Method, device and system for distributing virtual items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016234302-A1
Application number	US-201615091612-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for distributing virtual items includes receiving, from a sender client device, a request for distributing virtual items to a set of recipient client devices. The method includes transferring a total amount of virtual items from an account associated with the sender client device to an account associated with a server device, and defining virtual item packages that include the total amount of virtual items transferred. The method includes sending information of the virtual item packages to the sender client device whereby the sender client device generates and sends a link associated with the distribution of virtual items to the set of recipient client devices. The method also includes receiving, from a recipient client device, a request to receive virtual items. The method further includes transferring a virtual item package from the account associated with the server device to an account associated with the recipient client device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of distributing virtual items at a server device, comprising:
at a computer system having one or more processors and memory for storing programs to be executed by the one or more processors: receiving, from a sender client device, a request for distributing virtual items to a set of recipient client devices, the request including parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items; in response to the request for distributing virtual items, transferring a total amount of virtual items to be distributed from an account associated with the sender client device to an account associated with the server device; defining, based on the parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items, a plurality of virtual item packages, each virtual item package from the plurality of virtual item packages including at least one virtual item, the total amount of virtual items included in the plurality of virtual item packages corresponding to the total amount of virtual items transferred from the account associated with the sender client device to the account associated with the server device; sending information of the plurality of virtual item packages to the sender client device whereby the sender client device generates a link associated with the distribution of virtual items and sends the link to the set of recipient client devices; receiving, from a recipient client device from the set of recipient client devices, a request to receive virtual items; and in response to the request to receive virtual items, transferring a virtual item package from the plurality of virtual item package from the account associated with the server device to an account associated with the recipient client device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items include at least two of (1) the total amount of virtual items to be distributed, (2) a total number of virtual item packages, and (3) an amount of virtual items associated with each virtual item package.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before sending information of the plurality of virtual item packages to the sender client device, generating an identifier for the plurality of virtual item packages; the sending information of the plurality of virtual item packages including sending the identifier of the plurality of virtual item packages to the sender client device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a user of each recipient client device from the set of recipient client devices has a social relationship with a user of the sender client device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after receiving the request to receive virtual items and before transferring the virtual item package in response to the request to receive virtual items, determining if the recipient client device satisfies a predefined condition for receiving the virtual items.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the predefined condition for receiving the virtual items includes that a user of the recipient client device has a predefined social relationship with a user of the sender client device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the request for distributing virtual items includes receiving identifiers of each recipient client device from the set of recipient client devices such that the server device stores and associates the identifiers of the set of recipient client devices with the plurality of virtual item packages.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the defining the plurality of virtual item packages includes randomly assigning virtual items to each virtual item package from the plurality of virtual item packages in accordance with the parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transferring a virtual item package in response to the request to receive virtual items includes randomly selecting the virtual item package from a group of virtual item packages that have not been transferred from the account associated with the server device to an account associated with a recipient client device from the set of recipient client devices.

10 . A server device configured to distribute virtual items, comprising:
one or more processors; and memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
receiving, from a sender client device, a request for distributing virtual items to a set of recipient client devices, the request including parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items;
in response to the request for distributing virtual items, transferring a total amount of virtual items to be distributed from an account associated with the sender client device to an account associated with the server device;
defining, based on the parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items, a plurality of virtual item packages, each virtual item package from the plurality of virtual item packages including at least one virtual item, the total amount of virtual items included in the plurality of virtual item packages corresponding to the total amount of virtual items transferred from the account associated with the sender client device to the account associated with the server device;
sending information of the plurality of virtual item packages to the sender client device whereby the sender client device generates a link associated with the distribution of virtual items and sends the link to the set of recipient client devices;
receiving, from a recipient client device from the set of recipient client devices, a request to receive virtual items; and
in response to the request to receive virtual items, transferring a virtual item package from the plurality of virtual item package from the account associated with the server device to an account associated with the recipient client device.

11 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein the parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items include at least two of (1) the total amount of virtual items to be distributed, (2) a total number of virtual item packages, and (3) an amount of virtual items associated with each virtual item package.

12 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein a user of each recipient client device from the set of recipient client devices has a social relationship with a user of the sender client device.

13 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for: after receiving the request to receive virtual items and before transferring the virtual item package in response to the request to receive virtual items, determining if the recipient client device satisfies a predefined condition for receiving the virtual items.

14 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein the receiving the request for distributing virtual items includes receiving identifiers of each recipient client device from the set of recipient client devices such that the server device stores and associates the identifiers of the set of recipient client devices with the plurality of virtual item packages.

15 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein the defining the plurality of virtual item packages includes randomly assigning virtual items to each virtual item package from the plurality of virtual item packages in accordance with the parameters associated with the distribution of virtual items.

16 . The server device of claim 10 , wherein the transferring a virtual item package in response to the request

Assignees

• Tencent Tech Shenzhen Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wu Yi
• Gong Chen
• He Yongxin
• Liu Yaya
• Zhang Chi
• Chen Shangyan
• Zou Wei
• Liang Jun
• Xu Jiaxi
• Chen Chaojun
• Chen Jieping
• Xie Dongdong

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• H04L67/06

  specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP] · CPC title

• H04L67/1076 Primary

  Resource dissemination mechanisms or network resource keeping policies for optimal resource availability in the overlay network · CPC title

• G06Q40/02

  Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03) · CPC title

• G06Q30/0207 Primary

  Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates · CPC title