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  Online game environment that facilitates binding contracts between player charactersUSPTO Application #: 20070191103Title: Online game environment that facilitates binding contracts between player characters Abstract: A system and method to allow players of a video game to form sponsorship contracts with one another such that a first player can agree, explicitly or implicitly, to provide a second player with an initial playing advantage in return for deferred compensation. The deferred compensation may be based on the second player's performance in the game. (end of abstract)
Agent: Gonzales Patent Services - Albuquerque, NM, US Inventor: Andrew Stephen Van Luchene USPTO Applicaton #: 20070191103 - Class: 463042000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), With Communication Link (e.g., Television Broadcast, Etc.), Network Type (e.g., Computer Network, Etc.) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070191103. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/652,036, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Facilitating Player to Player Contracts in a Massive Multi-Player Online Video Game" filed Feb. 14, 2005, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND [0002] Video games which are accessible to multiple players via a server are well known. For example, hundreds of thousands of players access games known as massive multi player online games (MMOGs). Players of these games customarily access a game repeatedly (for durations typically ranging from a few minutes to several days) over given period of time, which may be days, weeks, months or even years. The games are often constructed such that players pay a periodic subscription price (e.g., $15 per month) rather than, or in addition to, paying a one time purchase price for the game. Often, though not necessarily, these games have no ultimate "winner" or "winning goal," but instead attempt to create an enjoyable playing environment and a strong player community. The games are often designed such that advancement in the game is based on the benefits received from accumulated game play experience, so that beginning players have an initial disadvantage compared to more experienced players. [0003] It would be advantageous to provide improved methods and apparatus for increasing the enjoyment and/or longevity of video games. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0004] FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0005] FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [0006] FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting a method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [0007] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting a method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0008] The present disclosure provides improved methods and apparatus for video games. In general, various embodiments of the invention allow for players of a video game to form sponsorship contracts with one another such that a first player can agree, explicitly or implicitly, to provide a second player with an initial playing advantage in return for deferred compensation. The deferred compensation may be based on the second player's performance in the game. [0009] Referring to FIG. 1, a network according to one embodiment includes a central server 12 in communication with a plurality of video game playing units 14. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of video game playing units may be in communication with the central server. Typically the number of video game playing units changes at various times as players join games and as players stop playing games. Similarly, more than one server may operate to coordinate the activities of the video game playing units, as is well known in the art. [0010] Central server 12 may comprise any computing device (e.g., one or more computers) capable of communicating with other computing devices. The server 12 typically comprises a processor which is in communication with a storage device, such as an appropriate combination of RAM, ROM, hard disk, and other well known storage media. Central server 12 may comprise one or more personal computers, web servers, dedicated game servers, video game consoles, any combination of the foregoing, or the like. [0011] Each video game device 14 may comprise any device capable of communicating with central server 12, providing video game information to a player, and transmitting the player's desired actions to the central server. Each video game device typically comprises a processor which is in communication with a storage device, such as an appropriate combination of RAM ROM, hard disk, and other well known storage media. Suitable video game devices include, but are not limited to, personal computers, video game consoles, mobile phones, and personal data assistants (PDAs). [0012] Some or all of video game 16 can be stored on central server 16. Alternatively, some or all of video game 16 may be stored on the individual video game devices 14. Typically, the video game devices are able to communicate with one another. Such communication may or may not be facilitated by central server 12. Accordingly, a player 18a accessing video game 16 via game device 14a may be able to play with a player 18b accessing video game 16 via game device 14b. As shown, it may be possible for multiple players (e.g. 16c, 16d) to access central server 12 via the same game device (e.g. 14c). [0013] Regardless of whether video game 16 is stored on central server 12 or video game devices 14, server 12 is typically configured