IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,746,476
Granted Patent B2
US 12,746,476 · App. 18/590,819 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Systems and methods for displaying player matchups with dynamically selected difficulty levels

Inventors: Timothy Williams (Frederick, MD); Adam Martinazzi (Grand Rapids, MI); Austin Takechi (San Jose, CA); Ryan Shackelford (Portage, MI)
Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.
A63F13/67
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,746,476
App. No.
18/590,819
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for displaying player matchups with dynamically selected difficulty levels. In one example, the system may include and/or implement circuitry configured to identify a rating of a player involved in a first player-versus-environment (PVE) match and then select, based at least in part on the rating, a level of difficulty associated with a set of enemies involved in the first PVE match. Additionally or alternatively, the system may include and/or implement a graphics processing unit (GPU) configured to render a user interface that presents a video game that involves the first PVE match and a second PVE match in response to at least one instruction received from the circuitry. The GPU may be further configured to render, in the user interface, the set of enemies involved in the first PVE match in response to the at least one instruction. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Claims (56)

1 . A system comprising:

circuitry configured to:

identify a rating of a player involved in a first player-versus-environment (PVE) match; and

select, based at least in part on the rating, a level of difficulty associated with at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match; and

a graphics processing unit (GPU) configured to:

render a user interface that presents one or more digital elements of a video game that involves the first PVE match and a second PVE match in response to at least one instruction received from the circuitry;

render, in the user interface, the at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match in response to the at least one instruction; and

facilitate synchronous playing of the first PVE match and the second PVE match such that the player and an additional player involved in the second PVE match indirectly compete against each other in view of performances by the player in the first PVE match and the additional player in the second PVE match.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

identify an additional rating of the additional player involved in the second PVE match; and

select, based at least in part on the rating and the additional rating, the level of difficulty associated with the at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to apply the level of difficulty to at least one additional enemy involved in the second PVE match based at least in part on the rating and the additional rating.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

identify a target duration of the first PVE match; and

select the level of difficulty associated with the at least one enemy based at least in part on the rating and the target duration of the first PVE match.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

search a plurality of difficulty levels for an option that, if applied to the at least one enemy and at least one additional enemy involved in the second PVE match, is likely to increase uniformity between a duration of the first PVE match and a duration of the second PVE match; and

identify, during the search, the level of difficulty as the option based at least in part on the rating and the additional rating.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rating is based at least in part on:

the player's performance in at least one player-versus-player (PVP) match; or

the player's performance in at least one prior PVE match.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

determine, based at least in part on a setting of the video game, that a player side of the second PVE match is controlled by a bot player; and

select, based at least in part on the rating of the player and an additional rating of the bot player, the level of difficulty associated with the at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to select, based at least in part on the rating of the player and the additional rating of the bot player, the bot player from a group of bot players that have varying ratings or are programmed to compete with varying levels of skill.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

detect an end of a round in the first PVE match; and

increase the level of difficulty associated with the at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match prior to a start of a subsequent round in the first PVE match.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to apply the increased level of difficulty to at least one additional enemy involved in the second PVE match prior to the start of the subsequent round based at least in part on the rating and the additional rating.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to skip one or more levels of difficulty when increasing the level of difficulty prior to the subsequent round, wherein skipping the one or more levels of difficulty is likely to increase uniformity between durations of the first PVE match and the second PVE match.

12 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying, by circuitry, a rating of a player involved in a first player-versus-environment (PVE) match;

selecting, by the circuitry, a level of difficulty associated with at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match based at least in part on the rating;

rendering, by a graphics processing unit (GPU), a user interface that presents one or more digital elements of a video game that involves the first PVE match and a second PVE match in response to at least one instruction received from the circuitry;

rendering, in the user interface by the GPU, the at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match in response to the at least one instruction; and

facilitating synchronous playing of the first PVE match and the second PVE match such that the player and an additional player involved in the second PVE match indirectly compete against each other in view of performances by the player in the first PVE match and the additional player in the second PVE match.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

identifying, by the circuitry, an additional rating of the additional player involved in the second PVE match; and

select, by the circuitry, an additional level of difficulty associated with at least one additional enemy involved in the second PVE match based at least in part on the rating and the additional rating.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising applying the level of difficulty to at least one additional enemy involved in the second PVE match based at least in part on the rating and the additional rating.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising identify a target duration of the first PVE match; and

wherein selecting the level of difficulty associated with the at least one enemy comprises selecting the level of difficulty associated with the at least one enemy based at least in part on the rating and the target duration of the first PVE match.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising:

searching, by the circuitry, a plurality of difficulty levels for an option that, if applied to the at least one enemy and at least one additional enemy involved in the second PVE match, is likely to increase uniformity between a duration of the first PVE match and a duration of the second PVE match; and

identifying, by the circuitry, the level of difficulty as the option during the search based at least in part on the rating and the additional rating.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising facilitating synchronous playing of the first PVE match and the second PVE match such that the player and the additional player indirectly compete against each other in view of performances by the player in the first PVE match and the additional player in the second PVE match.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the rating is based at least in part on:

the player's performance in at least one player-versus-player (PVP) match; or

the player's performance in at least one prior PVE match.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one hardware processor of a computing device, cause the hardware processor to:

identify a rating of a player involved in a first player-versus-environment (PVE) match;

select a level of difficulty associated with at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match based at least in part on the rating; and

direct a graphics processing unit (GPU) to:

render a user interface that presents one or more digital elements of a video game that involves the first PVE match and a second PVE match;

render, in the user interface, the at least one enemy involved in the first PVE match; and

facilitate synchronous playing of the first PVE match and the second PVE match such that the player and an additional player involved in the second PVE match indirectly compete against each other in view of performances by the player in the first PVE match and the additional player in the second PVE match.

Assignments (3)
LICENSE Recorded Aug 1, 2024
From: PLARIUM GLOBAL LTD.
To: R STUDIOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 068154/0396 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2024
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: PLARIUM GLOBAL LTD.
Reel/Frame 067710/0147 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: WILLIAMS, TIMOTHY; MARTINAZZI, ADAM; TAKECHI, AUSTIN; SHACKELFORD, RYAN
To: AIRSTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 066608/0862 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63597289 · Nov 8, 2023
Related Publication 20250144528A1 · May 8, 2025
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