Game platform

Abstract

To provide a system realized by a computer, the system for hosting a position interlocked virtual environment in which one or more users can participate.SOLUTION: Geographic coordinates of a user in a real world may be determined using data provided by a position determining system. The user's real world geographic coordinates may be mapped to virtualized coordinates of an avatar in a virtual environment. The user's real world geographic coordinates may be compared to real world geographic coordinates of one or more entities having a sales office in the virtual environment. The user may be presented with options for accepting or activating at least a first reward from a list of rewards. Responsive to the user selecting the first reward, the first reward may be activated for a first time period in association with one or more goods or services offered by a first entity. The user is rewarded in response to verifying that the user has purchased the offered goods or services during the first time period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications Under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), this application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 914,819, filed on October 14, 2019, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The subject matter of the present disclosure generally relates to providing a video game platform that motivates a player to purchase goods or services from a particular franchise or service provider. More specifically, a player may be motivated by the option of receiving one or more prizes or rewards in exchange for visiting a virtual location within the game or a real - world franchise store within a predetermined timeline and purchasing a particular good or service.

Background Art

[0003] Mobile - standard video game platforms can be realized in each environment of augmented reality, virtual reality, or mixed reality. Some of these game platforms provide a way for users to interact with both virtual and real environments. As internet connectivity, speed, and access increase, many players from around the world can interact between these environments and compete in various in - game adventures.

[0004] Location - based augmented reality mobile games typically have a virtual world geography that corresponds to the real - world environment. Such games generally focus on traveling to specific locations in the real world, such as landmarks, monuments, or other notable places, in order to achieve virtual goals. Most of these games provide no connection to the real world other than traveling to a specific real - world destination to acquire valuable digital goods, game offers, or adventure items.

[0005] Currently, there is no game platform configured to digitally reward players for purchasing real-world goods or services from a real-world seller's store. Thus, even if a seller at a certain location in the real world is getting a lot of traffic from players in a location-based augmented reality game, there is no way to track or verify whether a particular player at a particular location has purchased a real-world good or service.

[0006] It would be beneficial if a real-time virtual-to-real world exchange platform could motivate players to visit a real or virtual location or place that is identifiable, where different in-game items or prizes can be collected in exchange for the player purchasing a real-world service or good from a real-world store or service provider. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] For purposes of summary, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features have been described herein. It is to be understood that not all such advantages can be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment. Thus, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied or practiced in a manner that realizes or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught or suggested herein, rather than all advantages that may be taught or suggested.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method and system are provided for hosting a location-linked reality game on a game platform. The game platform can be utilized to associate players who play the location-linked reality game with a source of funds and to determine the geographical coordinates of the players in the surrounding situation of the real world. The location-linked reality game can have in-game locations corresponding to at least a portion of the geographical coordinates of the players in the real world. The relative position coordinates of the players can be monitored based on the information stored in a database. The database can include information regarding a list of franchise stores, offers of the franchise, or reward levels of the franchise in the real world.

[0009] In some embodiments, a list of rewards associated with any one of the offers of the franchise, the franchise stores, and the reward levels of the franchise can be determined based on the players who interact with the game interface or the offers. In-game rewards can be provided to the players. The game platform can receive and process payment transaction data associated with the purchased offers of real-world franchises related to the players. The offers of real-world franchises can match the in-game reward reservation based on the payment transaction data including at least one of a purchase timestamp and a franchise id.

[0010] According to one or more aspects, there are provided a method and a system implemented by a computer for holding a location-linked virtual environment in which one or more users can participate. The geographical coordinates of a user in the real world can be determined using data provided by a positioning system. The geographical coordinates of the user in the real world can be mapped to the virtual coordinates of an avatar within the virtual environment. The geographical coordinates of the user in the real world can be compared with the geographical coordinates of one or more entities having a business location within the virtual environment. A user can be provided with an option to accept or activate a first reward from a list of rewards. When the user selects the first reward, the first reward can be activated for a first period related to one or more products or services offered by a first entity. When it is verified that the user has purchased the offered product or service during the first period, the user can be granted the reward.

[0011] In certain embodiments, there is provided a system implemented by a computer comprising one or more processors communicating with a storage medium storing location data for one or more users. The system can hold a location-linked virtual environment in which one or more users participate and can determine the geographical coordinates of a user in the real world using data provided by a positioning system. The geographical coordinates of the user in the real world can be compared with the geographical coordinates of one or more entities having a business location within the virtual environment. One or more entities existing within the virtual environment promote products or services through one or more offers provided within the virtual environment. A list of rewards associated with at least one of the offers can be accessed based on the comparison. A user can be provided with an option to accept or activate at least a first reward from the list of rewards. The first reward is associated with purchased products and services from a first entity. When the user selects the first reward, the first reward can be activated for a first period related to one or more products or services offered by a first entity.

[0012] In one aspect, when a user purchases at least one of one or more goods or services offered by a first entity, payment transaction data may be received from a transaction processing entity. The payment transaction data may include at least one of a timestamp indicating the purchase time and an identifier identifying the first entity or an offer by the first entity enabled by the user. Based on the payment transaction data, when it is verified that the user has purchased an offer good or service associated with a first reward during a first period, the user may be notified that the first reward has been granted to the user.

[0013] In some embodiments, the virtual environment is a location-linked reality game. Information regarding the real-world coordinates of an entity, or a good or service offered by the entity, or an associated reward, may be stored in a database accessible by one or more processors. A funding source may be associated with a user identifier that identifies the user when the user uses the funding source to purchase at least one of one or more goods or services. The transaction data may include the user identifier.

[0014] Depending on the embodiment, if the system cannot verify that the user has purchased an offer good or service associated with a first reward during a first period due to insufficient funds or an invalid funding source, the first reward may not be granted to the user. Further, if the system cannot verify that the user is associated with a funding source, the user may be unable to accept or activate the first reward.

[0015] In some aspects, the user may be proposed to apply for a new funding source or enter information regarding a pre-established funding source. When a new funding source is approved or a pre-established funding source is authenticated, a unique identifier may be associated with the user, and based on the unique identifier associated with the user and the established funding source, the system may be enabled to activate the reward selected by the user.

[0016] Details of one or more variations of the subject matter described in this specification are presented in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described in this specification will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims. However, the disclosed subject matter is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate specific aspects of the subject matter disclosed in this specification and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain some of the principles associated with the disclosed embodiments as follows.

