Gameplay in a chat thread

• US 10,361,986 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Crocker, John, Davis, Randall, Shively, Orrin, Heatherly, Christopher W., Molinets, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Joy M
• Application Number:
  US14/500,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20160092035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 715752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for user generated gameplay in chat. The system including a memory storing a text and multimedia messaging software application, and a processor configured to execute the text and multimedia messaging software application to initiate a message exchange session with a remote mobile device, in response to a request received from a user of the mobile device, the message exchange session displaying a user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages, provide a plurality of games for selection by the user to be played during the message exchange session and within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages, receive a selection of one of the plurality of games by the user after initiating the message exchange session, and initiate the one of the plurality of games for playing within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages.

Claims

1. A method for using a mobile device to generate a game during a message exchange session with a remote mobile device, the method comprising:

initiating the message exchange session with the remote mobile device, in response to a request received from a first user of the mobile device, the message exchange session displaying a user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages within a plurality of chat bubbles;

providing a plurality of games for selection by the first user to be played by the first user with a second user of the remote mobile device during the message exchange session and within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of games by the first user after initiating the message exchange session;

initiating the one of the plurality of games for playing within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages, wherein the one of the plurality of games is a shooting game;

receiving, while playing the shooting game, a first shot from the second user shooting a chat bubble of the plurality of chat bubbles to make a game object visible; and

displaying the game object of the one of the plurality of games within the user interface, in response to the first shot from the second user shooting the chat bubble to make the game object visible.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a game request to the remote mobile device using the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a game acceptance from the remote mobile device using the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages in response to the sending of the game request.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining a winner of the one of the plurality of games.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating the one of the plurality of games is based on at least one of a size and a type of the text bubbles.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving a second shot from the second user shooting the game object made visible after the first shot; and

displaying shooting of the game object within the user interface, in response to the second shot from the second user shooting the game object made visible after the first shot.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prior to initiating the one of the plurality of games, providing a plurality of game objects for selection by the first user to be used during the playing of the one of the plurality of games;

receiving a selection of the game object of the plurality of objects by the first user; and

posting the game object of the plurality of objects within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages during the playing of the game.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the plurality of games is displayed simultaneously with messages exchanged with the remote mobile device during the exchange session and within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a memory storing a text and multimedia messaging software application; and

a processor configured to execute the text and multimedia messaging software application to;

initiate a message exchange session with a remote mobile device, in response to a request received from a first user of the mobile device, the message exchange session displaying a user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages within a plurality of chat bubbles;

provide a plurality of games for selection by the first user to be played by the first user with a second user of the remote mobile device during the message exchange session and within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages;

receive a selection of one of the plurality of games by the first user after initiating the message exchange session;

initiate the one of the plurality of games for playing within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages, wherein the one of the plurality of games is a shooting game;

receive, while playing the shooting game, a first shot from the second user shooting a chat bubble of the plurality of chat bubbles to make a game object visible; and

display the game object of the one of the plurality of games within the user interface, in response to the first shot from the second user shooting the chat bubble to make the game object visible.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein before the initiating of the one of the plurality of games, the processor is further configured to execute the text and multimedia messaging software application to:

send a game request to the remote mobile device using the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein before the initiating of the one of the plurality of games, the processor is further configured to execute the text and multimedia messaging software application to:

receive a game acceptance from the remote mobile device using the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages in response to the sending of the game request.

12. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the text and multimedia messaging software application to:

determine a winner of the one of the plurality of games.

13. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the processor initiates the one of the plurality of games based on at least one of a size and a type of the plurality of chat bubbles.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the the processor is configured to execute the text and multimedia messaging software application to:

receive a second shot from the second user shooting the game object made visible after the first shot; and

display shooting of the game object within the user interface, in response to the second shot from the second user shooting the game object made visible after the first shot.

15. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the text and multimedia messaging software application to:

prior to initiating the one of the plurality of games, provide a plurality of game objects for selection by the first user to be used during the playing of the one of the plurality of games;

receive a selection of the game object of the plurality of objects by the first user; and

post the game object of the plurality of objects within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages during the playing of the game.

16. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the one of the plurality of games is displayed simultaneously with messages exchanged with the remote mobile device during the message exchange session and within the user interface for exchanging text and multimedia messages.