IP Library Granted Patent US 9,579,571
Granted Patent B2
US 9,579,571 · App. 14/942,870 · Granted Feb 28, 2017

System and method for providing a marketplace of user-invokable instructions used by a game application in an expression of a game

Inventor: Nathan Pacyga (Lafayette, CA)
Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
A63F13/35A63F13/12A63F13/352A63F13/67A63F13/792A63F2300/575
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,579,571
App. No.
14/942,870
Granted
Feb 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing a marketplace of user-invokable instructions used by a game application in an expression of a game. The user-invokable instructions may include automation of tasks related to a game that would otherwise require manual intervention by users, intelligence that encode automatic reactions to game events such as surrounding conditions or attacks from others, and/or instructions for automatically performing one or more in-game tasks. A marketplace interface may facilitate offers to provide user-invokable instructions. Each offer may include consideration to obtain a corresponding set of user-invokable instructions. The consideration may include real world currency, one or more virtual items, an exchange for a task to be performed, an exchange for an alliance or other in-game cooperation, an exchange for another set of user-invokable instructions, and/or other consideration.

Claims (45)

1. A system configured to provide a marketplace of user-invokable instructions used by a game application in an expression of a game, the system comprising:

non-transitory storage media that stores sets of user-invokable instructions to be implemented in expressions of a game application upon selection by users to control, in the expressions of the game application, sets of in-game objects associated with the users, the individual sets of user-invokable instructions including commands that simulate manual, coordinated input by users of instructions selectable by users to control in-game objects to perform a series of in-game actions, the sets of user-invokable instructions including a first instruction set;

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

initiate presentation of offers of individual ones of the sets of user-invokable instructions to the users, the offers including a first offer of the first instruction set;

receive acceptance of offers from the users; and

provide the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions based on the received acceptances such that, responsive to reception of an acceptance of the first offer from a first user, the first instruction set is provided to the first user for use in expressions of the game application; and,

wherein, responsive to a request from the first user to implement the first instruction set in an expression of the game application, the first instruction set causes the one or more objects to perform the first series of movements in the expression of the game application.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to

obtain a second instruction set of user-invokable instructions from the first user;

store the second instruction set to the storage media; and

present offers of the second instruction set to other users.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are is further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the first offer enumerates a consideration required for acceptance of the offer, and such that acceptance of the first offer from the first user includes payment of the required consideration.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the required consideration includes real world money and/or one or more virtual items.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the required consideration includes a second instruction set of user-invokable instructions, an agreement to form a virtual alliance, or an agreement to perform a task in an expression of the game application.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the individual ones of the sets of user-invokable instructions are removably loadable such that the individual ones of the sets of user-invokable instructions may be used as needed.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aspect that is changed comprises an automation of an otherwise manual task.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

provide the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions at an account associated with a user who accepted the offer, wherein the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions is stored at the account.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are

configured by machine-readable instructions to:

integrate the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions into an expression of the corresponding game.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are

configured by machine-readable instructions to:

maintain transaction information associated with the offers and the acceptance, thereby facilitating transfer of the one or more loadable scripts based on the offer and the acceptance.

11. A computer-implemented method of providing a marketplace of user-invokable instructions used by a game application in an expression of a game, the method being implemented in a computer that includes one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

storing, at non-transitory storage media, sets of user-invokable instructions to be implemented in expressions of a game application upon selection by users to control, in the expressions of the game application, sets of in-game objects associated with the users, the individual sets of user-invokable instructions including commands that simulate manual, coordinated input by users of instructions selectable by users to control in-game objects to perform a series of in-game actions, the sets of user-invokable instructions including a first instruction set;

initiating, by the one or more processors, presentation of offers of individual ones of the sets of user-invokable instructions to the users, the offers including a first offer of the first instruction set;

receiving, by the one or more processors, acceptance of offers from the users; and

providing, by the one or more processors, the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions based on the received acceptances such that, responsive to reception of an acceptance of the first offer from a first user, the first instruction set is provided to the first user for use in expressions of the game application; and,

wherein, responsive to a request from the first user to implement the first instruction set in an expression of the game application, the first instruction set causes the one or more objects to perform the first series of movements in the expression of the game application.

12. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the one or more processors, a second instruction set of user-invokable instructions from the first user;

storing, by the one or more processors, the second instruction set to the storage media; and

presenting, by the one or more processors, offers of the second instruction set to other users.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first offer enumerates a consideration required for acceptance of the offer, and acceptance of the first offer from the first user includes payment of the required consideration.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the required consideration includes real world money and/or one or more virtual items.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the required consideration includes a second instruction set of user-invokable instructions, an agreement to form a virtual alliance, or an agreement to perform a task in an expression of the game application.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the individual ones of the sets of user-invokable instructions are removably loadable such that the individual ones of the sets of user-invokable instructions may be used as needed.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one aspect that is changed comprises an automation of an otherwise manual task.

18. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

providing, by the one or more processors, the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions at an account associated with a user who accepted the offer, wherein the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions is stored at the account.

19. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

integrating, by the one or more processors, the appropriate sets of user-invokable instructions into an expression of the corresponding game.

20. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

maintaining, by the one or more processors, transaction information associated with the offers and the acceptance, thereby facilitating transfer of the one or more loadable scripts based on the offer and the acceptance.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2018
From: AFTERSHOCK SERVICES, INC.
To: ELECTRONIC ARTS INC.
Reel/Frame 045474/0300 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 11, 2017
From: KABAM, INC.
To: AFTERSHOCK SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 042211/0425 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2017
From: PACYGA, NATHAN
To: KABAM, INC.
Reel/Frame 040968/0725 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 6, 2016
From: KABAM, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 039268/0910 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13734821 · Jan 4, 2013
Related Publication 20160067603A1 · Mar 10, 2016