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

[0019] Each figure may not be absolutely or relatively to scale and is for illustration. The relative arrangement of each feature and each element may be modified for ease of explanation. In practice, according to one or more embodiments, the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar, or equivalent, structures, features, aspects, or elements.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] To provide a complete description of various embodiments below, various specific details are described. In certain embodiments, these specific details may be implemented without these specific details or with modifications to the details. In some cases, specific features are not described in detail so as not to obscure other aspects. The degree of detail regarding each element or each feature should not be construed as limiting the novelty or importance of one feature over other features.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 1, an example operating environment 100 is illustrated when a player interacts with a virtual world having a geography corresponding to the real world using a location-linked reality game. The location-linked reality game can be executed on one or more game computing systems 110 such as a general-purpose computer, a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone), a tablet (e.g., Apple's iPad (registered trademark)), a game console, a portable game device, a wearable computing device, or other communicable computing devices. The location-linked reality game can be configured to operate through a web browser, such as a dedicated app or other types of software apps that are wholly or partially executed on the game computing system 110.

[0022] In one embodiment, the game computing system 110 may communicate with the game platform 120 through a communication network and access data stored in the database 130. The game computing system 110 may also access services provided by the transaction processing entity 140. Depending on the embodiment, the database 130 may be located on the premises of one or more game computing systems 110 or other systems on which the location-based reality game or the transaction processing entity 140 is executed, or may be located remotely, or may be built-in. The server system may be configured on the game platform 120, or on the transaction processing entity 140, or on both, to receive one or more requests submitted by the game computing system 110 (e.g., client system) via the game platform 120. The game platform 120 may be implemented through a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., the Internet).

[0023] Depending on the embodiment, the location-based reality game and the game platform 120 may be implemented through a centralized or distributed (e.g., cloud-based) computing environment as dedicated resources, or may be configured as virtual machines that define shared processing or storage resources. The execution, realization, or instantiation of the location-based reality game or related in-game objects, as well as the game platform 120 and related features and components, may be performed through a server system that defines a dedicated machine that provides access to various data and services described in more detail below to a remotely located client system such as the computing system 110.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example of a method for providing a game platform that motivates a player to visit a selected geographical location is disclosed. A location-linked game environment can be provided that maps a virtual space within the game to the geographical location of the player on the earth (S210). When the player is physically at a specific geographical location, the virtual space within the game corresponds hereinafter to the player's physical location on the earth, which is hereinafter referred to as the player's geographical space or geographical location. The geographical location of the player can be monitored (S220). Accordingly, the graphical user interface of the game, or the in-game position of the player's avatar within the game, can be updated in real time (or near real time) as the player moves through the geographical space (S230).

[0025] According to one or more embodiments, in order to obtain valuable game prizes or features (such as digital goods, game offerings, etc.) within the virtual environment of the game, the player can be encouraged to visit franchise stores (i.e., the locations of physical stores in the real world) within the geographical space identified within the game. For example, when the player attempts to collect a prize (S240), a map can be generated using the player's geographical location that indicates the locations of one or more franchise stores where the player can collect one or more prizes (S250). Otherwise, the game can continue (S260).

[0026] Referring to FIG. 3, in some embodiments, in order to obtain a prize, the player can select a location on a map provided within the game environment and use the map to move into the real world towards the selected location. When the player reaches the intended destination (such as a coffee shop) on the map, the player can decide to purchase one or more specific real-world items (such as a cup of coffee) selected using, for example, the in-game menu, from the real-world store, i.e., the franchise store, at the destination. As will be described in more detail below, when the player can be identified, the player can collect prizes within the game environment in exchange for the selected purchase from the franchise store.

[0027] Depending on the embodiment, to identify a player, the player may use, but is not limited to, a device for identifying the player (S310). The identification process is preferably performed at the time of purchase, but may also be performed at a point in time before or after purchase (e.g., registration processing before or after purchase via a portal or social media account). The device for identifying the player may be a digitized device such as a magnetic or chip-compatible card, a digital token, or other types of devices that can electronically or digitally identify the player. In one exemplary embodiment, the device for identifying the player may be associated with a source of funds (e.g., a credit card, a debit card, a money pool, a point pool, a cryptocurrency, or other types of accounts) that can be registered by the player and used for paying for items purchased from a franchise store (S320).

[0028] If the player does not wish to be identified, or if the player uses an unregistered source of funds, or if the player decides not to purchase a specific item (e.g., an item proposed within the game environment), the player may not be able to collect the prizes associated with the proposed sale item (S330). The player may be identified, for example, using a registered source of funds. The identification may be performed, for example, when the purchase transaction of the item is successfully completed (e.g., by passing a credit card through a card reader). At the time of purchase completion, a purchase notification may be sent by the transaction processing entity 140 to the game platform 120 (S340).

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the purchase notification may include identification information related to the player and the sales location, and franchisee data, as detailed herein. Based on the information obtained and the purchase notification, the player may be able to acquire prizes within the game environment (S350). In an exemplary embodiment, the player may receive a notification after purchasing an item from a franchise store where prizes can be collected, or the notification may indicate that the corresponding in-game prize has been sent or added to the player's in-game profile or account, or that the prize can be redeemed when the player starts the next game session.

[0030] The game infrastructure (e.g., game platform 120) may be able to determine that a purchase in the real world has been successfully completed, depending on the embodiment, based on the identification information obtained about the player at the time of the real-world transaction. The identification information may be obtainable through a processing system, entity, or network (e.g., transaction processing entity 140) that verifies and authenticates the real-world transaction regarding the purchase of the target item from the target franchisee. The processing entity 140 may collect and provide, in addition to the player's location and purchase information, data on the store where the item was purchased and other information that can be derived from the information obtained.

[0031] The following shows a configuration example in which a player acquires a prize (e.g., digital coin) within a game environment such as the operating environment 100 of FIG. 1. In the virtual space defined by the game, the prize may be at a franchise store such as a coffee shop or a fast-food vendor that has a related physical location within the player's geographical space. Before or when the player arrives at a franchise store within the geographical space, the game environment may display to the player information indicating the items that can be purchased from the franchise store by associating the player's geographical location with the in-game representation of the store.

