IP Library Granted Patent US 8,210,934
Granted Patent B2
US 8,210,934 · App. 12/895,738 · Granted Jul 3, 2012

Apparatuses, methods and systems for a multi-level in-game currency platform

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,210,934
App. No.
12/895,738
Granted
Jul 3, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A MULTI-LEVEL IN-GAME CURRENCY PLATFORM (“MIC”) transform user transaction request input via various MIC components into transaction result output. In one embodiment, a request to calculate a dynamic conversion rate between a payment currency type and a requested virtual currency type for a user may be received. The base conversion rate between the payment currency type and the requested virtual currency type may be retrieved. A user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game that affects the base conversion rate may be determined, and a game progression adjustment to the base conversion rate due to the determined user characteristic may be calculated. The dynamic conversion rate may be calculated by adjusting the base conversion rate with the game progression adjustment and returned.

Claims (56)

1. A dynamic conversion rate determining processor-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request to calculate a dynamic conversion rate between a payment currency type and a requested virtual currency type for a user;

retrieving a base conversion rate between the payment currency type and the requested virtual currency type;

determining via a processor a user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game that affects the base conversion rate;

calculating via the processor a game progression adjustment to the base conversion rate due to the determined user characteristic;

calculating via the processor the dynamic conversion rate by adjusting the base conversion rate with the game progression adjustment; and

returning the calculated dynamic conversion rate;

wherein the user characteristic indicative of the users progress through a game is the amount of time the user spent playing the game without reaching an in-game level.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payment currency type is a virtual currency type.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payment currency type is a real currency.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user characteristic indicative of the users progress through a game further includes a number of mouse clicks the user makes to complete a level.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the number of mouse clicks the user makes to complete a level is compared to an average number of mouse clicks other users make to complete the level.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of time the user spent playing the game without reaching an in-game level is compared to an average amount of time it takes other users to reach the in-game level.

7. A dynamic conversion rate determining apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a processor disposed in communication with said memory, and configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor issues instructions to:

receive a request to calculate a dynamic conversion rate between a payment currency type and a requested virtual currency type for a user; retrieve a base conversion rate between the payment currency type and the requested virtual currency type;

determine a user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game that affects the base conversion rate;

calculate a game progression adjustment to the base conversion rate due to the determined user characteristic;

calculate the dynamic conversion rate by adjusting the base conversion rate with the game progression adjustment; and

return the calculated dynamic conversion rate;

wherein the user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game is the amount of time the user spent playing the game without reaching an in-game level.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the payment currency type is a virtual currency type.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the payment currency type is a real currency.

10. A dynamic conversion rate determining apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a processor disposed in communication with said memory, and configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor issues instructions to:

receive a request to calculate a dynamic conversion rate between a payment currency type and a requested virtual currency type for a user; retrieve a base conversion rate between the payment currency type and the requested virtual currency type;

determine a user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game that affects the base conversion rate;

calculate a game progression adjustment to the base conversion rate due to the determined user characteristic;

calculate the dynamic conversion rate by adjusting the base conversion rate with the game progression adjustment; and

return the calculated dynamic conversion rate;

wherein the user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game is a number of mouse clicks the user makes to complete a level.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the number of mouse clicks the user makes to complete a level is compared to an average number of mouse clicks other users make to complete the level.

12. A dynamic conversion rate determining apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a processor disposed in communication with said memory, and configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor issues instructions to:

receive a request to calculate a dynamic conversion rate between a payment currency type and a requested virtual currency type for a user; retrieve a base conversion rate between the payment currency type and the requested virtual currency type;

determine a user characteristic indicative of the users progress through a game that affects the base conversion rate;

calculate a game progression adjustment to the base conversion rate due to the determined user characteristic;

calculate the dynamic conversion rate by adjusting the base conversion rate with the game progression adjustment; and

return the calculated dynamic conversion rate;

wherein the user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game is the amount of time the user spent playing the game without reaching an in-game level compared to an average amount of time it takes other users to reach the in-game level.

13. A processor-readable physical medium storing processor-issuable-and-generated instructions to:

receive a request to calculate a dynamic conversion rate between a payment currency type and a requested virtual currency type for a user;

retrieve a base conversion rate between the payment currency type and the requested virtual currency type;

determine a user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game that affects the base conversion rate;

calculate a game progression adjustment to the base conversion rate due to the determined user characteristic;

calculate the dynamic conversion rate by adjusting the base conversion rate with the game progression adjustment; and

return the calculated dynamic conversion rate;

wherein the user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game is the amount of time the user spent playing the game without reaching an in-game level.

14. The physical medium of claim 13 , wherein the payment currency type is a virtual currency type.

15. The physical medium of claim 13 , wherein the payment currency type is a real currency.

16. The physical medium of claim 13 , wherein the user characteristic indicative of the user's progress through a game further includes a number of mouse clicks the user makes to complete a level.

17. The physical medium of claim 16 , wherein the number of mouse clicks the user makes to complete a level is compared to an average number of mouse clicks other users make to complete the level.

18. The physical medium of claim 13 , wherein the amount of time the user spent playing the game without reaching an in-game level is compared to an average amount of time it takes other users to reach the in-game level.

Assignments (5)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 23, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 060163/0437 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 14, 2020
From: ZYNGA INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 054719/0490 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 11, 2020
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS LENDER
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 054701/0393 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 21, 2018
From: ZYNGA INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS LENDER
Reel/Frame 049147/0546 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2011
From: OCKO, MATTHEW; SINGH, SIM
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 027275/0962 →