to facilitate play of the game between multiple game players. According to one embodiment, central server 12 is further configured to facilitate the formation and management of sponsorship contracts between two or more players. [0014] According to the present disclosure, a sponsorship contract is an agreement between two or more players where one player, the "sponsor," agrees to provide (e.g., upon formation of the agreement, at a predetermined time before or after formation of the agreement, at an agreed-upon time before or after formation of the agreement) an initial benefit, or advantage, to another player, the "sponsoree." In return for providing the initial benefit to the sponsoree, the sponsor receives a deferred benefit that is based on the sponsoree's performance in the game. It will be understood that according to some embodiments a sponsorship contract may have more than one sponsor and/or more than one sponsoree, and the same or different benefits may be provided. [0015] Generally, a player is the person who buys the game and sets up a player account. A player character is a persona created by a player to interact in the game environment. For the sake of simplicity the terms player and player character are used interchangeably in the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that a player may create and control one or more characters and each character may enter into one or more sponsorship contracts with other player characters. Accordingly, in some embodiments, two characters owned by the same player may enter into a sponsorship contract with each other. [0016] According to another embodiment, sponsorship information may be maintained in a database. Table I, below, shows a non-limiting example of the type of information that could be included in a sponsorship contract database. Sponsorship information may include any information related to past, present, or future sponsorship contracts. For example, the database may include information regarding the terms of a given contract, whether a given player is currently a party to a sponsorship contract, whether a given player is a sponsor or a sponsoree in a given contract, and/or whether a given player has indicated interest in entering into a sponsorship contract. TABLE-US-00001 TABLE I Contract Number 3254 3255 3256 Sponsoree (unfilled) XXCD23344 XXYY24428 Sponsor XYZ234567 XYZ234567 XYXY33612 Status Pending Expired Active Listing Date Jan. 01, 2006 Mar. 14, 2004 May 10, 2005 Creation Date NA Mar. 15, 2004 Jun. 20, 2005 Expiration Date NA Mar. 15, 2005 NA Sponsoree Benefit 1 400 2 Helpers Will show secret Experience pts passageway Sponsoree Benefit 2 1 Storage Unit 1 Plot of land One healing spell Sponsoree Benefit N $500 One status bar One weapon Sponsor Benefit 1 2% of 10% of $ All health points Experience over 90% pts to Level 6 Sponsor Benefit 2 All 10% of stamina An item to be Linen Pilferred named once Level 8 reached [0017] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, each sponsorship contract may be assigned a unique identifier such as a number or a sequence of alphanumeric characters. For each contract identifier, the database links the sponsor(s), if any, the sponsoree(s), if any, the contract status, the date the request for a contract was listed, the date the contract was created, and the date the contract expires. As shown, the database may also include the terms of the contracts, i.e. what benefits were promised to the sponsor and sponsoree. [0018] The database typically stores a unique identifier for each player. The unique identifier could be the player's name, a username (e.g., specified by the player), a phone number, a social security number, a combination of the foregoing, etc. In the example above, the unique identifier is a license key number associated with the game license purchased by the player. The unique identifier may be used to link multiple databases related to the same player, as described in greater detail below. [0019] In the database shown above, contracts can have a status of active, expired or pending. As used in the current disclosure, the term "active" is intended to mean a contract which has not expired and to which there is both an assigned sponsor and an assigned sponsoree. As used in the current disclosure, the term "expired" is intended to mean a contract which has been cancelled, has been found invalid, or for which the expiration date has passed, regardless of whether both a sponsor and sponsoree have been assigned. As used in the current disclosure, the term "pending" is intended to mean an unexpired contract that lacks an assigned sponsor, sponsoree, or both. [0020] Some or all of the information in the sponsorship database may be viewable to game players. According to one embodiment, the sponsorship database may be part of an online forum on which players can browse current pending, active, and/or expired contracts. Players may use the forum to advertise themselves as available for sponsorship, find a sponsor or sponsoree, or help them get ideas for contract terms. [0021] According to one embodiment, two or more players may simply decide between themselves to form a sponsorship contract and then inform the server of the parties to the contract and the terms thereof. Continue reading... Full patent description for Online game environment that facilitates binding contracts between player characters Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Online game environment that facilitates binding contracts between player characters patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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