Establishing a social application layer

• US 9,871,837 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2017
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Arts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Harrington, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mudrick, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US15/422,267
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 719328
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/70 Game security or game management aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A virtual space may be presented within a plurality of virtual environments provided by different platforms without requiring idiosyncratic APIs associated with the virtual space for each different platform. An API adaptor module may be configured to facilitate interfacing between a single virtual space API and platform APIs associated with two or more different platforms. A space module may be configured to execute an instance of a virtual space, and to implement the instance of the virtual space to determine view information defining views of the instance of the virtual space for presentation via two or more virtual environments provided by the two or more platforms. Facilitating user interactivity with the virtual space via a given virtual environment provided by a given platform may include interfacing between the virtual space API and a platform API associated with the given platform.

Claims

1. A system configured to facilitate presentation of an online game within a plurality of virtual environments provided by different platforms without requiring idiosyncratic APIs associated with the online game for the different platforms, the system comprising:

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

facilitate interfacing between a single online game API and platform APIs; and

output information associated with the single online game API through the single online game API;

wherein facilitating interfacing between the single online game API and the platform APIs includes translating the information output through the single online game API to information specific to the platform APIs, and facilitating presentation of views of the online game that reflect the information output though the single online game API within a virtual environment provided by one of the different platforms.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to facilitate proper display of the online game within virtual environments provided by the different platforms.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to facilitate interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API, and between the single online game API and a second platform API.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to facilitate accessing, via the online game, social graph information associated with individual virtual environments provided by the different platforms, wherein accessing social graph information associated with a first virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API, and wherein accessing social graph information associated with a second virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a second platform API.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein social graph information associated with a given virtual environment includes one or more of friends, contacts, relationship type, relationship duration, or relationships in common.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to facilitate interacting, via the online game, with platform mechanics associated with individual virtual environments provided by the different platforms, wherein interacting with platform mechanics associated with a first virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API, and wherein interacting with platform mechanics associated with a second virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and the second platform API.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein platform mechanics associated with a given virtual environment provided by a given platform include one or more of invitations, requests, alerts, gifts, or events.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to facilitate transferring publishing information between the online game and individual virtual environments provided by the different platforms, wherein transferring publishing information between the online game and a first virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API, and wherein transferring publishing information between the online game and a second virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a second platform API.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein publishing information associated with a given virtual environment provided by a given platform includes one or more of textual messages, emails, voice-based communications, video-based communications, or wall posts.

10. A computer-implemented method of facilitating presentation of an online game within a plurality of virtual environments provided by different platforms without requiring idiosyncratic APIs associated with the online game for the different platforms, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

facilitating interfacing between a single online game API and platform APIs;

output information associated with the single online game API through the single online game API;

wherein facilitating interfacing between the single online game API and the platform APIs includes translating the information output through the single online game API to information specific to the platform APIs, and facilitating presentation of views of the online game that reflect the information output though the single online game API within a virtual environment provided by one of the different platforms.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising facilitating proper display of the online game within virtual environments provided by the different platforms.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein facilitating interfacing between the single online game API and platform APIs associated with two or more different platforms includes:

facilitating interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API; and

facilitating interfacing between the single online game API and a second platform API.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising facilitating accessing, via the online game, social graph information associated with individual virtual environments provided by the different platforms, wherein accessing social graph information associated with a first virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API, and wherein accessing social graph information associated with a second virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a second platform API.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein social graph information associated with a given virtual environment includes one or more of friends, contacts, relationship type, relationship duration, or relationships in common.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising facilitating interacting, via the single online game, with platform mechanics associated with individual virtual environments provided by the different platforms, wherein interacting with platform mechanics associated with a first virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API, and wherein interacting with platform mechanics associated with a second virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and the second platform API.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein platform mechanics associated with a given virtual environment provided by a given platform include one or more of invitations, requests, alerts, gifts, or events.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising facilitating transferring publishing information between the online game and individual virtual environments provided by the different platforms, wherein transferring publishing information between the online game and a first virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a first platform API, and wherein transferring publishing information between the online game and a second virtual environment includes interfacing between the single online game API and a second platform API.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein publishing information associated with a given virtual environment provided by a given platform includes one or more of textual messages, emails, voice-based communications, video-based communications, or wall posts.