[0032] In some embodiments, additional information that suggests in-game which prizes are unlocked and collected may be displayed before, during, or after purchasing one or more selectable items from a store located at a specified geographical location. Note that in certain embodiments, players are not necessarily required to physically visit the geographical location of a real-world store in order to complete a purchase or to activate an in-game prize offer. In some embodiments, players may decide to complete purchases of goods or services online by going to a web page or through an app and may choose to receive physical goods or services at a later time. For example, a player may order coffee from Starbucks (registered trademark) and select Uber Eats (trademark) as a delivery option to the player's current geographical location in order to activate or unlock an in-game offer or incentive, or may purchase or rent a movie to watch later.

[0033] In certain embodiments, a player may select one or more items (e.g., from an in-game menu) and purchase the presented goods or services. The player may present, for example, a credit card to pay the franchise for the selected items. The player's source of funds (e.g., credit card, debit card, money pool, point pool, or other type of account) may be processed by a transaction processing entity 140 (e.g., Visa (registered trademark)). When the purchase is successfully completed, a notification is sent to the game platform 120 (e.g., game studio or game seller) to confirm the purchase. Based on the purchase confirmation, specific in-game prizes associated with the real-world goods or services purchased may be redeemed by the player (e.g., by delivering a prize notification to the player's inbox) or digitally distributed or conveyed to the player within the game environment.

[0034] Information related to players and franchise stores may be collected directly or indirectly by the game platform 120 (or proxy entity) during a transaction and may be used to create a profile of the player, the franchise store, or both. Based on the profiles of the player or franchise store, future offers may be distributed to the player or an advertising program may be provided to the franchise store. For example, depending on the type of information obtained from or validated by the player at the time of the transaction, or after or before the transaction, the player may receive an offer to visit the same or similar franchise stores either in the game or in the real world.

[0035] The franchise store may also receive information regarding the transaction timeline and the actual demographics of the players who purchased the items. In certain embodiments, the franchise store may also receive valuable consumer profile data that may or may not be anonymized by the game platform 120, depending on the player's consent settings, opt-out options, and privacy laws. Advantageously, by using the processes described above, the seller, i.e., the franchise store, does not need to create or incorporate any application programming interface or computing infrastructure within the franchise store's transaction processing system. The franchise store may process the player's credit card or other source of funds in the ordinary course of business without incurring the overhead associated with reserving or activating additional computing resources, whether processing resources or storage resources.

[0036] In some embodiments, if a player links or registers a source of funds (e.g., credit card number) with a game in - service provider (i.e., one or more processing entities that manage game - related transactions), the player can be appropriately identified (e.g., based on a credit card number or other identification data) and can collect relevant in - game prizes. A franchise can contract with the game in - service provider to incorporate one or more franchise stores or their geographical locations into one or more games managed by the game in - service provider. The incorporation of each franchise store, or the incorporation of items offered at a franchise store, can be done in the form of any graphical user interface (e.g., in - game objects, banners, etc.).

[0037] As an example, a franchise of a coffee shop may have 100 locations within a specific geographical space (e.g., the city of Seattle). The franchise may contract with the game in - service provider to incorporate the geographical locations of 26 coffee shops into a first game and the geographical locations of 24 coffee shops into a second game, for example. The game in - service provider may be able to use different prizes for different purchased items or geographical locations depending on the purpose of the franchise. For example, a game in - service provider may offer highly desirable in - game prizes when a player purchases a first item on the menu from a franchise store at a first geographical location. The game in - service provider may offer less desirable in - game prizes when a player purchases a second item on the menu from a franchise store at a second geographical location. In this way, a franchise may pay a higher fee to encourage purchases at franchise stores in geographical locations with insufficient traffic (e.g., new stores), so that the game in - service provider offers more valuable in - game prizes at low - traffic stores.

[0038] According to the statistical materials related to prizes or games and the actual demographic information, it may be possible to induce passage to the selective geographical locations of players who match a specific category or consumer profile. For example, the first game is known to be popular among players in the first group (for example, women aged 25 to 30), and the second game may be known to be popular among players in the second group (for example, boys aged 12 to 18). Franchise stores can identify the actual demographics they want to target, and accordingly, the game platform can, in some games, determine and recommend the offers of each franchise store, giving priority to others. For example, the franchise store or the game platform may decide to provide in-game prizes in the first game related to the first franchise store that sells products and services suitable for players who match the first group (for example, women's clothing and jewelry), and decide to provide in-game prizes in the second game related to the second franchise store that sells products and services suitable for players who match the second group (for example, shoes and sports equipment for young men).

[0039] As will be described in more detail herein, in some embodiments, the offers provided to players may be time-locked. That is, the offers valid at one or more franchise stores may be valid only during a specific time frame. For example, the offer may be valid during the release time from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, or for 10 days or 30 days from the time of activation or receipt of the in-game offer by the player. According to some variations, the player may be required to spend a certain amount (for example, at least $10) or purchase a certain number of products from one or more specified franchise stores within a specified time in order for the offered incentive or reward to be given to the player. In some embodiments, the player may be required to spend a specific cumulative amount during a limited period. For example, the player may be required to spend $100 at one or more specified franchise stores within a one-month period in order to receive or unlock one or more in-game prizes.

[0040] According to each methodology provided herein and the various embodiments disclosed, a franchisee may attract players with desirable profiles, backgrounds, or interests, causing them to select each franchise store, thereby resulting in increased revenue and obtaining profits. The franchise of a franchisee may be based on an entry fee contract or a continuous royalty income creation scheme. The franchise transaction processing entity 140 (e.g., Visa) may also obtain profits by charging transaction fees for processing related transactions and providing the identification information of players and each franchisee to the in-game service provider. The in-game service provider may increase revenue based on a contract with each franchisee, or may share a portion of the increased revenue with a content provider (e.g., an entity that develops and provides the game environment).

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4A, a player may interact with a user device (e.g., the game computing system 110) to initiate a game session of a game supported on the game platform 120 (S410). During the game, the player may receive in-game offers or incentives for purchasing goods or services (S415). This offer may be associated with or incentivized to be associated with a service provider or franchisee that has contracted with the game platform 120 for advertising within the game environment. The game platform 120 may control, for example, the database 130 and one or more game servers (not shown) or contract with an entity (e.g., a proxy) that realizes and engineers one or more games or game platforms to provide in-game incentives and offers to all or selected players.

