# US 11,998,853 B2 · System and method for allowing affiliations to utilize in-game items to assist other players > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,853 B2 - Document ID: US11998853B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/303,410 - Filed: 2023-04-19 - Published: 2023-08-10 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-01 - Assignees: Kabam, Inc. - Applicants: Kabam, Inc. - Inventors: Matthew Curtis; James Koh; Kellen Christopher Smalley; Michael C. Caldarone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998853B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/847: Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal - A63F 13/30: Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers - A63F 13/335: using Internet - A63F 13/35: Details of game servers - A63F 13/533: for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu - A63F 13/79: involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories - A63F 13/795: for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list - A63F 13/87: Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat - A63F 2300/407: Data transfer via internet - A63F 2300/51: Server architecture - A63F 2300/5533: using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system configured to provide a virtual space, in accordance with one or more implementations. Users of virtual spaces may encounter barriers in a game. During these barriers, users may receive and/or provide assistance to other affiliation members. One aspect of the disclosure relates to allowing affiliations or other groups to utilize in-game items to assist other players in game progress in an online game. This may incent positive player actions towards affiliation members, may enhance engagement between affiliation members, may provide an incentive for users to join an affiliation, and/or have other results. These results may ultimately contribute to enhanced retention, enhanced monetization, enhanced user satisfaction, and/or other enhancements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system configured to provide assistance between users in an online game, wherein the users include a first user and a second user, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: manage inventories that are associated with the users, wherein the inventories include at least one of (a) virtual items that are available to the users in the online game and/or (b) resources that are available to the users in the online game, wherein the inventories include a first inventory associated with the first user and a second inventory associated with the second user; obtain associations of discrete groups of the users in the online game as affiliations, wherein the affiliations include a first affiliation, and wherein the first affiliation includes the first user and the second user; present a request on behalf of the first user to one or more other users in the first affiliation, including the second user, wherein the request is for at least one of: (i) one or more virtual items, and/or (ii) one or more resources; and provide some or all as requested from the second inventory to the first inventory such that at least one occurs: (i) one or more virtual items are moved from the second inventory of the second user to the first inventory of the first user, and/or (ii) one or more resources are moved from the second inventory of the second user to the first inventory of the first user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first affiliation includes at least one of an alliance, a team, a guild, and/or a cohort of users. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein membership of the affiliations is controlled through requests and acceptances from the users. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein membership of the first affiliation is offered by the first user to a different user that is not included in the first affiliation, and wherein the different user becomes a member of the first affiliation by accepting the membership as offered. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein providing some or all as requested to the first inventory accomplishes at least one of: (i) making initiation of an action possible, (ii) speeding up a wait time, and/or (iii) eliminating the wait time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein providing some or all as requested to the first inventory helps the first user complete one or more game play loops comprising at least one of training, building, researching, character leveling, marching, and/or defending. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein providing some or all as requested occurs without any compensation in the form or resources becoming available to the second user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein providing some or all as requested depletes a virtual currency from the second inventory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein providing some or all as requested depletes an in-game item from the second inventory. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the request is only presented to the other users in the first affiliation. ### Claim 11 A computer-implemented method of providing assistance between users in an online game, wherein the users include a first user and a second user, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more physical processors, the method comprising: managing inventories that are associated with the users, wherein the inventories include at least one of (a) virtual items that are available to the users in the online game, and (b) resources that are available to the users in the online game, wherein the inventories include a first inventory associated with the first user and a second inventory associated with the second user; obtaining associations of discrete groups of the users in the online game as affiliations, wherein the affiliations include a first affiliation, and wherein the first affiliation includes the first user and the second user; presenting a request on behalf of the first user to one or more other users in the first affiliation, including the second user, wherein the request is for at least one of: (i) one or more virtual items, and/or (ii) one or more resources; and providing some or all as requested to the first inventory such that at least one occurs: (i) one or more virtual items are moved from the second inventory of the second user to the first inventory of the first user, and/or (ii) one or more resources are moved from the second inventory of the second user to the first inventory of the first user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first affiliation includes at least one of an alliance, a team, a guild, and/or a cohort of users. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein membership of the affiliations is controlled through requests and acceptances from the users. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein membership of the first affiliation is offered by the first user to a different user that is not included in the first affiliation, and wherein the different user becomes a member of the first affiliation by accepting the membership as offered. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein providing some or all as requested to the first inventory accomplishes at least one of: (i) making initiation of an action possible, (ii) speeding up a wait time, and/or (iii) eliminating the wait time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein providing some or all as requested to the first inventory helps the first user complete one or more game play loops comprising at least one of training, building, researching, character leveling, marching, and/or defending. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein providing some or all as requested occurs without any compensation in the form or resources becoming available to the second user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein providing some or all as requested depletes a virtual currency from the second inventory. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein providing some or all as requested depletes an in-game item from the second inventory. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the request is only presented to the other users in the first affiliation.