IP Library Granted Patent US 8,491,395
Granted Patent B2
US 8,491,395 · App. 13/174,715 · Granted Jul 23, 2013

Game-based incentives for location-based actions

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,491,395
App. No.
13/174,715
Granted
Jul 23, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a method and system of providing in-game assets for location-based actions, an indication of a performance of a location-based action by a player of a computer-implemented game is received. A virtual item is provided based on the receiving of the indication of the performance of the location-based action by the player of the computer-implemented game, the virtual item being usable within the computer-implemented game.

Claims (27)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a device at a physical location that is distinct from a client system used by a player of a computer-implemented game, an indication of a performance of a location-based action at the physical location by the player of the computer-implemented game, the location-based action determined based on retrieved game state data of the computer-implemented game, the receiving is performed by a processor of a machine; and

providing a virtual item based on the indication received from the device at the physical location that is distinct from a client system used by the player indicating the performance of the location-based action at the physical location by the player of the computer-implemented game, the virtual item being usable within the computer-implemented game.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the virtual item includes providing the virtual item to a player character controlled by the player in a virtual world of the computer-implemented game.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the virtual item based on intellectual property information associated with the physical location of the location-based action.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising offering the virtual item to the player as a mystery prize.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the location-based action based on a preference of an operator of the physical location of the location-based action.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining the preference of the operator of the physical location of the location-based action based on an accessing of an inventory system of the operator of the physical location of the location-based action.

7. A system comprising:

a processor-implemented game networking system configured to:

receive, from a device at a physical location that is distinct from a client system used by a player of a computer-implemented game, an indication of a performance of a location-based action at the physical location by the player of the computer-implemented game, the location-based action determined based on retrieved game state data of the computer-implemented game; and

provide a virtual item based on the indication received from the device at the physical location that is distinct from a client system used by the player indicating the performance of the location-based action at the physical location by the player of the computer-implemented game, the virtual item being usable within the computer-implemented game.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the game networking system is further configured to provide the virtual item to a player character controlled by the player in a virtual world of the computer-implemented game.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the game networking system is further configured to select the virtual item based on intellectual property information associated with the physical location of the location-based action.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the game networking system is further configured to offer the virtual item to the player as a mystery prize.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the game networking system is further configured to select the location-based action based on a preference of an operator of the physical location of the location-based action.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the game networking system is further configured to determine the preference of the operator of the physical location of the location-based action based on an accessing of an inventory system of the operator of the physical location of the location-based action.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual item is an in-game asset awarded for performing the location-based action at the physical location.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location based action is determined based on at least one attribute associated with the physical location.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, from a device at a physical location that is distinct from a client system used by a player of a computer-implemented game, an indication of a performance of a location-based action at the physical location by the player of the computer-implemented game, the location-based action determined based on retrieved game state data of the computer-implemented game; and

providing a virtual item based on the indication received from the device at the physical location that is distinct from a client system used by the player indicating the performance of the location-based action at the physical location by the player of the computer-implemented game, the virtual item being usable within the computer-implemented game.

16. The non-transitory-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the providing of the virtual item includes providing the virtual item to a player character controlled by the player in a virtual world of the computer-implemented game.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising selecting the virtual item based on intellectual property information associated with the physical location of the location-based action.

18. The non-transitory-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising offering the virtual item to the player as a mystery prize.

19. The non-transitory-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising selecting the location-based action based on a preference of an operator of the physical location of the location-based action.

20. The non-transitory-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising determining the preference of the operator of the physical location of the location-based action based on an accessing of an inventory system of the operator of the physical location of the location-based action.

Assignments (6)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2019
From: AUTERIO, KATHLEEN; ERSEVER, DENIZ; KHESKANI, HARDIK; LAM, SERENA; MAKARSKY, CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH; MOSITES, DONALD C.; MULLIN, BENJAMIN; TALAPATRA, SHANTANU; WALDRON, JUSTIN; WANG, JACKSON
To: ZYNGA GAME NETWORK, INC.
Reel/Frame 047944/0558 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 9, 2019
From: ZYNGA GAME NETWORK INC.
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 048041/0480 →
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 →