[0042] In one embodiment, the player interacts with a user interface (see, e.g., FIGS. 5-7) to activate or accept in-game offers or incentives (S420). The offer may be for the player to accept an in-game mission during a specified period, e.g., while the provided in-game incentive is valid. The incentive may be for the player to purchase real-world items from a franchise at a regular or discounted price. When the purchase is confirmed, the player receives (or becomes eligible to receive) in-game rewards.

[0043] Depending on the embodiment, the rewards may include in-game currency, a free upgrade to a higher game level, free loot, special energy or stamina, upgraded weapons, limited mini-games, an opportunity to obtain additional or better prizes, or other types of rewards or incentives that may encourage the player to purchase items or subscribe to services outside of the game environment. In certain embodiments, the player continues to receive in-game rewards during the period that the incentive is valid.

[0044] To receive the incentive, the player may be associated with a unique identifier (ID) provided and assigned to the player by the game platform 120. To obtain the ID, the player may be prompted to register with a financial institution or transaction processing entity 140 (S425). If the player decides to register, the transaction processing entity 140 may offer the player the option to enter payment source information such as a credit card, debit card, bank account, or other payment mechanism.

[0045] In some embodiments, the player may apply for a new credit card. Also, if the player already has a credit card number, the player may interact with the game platform 120 to input the credit card number into the transaction processing entity 140, preferably directly. Next, the payment source information is associated with the specific player's unique ID (S430). If the player cannot register a new payment source or provide another payment source, the player may be rejected from registration (S435).

[0046] Upon completion of the registration process, the transaction processing entity 140 may generate a token representing the player's credit card number or other source of funds by tokenizing the credit card number (e.g., using a hash or anonymization mechanism). Also, the token can be encrypted so that even if intercepted by a malicious party, the player's highly confidential credit card information is not easily leaked or stolen.

[0047] In some embodiments, the token or token ID associated with the token (preferably in addition to the user ID associated with the player) may be packetized and communicated from the transaction processing entity 140 to the game platform 120. This tokenization process limits both access to the game platform 120 and its responsibility for maintaining or storing the player's confidential data under certain regulations. The game platform 120 may store the token and user ID in the database 130 to identify the player and player-related transactions within the game.

[0048] When a player applies for registration successfully or is registered in the incentive program of the game platform 120, the player may have a purchase interface both inside and outside the game environment. In particular, the purchase of items or services can be made in a physical store, or online via a virtual store, an app, a web page, or within the game environment. As will be described in more detail herein, in order for a player to receive the offered in-game rewards, the player may be required to activate the offer and purchase the offered goods or services with the source of funds registered in the incentive program, desirably within a valid or eligible period.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 4B and 5 to 9, in order to activate an offer for a certain player, the game platform 120 determines whether the player has accepted the in-game offer and the conditions related to the offer (S440). Referring to FIG. 5, for example, each player may accept an in-game mission, interact with the user interface, and confirm the acceptance of the conditions of the offer, including the offer and the expiration date. For example, a certain player may accept and activate an offer to purchase item 1 from franchise store A during period P.

[0050] When the player accepts, the game platform 120 transmits the relevant offer information to the transaction processing entity 140, preferably through an application programming interface (API) established between the game platform 120 and the transaction processing entity 140 (S445). The offer information is transmitted in one or more communication packets and may include data identifying the player (e.g., unique ID), the offer, and the franchise store. The transaction processing entity 140 may process the information, respond to the game platform 120, and confirm that the offer information related to the player has been received and recognized (S450).

[0051] According to one or more embodiments, if the player is registered with the transaction processing entity 140 (e.g., recognized based on a unique ID associated with the source of funds), the offer is enabled (S455, S460). Depending on the embodiment, the offer may be valid for a specific period after which it expires (i.e., the offer becomes invalid). If the transaction processing entity 140 does not recognize the player (e.g., if the player's unique ID is not recognized, if the funds in the player's source of funds are insufficient, or if the credit card has expired), the activation of the offer fails, and the game platform 120 is notified (S465) so that appropriate measures can be taken, for example, to re-register the player.

[0052] To process the enabled offers and rewards, the game platform 120 may monitor information about purchases made by registered players with valid offers notified from the transaction processing entity 140 to the game platform 120. When a registered player makes a purchase using, for example, his registered credit card, the transaction processing entity 140 recognizes the purchase as related to the identification information of the player maintained by the transaction processing entity 140 within the database 130.

[0053] The processing of in-game transactions may be performed based on the activation information provided by the game platform 120 to the transaction processing entity 140. For example, when the player accepts the offer, the incentive is activated and reported to the transaction processing entity 140 in relation to a specific merchant. Next, when the player purchases one or more goods or services from the specific merchant, the transaction processing entity 140 notifies the game platform 120. In some embodiments, the player is recognized as an eligible purchaser of the merchant only during the period when the offer is valid.

[0054] When the above requirements are met, the transaction processing entity 140 preferably reports that a purchase has been made by the player through an API established between the transaction processing entity 140 and the game platform 120. The parameters to be reported may include the purchase date and time, player identification information, purchase amount, and affiliate information. Upon receiving the reported parameters, the game platform 120 may determine whether the purchase meets the conditions of the offer (e.g., whether the purchase was made within the validity period, for a specific product / service at an acceptable amount, from an authorized affiliate, etc.).

[0055] Thereby, when the player's purchase is verified by the game platform 120, the player's reward is processed, unlocked, and distributed. In certain embodiments, if the game platform 120 determines that some of the offer parameters or conditions are not met, the player may be notified and the reward will not be processed unless the player takes further action. For example, if the offer is no longer valid but still available, the player may be given the option to reactivate the offer by accepting a new mission within the game environment.

[0056] According to multiple embodiments, a transaction processing entity 140 (e.g., Visa) may be configured to read identification data such as stock keeping unit (SKU) level data regarding a product purchased via a certain source of funds (e.g., a Visa card). SKU data is digital information typically associated with a product and used by retailers to identify and track inventory. The SKU level data may be sent to the game platform 120 and utilized to determine the total amount a player has spent on incentive products through the game and to collect data regarding individual transactions. By means of a function that collects and analyzes higher-level transaction details, each user is provided with an opportunity to receive rewards for specific items purchased by customizing in-game offers to products and services highly relevant to the player based on a player profile that is routinely updated using the acquired SKU and transaction-related data.

