IP Library Granted Patent US 9,305,028
Granted Patent B2
US 9,305,028 · App. 13/860,702 · Granted Apr 5, 2016

Gaming platform utilizing a fraud detection platform

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,305,028
App. No.
13/860,702
Granted
Apr 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for detecting fraud in a social gaming environment is disclosed herein. For example, game events generated responsive to a player playing a game executing on a client device are received. The game events may then be used to build a player profile for the player. The player profile may characterize the game actions performed by the player. The player profile is then compared with a golden profile. The golden profile may specify an expected gaming behavior. Based on the comparison between the player profile and the expected gaming behavior specified by the golden profile, a player account associated with the player may be marked as suspicious.

Claims (40)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving game events generated responsive to a player playing a game executing on a client device, wherein at least a portion of the received game events comprise a rigidly-timed sequence of multiple game events;

using the game events to build a player profile for the player, the player profile characterizing the game actions performed by the player;

comparing, by at least one processor, the player profile with a golden profile, the golden profile specifying an expected gaming behavior based on game events received from a plurality of players; and

based on the comparison between the player profile and the expected gaming behavior specified by the golden profile, marking a player account associated with the player as suspicious due to the rigidly-timed sequence of multiple game events.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein using the game events to build the player profile comprises tracking at least one of the following metrics: a rate of game activity, a pattern of game actions, a period of time per session, or an interval time between sessions.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the player profile specifies a rate of change for a property of the game, the golden profile specifies an expected rate of change for the property of the game, and the comparing the player profile with the golden profile includes comparing the rate of change for the property of the game with the expected rate of change for the property of the game.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the game events represent user initiated game actions performed on one or more client devices.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining a social graph associated with the player, the social graph including a plurality of nodes that each represent a friend of the player;

comparing each node of the social graph with a shell account profile specified by the golden profile; and

based on the comparisons of each of the nodes from the social graph and the shell account profile, marking the player account associated with the player as is suspicious.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the shell account profile specifies a social connection threshold.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the shell account profile specifies a social activity threshold.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the player profile specifies a session duration, the golden profile specifies an expected session duration, and the comparing the player profile with the golden profile includes comparing the session duration specified by the player profile with the with the expected session duration specified by the golden profile.

9. A computer system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a thin gaming server implemented by the at least one processor and configured to:

receive game events generated responsive to a player playing a game executing on a client device, wherein at least a portion of the received game events comprise a rigidly-timed sequence of multiple game events;

use the game events to build a player profile for the player, the player profile characterizing the game actions performed by the player;

compare the player profile with a golden profile, the golden profile specifying an expected gaming behavior based on game events received from a plurality of players; and

based on the comparison between the player profile and the expected gaming behavior specified by the golden profile, mark a player account associated with the player as suspicious due to the rigidly-timed sequence of multiple game events.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the thin gaming server is configured to use the game events to build the player profile by tracking at least one of the following metrics: a rate of game activity, a pattern of game actions, a period of time per session, or an interval time between sessions.

11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the player profile specifies a rate of change for a property of the game, the golden profile specifies an expected rate of change for the property of the game, and the comparing the player profile with the golden profile includes comparing the rate of change for the property of the game with the expected rate of change for the property of the game.

12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the game events represent user initiated game actions performed on one or more client devices.

13. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the thin gaming server is further configured to:

obtain a social graph associated with the player, the social graph including a plurality of nodes that each represent a friend of the player;

compare each node of the social graph with a shell account profile specified by the golden profile; and

based on the comparisons of each of the nodes from the social graph and the shell account profile, mark the player account associated with the player as suspicious.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the shell account profile specifies a social connection threshold.

15. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the shell account profile specifies a social activity threshold.

16. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the player profile specifies a session duration, the golden profile specifies an expected session duration, and the comparing the player profile with the golden profile includes comparing the session duration specified by the player profile with the with the expected session duration specified by the golden profile.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving game events generated responsive to a player playing a game executing on a client device, wherein at least a portion of the received game events comprise a rigidly-timed sequence of multiple game events;

using the game events to build a player profile for the player, the player profile characterizing the game actions performed by the player;

comparing, by at least one processor, the player profile with a golden profile, the golden profile specifying an expected gaming behavior based on game events received from a plurality of players; and

based on the comparison between the player profile and the expected gaming behavior specified by the golden profile, marking a player account associated with the player as suspicious due to the rigidly-timed sequence of multiple game events.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein using the game events to build the player profile comprises tracking at least one of the following metrics: a rate of game activity, a pattern of game actions, a period of time per session, or an interval time between sessions.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the player profile specifies a rate of change for a property of the game, the golden profile specifies an expected rate of change for the property of the game, and the comparing the player profile with the golden profile includes comparing the rate of change for the property of the game with the expected rate of change for the property of the game.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the game events represent user initiated game actions performed on one or more client devices.

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 Aug 12, 2014
From: ENGINEER, SUNU; PURKAYASTHA, PRASHUN; ROYCHOWDHARY, ANANDAMOY
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 033514/0172 →