IP Library Granted Patent US 10,406,436
Granted Patent B1
US 10,406,436 · App. 15/707,977 · Granted Sep 10, 2019

Providing content based on presentation control device

Inventors: Clifford J. Harrington (San Francisco, CA); Kent Wakeford (Hillsborough, CA)
Assignee: Electronic Arts Inc.
A63F13/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,406,436
App. No.
15/707,977
Granted
Sep 10, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

An online gaming system for providing online game content to users based presentation control device. The system may comprise one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules including: a game module configured to execute an instance of an online game and to implement the instance of the online game to facilitate participation of users in the online game via presentation control devices; a user module configured to manage content sets corresponding to the individual users; a presentation control device module configured to manage game content sets corresponding to presentation control devices; a detection module configured to detect users physically present at the presentation control devices; and a content module configure to: determine appropriate content sets which are to be made available for participation by the users, and effectuate presentation of the game content to facilitate participation of the users in the determined appropriate game content sets.

Claims (37)

1. An online gaming system providing game content to users of an online game based on presentation control devices, the system comprising;

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

execute an instance of an online game, and to implement the instance of the online game by determining state information and transmitting the state information over a network to presentation control devices to facilitate participation of the users in the online game via the presentation control devices;

manage game content sets corresponding to individual ones of the presentation control devices, wherein the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices are content made available at the individual ones of the presentation control devices for one or more users physically present at the individual ones of the presentation control devices, the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices including a second game content set corresponding to a first presentation control device, wherein the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device is made available to the first user and/or other users when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device, but not when accessing the online game via a second presentation control device, and wherein a third game content set different from the second game content set and corresponding to the second presentation control device is not accessible by the first user when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device;

detect users physically present at the presentation control devices; and

determine appropriate game content sets which are to be made available for participation by users, wherein the appropriate game content sets include one or more of the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices, including determining, by virtue of the detection module detecting the first user at the first presentation control device, that the second game content set is to be made available for participation by the first user at the first presentation control device based on the first user accessing the online game via the first presentation control device, and

effectuate presentation of the appropriate game content sets determined to facilitate participation of the users in the appropriate game content sets determined, including, effectuating presentation of the second game content set to facilitate participation in the second game content set by the first user accessing the online game via the first presentation control device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the game content sets include a first game content set corresponding to the first user, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been unlocked by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the game content sets include a first game content set corresponding to the first user, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been purchased by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the second game content set corresponding to first presentation control devices includes content which has been unlocked during gameplay of the online game by users for the first presentation control device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device includes content which has been purchased for the first presentation control device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that game content sets includes one or more of gameplay modes, virtual items, virtual characters, game levels, or game maps.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that detecting users physically present at the presentation control devices includes detecting mobile devices used by the users which are physically present at the presentation control devices.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that detecting mobile devices comprises using wifi and/or near field communication capabilities of the presentation control devices.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions such that, by virtue a second user being detected at the first presentation control device, determine that the second game content set is to be made available for participation by the second user via the first presentation control device, and effectuate presentation of the second game content set to facilitate participation in the second game content set by the first user and the second user via the first presentation control device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the game content sets include a first game content set corresponding to the first user, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to:

determine that the first game content set is not to be made available for participation by the second user, and

effectuate presentation of the first content set to facilitate participation in the first game content set by the first user and not the second user.

11. A method for presenting online game content to users of the online game based on presentation control devices, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

executing an instance of an online game to implement the instance of the online game by determining state information and transmitting the state information over a network to presentation control devices to facilitate participation of the users in the online game via the presentation control devices;

managing game content sets corresponding to individual presentation control devices, wherein game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices are content made available at the individual ones of the presentation control devices for one or more users physically present at the individual ones of the presentation control devices, the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices including a second game content set corresponding to a first presentation control device, wherein the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device is made available to the first user and/or other users when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device, but not when accessing the online game via a second presentation control device, and wherein a third dame content set different from the second game content set and corresponding to the second presentation control device is not accessible by the first user when accessing the online game via the first presentation control device;

detecting users physically present at the presentation control devices;

determining appropriate game content sets which are to be made available for participation by users, wherein the appropriate game content sets include one or more of the game content sets corresponding to the individual ones of the presentation control devices, including, by virtue of detecting the first user at the first presentation control device, determining that the second game content set is to be made available for participation by the first user at the first presentation control device; and

effectuating presentation of the game content sets to facilitate participation of the users in the determined appropriate game content sets, including, effectuating presentation of second game content set to facilitate participation in the second game content set by the first user accessing the online game via the first presentation control device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the game content sets include a first game content set corresponding to the first user, and wherein the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been unlocked by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the game content sets include a first game content set corresponding to the first user, and wherein the first game content set corresponding to the first user includes content which has been purchased by the first user in association with the first user account so that the first user has access to the first content set within the game.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the second game content set corresponding to first presentation control devices includes content which has been unlocked during gameplay of the online game by users for the first presentation control device.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the second game content set corresponding to the first presentation control device includes content which has been purchased for the first presentation control device.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein game content sets includes one or more of gameplay modes, virtual items, virtual characters, game levels, or game maps.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein detecting users physically present at the presentation control devices includes detecting mobile devices used by the users which are physically present at the presentation control devices.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein detecting mobile devices comprises using wifi and/or near field communication capabilities of the presentation control devices.

19. The method of claim 11 additionally including:

by virtue detecting a second user at the first presentation control device, determining that the second game content set is to be made available for participation by the second user via the first presentation control device; and

effectuating presentation of the second game content set to facilitate participation in the second game content set by the first user and the second user via the first presentation control device.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the game content sets include a first game content set corresponding to the first user, the method additionally including:

determining that the first game content set is not to be made available for participation by the second user, and

effectuating presentation of the first content set to facilitate participation in the first game content set by the first user and not the second user.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2021
From: HARRINGTON, CLIFFORD J.; WAKEFORD, KENT
To: KABAM, INC.
Reel/Frame 055774/0136 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2021
From: KABAM, INC.
To: AFTERSHOCK SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055776/0292 →
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 Sep 18, 2017
From: HARRINGTON, CLIFFORD J.; WAKEFORD, KENT
To: KABAM, INC.
Reel/Frame 043617/0864 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2017
From: KABAM, INC.
To: AFTERSHOCK SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 043894/0552 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 14037284 · Sep 25, 2013