[0057] In a particular embodiment, the game platform 120 may associate a unique identifier (e.g., a player ID) with the source of funds (e.g., credit card number) used by a player during an in-game purchase. In this way, individual in-game purchases by a player may be identified and individually associated with the player. Based on such association, each purchase by a player may be tracked and the player may receive rewards according to a frequency incentive program or schedule based on the frequency of visits or the total amount spent during a predetermined number of visits.

[0058] The player may receive a reward for making one or more purchases from one or more affiliated stores within a specific period (e.g., buying 5 hamburgers from Burger King (registered trademark) within the next 10 days to unlock the XYZ feature or reward of the game). To achieve this, the game platform 120 may track how many eligible in-game purchases the player has made and aggregate each purchase to unlock a specific reward. In one exemplary embodiment, it may be necessary to identify a predetermined number of transactions between the player and the (each) affiliated store before providing a certain in-game reward to the player by associating a figurative or virtual punch card object with the specific player and the specific (each) affiliated store. For example, it may be necessary for the player to make repeated purchases within a certain time frame to become eligible to receive a certain in-game reward.

[0059] In some embodiments, the online game may be configured to have a set of possible rewards, each with an associated probability. That is, when a player makes a purchase at a given store, a random reward may be determined based on predetermined statistics or probabilities. Next, the player may be able to select an additional reward if it is available based on each reward already obtained. For example, in one approach, the player may need to obtain a predetermined set or subset of rewards to obtain a specific, more desirable reward (e.g., win a jackpot).

[0060] In certain embodiments, the game platform 120 may be configured to host multiple games such that the same (or different) incentives can be offered to players across different games. In one example, a player may be provided with the opportunity to select an incentive from a first merchant (e.g., Burger King) for a first game (e.g., Clash of Clans) during a predetermined period (e.g., 24 hours). During the specified incentive period, the incentive offered by the first merchant may not be offered (i.e., displayed) to certain players in other games. In this way, since the player selects the first merchant's offer first, the first merchant's offer is given a higher priority compared to other merchants. Thus, since the offer is not available in other games, the fee arrangement can be specifically shared with the selected game. After the expiration of a predetermined opt-in period, the same offer may be redisplayed to all games on the player's network.

[0061] In certain embodiments, the game may be configured to include a rollover winning pool or lottery feature, such that instead of receiving a reward, a player can contribute the reward to a lottery pool and receive random lottery numbers. The more times a player contributes, the more lottery numbers the player receives, increasing the player's chances of matching a set of lottery numbers during a draw (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly). The winnings can be structured based on the number of matching lottery numbers (e.g., winning the lottery jackpot if all 6 out of 6 match; winning a smaller prize if 5 out of 6 match, etc.). In this way, players are motivated to contribute to the winning fund or pool. In some embodiments, one or more vendors may sponsor each lottery draw. The sponsoring vendor may also contribute to a pool for larger payouts, resulting in attracting more players to the game and increasing the vendor's transaction volume. Detailed Example of Embodiment Using Tokenized Funds

[0062] In one or more embodiments, when a player starts a location-based game, a map may be provided to the player. This map may have several elements such as loot boxes or enemies with which the player can interact. Generally, these elements exist within the game and are simply geospatially fixed and overlaid on the map regardless of real-life configurations. The game environment may provide the player with unique offers that are geospatially fixed to a physical franchise store. These offers are displayed during the game, and the player can select a combination of offers and franchise stores that they are interested in. The offer may indicate what digital goods the player can receive in exchange for a purchase at the store and whether there is a minimum purchase amount. When the player makes a purchase that meets the offer requirements, the player receives a real-time notification indicating that those digital goods have been deposited into the player's account.

[0063] To determine whether the player has made a purchase at a physical store, the following information may be required: source of funds information such as a credit card number or a specific form in which it is hashed or tokenized; a unique identifier of the store where the player made the purchase; and the flow of all payment transactions at the store made using a source of funds that may be pre-tokenized. The transaction processing entity platform provides access to this information in a secure and law-abiding manner. The transaction processing entity provides a source of funds such as a credit card or a tokenized form that the game platform uses to securely obtain the player's source of funds information. The franchise store that accepts the transaction processing entity may be assigned a franchise store ID, so the franchise store is notified about the transaction processing entity, and from that point on, transactions for that franchise store made using tokenized funds are sent to the game platform.

[0064] When a transaction is made using tokenized funds, the transaction processing entity contacts the game platform in real time to send transaction details such as tokenized funds, the franchisee, and the transaction amount. The game platform can use this information to detect the location of the relevant player, determine whether the offer is valid for the franchisee, and deliver any digital goods advertised in the offer to the player's account. Next, the game platform may send a push notification to inform the player about the credit. In some embodiments, an application programming interface (API) can be utilized by the game platform to facilitate spatial queries for nearby offers and support webhooks for offer authentication. A webhook refers to a callback (e.g., a transfer protocol push API), which is a way for one application to provide real-time information to another application.

[0065] Through the franchisee portal, each franchisee can manage their subscription levels, offers, and matters related to their accounts. The tokenized form of the funding source used is a common brand penetration form that enables players to reliably provide the transaction processing entity with details of the funding source and allows the game to obtain the number of the tokenized funding source. When a transaction is made using tokenized funds, the transaction processing entity consumes the webhook to provide transaction details. In one embodiment, the card reading, the franchisee items, the franchisee platform, and the game platform cooperate to determine the identities and purchases of the franchisee and the player.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, through card reading and franchise items, a player can connect a valid card, a lock resource, and resource reading. Further, through card reading and franchise items, a specific location can aggregate each game item at their physical locations, distribute game gains to each player, and notify the game in real time via a payment processor that a purchase has been made at an appropriate franchise using a specific card.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 5, each player may connect or authenticate their respective credit card number, for example, once per game. Once the card is connected, rewards are automatically issued at the time of purchase.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 6, the game platform may read the player's location and the apparent opportunities obtained from franchises located within a specific range around the player's geographical location. Once a player finds a reward in the game, they can make a purchase in real time from that location to obtain the in-game reward.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 7, a world space corresponding to the real world with an overlay added on top of the real world may be provided to the player, i.e., the user. When the player navigates the game environment, the system compares the current location with the reward database. Each process may be executed in the background to determine one or more new rewards from the reward hierarchy. The player may be notified of franchise offers based on the offer information available on the game platform. When the user calls a transaction processing entity to enable the offer API and locks an offer that binds the user to a reward ID, a reservation object may be created in the database. When the user purchases an item of a franchise offer, the offer matches the user reservation by the purchase timestamp and the franchise ID.

