Abstract:
A method for enabling purchases of status items associated with an online virtual game is disclosed. The method involves: determining that a player of the online virtual game has achieved a first objective defined in the online virtual game, and informing an online store that the player has achieved the first objective. The online store is configured to allow the player to purchase a first status item for achieving the first objective. The first status item comprises a real-world indication that the player has achieved the first objective. The online store is configured to allow a particular player to purchase a particular status item associated with achieving a particular objective in the online virtual game that conveys that the particular player has, in fact, achieved the particular objective. The online store is configured to not allow the particular player to purchase the particular status item without actually having achieved the particular objective.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to entertainment platforms and, more specifically, to a system and method for providing a physical indication of an objective met in an entertainment platform. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     During the last few decades, entertainment platforms for online virtual games have greatly increased in popularity. The range of available online virtual games ranges from board games such as chess and checkers to war/battle simulation games to childcare-type games. Online virtual games are popular because, among other reasons, online virtual games provide players challenges and entertainment for hours while requiring relatively little real-world equipment. Also, online virtual games provide an activity in which one can engage when friends or family are not around. 
     Typically, online virtual games require players to achieve one or more objectives during the course of the game, and the success of a particular player is then measured by how many of those objectives the player can meet during the game. For example, a battle/war online virtual game may require a player to kill a certain number of opponents and/or to bomb a certain number of targets in order to meet an objective. Other online virtual games may implement multiple levels, where a player who is successful at meeting the objectives presented in a particular level of the game would be promoted to the second level of the game, where the player would be presented with different objectives. After meeting an objective, the player is typically informed that the player has met an objective. Oftentimes, this information is provided on the screen. 
     As is fairly well-known, many online virtual games present virtual achievement ornaments that are tied to particular objectives in the games to the players of the games. For example, a pirate-type online virtual game may be structured to present a virtual representation of a sword to a player when he/she achieves a certain level of notoriety in the game. One drawback to presenting players with virtual achievement ornaments is that there is no physical permanence to such ornaments. Therefore, a player in an online virtual game has no way to demonstrate outside the online virtual gaming environment that the player has met certain objectives in the game. 
     One drawback in online virtual gaming environments and online stores is that online virtual games do not share information with online stores that sell products representing the meeting of objectives in online virtual games. As such, a player in an online virtual game has no way to demonstrate outside the online virtual gaming environment that he/she has met the objectives in the game. 
     As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is a representation of an objective met in a virtual gaming environment that is not tied to a computer screen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for enabling access to status items associated with an entertainment platform. The method includes the steps of determining that a player of the entertainment platform has achieved a first objective defined in the entertainment platform and providing an indicia that the player has achieved the first objective. A store is configured to allow the player to purchase a first status item for achieving the first objective in response to the indicia that the player has achieved the first objective. The first status item comprises a real-world indication that the player has achieved the first objective. The store is configured to allow a particular player to purchase a particular status item associated with achieving a particular objective in the entertainment platform that conveys that the particular player has, in fact, achieved the particular objective; and the store is configured to not allow the particular player to purchase the particular status item without actually having achieved the particular objective. 
     One advantage of the disclosed method is that a player in entertainment platform can obtain status items that represent her accomplishments in the entertainment platform and are not tied to a computer screen. As a result, the player in the entertainment platform can more easily display her success in the entertainment platform to her friends and family. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention may be had by reference to example embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only example embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a computing system configured to implement one or more aspects of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a more detailed illustration of the client computing device of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a more detailed illustration of the server machine of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a more detailed illustration of logic implemented by the online virtual game module of  FIG. 3 , according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a more detailed illustration of logic implemented by the online store of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of method steps for allowing a player who has met an objective in an online virtual game to purchase a status item indicating the objective met, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a computing system configured to implement one or more aspects. As shown, the computing system  100  includes a server machine  105  connected to an online store  110  and a plurality of client computing devices  130 , including client computing device  130 . 1  and client computing device  130 . 2 . These systems are connected to one another via a network  120 . The network  120  may be Internet, an intranet, a wired or wireless local area network (LAN), a cellular network such as GSM or CDMA, or other computer network. 
