Virtual Environment with Alerts

• US 20080207327A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leviathan Entertainment, LLC
• Original Assignee: Leviathan Entertainment, LLC
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew S., Mueller, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US11/676,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20080207327A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]

Abstract

A virtual environment in which players are able to receive alerts intended to indicate the occurrence of a given event within the virtual environment. The alerts may be delivered to the player while he is playing the game via an in-game messaging service or other similar device. Alternatively the alerts may be delivered to the player via a real world communication device such as a cell phone, pager, text messaging device, or the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a virtual environment in which players can interact with each other via player characters;

providing a user-interface through which players can interact with the virtual environment; and

receiving a request from a player to deliver an alert to the player upon the occurrence of one or more events in the virtual environment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the occurrence of the one or more events; and

sending a first alert to the player.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a fee from the player.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the fee is paid at the time of the request.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the fee is paid by the player after the player receives the alert.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the event is an impending payment due date.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining that the player has not engaged in a predetermined response to the alert; and

sending a second alert to the player.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the delivery mechanism of the first alert is different from the delivery mechanism of the second alert.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first alert is delivered to a game account associated with the player.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the second alert delivery mechanism is a real world communication device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the real world communication device is selected from the group consisting of:

a cell phone, a pager, and a text message-enabled handheld device.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a user interface wherein a player can indicate one or more preferences related to the alert.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the preferences comprise the mechanism of delivery.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the preferences comprise the in-game events to which the player would like to be alerted.

15. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining if the player is logged into the game; and

if the player is logged into the game, sending the alert via a first delivery mechanism and

if the player is not logged into the game, sending the alert via a second delivery mechanism.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first delivery mechanism is an in-game delivery mechanism.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the in-game delivery mechanism is detectable to the player via the player'"'"'s user interface with the virtual environment.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the second delivery mechanism is a real world communication device that is detectable to the player outside of the player'"'"'s user interface with the virtual environment.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the real world communication device is a cell phone.

20. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining if the player has provided services in the game environment; and

reducing the fee if the player has provided services in the game environment.