Changing a virtual world based on real-world locations of players

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10143926-B2
Application number	US-201715454349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2011
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A method of changing a virtual world of a computer-implemented game based on real-world locations of players of the computer-implemented game is disclosed. A presence of a player of the computer-implemented game is detected at a physical location. A presence of an additional player of the computer-implemented game is detected at the physical location based on a communication received from the player of the computer-implemented game. An aspect of the virtual world of the computer-implemented game is changed based on the detecting of the presence of the player at the physical location and the detecting of the presence of the additional player of the computer-implemented game at the physical location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more computer memories;
one or more modules incorporated into the one or more computer memories, the one or more modules configuring the one or more computer processors to perform operations to limit illegal trading of real-world items linked to a computer-implemented game, the method comprising:
linking the real-world items to the computer-implemented game, the linking including associating a using of the real-world item with a change to a game state of the computer-implemented game;
providing a user of the computer-implemented game with an ability to unlock the using of the item to perform the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game;
performing a verification process to confirm a transfer of the real-world item to an additional user, wherein the performing of the verification process includes receiving a communication from a device embedded in the real-world item, the communication including a specification of a location of the real-world item; and
based on a completion of the verification process, providing the additional user of the computer-implemented game with the ability to perform the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the change to the game state includes transferring one or more virtual items from the user to the additional user.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transferring is temporary.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the verification process includes determining that the user and the additional user are within a same physical location, the determining based on communications received from one or more devices of the user and one or more devices of the additional user.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the user of the computer-implemented game with the ability to unlock the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game includes binding the real-world item to a device of the user.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the verification process includes a determination that the additional user of the computer-implemented game has bound the real-world item to a device of the additional user.

7. A method comprising:
limiting illegal trading of real-world items linked to a computer-implemented game, the limiting comprising:
linking the real-world items to the computer-implemented game, the linking including associating a using of the real-world item with a change to a game state of the computer-implemented game;
providing a user of the computer-implemented game with an ability to unlock the using of the item to perform the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game;
performing a verification process to confirm a transfer of the real-world item to an additional user, wherein the performing of the verification process includes receiving a communication from a device embedded in the real-world item, the communication including a specification of a location of the real-world item; and
based on a completion of the verification process, providing the additional user of the computer-implemented game with the ability to perform the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the change to the game state includes transferring one or more virtual items from the user to the additional user.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the transferring is temporary.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the performing of the verification process includes determining that the user and the additional user are within a same physical location, the determining based on communications received from one or more devices of the user and one or more devices of the additional user.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the providing of the user of the computer-implemented game with the ability to unlock the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game includes binding the real-world item to a device of the user.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the verification process includes a determination that the additional user of the computer-implemented game has bound the real-world item to a device of the additional user.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for limiting illegal trading of real-world items linked to a computer-implemented game, the operations comprising:
linking the real-world items to the computer-implemented game, the linking including associating a using of the real-world item with a change to a game state of the computer-implemented game;
providing a user of the computer-implemented game with an ability to unlock the using of the item to perform the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game;
performing a verification process to confirm a transfer of the real-world item to an additional user, wherein the performing of the verification process includes receiving a communication from a device embedded in the real-world item, the communication including a specification of a location of the real-world item; and
based on a completion of the verification process, providing the additional user of the computer-implemented game with the ability to perform the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the change to the game state includes transferring one or more virtual items from the user to the additional user.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the transferring is temporary.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the performing of the verification process includes determining that the user and the additional user are within a same physical location, the determining based on communications received from one or more devices of the user and one or more devices of the additional user.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the providing of the user of the computer-implemented game with the ability to unlock the using of the real-world item to make the change to the game state of the computer-implemented game includes binding the real-world item to a device of the user.

Assignees

• Zynga Inc

Inventors

• Etter Nathan Arthur
• Monahan Jay
• Ocko Matthew Adam
• Reynolds Brian

Classifications

• H04L67/38

  Electricity · mapped topic

• A63F13/216 Primary

  using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS · CPC title

• A63F2300/5573

  player location · CPC title

• A63F2300/556

  Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list · CPC title

• A63F13/85

  Providing additional services to players · CPC title