     Illustratively, the server machine  105  is a game server configured to provide an entertainment platform which allows players to play one or more online virtual games. Players access the server machine  105  from client computing devices  130  connected to the network  120 . While only one server machine  105  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , those skilled in the art would understand that the techniques described herein could be implemented with one or more server machines  105 . In one embodiment, a plurality of server machines  105  operate in concert. The operation of the server machine  105  is described in more detail below in conjunction with  FIG. 3 . 
     The online store  110  is configured to sell real-world items, including physical items such as toys, ornaments, trophies, certificates and/or clothes, to customers. Customers access the online store  110  from client computing devices  130  connected to the network  120 . While only online store  110  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , those skilled in the art would understand that the techniques described herein could be implemented with one or more online stores  110 . In one embodiment, some of the customers of the online store  110  are also players of a game that is played on server machine  105 , and online store  110  sells products that are related to the game that is played on server machine  105 . The operation of the online store  110  is described in more detail below in conjunction with  FIG. 5 . 
     Each client computing device  130  could be a laptop or desktop computer, a virtual machine, a cluster of computers comprising one or more virtual machines, a PDA, a mobile phone or any other computing device or set of devices capable of connecting to a network. The client computing device  130  is configured to access the server machine  105  and/or the online store  110  through either a general purpose application, such as a web browser, or a special purpose application for accessing the server machine  105  and/or the online store  110 . The operation of the client computer system is described in more detail below in conjunction with  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  is a more detailed illustration of the client computing device  130  of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment. As shown, the client computing device  130  includes, a central processing unit (CPU)  205 , a network interface  215 , an interconnect  220 , and a memory  225 . The client computing device  130  may also include an input/output (I/O) devices interface  210  connecting I/O devices  212  (e.g., keyboard, display and mouse devices) to the client computing device  130 . 
     The CPU  205  retrieves and executes programming instructions stored in the memory  225 . Similarly, the CPU  205  stores and retrieves application data residing in the memory  225 . The interconnect  220  is used to transmit programming instructions and application data between the CPU  205 , I/O devices interface  210 , storage  230 , network interface  215 , and memory  225 . CPU  205  is included to be representative of a single CPU, multiple CPUs, a single CPU having multiple processing cores, and the like. The memory  225  includes random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive and/or a flash memory storage drive. 
     As shown, the memory  225  includes a web browser  230  and an online virtual game playing module  235 . As is well-known, the web browser  230  is a general purpose application for accessing many different web pages. In one embodiment, the web browser may be configured to access a page associated with server machine  105  and/or online store  110 . Using the web browser  230 , a user of the client computing device  130  could interact with the online store  110  as a customer in the online store or with the server machine  105  as a player in an online virtual game. 
     According to one embodiment, the memory  225  also includes an online virtual game playing module  235 . The online virtual game playing module  235  is a special purpose application configured to allow the user of the client computing device  130  to interact with the server machine  105  as a player in a game implemented on server machine  105 . In one embodiment (not illustrated), the online virtual game playing module  235  may be a part of the web browser  230 . In another embodiment, the online virtual game playing module  235  is a separate and distinct application from web browser  230 . 
       FIG. 3  is a more detailed illustration of the server machine  105  of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment. As shown, server machine  105  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  305 , a network interface  315 , an interconnect  320 , and a memory  325 . The server machine  105  may also include an input/output (I/O) device interface  310  connecting I/O devices  312  (e.g., keyboard, display, and mouse devices) to the server machine  105 . 
     As shown, the memory  325  includes an online virtual game module  330 . The online virtual game module  330  contains instructions that, when executed, cause the server machine  105  to allow one or more players, accessing the server machine  105  through client computing devices  130  to play an online virtual game. The online virtual game module  330  is described in more detail in conjunction with  FIG. 4 . 