[0070] Once an offer is identified in each transaction, a database entry is created to confirm the transaction. This database entry may have the following data fields, namely, amount, timestamp, transaction processing entity transaction id, transaction processing entity franchise store ID, game platform franchise store ID, game platform commission amount, transaction processing entity fee for the transaction, transaction processing entity source of funds id, transaction processing entity offer ID, user id, and user source of funds id. A push notification or an e-mail is sent to the user from the webhook in real time when the transaction is processed. Next, the computing system that runs the game displays the received notification or e-mail.

[0071] In the process of redeeming a franchise store offer, when a user selects an offer, an offer activation request is sent to the system of the transaction processing entity that binds the user's funds to the offer linked to the funds of the transaction processing entity. When the player passes the source of funds through the reader at the franchise store and performs operations such as scanning, inserting, tapping, etc., the user funds are combined with the offer linked to the funds of the transaction processing entity. Next, the transaction processing entity sends a packet with relevant transaction information to the webhook. Through the function of the webhook, the reward for the user is determined, a notification is sent to the user, and the purchase information is stored in the database.

[0072] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the franchise store can, through the franchise store platform, sign up via the web portal, select a reward tier level for use in the game, display valid locations used in the game, access the franchise store analysis platform, and pay various fees such as monthly fees and fees incurred for each card reading or purchase. Through the game platform, each game studio can use the software development kit (SDK) to integrate the game platform system into the game property, set custom game rewards based on the reward tier level, and maintain the percentage of revenue paid by the franchise store for each card reading or purchase.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the franchisee can check the frequency with which the games on the game platform show the franchisee offer to the player, the number of players who have performed card reading, locking, or purchasing, and the average ticket price and total revenue. The franchisee can add a store or other location to the platform. The franchisee can set an expenditure limit for each campaign for each location. In some embodiments, the franchisee on the game platform does not have to select the purchase results of the users in its store. The franchisee may invest in a certain hierarchical level of the reward hierarchy model. The video game studio determines the items to be granted in the game according to what items are available at each level.

[0074] It should be noted that the details and embodiments disclosed in this specification are provided by way of example, and should not be understood as limiting the scope of the disclosed subject matter to specific details or specific embodiments. In a specific embodiment, the disclosed concepts and processes may be provided or applied to any game, game platform, or game device, with some modifications, regardless of whether it is location-linked. For example, the player may register with one or more franchisees or game platforms using an identification mechanism (e.g., a credit card). In-game offers may be provided to the player to motivate the player to visit one or more franchise stores to shop. When the player uses the registered card within the range of the defined parameters (e.g., to purchase a specific item at a specific minimum price, at a specific location, within a specific period), when the said parameters are met, the player receives a reward in the game.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 10, a block diagram is presented showing a computing system 1000 that conforms to one or more embodiments. The computing system 1000 can be used to implement, or assist in implementing, one or more platforms, infrastructures, or computing devices or computing components that can be utilized in an example embodiment, and thereby, for example, exemplify, implement, execute, or embody the methodologies disclosed herein in a computing environment that uses one or more processors or controllers.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 10, the computing system 1000 can include a processor 1010, a memory 1020, a storage device 1030, and an input / output device 1040. The processor 1010, the memory 1020, the storage device 1030, and the input / output device 1040 can be interconnected via a system bus 1050. The processor 1010 can process execution instructions within the computing system 1000. Such execution instructions can, for example, implement one or more components of a cloud platform. In some embodiments according to the present subject matter, the processor 1010 can be a single-threaded processor. Also, the processor 1010 can be a multi-threaded processor. The processor 1010 can process instructions stored in the memory 1020 and / or on the storage device 1030 to display graphical information for a user interface provided via the input / output device 1040.

[0077] Memory 1020 is a computer-readable medium, such as volatile or non-volatile, that stores information within computing system 1000. Memory 1020 can store, for example, a data structure representing a configuration object database. Storage device 1030 can provide persistent storage for computing system 1000. Storage device 1030 can be a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, or a tape device, or other suitable means for persistent storage. Input / output device 1040 provides input / output operations to computing system 1000. In some embodiments according to this subject matter, input / output device 1040 includes a keyboard and / or a pointing device. In various embodiments, input / output device 1040 includes a display device for displaying a graphical user interface.

[0078] According to some embodiments of this subject matter, input / output device 1040 provides input / output operations to a network device. For example, input / output device 1040 can include an Ethernet port or other network port for communicating with one or more wired and / or wireless networks (e.g., local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet).

[0079] In some embodiments of the present subject matter, the computing system 1000 can be used to execute various interactive computer software applications that can be used for the organization, analysis, and / or storage of data in various (e.g., tabular) formats (e.g., Microsoft Excel®, and / or other various software). Also, the computing system 1000 can be used to execute various software applications. These applications can be used to execute various functions, such as a planning function (e.g., creating, managing, editing spreadsheet documents, word processing documents, and / or other objects, etc.), a computing function, a communication function, and the like. The application can include various add-in functions, or can be a stand-alone computing product and / or function. Each function, when enabled within the application, can be used to generate a user interface provided via the input / output device 1040. The user interface can be generated by the computing system 1000 (e.g., on a computer screen monitor) and presented to the user.

[0080] One or more aspects or features of the subject matter disclosed or claimed in this specification can be realized within digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry, specially designed application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various aspects or features can include implementation within one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive and transmit data and instructions to and from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, which can be either special purpose or general purpose. The programmable system or computing system may include a client and a server. The client and server may be physically separated and may interact via a communication network. The relationship between the client and server may result from computer programs running on respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0081] These computer programs, which may also be referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, may include machine instructions for a programmable controller, processor, microprocessor, or other computing architecture or computerized architecture, and may be implemented in high-level procedural languages, object-oriented programming languages, functional programming languages, logic programming languages, and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program product, apparatus, and / or device used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives the machine instructions as a machine-readable signal, such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, memory, and programmable logic devices (PLDs). The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium may store such machine instructions non-transitorily, for example, in a non-transitory solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or equivalent storage medium. A machine-readable medium may alternatively or additionally store such machine instructions temporarily, for example, in a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

[0082] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein may be implemented on a computer having, for example, a display device such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or light emitting diode (LED) monitor for displaying information to the user, a keyboard, and a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball for the user to input into the computer. Other types of devices may be used to provide interaction with the user. For example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback such as, for example, visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback, and the input from the user may be received in any form including acoustic, speech, or contact input. Other possible input devices include touchscreens, or single-point or multi-point resistive or capacitive trackpads, speech recognition hardware and software, optical scanners, optical pointers, digital imaging devices, and other touch-sensitive devices such as associated translation software. Terms

[0083] As used herein, when a feature or element is referred to as being “on” another feature or element, it may be directly on the other feature or element or intervening features or elements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly on” another feature or element, intervening features or elements may be absent. Also, when a feature or element is referred to as being “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “linked to” another feature or element, it may be directly connected, coupled, or linked to the other feature or element or intervening features or elements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly connected to,” “directly coupled to,” or “directly linked to” another feature or element, intervening features or elements may be absent.

