IP Library Granted Patent US 12,303,778
Granted Patent B2
US 12,303,778 · App. 17/873,215 · Granted May 20, 2025

Method for controlling server device, server device, computer-readable recording medium and game system

Inventor: Yuki Ino (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: GREE, Inc.
A63F13/332A63F13/795A63F13/822A63F13/847G06Q30/02G06Q30/0207G06Q30/0208G06Q30/0209G06Q30/0214G06Q30/0235G06Q30/0236G06Q30/0255G06Q30/0256
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,303,778
App. No.
17/873,215
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

To enhance motivation of a player to invite another player to a social game, thus activating the social game and a platform that provides the social game, a server device includes incentive giving means that gives an incentive to a player who operates a first terminal device when a player of a second terminal device that receives, from the first terminal device, invitation information including solicitation information to at least suggest participating in the game and specific information to at least specify a landing screen associated with a home screen of the game operates the second terminal device to access the landing screen on a basis of the specific information.

Claims (32)

1. A method of controlling a server device which provides a game in which a plurality of players can participate and which is connected to a plurality of terminal devices operated by the players via a communication line, comprising:

providing, by the server device, within the game, at least one of a platform screen for registration and a home screen for registration, the platform screen for registration configured to accept registration of a member account to a platform for providing the game, the home screen for registration configured to accept registration of a player account to the game;

performing a transmission step of transmitting, to a second terminal device of a second player, invitation information including specific information specifying a landing screen associated with the at least one of the platform screen or the home screen, the specific information associated with first identification information identifying a first player that operates a first terminal device;

performing an acquisition step of detecting, after transmitting the invitation information to the second terminal device, that the second terminal device has accessed the landing screen based on the specific information, based on an operation of the second player that operates the second terminal device, further performing a step of acquiring the first identification information on the server based on the operation of the second player, and further causing the second player to advance from the landing screen to the platform screen or the home screen based on the operation of the second player;

performing an incentive imparting step of determining, based on the first identification information, the first player that operates the first terminal device, and awarding a first incentive to the first player that operates the first terminal device.

2. The method of controlling the server device of claim 1 , wherein the landing screen is associated with each of the platform screen and the home screen.

3. The method of controlling the server device of claim 2 , wherein the landing screen includes a link for accessing the platform screen and a link for accessing the home screen.

4. The method of controlling the server device of claim 1 , wherein the platform screen includes a link for accessing the home screen.

5. The method of controlling the server device of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a second incentive imparting step of, upon determination that the second player that operates the second terminal device has registered the member account from the platform screen, awarding a second incentive to the first player that operates the first terminal device.

6. The method of controlling the server device of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a third incentive imparting step of, upon determination that the second player that operates the second terminal device has registered the player account from the home screen, awarding a third incentive to the first player that operates the first terminal device.

7. The method of controlling the server device of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, upon determination that the second player that operates the second terminal device has registered the member account from the platform screen, automatically causing the home screen to be displayed on the second terminal device.

8. The method of controlling the server device of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

providing a plurality of incentives including at least the first incentive; and

establishing, for a predetermined time period, a predetermined number of times that at least one incentive in the plurality of incentives is eligible to be awarded.

9. The method of controlling the server device of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

a step of changing, after the end of the predetermined time period, the predetermined number of times that the at least one incentive in the plurality of incentives is eligible to be awarded.

10. The method of controlling the server device of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a fourth incentive imparting step of awarding a fourth incentive to the first player that operates the first terminal device, upon determination of at least one of: the second player that operates the second terminal device has performed a predetermined operation within the game, and a predetermined event has occurred within the game.

11. A server device configured to provide a game in which a plurality of players can participate and which is connected to a plurality of terminal devices operated by the players via a communication line, the server device configured to carry out steps of:

providing, by the server device, within the game, at least one of a platform screen for registration and a home screen for registration, the platform screen for registration configured to accept registration of a member account to a platform for providing the game, the home screen for registration configured to accept registration of a player account to the game;

performing a transmission step of transmitting, to a second terminal device of a second player, invitation information including specific information specifying a landing screen associated with the at least one of the platform screen or the home screen, the specific information associated with first identification information identifying a first player that operates a first terminal device;

performing an acquisition step of detecting, after transmitting the invitation information to the second terminal device, that the second terminal device has accessed the landing screen based on the specific information, based on an operation of the second player that operates the second terminal device, further performing a step of acquiring the first identification information on the server based on the operation of the second player, and further causing the second player to advance from the landing screen to the platform screen or the home screen based on the operation of the second player;

performing an incentive imparting step of determining, based on the first identification information, the first player that operates the first terminal device, and awarding a first incentive to the first player that operates the first terminal device.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by a server device that provides a game in which a plurality of players can participate and which is connected to a plurality of terminal devices operated by the players via a communication line, configures the server device to carry out steps of:

providing, by the server device, within the game, at least one of a platform screen for registration and a home screen for registration, the platform screen for registration configured to accept registration of a member account to a platform for providing the game, the home screen for registration configured to accept registration of a player account to the game;

performing a transmission step of transmitting, to a second terminal device of a second player, invitation information including specific information specifying a landing screen associated with the at least one of the platform screen or the home screen, the specific information associated with first identification information identifying a first player that operates a first terminal device;

performing an acquisition step of detecting, after transmitting the invitation information to the second terminal device, that the second terminal device has accessed the landing screen based on the specific information, based on an operation of the second player that operates the second terminal device, further performing a step of acquiring the first identification information on the server based on the operation of the second player, and further causing the second player to advance from the landing screen to the platform screen or the home screen based on the operation of the second player;

performing an incentive imparting step of determining, based on the first identification information, the first player that operates the first terminal device, and awarding a first incentive to the first player that operates the first terminal device.

13. A game system comprising a server device and a plurality of terminal devices, the server device configured to provide a game in which a plurality of players can participate and which is connected to the plurality of terminal devices operated by the players via a communication line, the server device configured to carry out steps of:

providing, by the server device, within the game, at least one of a platform screen for registration and a home screen for registration, the platform screen for registration configured to accept registration of a member account to a platform for providing the game, the home screen for registration configured to accept registration of a player account to the game;

performing a transmission step of transmitting, to a second terminal device of a second player, invitation information including specific information specifying a landing screen associated with the at least one of the platform screen or the home screen, the specific information associated with first identification information identifying a first player that operates a first terminal device;

performing an acquisition step of detecting, after transmitting the invitation information to the second terminal device, that the second terminal device has accessed the landing screen based on the specific information, based on an operation of the second player that operates the second terminal device, further performing a step of acquiring the first identification information on the server based on the operation of the second player, and further causing the second player to advance from the landing screen to the platform screen or the home screen based on the operation of the second player;

performing an incentive imparting step of determining, based on the first identification information, the first player that operates the first terminal device, and awarding a first incentive to the first player that operates the first terminal device.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY STREET ADDRESS AND ATTORNEY DOCKET NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 71308 FRAME: 765. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: GREE, INC.
To: GREE HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071611/0252 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 16, 2025
From: GREE, INC.
To: GREE HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071308/0765 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2022
From: INO, YUKI
To: GREE, INC.
Reel/Frame 060619/0918 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-152162 · Jul 22, 2013 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15841669 · Dec 14, 2017
Continuation 15491349 · Apr 19, 2017
Continuation 14338030 · Jul 22, 2014
Related Publication 20220355194A1 · Nov 10, 2022
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