individual ones of presentation control devices, wherein the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices arg content made available at the individual ones of the presentation control devices for one or more users physically present at the individual ones of the presentation control devices, the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices including a second game content set corresponding to a first presentation control device, wherein the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device is made available to the first user and/or other users when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device, but not when accessing the online game via a second presentation control device, and wherein the second game content set is different than the first game content set, and wherein a third game content set corresponding to the second presentation control device is not accessible by the first user when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device;

detect users physically present at the presentation control devices; and

determine appropriate game content sets which are to be made available for participation by users, wherein the appropriate game content sets include one or more of the content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the users and one or more of the content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices, including determining, by virtue of the first user being detected at the first presentation control device, that the first game content set is to be made available for participation by the first user based on the first user being logged into the first user account, and second game content set is to be made available for participation by the first user at the first presentation control device based on the first user accessing the online game via the first presentation control device, and

effectuate presentation of the appropriate game content sets determined to facilitate participation of the users in the appropriate game content sets determined, including, effectuating presentation of the first game content set and the second game content set to facilitate participation in the first game content set and second game content set by the first user accessing the online game via the first presentation control device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been unlocked by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been purchased by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the second game content set corresponding to first presentation control devices includes content which has been unlocked during gameplay of the online game by users for the first presentation control device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device includes content which has been purchased for the first presentation control device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that game content sets includes one or more of gameplay modes, virtual items, virtual characters, game levels, or game maps.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that detecting users physically present at the presentation control devices includes detecting mobile devices used by the users which are physically present at the presentation control devices.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that detecting mobile devices comprises using wifi and/or near field communication capabilities of the presentation control devices.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that, by virtue a second user being detected at the first presentation control device, determine that the second game content set is to be made available for participation by the second user via the first presentation control device, and effectuate presentation of the second game content set to facilitate participation in the second game content set by the first user and the second user via the first presentation control device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

determine that the first game content set is not to be made available for participation by the second user, and

effectuate presentation of the first content set to facilitate participation in the first game content set by the first user and not the second user.

11. A method for presenting online game content to users of the online game based on presentation control devices, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of an online game to implement the instance of the online game by determining state information and transmitting the state information over a network to presentation control devices to facilitate participation of the users in the online game via the presentation control devices;

managing user accounts associated with the users in the online game, the user accounts indicating game content sets which correspond to individual ones of the users, wherein the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the users are content made available to the users by virtue of the user accounts and independent of any presentation control devices used by the users to access the online game, the user accounts including a first user account associated with a first user, the first user account indicating a first game content set corresponding to the first user that is content to be made available to the first user by virtue of the first user being logged into the first user account, independent of which presentation control device is used by the first user to access the online game;

managing game content sets corresponding to individual ones of presentation control devices, wherein the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices are content made available at the individual ones of the presentation control devices for one or more users physically present at the individual ones of the presentation control devices, the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices including a second game content set corresponding to a first presentation control device, wherein the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device is made available to the first user and/or other users when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device, but not when accessing the online game via a second presentation control device, and wherein the second game content set is different than the first game content set, and wherein a third game content set corresponding to the second presentation control device is not accessible by the first user when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device;

detecting users physically present at the presentation control devices;

determining appropriate game content sets which are to be made available for participation by users, wherein the appropriate game content sets include one or more of the content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the users and one or more of the content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices, including determining, by virtue of the first user being detected at the first presentation control device, that the first game content set is to be made available for participation by the first user based on the first user being logged into the first user account, and second game content set is to be made available for participation by the first user at the first presentation control device based on the first user accessing the online game via the first presentation control device; and

effectuating presentation of the appropriate game content sets determined to facilitate participation of the users in the appropriate game content sets determined, including, effectuating presentation of the first game content set and the second game content set to facilitate participation in the first game content set and second game content set by the first user accessing the online game via the first presentation control device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been unlocked by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been purchased by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the second game content set corresponding to first presentation control devices includes content which has been unlocked during gameplay of the online game by users for the first presentation control device.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device includes content which has been purchased for the first presentation control device.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein game content sets includes one or more of gameplay modes, virtual items, virtual characters, game levels, or game maps.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein detecting users physically present at the presentation control devices includes detecting mobile devices used by the users which are physically present at the presentation control devices.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein detecting mobile devices comprises using wifi and/or near field communication capabilities of the presentation control devices.

19. The method of claim 11 additionally including:

by virtue detecting a second user at the first presentation control device, determining that the second game content set is to be made available for participation by the second user via the first presentation control device; and

effectuating presentation of the second game content set to facilitate participation in the second game content set by the first user and the second user via the first presentation control device.

20. The method of claim 19 additionally including:

determining that the first game content set is not to be made available for participation by the second user, and

effectuating presentation of the first content set to facilitate participation in the first game content set by the first user and not the second user.