IP Library Granted Patent US 9,569,931
Granted Patent B1
US 9,569,931 · App. 14/331,189 · Granted Feb 14, 2017

Incentivized task completion using chance-based awards

Inventors: Michael C. Caldarone (Palo Alto, CA); Stephanie Schultz (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
G07F17/3255
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,569,931
App. No.
14/331,189
Granted
Feb 14, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

A game provided to users of a game space may include a task to be performed by the users. A plurality of virtual chance items may be composed. Individual ones of the virtual chance items may be configured to be activated by the users in the game space to obtain virtual awards in the game space. The virtual awards may include one or more primary awards and one or more secondary awards. Composing the virtual chance items may include determining probabilities that the individual virtual chance items will provide a primary award and/or a secondary award upon activation. The virtual chance items may be distributed to the users that complete the task responsive to these users completing the task. The virtual awards may be provided to the users in accordance with the probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items in response to the users activating the virtual chance items.

Claims (26)

1. A system for facilitating incentivized task completion using chance-based awards, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:

execute an instance of a game space, and to facilitate presentation of views of the game space to users;

determine completion of a task by individual ones of the users; and

distribute virtual chance items to inventories of virtual items usable in the online game associated with the individual users that complete the task responsive to these users completing the task such that, responsive to the first user completing the task, the first virtual chance item is distributed to a first inventory of virtual items usable in the online game by the first user, wherein individual ones of the virtual chance items are configured to be activated by the users in the game space to obtain virtual awards in the game space,

wherein the virtual awards are provided to the users in accordance with probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items in response to the users activating the virtual chance items such that, responsive to the first user selecting the first virtual chance item from among the virtual items in the first inventory to initiate activation of the first virtual chance item, a first award is determined for the first user in accordance with the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item and provided to the first user in accordance with the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items are determined based on an amount of the users that complete the task.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to modify the probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items that have been distributed to users based on the virtual awards provided to other ones of the users through the virtual chance items such that the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item are modified after the distribution to the first user responsive to other users activating other ones of the virtual chance items to obtain the virtual awards.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item are modified based on a threshold amount of the users to be provided with a primary award.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that, responsive to the amount of the users that complete the task being greater than a threshold amount of the users to be provided with a primary award, the probabilities that the individual virtual chance items will provide a secondary award upon activation are initially a non zero value.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that the primary awards are individually greater in value than individual ones of the secondary awards with respect to one or more criteria associated with the game space.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions such that the virtual chance items are virtual goods that are purchasable and/or tradable within the game space.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured by machine-readable instructions to obtain inputs from an administrator to implement one or more of: adding of tasks, the virtual chance items, and/or the virtual awards; modifying of the tasks, the virtual chance items, and/or the virtual awards; or removing of the tasks, the virtual chance items, and/or the virtual awards.

9. A method for facilitating incentivized task completion using chance-based awards, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of a game space;

facilitating presentation of views of the game space to users;

determining completion of the task by individual ones of the users;

distributing virtual chance items to inventories of virtual items usable in the online game associated with the individual users that complete the task responsive to these users completing the task such that, responsive to the first user completing the task, the first virtual chance item is distributed to a first inventory of virtual items usable in the online game by the first user, wherein individual ones of the virtual chance items are configured to be activated by the users in the game space to obtain virtual awards in the game space; and

providing the virtual awards to the users in accordance with probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items in response to the users activating the virtual chance items such that, responsive to the first user selecting the first virtual chance item from among the virtual items in the first inventory to initiate activation of the first virtual chance item, a first award is determined for the first user in accordance with the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item and provided to the first user in accordance with the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items are determined based on an amount of the users that complete the task.

11. The method of claim 9 , comprising modifying the probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items that have been distributed to users based on the virtual awards provided to other ones of the users through the virtual chance items such that the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item are modified after the distribution to the first user responsive to other users activating other ones of the virtual chance items to obtain the virtual awards.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the probabilities assigned to the first virtual chance item are modified based on a threshold amount of the users to be provided with a primary award.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein, responsive to the amount of the users that complete the task being greater than a threshold amount of the users to be provided with a primary award, the probabilities that the individual virtual chance items will provide a secondary award upon activation are initially a non zero value.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the primary awards are individually greater in value than individual ones of the secondary awards with respect to one or more criteria associated with the game space.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual chance items are virtual goods that are purchasable and/or tradable within the game space.

16. The method of claim 9 , comprising receiving inputs from an administrator to implement one or more of: adding of tasks, the virtual chance items, and/or the virtual awards; modifying of the tasks, the virtual chance items, and/or the virtual awards; or removing of the tasks, the virtual chance items, and/or the virtual awards.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2018
From: KABAM, INC.
To: BANK OF MONTREAL
Reel/Frame 045813/0153 →
TERMINATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT, RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME: 039268/0910 Recorded Mar 2, 2017
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: KABAM, INC.
Reel/Frame 041857/0538 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 6, 2016
From: KABAM, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 039268/0910 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2014
From: CALDARONE, MICHAEL C.; SCHULTZ, STEPHANIE K.
To: KABAM, INC.
Reel/Frame 033319/0290 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 13705072 · Dec 4, 2012