Mobile device interface for online games

• US 9,908,045 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Lam, Serena, Auterio, Kathleen, Ersever, Deniz, Wang, Jackson, Mullin, Benjamin, Kheskani, Hardik
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weatherford, Syvila
• Application Number:
  US15/096,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items

Abstract

The computer-implemented game comprises a plurality of user-initiated in-game actions for affecting game state information that includes a set of browser in-game actions which is available via a browser user interface and includes a set of convenience in-game actions which is unavailable via the browser user interface, a single convenience in-game action of the set of convenience in-game actions being capable of producing a particular game result that corresponds to a plurality of browser in-game actions from the set of browser in-game actions, the plurality of browser in-game actions being capable of collectively producing the particular game result. A mobile application allows access to a set of mobile in-game actions that includes at least a portion of the set of browser in-game actions and includes the set of convenience in-game actions, initiation of each convenience in-game action being a user-selectable option for a user only via the mobile application.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data store of game state information corresponding to one or more instances of a computer-implemented game;

a game engine comprising one or more computer processor devices configured to control elements of the computer-implemented game such that the computer-implemented game comprises a plurality of user-initiated in-game actions to affect the game state information, the plurality of user-initiated in-game actions including a set of browser in-game actions which is available via a browser user interface and including a set of convenience in-game actions which is unavailable via the browser user interface, a single convenience in-game action of the set of convenience in-game actions being capable of producing a particular game result, the single convenience in-game action corresponding to a plurality of browser in-game actions from the set of browser in-game actions, the plurality of browser in-game actions being capable of collectively producing the particular game result; and

a mobile server that is implemented using at least one hardware processor that is in communication with the data store and to implement a mobile application for the computer-implemented game on a mobile client device over a computer network, wherein the mobile application allows access to a set of mobile in-game actions, the set of mobile in-game actions including at least a portion of the set of browser in-game actions and including the set of convenience in-game actions, initiation of each convenience in-game action being a user-selectable option for a user only via the mobile application on the mobile client device, each mobile in-game action being presented as one or more display elements via a graphical user interface on the mobile client device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an Internet server in communication with the data store and operative to implement the browser user interface for the computer-implemented game on one or more client systems over the computer network, wherein the browser user interface allows access to the set of browser in-game actions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more client systems include the mobile client device, the browser user interface being accessible via an Internet browser of the mobile client device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile application allows access to the set of convenience in-game actions subject to a debit charge to a user account of a user.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the debit char is debiting of an amount of virtual currency from a game account of the user.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the debit charge is a debiting of an amount of legal currency from a financial account of the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user-initiated in-game actions includes one or more initiating actions and one or more collecting actions.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the set of convenience in-game actions excludes one or more initiating actions.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile application allows access to one or more excluded initiating actions subject to a debit charge to a user account of a user.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

storing, using at least one of one or more hardware processors, game state information corresponding to one or more instances of a computer-implemented game;

controlling, using at least one of the one or more hardware processors, elements of the computer-implemented game, the computer-implemented game comprising a plurality of user-initiated in-game actions for affecting the game state information, the plurality of user-initiated in-game actions including a set of browser in-game actions which is available via a browser user interface and including a set of convenience in-game actions which is unavailable via the browser user interface, a single convenience in-game action of the set of convenience in-game actions being capable of producing a particular game result, the single convenience in-game action corresponding to a plurality of browser in-game actions from the set of browser in-game actions, the plurality of browser in-game actions being capable of collectively producing the particular game result; and

implementing, using a mobile server in communication with a data store, a mobile application for the computer-implemented game on a mobile client device over a computer network, wherein the mobile application allows access to a set of mobile in-game actions, the set of mobile in-game actions including at least a portion of the set of browser in-game actions and including the set of convenience in-game actions, initiation of each convenience in-game action being a user-selectable option for a user only via the mobile application on the mobile client device, each mobile in-game action being presented as one or more display elements via a graphical user interface on the mobile client device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

implementing, using an Internet server in communication with the data store, the browser user interface for the computer-implemented game on one or more client systems over the computer network, wherein the browser user interface allows access to the set of browser in-game actions.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the one or more client systems include the mobile client device, the browser user interface being accessible via an Internet browser of the mobile client device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing, via the mobile application, access to the set of convenience in-game actions subject to a debit charge to a user account of a user.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the debit charge is a debiting of an amount of virtual currency from a game account of the user.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the debit charge is a debiting of an amount of legal currency from a financial account of the user.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of user-initiated in-game actions includes one or more initiating actions and one or more collecting actions.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the set of convenience in-game actions excludes one or more initiating actions.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing, via the mobile application, access to one or more excluded initiating actions subject to a debit charge to a user account of a user.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations, comprising:

storing game state information corresponding to one or more instances of a computer-implemented game;

controlling elements of the computer-implemented game, the computer-implemented game comprising a plurality of user-initiated in-game actions for affecting the game state information, the plurality of user-initiated in-game actions including a set of browser in-game actions which is available via a browser user interface and including a set of convenience in-game actions which is unavailable via the browser user interface, a single convenience in-game action of the set of convenience in-game actions being capable of producing a particular game result, the single convenience in-game action corresponding to multiple browser in-game actions from the set of browser in-game actions, the multiple browser in-game actions being capable of collectively producing the particular game result; and

implementing, using a mobile server in communication with a data store, a mobile application for the computer-implemented game on a mobile client device over a computer network, wherein the mobile application allows access to a set of mobile in-game actions, the set of mobile in-game actions including at least a portion of the set of browser in-game actions and including the set of convenience in-game actions, initiation of each convenience in-game action being a user-selectable option for a user only via the mobile application on the mobile client device, each mobile in-game action being presented as one or more display elements via a graphical user interface on the mobile client device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, the operations further comprising:

implementing, using an Internet server in communication with the data store, the browser user interface for the computer-implemented game on one or more client systems over the computer network, wherein the browser user interface allows access to the set of browser in game actions.