Synchronizing system for gameplaying

• US 9,782,674 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ganz
• Original Assignee: Ganz
• Inventors: Ganz, Howard, Borst, Karl Joseph, Larsen, John Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rada, II, Alex F. R. P.
• Application Number:
  US13/343,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20120178537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 463 29, 463 30, 463 40, 463 42, 380251
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet

Abstract

The subject application describes an activity performed with or without a website, such as a game. The game can be played either when in contact with the website or when disconnected from the website. The game playing can be carried out for example on a mobile device. The game can be used to earn virtual cash on the website, when playing from the mobile device. The game can also be played when the mobile device is not attached to the website, in which case the points that are received are saved along with an encryption to avoid a user'"'"'s improper increasing of the points.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable non transitory tangible medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code executed to carry out a computer based activity, comprising:

hosting an activity on a server computer, said activity being one which is carried out on a remote client computer, and where said activity is carried out either communicating with said server or as not communicating with said server;

receiving information on the server computer, from the remote client computer, said information being indicative of user interaction with the computer based activity;

awarding points to a user account associated with the user, based on said information that is received;

determining, in the server computer, if the remote client computer is connected to a remote website during the user interaction with the computer based activity resulting in said points being awarded;

at a first time, when said determining determines that the remote client computer is connected to the remote website, then adding said points to said user account contemporaneously with said points being obtained; and

at a second time, receiving an indication of previously-stored points from the remote client computer, said previously-stored points including an encryption result, using said encryption result to determine if said previously-stored points were validly-obtained, and if said previously-stored points were validly-obtained, adding said previously-stored points to said user account based on operations that occurred while said user was not communicating with said remote website to be combined with said points added to the user account contemporaneously with said points being obtained,

wherein said activity is a game,

wherein said activity is carried out by obtaining an image of a virtual product that has been previously registered by the user that is stored in memory, and using said image of the virtual product as part of said hosting said activity,

wherein said image of said virtual product is an image of a virtual product that has been customized by the user, and

wherein said points which are obtained by carrying out said activity are used to customize said virtual product.

2. A computer program product as in claim 1, further comprising animating said virtual product in the activity.

3. A computer program product as in claim 1, further comprising detecting a connection to a remote computer that has points stored thereon that were obtained when said activity was used without a connection, and automatically detecting an encryption of said previously stored points.

4. A computer program product as in claim 1, further comprising periodically updating a key used for the encryption result.

5. The product as in claim 1, wherein said computer readable program code operates to limit a number of points that can be validly obtained while said user was not communicating with said server, but not limiting the points while the programmed computer is connected to the server.

6. A method of carrying out a computer based activity, comprising:

detecting actions on a user interface of a programmed computer, said actions comprising interaction with a computer based activity on the programmed computer;

said interaction on the programmed computer earning points in the activity for taking said actions;

determining if the programmed computer is currently connected to a remote website;

where said computer based activity being one which is carried out on a remote client, and where said client can carry out said activity either connected to or disconnected from said remote website, at a first time, when said determining determines that the programmed computer is connected to the remote website, then communicating said points to said remote website as said points are obtained;

at a second time, when said determining determines that the programmed computer is not communicating to the remote website, then storing said points in a local memory in the programmed computer, said storing including storing an encryption result that is usable by the remote website to verify that said points were properly stored by carrying out the computer based activity; and

at a third time, which is a time subsequent to a time when first points have been earned from said computer-based activity and stored in said local memory, when said determining determines that the programmed computer is communicating to the remote website, then verifying the encryption result to determine that said first points were properly stored, and only if the encryption result indicates that the first points were properly stored, then communicating said first points to said remote website to be added to a user account and combined with other points stored in the user account as a result of said interactions with the computer based activity while the programmed computer was communicating with the remote website,

wherein said activity is carried out by displaying a virtual product that has been previously registered by the user,

wherein said activity is carried out by displaying a virtual product that has been customized by the user, and

wherein said points which are obtained by playing said game are used to customize said virtual product.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein said activity is a game.

8. A method as in claim 6, further comprising animating said virtual product in the activity.

9. A method as in claim 6, further comprising detecting a connection to a network, and automatically detecting if there are previously stored points on the programmed computer, and automatically detecting an encryption of said previously stored points.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising periodically updating a form used for the encryption.

11. The method as in claim 6, further comprising limiting a number of points that can be validly obtained while said client is not communicating with said remote website, but not limiting the points while the client is connected to the remote website.