Incentivizing location-based actions by groups

• US 10,867,313 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2019
• Issued: 12/15/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Bethke, Erik Paul, Koenigsberg, Scott, Mahajan, Amitt, Ocko, Matthew Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Renwick, Reginald A
• Application Number:
  US16/518,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20190340632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• 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 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 : constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information

Abstract

A method of incentivizing location-based actions by groups is disclosed. A group of users of a game networking system is notified that an incentive reward is to be provided based on a number of members of the group performing a location-based action transgressing a threshold. The incentive reward is provided based on the number of members of the group performing the location-based action transgressing the threshold.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer memories; and

a set of instructions incorporated into the one or more computer memories, the set of instructions configuring the one or more computer processors to perform operations to incentivize a group of users of a networked system to influence one or more other users of the networked system to perform a location-based action at a location associated with the networked system, the operations comprising;

receiving, at the networked system, information pertaining to the location-based action from a device of an entity associated with the location, the information being programmable via an application program interface of the networked system, the information identifying the location-based action and an incentive reward that is to be provided electronically to the group based on performances of the location-based action by the one or more other users;

based on a detection that the group of users has successfully influenced the one or more other users of the networked system to perform the location-based action, the verification based on verification data received, at the networked system, from a verification system executing at the location, providing the incentive reward electronically to the group, the providing of the incentive reward including modifying a data item in one more data stores of the networked system to credit one or more game accounts of the group.

2. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising selecting the group based on a level of influence of the group over the one or more other users.

3. The system of claim 2, the operations further comprising calculating the level of influence of the group based on past successes of the group in influencing the one or more other users to perform other location-based actions.

4. The system of claim 2, the operations further comprising determining the level of influence of the group based on an aggregation of levels of influence associated with each of the members of the group.

5. The system of claim 2, the operations further comprising determining the level of influence of the group independently of levels of influence associated with each of the members of the group.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information pertaining to the location-based action identifies an additional incentive reward that is to be provided to the one or more other users based on the performances of the location-based action by the one or more other users, the operations further comprising providing the additional incentive reward to the one or more other users.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising selecting the group based on a level of influence of the group over the location.

8. A method comprising:

performing operations, using one or more computer processors of a networked system, to incentivize a group of users of the networked system to influence one or more other users of the networked system to perform a location-based action at a location associated with the networked system, the operations comprising;

receiving, using the one or more computer processors, information pertaining to the location-based action from a device of an entity associated with the location, the information being programmable via an application program interface of the networked system, the information identifying the location-based action and an incentive reward that is to be provided electronically to the group based on performances of the location-based action by the one or more other users;

based on a detection that the group of users has successfully influenced the one or more other users of the networked system to perform the location-based action, the verification based on verification data received, at the networked system, from a verification system executing at the location, providing, using one or more computer processors, the incentive reward electronically to the group, the providing of the incentive reward including modifying a data item in one more data stores of the networked system to credit one or more game accounts of the group.

9. The method of claim 8, the operations further comprising selecting the group based on a level of influence of the group over the one or more other users.

10. The method of claim 9, the operations further comprising calculating the level of influence of the group based on past successes of the group in influencing the one or more other users to perform other location-based actions.

11. The method of claim 9, the operations further comprising determining the level of influence of the group based on an aggregation of levels of influence associated with each of the members of the group.

12. The method of claim 9, the operations further comprising determining the level of influence of the group independently of levels of influence associated with each of the members of the group.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the information pertaining to the location-based action identifies an additional incentive reward that is to be provided to the one or more other users based on the performances of the location-based action by the one or more other users, the operations further comprising providing the additional incentive reward to the one or more other users.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting the group based on a level of influence of the group over the location.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having a set of instructions thereon, the set of instructions configuring one or more computer processors to perform operations to incentivize a group of users of a networked system to influence one or more other users of the networked system to perform a location-based action at a location associated with the networked system, the operations comprising:

receiving, at the networked system, information pertaining to the location-based action from an entity associated with the location, the information being programmable via an application program interface of the networked system, the information identifying the location-based action and an incentive reward that is to be provided electronically to the group based on performances of the location-based action by the one or more other users;

based on a detection that the group of users has successfully influenced the one or more other users of the networked system to perform the location-based action, the verification based on verification data received, at the networked system, from a verification system executing at the location, providing the incentive reward electronically to the group, the providing of the incentive reward including modifying a data item in one more data stores of the networked system to credit one or more game accounts of the group.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising selecting the group based on a level of influence of the group over the one or more other users.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, the operations further comprising calculating the level of influence of the group based on past successes of the group of users in influencing the one or more other users to perform other location-based actions.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, the operations further comprising determining the level of influence of the group based on an aggregation of levels of influence associated with each of the members of the group.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, the operations further comprising determining the level of influence of the group independently of levels of influence associated with each of the members of the group.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information pertaining to the location-based action identifies an additional incentive reward that is to be provided to the one or more other users based on the performances of the location-based action by the one or more other users, the operations further comprising providing the additional incentive reward to the one or more other users.