[0084] Although one embodiment has been described and illustrated, the features and elements so described or illustrated may also be applied to other embodiments. Also, those skilled in the art will understand that a configuration or feature referred to as being "adjacent to" another feature may have a portion that overlaps or is located below the adjacent feature.

[0085] The terms used in this specification are merely for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and implementations and are not limiting. For example, as used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" may include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Further, the term "comprises" and / or "comprising", as used herein, while specifying the presence of the stated features, steps, acts, processes, functions, elements, and / or components, does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, acts, processes, functions, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed related items and may be abbreviated as " / ".

[0086] In the above description and claims, phrases such as "at least one" or "one or more" may appear with a list of sets of elements or features. The term "and / or" may also appear in the form of a list of two or more elements or features. Unless implicitly or explicitly negated by the context in which it is used, such phrases mean either any of the recited elements or features individually, or any of the recited elements or features in combination with any of the other recited elements or features. For example, the phrases "at least one of A and B", "one or more of A and B", "A and / or B" each mean "only A, only B, or both A and B". A similar interpretation is intended for lists containing three or more items. For example, the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C", "one or more of A, B, and C", "A, B, and / or C" each mean "only A, only B, only C, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, or all of A, B, and C". "Based on" as used in the above and in the claims means "at least partially based on" so as to allow for unrecited features or elements.

[0087] In this specification, terms representing spatial correlation relationships such as "forward", "backward", "under", "below", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. may be used to facilitate the description of the relationship of one element or feature to other element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated. It will be understood that terms representing spatial correlation relationships include different arrangements of the device during use or operation in addition to the illustrated arrangement. For example, if a certain device is inverted in each figure, an element described as "under" another element or feature will be arranged "above" the other element or feature due to the inverted state. Therefore, the term "under" may include both upper and lower arrangements depending on the reference point or the point of arrangement. The device may be arranged in different orientations (rotated by 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the descriptors representing spatial correlation relationships used in this specification may be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, terms such as "above", "below", "vertical", "horizontal", etc. may be used in this specification merely for the purpose of explanation unless otherwise specified.

[0088] The terms "first" and "second" may be used in this specification to describe various features / elements (including steps or processes), but these features / elements should not be limited to representing the order of the features / elements or that one is more primary or more important than the other by these terms unless otherwise specified. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature / element from another. Therefore, the described first feature / element may be referred to as the second feature / element, and similarly, within the scope not departing from the teachings provided in this specification, the second feature / element described later may be referred to as the first feature / element.

[0089] As used in this specification and the claims, including when used in the examples, all numbers are to be read as if prefaced by the term "about" or "substantially", even if not specifically so stated, unless otherwise indicated. The terms "about" or "substantially" may be used when describing magnitudes and / or positions to indicate that the recited values and / or positions are within a reasonable expected range of values and / or positions. For example, a numerical value can take on values that are ±0.1% of the recited value (or range of values), ±1% of the recited value (or range of values), ±2% of the recited value (or range of values), ±5% of the recited value (or range of values), ±10% of the recited value (or range of values), and so on. Any numerical values given in this specification are to be understood as including about or substantially the recited numerical values, unless otherwise indicated.

[0090] For example, if the value "10" is disclosed, then "about 10" is also to be considered disclosed. Any numerical ranges recited in this specification include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. Also, as would be appropriately understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, when a value is disclosed, it is understood that values "less than" that value, "greater than or equal to" that value, and values within the possible ranges between the values are also disclosed. For example, if a value "X" is disclosed, then "less than X" as well as "greater than or equal to X" (where X is a numerical value) are also to be considered disclosed. Also, throughout the application, it can be seen that data is provided in many different forms, and this data can represent endpoints or starting points, and ranges of any combination of data points. For example, if a particular data point "10" and a particular data point "15" are disclosed, it can be seen that it is to be considered disclosed that which is greater than 10 and 15, greater than or equal to 10 and 15, less than 10 and 15, less than or equal to 10 and 15, equal to 10 and 15, and between 10 and 15. It can also be seen that each individual unit between two particular units can also be disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 can also be disclosed.

[0091] Although various illustrative embodiments have been disclosed, numerous modifications can be made to the various embodiments without departing from the teachings of this specification. For example, in different or alternative embodiments, the order in which the various described method steps are performed may be changed or reconfigured, and in other embodiments, one or more method steps may be completely omitted. In some embodiments, optional or desirable features of the various embodiments of the devices and systems may be included, while in other embodiments they may not be included. Accordingly, the foregoing description has been provided primarily for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the claims and specific embodiments or the specific details or features disclosed.

[0092] One or more aspects or features described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) specially designed for particular purposes, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various aspects or features may include implementation within one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive and transmit data and instructions to and from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. The programmable system or computing system may include a client and a server. The client and server may generally be spatially separated and typically may interact via a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by computer programs running on respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0093] These computer programs, which may also be referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, can include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented in high-level procedural languages, object-oriented programming languages, functional programming languages, logic programming languages, and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program product, apparatus, and / or device, such as for example magnetic disks, optical disks, memory, and programmable logic devices (PLDs), used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that can receive the machine instructions as a machine-readable signal.

