CHARACTER TRADING METHOD

• US 20110213682A1
• Filed: 05/10/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GANZ An Ontario Partnership Consisting of SH GANZ Holdings Incorporated and 816877 Ontario Limited
• Original Assignee: GANZ An Ontario Partnership Consisting of SH GANZ Holdings Incorporated and 816877 Ontario Limited
• Inventors: Ganz, Howard, Borst, Karl Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

There is provided a character training and development system for a virtual environment and related method. A character can be purchased by a user and then registered on a communication network via a unique code. Once registered, a set of attributes can be assigned to the character based on the type and class of the character. Attribute values can be assigned to the attributes by default or by user preferences. The characters can be manipulated within the virtual environment. In particular, the characters can be trained in order to improve their skills, to add new skills, and to increase their overall value and worth in the virtual environment. In addition, the characters can be traded among users for a price based on their skills. Fees can be charged for each trade. Traded characters are given a new code to transfer all control of the character to the new owner.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

using a computer for registering a character associated with a first user, said registering using registration information;

based on said registration information, using the computer for providing access to information indicative of the character on a website, which information represents said character, said character having plural initial attributes based on said registration information, each of said initial attributes can be changed by the first user through interaction with the character on the website to form a personalized version of the character that has plural different attributes than said initial attributes; and

using said website, transferring the personalized version of the character including its plural different attributes, from the first user to a second user and, subsequent to said transferring, granting the first user continued access to said website but preventing said first user from controlling said character after said transferring to said second user, maintaining a database of characteristics of characters available to be registered on the website, said database including market values of characters having said different attributes, said market values in said database being based on previous completed transfers of similar characters with said plural attributes, and providing an estimated market value of the character as personalized with said plural different attributes to the first user based on said market values in said database, where a market value of a character in said database is dependent of plural of said different attributes.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said transfer includes listing the character for sale, and responsive to said listing, preventing changes to the character by the first user.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said transfer includes listing the character for sale, and responsive to said listing, using the website for preventing access to the character by the first user.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said registering comprises receiving entry of a unique code that is associated with the character and is entered into the computer, where the unique code as entered is uniquely identified with the character, and where use of the unique code when entered causes information indicative of the character to be obtained from a database of characteristics and associated with the character, and where said transferring comprises deactivating the unique code to prevent using the unique code to access the second character by entering the unique code, the first user from accessing the second character, providing a new unique code to the second user when said new unique code is entered into the computer.

4. A method, comprising:

using a computer system for registering a character associated with a first user, said registering using registration information, wherein said registration information comprises a first unique code that is received by said computer system, and is entered into said computer system and, responsive to being entered, automatically registers a character associated with said registration information;

based on said registration information, providing access to information indicative of the character on a website associated with said computer system, which information represents said character, said character having plural initial attributes based on said information, each of said initial attributes are changed by the first user through interaction with the character on the website to form a personalized version of the character that has different attributes than said initial attributes; and

using said computer system, transferring the character including all of its changed characteristics from the first user to a second user and, continuing to grant the first user access to said website but preventing said first user from controlling said character after said transferring, and deactivating the first unique code after the character is transferred to said second user, and creating and providing a second unique code to the second user, where the second unique code is subsequently received from said second user and used to register and associate the character with the second user, and wherein the first unique code is no longer usable to be received to register the character after receiving the second unique code from the second user.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein said interacting with said character comprises training the character to increase values of said attributes.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said initial attributes are levels and are represented by numerical values that can be increased by certain actions that the user takes with the character.

7. A method as in claim 4, further comprising registering certain auxiliary items that are associated with the character, wherein said transferring comprises automatically transferring both the character and said auxiliary items.

8. A method as in claim 5, wherein different ones of attribute levels have different rates of increase.

9. A method as in claim 4, further comprising requiring at least the first user to pay a fee for said transferring.

11. A method, comprising:

using a computer for accepting interaction from a first user to access a website and to interact with at least a first character on said website;

subsequent to said accepting interaction from the first user, using a computer for registering a second character by said first user on said website by receiving entry of a unique code that is associated with the second character and is entered into the computer, where the unique code as entered is uniquely identified with the second character, and where use of the unique code when entered causes information indicative of the second character to be obtained from a database of characteristics and associated with the second character during registration, and grants the first user access to a portion of the website for interacting with said second character, wherein said interacting customizes said second character; and

subsequent to said grant of access to the portion of the website for interacting with the second character, transferring the second character from the first user to a second user, where said transfer comprises deactivating the unique code to prevent using the unique code to access the second character by entering the unique code, providing a new unique code to the second user which when said new unique code is entered into the computer, grants the second user access to the second character as customized by the first user on the website, and where said new unique code is received by said computer for registering said second character on said website, and granting the first user continued access to said first character on said website.