     In one embodiment, any other entertainment platform, such as a video game, interactive television show, etc. could perform the functions associated with the online virtual game playing module  235 , and any back-end server supporting such an entertainment platform could perform the functions associated with the online virtual game module  330 . 
       FIG. 4  is a more detailed illustration of logic implemented by the online virtual game module  330  of  FIG. 3 , according to one embodiment. As shown, the online virtual game module  330  includes a player  405 . While only one player  405  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 , persons skilled in the art would understand that multiple players  405  may also be implemented. Typically, each player  405  corresponds to a human player who plays the online virtual game through one or more client computing devices  130 , which have the online virtual game playing module  235  installed thereon. 
     As shown, each player includes an identifier (ID)  410 , a password  415 , and a history  420 . Typically, the human player enters login information including the ID  410  and password  415  in order to access the online virtual game module  330  through an online virtual game playing module  235  on a client computing device  130 . Alternatively, the ID  410  and password  415  of player  405  may be associated with an email or social networking service. Persons skilled in the art will recognize other techniques may be used for authenticating players. For example, cookies may be stored on a client computing device  130  associated with player  405 . When the player  405  subsequently attempts to access the online virtual game module  330 , the cookies stored on the client computing device  130  are read by the online virtual game module  330  to authenticate the player  405 . The history  420  stores information about the past interaction of the player  405  with the online virtual game module  330 . As shown, the history  420  includes logic representing objectives met  425 . In one embodiment, the objectives met  425  represent the objectives in the online virtual game that the player  405  has met. In one implementation, the objectives met  425  include accomplishments that the player  405  has achieved, such as reaching a certain level in the online virtual game, completing a quest in the online virtual game, defeating a certain number of opponents in the online virtual game or obtaining a certain ranking in the online virtual game. 
       FIG. 5  is a more detailed illustration of logic implemented by the online store  110  of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment. As shown, the online store  110  includes a customer  505  and items for sale  540 . While only one customer  505  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , persons skilled in the art would understand that multiple customers  505  could be implemented. 
     As shown, the items for sale  540  include public items  545  and status items  550 . Public items  545  are available for purchase by all customers  505 . Status items  550  are only available for purchase by a subset of customers  505 . In one embodiment, status items  550  are only available for purchase by those customers  505  who are also players  405  in the online virtual game implemented on the server machine  105  and who have certain objectives met  425 . Those skilled in the art would understand that items for sale  540  include physical and/or real-world items, such as toys, ornaments, clothes, trophies, certificates and/or accessories. 
     As shown, each customer  505  includes an identifier (ID)  510 , a password  515 , payment information  520 , shipping information  525 , and online virtual game information  530 . Alternatively, the ID  510  and password  515  of customer  505  may be associated with an email or social networking service. Typically, the human customer enters login information including the ID  510  and password  515  in order to access the online store via either a web browser  230  or a special purpose application installed on a client computing device  130  accessible to the human customer. In one embodiment, the customer  505  corresponds to a player  405  in the online virtual game module  330 , and the ID  510  and password  515  of the customer to access the online store  110  are the same as the ID  410  and password  415  of the player to access the online virtual game module  330 . In another embodiment, the ID  510  and password  515  of the customer  505  are different from the ID  410  and password  415  of the player, even though the customer  505  and the player  405  correspond to the same human customer/player. Persons skilled in the art will recognize other techniques exist for authenticating customers. For example, cookies may be stored on a client computing device  130  associated with customer  505 . When the player  405 /customer  505  subsequently attempts to access the online store  110 , the cookies stored on the client computing device  130  are read by the online store  110  to authenticate the player  405 /customer  505 . 