[0094] The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium can store such machine instructions non-transitorily, for example, in a non-transitory solid state memory or a magnetic hard drive or equivalent storage medium. A machine-readable medium can alternatively or additionally store such machine instructions temporarily, for example, in a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

[0095] The examples and illustrations included in this specification show, in an illustrative but not limiting way, specific embodiments in which the disclosed subject matter can be implemented. As already mentioned, other embodiments may be derived from and utilized in place of the specific embodiments so as to make structural and logical substitutions and changes without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Such embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be referred to herein individually or collectively by the term "invention" simply for convenience and without any intention of voluntarily limiting the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept, even if multiple inventions are actually disclosed. Thus, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any configuration, whether explicitly described or implied, intended to achieve the desired, practical, or disclosed purpose may be substituted in place of the specific embodiments illustrated. The present disclosure encompasses any and all adaptations or variations of the various embodiments. Combinations of each of the above-described embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reconsideration of the above description.

[0096] In this specification, the subject matter has been disclosed with reference to one or more features or embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that, notwithstanding the detailed characteristics of each embodiment example provided herein, changes and modifications can be applied to each of the embodiments without limiting the overall intended scope and without departing from that scope. These and other various adaptations and combinations of each of the embodiments provided herein fall within the scope of the disclosed subject matter, which is defined by the entire aggregate of the disclosed elements and features and their equivalents.

[0097] Part of the disclosure of this patent document may contain components that are subject to copyright protection. The owner does not object to any one of the patent documents or a facsimile reproduction by the patent disclosure as described in the patent file or record of the Patent and Trademark Office, but reserves all copyrights whatsoever. Some of the trademarks referred to in this specification may be those under common law or registered trademarks of the applicant, assignee, or a third party, whether affiliated or unaffiliated, associated with the applicant or assignee. The use of these trademarks is for the purpose of providing, by way of example, an effective disclosure and should not be construed as exclusively limiting the scope of the disclosed subject matter to components related to such trademarks.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor: receiving information indicating a source of funds for the transaction, the source of funds being managed by a transaction processing entity; linking the source of funds to a player of an electronic game not affiliated with the transaction processing entity, the player being associated with the particular transaction by the computing system; storing payment instrument data including a token representing the funding source, such that instead of storing the funding source, the token is stored in association with the player; allocating in-game virtual objects as rewards for completing real-world transactions with real-world merchants using said funding sources; determining that the real-world transaction is completed based on a transaction record generated by and obtained from the transaction processing entity, the transaction record including the token and information confirming completion of the real-world transaction using a funding source linked to the player; and attributing the in-game virtual object to a player within the electronic game in response to information confirming completion of the real-world transaction. Computational system.

2. Determining that the real-world transaction is completed based on the transaction record obtained from the transaction processing entity includes: verifying that an individual other than the player completed a purchase of goods or services using a funding source external to the electronic game based on information confirming completion of the real-world transaction contained in the transaction record; Successful verification of a completed purchase of a good or service based on the transaction record is required to attribute the in-game virtual object to the player; The computing system of claim 1 .

3. Storing the payment instrument data includes causing the computing system to receive the source of funds as input from a player in the electronic game in response to the electronic game querying the player to input the source of funds as a condition for the player to receive the in-game virtual object. The computing system of claim 1 .

4. The real-world transaction is specific to a particular inventory item, as identified by a digital SKU indicated in a transaction record obtained from the transaction processing entity. The computing system of claim 1 .

5. The real-world merchant and threshold time period are identified by the player in the game; the reward is contingent on the real-world transaction being completed with the real-world merchant within the threshold time period; The computing system of claim 1 .

6. The method is further configured to, in response to determining that the mobile device is located at a real-world location associated with the real-world merchant, present on the mobile device in-game offers related to real-world items offered by the real-world merchant. The computing system of claim 1 .

7. The real-world transaction is completed via an in-game menu. The computing system of claim 1 .

8. The token is encrypted or hashed to securely identify the source of funds. The computing system of claim 1 .

9. The in-game virtual object assigned as a reward for completing the real-world transaction is associated with a predetermined time period; The computing system is further configured to determine that the real-world transaction was completed within the time period based on a timestamp indicated in the transaction record. The computing system of claim 1 .

10. The electronic game is one of a plurality of electronic games, the computing system is further configured to attribute the in-game virtual object to a player within each of the plurality of electronic games. The computing system of claim 1 .

11. Receiving information indicating sources of funds managed by a transaction processing entity; storing payment instrument data including a token representing the funding source; Associating a player of the electronic game with the funding source; allocating in-game virtual objects as rewards for completing real-world transactions with real-world merchants using said funding sources; determining that the real-world transaction is completed based on a transaction record generated by and obtained from the transaction processing entity, the transaction record including the token and information confirming completion of the real-world transaction using a funding source associated with the player; and attributing the in-game virtual object to a player within the electronic game in response to information confirming completion of the real-world transaction. method.

12. The real-world transaction is specific to a particular inventory item, as identified by a digital SKU indicated in a transaction record obtained from the transaction processing entity. The method of claim 11.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a time constraint for completing said real-world transaction using a funding source managed by said transaction processing entity. The method of claim 11.

14. The token is encrypted or hashed to securely identify the source of the funds. The method of claim 11.

15. The in-game virtual object assigned as a reward for completing the real-world transaction is associated with a predetermined time period; The method further includes determining that the real-world transaction was completed within the time period based on a timestamp indicated in the transaction record. The method of claim 11.

16. The electronic game is one of a plurality of electronic games provided by a game platform; The method further includes attributing the in-game virtual object to a player within each of a plurality of electronic games offered by the gaming platform. The method of claim 11.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operations: receiving information indicating a source of funds within an electronic game provided by a gaming platform, the source of funds being managed by a transaction processing entity unrelated to the electronic game; storing payment instrument data including a token representing the funding source; Associating a player of the electronic game with the funding source; allocating in-game virtual objects as rewards for completing real-world transactions with real-world merchants using said funding sources; determining that the real-world transaction is completed based on a transaction record generated by and obtained from the transaction processing entity, the transaction record including the token and information confirming completion of the real-world transaction using a funding source associated with the player; and in response to said determining, attributing said in-game virtual object to a player within said electronic game. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

18. The real-world transaction is specific to a particular inventory item, as identified by a digital SKU indicated in the transaction record obtained from the transaction processing entity.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17.

19. The instructions further cause the at least one processor to enable real-world transactions with the real-world merchants based on providing in-game offers for real-world items offered by the real-world merchants.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17.

20. The electronic game is one of a plurality of electronic games provided by a game platform; The instructions further cause the at least one processor to attribute the in-game virtual object to a player within each of a plurality of electronic games offered by the gaming platform.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17.

Images