12. A method as in claim 11, further comprising, charging a fee for said transferring.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein said transferring comprises listing the character for sale, and responsive to said listing, preventing the first user from interacting with the second character.

14. A method as in claim 11, further comprising maintaining the database of characteristics of characters on the website, and providing an estimated value of the second character as customized, to the first user, said database including other values being based on previous completed transfers of similar characters which are customized in similar ways to said second character.

15. A method as in claim 11, wherein said interacting comprises training the character to increase values associated with said second character, said values each associated with an attribute of said second character.

16. A method as in claim 11, wherein said information includes initial attributes associated with said second character, said initial attributes including levels that are represented by numerical values that can be increased by certain actions that the user takes to interact with the second character.

17. A method as in claim 11, further comprising registering certain auxiliary items that are associated with the second character, wherein said transferring comprises automatically transferring both the second character and said auxiliary items using the new unique code.

18. A method as in claim 15, wherein different ones of attribute levels have different rates of increase.

19. A method, comprising:

using a computer for providing a user access to features of a website, and providing the user with access to specified characters on the website;

accepting registration information for an additional specified character on the website, and responsive to said additional registration information, providing the user with access to said additional specified character on said website, said additional registration information causing the website to access personalization information about the additional specified character, including initial attributes possessed by the additional specified character;

providing access to the user to personalize the additional specified character, by changing plural of said attributes through interaction with the additional specified character on the website; and

listing the character for sale on the website, and responsive to said listing, preventing changes to the character by the user and also granting the user access to a portion of the website for selling a personalized version of the additional specified character as personalized via said changing of said plural attributes, to another user,

said function providing a unique code to a user which, when said unique code is entered, causes said personalized version of the character to be registered;

maintaining a database of characteristics and selling prices for characters on the website based on previous sales on the website, and providing an estimated value of the character to the user based on said database,

determining if said character has been injured,

said database decreasing said estimated value for a character that has been injured.

20. A method as in claim 19, wherein said function includes, determining price based on demand for the customized character on the website.

21. A method as in claim 19, wherein said registration information comprises a unique code, and further comprising deactivating the unique code after the character is transferred to said another user, and replacing the unique code after said deactivating with a second unique code and providing said second unique code to said another user.

22. A method as in claim 19, wherein said providing access comprises training the character to increase values of said attributes.

23. A method as in claim 19, wherein said initial attributes are levels are represented by numerical values that can be increased by certain actions that the user performs with the character.

24. A method as in claim 19, further comprising allowing the user to register certain auxiliary items that are associated with the character, wherein said transferring comprises transferring both the character and said auxiliary items.

25. A method as in claim 22, wherein different attribute levels have different rates of increase.

26. A method as in claim 19, wherein said accepting registration information comprises receiving entry of a unique code that is associated with the second character and is entered into the computer, where the unique code as entered is uniquely identified with the second character, and where use of the unique code when entered causes information indicative of the second character to be obtained from a database of characteristics and associated with the second character, wherein said selling comprises deactivating the unique code to prevent using the unique code to access the second character by entering the unique code, providing a new unique code to the second user when said new unique code is entered into the computer.

27. A method, comprising:

registering a character on a website using registration information, said registration information identifying the character to be accessed;

using a computer for reading from a database, information about each of a plurality of different attributes that are associated with the character to be accessed and an available total number of points to be used in associating with said different attributes;

responsive to said registration, providing the available total number of points that are usable for changing initial attributes of said character, and accepting allocation information where a user allocates a plurality of total points between the different attributes, so that the plurality of total points allocated between the different attributes does not exceed said available total number of points, wherein each of the different attributes are allocated a same or different amount of points;

customizing said character to change points that are associated with attributes;

providing information indicative of a market valuation of said character as customized with each of said plurality of different attributes, based on other sales of characters with said plurality of similar attributes; and

permitting user-interaction with the character on the website based on said plurality of attributes.

28. A method as in claim 27, wherein said registering comprises receiving entry of a unique code that is associated with the second character and is entered into the computer, where the unique code as entered is uniquely identified with the second character, and where use of the unique code when entered causes information indicative of the second character to be obtained from a database of characteristics and associated with the second character, wherein said selling comprises deactivating the unique code to prevent using the unique code to access the second character by entering the unique code, providing a new unique code to the second user which when said new unique code is entered into the computer.