     The payment information  520  stores information regarding how customer  505  pays for items for sale  540  that she purchases. In one embodiment, the payment information  520  includes credit card information or bank account information. The shipping information  525  stores information regarding how customer  505  receives items for sale  540  that she purchases. In one embodiment, the shipping information  525  includes a mailing address. In one embodiment, a physical store having a brick and mortar presence may be implemented in place of an online store. The physical store may save biometric information (e.g. facial recognition) of its customers, or give customers a key chain, mobile-phone based, or wallet-sized loyalty card to identify them. In one embodiment, the loyalty card implements radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. 
     The online virtual game information  530  includes information about the experience of the customer  505  with being a player  405  in an online virtual game implemented on server machine  105 . As shown, the online virtual game information  530  includes information regarding access to status items  535 . In one embodiment, the access to status items  535  is a Boolean value that is set to TRUE if the customer is permitted to purchase status items  550  and set to FALSE if the customer is not permitted to purchase status items  550 . However, persons skilled in the art would recognize other implementations of the access to status items  535  value. In one embodiment, the access to status items  535  is set to allow customer  505  to purchase status items  550  if the customer  505  is a player  405  in the online virtual game of the server machine  105  and the player  405  has certain objectives met. 
     In one embodiment, customers who do not have access to status items  535  can only view the public items  545  in the online store  110 , but cannot view the status items  550 . Only customers who have access to status items  535  can view status items  550 . In other words, according to one embodiment, the online store  110  includes two displays, a public display and a status display. The public display is for members of the public or customers  505  who do not have access to status items  535 , and the status display is for customers  505  who have access to status items  535 . Status items  550  are presented in the status display and are not presented in the public display. 
     In another embodiment, all customers can view status items  550  but only customers who have access to status items  535  can purchase status items  550 . In other words, both the public display and the status display of the online store  110  include that status items  550 , but only the status display allows customers  505  to purchase status items  550 . 
     In yet another embodiment, a player, at a given time, has access to and purchases a particular status item included in the status items  550  but does not have access to a related status item included in the status items  550 . In addition, within the online virtual game, the player receives a virtual status item indicative of the particular status item that he/she accesses within the status items  550 . At a later time, based on the objectives met  425 , the related status item included in the status items  550  can also be accessed by the player. The player can then purchase the related status item and combine the related status item with the previously-purchased status item to produce an upgraded status item. In addition, within the online virtual game, the player receives a virtual status item indicative of the related status item that he/she accesses within the status items  550 , and, within the online virtual game, the two virtual status items are combined. For example, based on a particular objective that was met, the player of the pirate-type online virtual game is allowed to purchase a sword. Based on a different objective that was met at a later time, the player is then allowed to purchase a jewel frame that physically snaps on the purchased sword. The player can attach the jewel frame to the sword, and the “upgraded” sword indicates the achievements of the player in the physical and/or real world. In addition, within the online virtual game, a virtual sword given to the player when the first objective was met is combined with a virtual jewel frame given to the player when the second objective was met resulting in an “upgraded” virtual sword. 
     In one embodiment, a physical store having a brick and mortar presence, rather than an online store  110 , implements the functionality described above. For the physical store, the indicia that a player has achieved an objective include, for example, a printable coupon, a coupon code, or a mobile phone-based coupon. As is well-known, in one embodiment, the physical store is a purely brick and mortar store with no online presence. In another embodiment, the physical store is a brick and mortar store that also has an online presence, and is configured to sell items both over the Internet and at the geographic locations of the physical store. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of method steps for allowing a player who has met an objective in an online virtual game to purchase a status item indicating the objective met, according to one embodiment of the present invention. Although the method steps are described in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-5 , persons skilled in the art will understand that any system configured to perform the method steps, in any order, falls within the scope of the present invention. 
     The method  600  begins at step  610 , where the online virtual game module  330  determines that a player  405  has met an objective in an online virtual game. As a result, the objectives met  425  associated with the player  405  is updated to reflect that the player has met the objective. 
     The method  600  then continues to step  620  where the online virtual game module  330  provides a virtual indication of the objective met  425  to the player  405 . In one embodiment, the virtual indication is an on-screen indication that is presented on the screen of the client computing device  130  via the online virtual game playing module  235 . 
     The method  600  then continues to step  630 , where the online virtual game module  330  provides the information that the player  405  has met the objective in the online virtual game to the online store  110 . In response, the online store  110  associates the player  405  with a customer  505 . 
     The method  600  then continues to step  640 . In step  640 , the online virtual game module  330  causes the online store  110  to allow the customer  505  (which corresponds to player  405 ) to purchase a status item  550  associated with the objectives met  425  of player  405 . In one embodiment, the online store  110  allows the customer  505  to purchase a status item  550  after receiving the information that the player  405  has certain objectives met  425  in the online virtual game module  330 . According to one embodiment, the online store  110  did not allow the customer  505  to purchase the status item  550  prior to the player  405  achieving the objectives met  425 . According to one embodiment, the online store  110  allows customer  505  to purchase status items  550  by updating the value of access to status items  535  associated with customer  505 . After step  640 , the method  600  ends. 
     Persons skilled in the art will recognize that one or more aspects of the inventive concepts described herein may be implemented in various ways. For example, as set forth in one above embodiment, the online virtual game module  330  provides an indication that the player  405  has met an objective to the online store  110 . This indication could be provided either immediately when the player  405  meets the objective, when the player  405  attempts to access a section of the online store  110  associated with a game of the online virtual game module  330 , or at any other appropriate time. 
     In another example embodiment, the game server provides the indication that the player  405  has met an objective to the player  405  or to a machine being operated by the player  405 . For example, the online virtual game module  330  may provide the player  405  with a text-based coupon code or stores a cookie on a client computing device  130  associated with the player  405 , which is later provided to the online store  110 . As one skilled in the art would understand, the coupon code or cookie provide an integration mechanism between the online store  110  and the online virtual game module  330 , and any other integration mechanism may be used in place of the coupon code or cookie. In one embodiment, the cookie is encrypted in order to prevent or limit hacking and unauthorized purchases of status items. In one embodiment, the coupon code is generated by a coupon server separate from the server machine  105  and the online store  110 . In one embodiment, the coupon code is associated with a token that contains an identifier of one or more status items  550  and auxiliary information. 
     In yet another example embodiment, a physical store is implemented instead of online store  110 . The information that the player  405  has met the objective could be provided to the physical store via a printable coupon, a text coupon code, or a mobile phone-based coupon, such as a barcode or pictogram stored or displayed on a mobile device. 
     In sum, the approaches disclosed herein allow a player who has met an objective in an online virtual game to receive a physical and/or real world, as well as a virtual, indication of the objective met. Examples of objectives in online virtual games include reaching a certain level, defeating a certain number of opponents, or obtaining a certain ranking relative to the opponents. Specifically, in one approach an online virtual game module receives information that a player has met an objective in an online virtual game. The online virtual game module then provides a virtual indication of the objective met to the player. With one approach, the virtual indication appears on the computer screen of the player. Next, the online virtual game module provides the information that the player has met the objective to an online store. With one approach, the online store is associated with the online virtual game. Finally, the online virtual game module causes the online store to allow the player to purchase one or more status items associated with meeting the objective. Prior to the player meeting the objective in the online virtual game, the online store did not allow the player to purchase any status items. As a result, the one or more status items comprise a physical indication that the player has met the first objective. Also, the ability to purchase, and therefore the ownership of the status items conveys that the player met the objectives. 
     One advantage of the disclosed approach is that a player in an online virtual game can obtain status items that represent her accomplishments in the online virtual gaming environment and are not tied to a computer screen. As a result, the player in the online virtual game can more easily display her success in the game to her friends and family. 
     The scope of the present invention is determined by the claims that follow.