# US 9,517,416 B1 · System and method for dynamically determining crafting parameters based on user usage rate of a virtual space

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- Number: US 9,517,416 B1
- Document ID: US9517416B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/862,734
- Filed: 2013-04-15
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-04-15
- Assignees: Kabam, Inc.
- Applicants: Kabam, Inc.
- Inventors: Matthew Curtis; James Koh; Kellen Christopher Smalley; Michael C. Caldarone
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517416B1

## CPC

- A63F 13/67: adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
- A63F 13/35: Details of game servers
- A63F 13/45: Controlling the progress of the video game
- A63F 13/58: by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
- A63F 13/63: by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
- A63F 13/69: by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
- A63F 13/792: for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
- A63F 13/80: Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
- G06Q 30/00: Commerce
- G06Q 30/0201: Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
- G06Q 30/0207: Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
- G06Q 30/0209: {Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game}
- G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions
- G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

A system and method for dynamically determining parameters of crafting activities for individual users in a virtual space are disclosed. The crafting activity parameters may be determined based on rate of usage of the virtual space by the users. In some examples, a user usage rate of the virtual space may be determined to measure an amount of time a user spend in the virtual space during a period of real-world time. Based on the determined user usage rate of the virtual space, crafting activity parameters may be determined, for example, to balance differences in time spent in the virtual space by the users. In some implementations, for such determinations of the crafting activity parameters, one or more user normalization standards may be obtained.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system configured to dynamically adjust crafting parameters based on user usage rate of a virtual space, the system comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium storing machine-readable instructions; and
one or more physical processors configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to:
execute an instance of the virtual space including implementing the instance of the virtual space by receiving concurrent inputs from multiple users comprising at least one-hundred users and executing corresponding commands to facilitate interaction with the virtual space by individual ones of the multiple users, the inputs including inputs initiating crafting activities in the virtual space, wherein crafting activities are executed in the virtual space in accordance with crafting activity parameters of the initiating user, and wherein the users are capable of spending real-world currency in the virtual space;
determine, for individual ones of the multiple users, a rate of usage of the virtual space based on the amount of real-world currency spent by the individual user in the virtual space;
adjust, for individual ones of the multiple users, the crafting activity parameters of the individual user based on the usage rate of the individual user, the adjusting including applying a bonus to the parameters that is inversely proportional to the amount of real-world currency spent by the individual user in the virtual space such that users who have spent a smaller amount currency receive a bonus relative to other users who have spent a lamer amount of currency; and
execute, for individual ones of the multiple users, one or more crafting activities initiated by the individual user in accordance with the adjusted crafting activity parameters of the individual user in the virtual space to produce one or more corresponding virtual items for the first individual user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein determining the rate of usage of the virtual space for individual ones of the multiple users further comprises determining an average amount of time spent by the individual user in the virtual space over a sliding window of real world time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein determining the rate of usage of the virtual space for individual ones of the multiple users further comprises determining an amount of time spent by the individual user in the virtual space during a previous period of time including one or more of a past hour, day, week, and/or month.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the adjusted crafting activity parameters comprise one or more of a virtual resource cost parameter, a virtual item crafting time parameter, a crafted virtual item grade parameter, and a success rate parameter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the bonus applied to the crafting activity parameters comprises one or more of a reduction to the virtual resource cost parameter, a reduction to the virtual item crafting time parameter, an increase to the crafted virtual item grade parameter, and an increase to the success rate parameter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the adjusting of the crafting activity parameters of individual ones of the multiple users is further based on one or more of a skill, an experience level, a class, a race, a profession, a virtual item owned, and a power-up earned by the individual user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment of the crafting activities parameters within the virtual space is based on obtained user normalization standards to balance effects to user progression in the virtual space caused by differences in the amounts of real-world currency spent by the users in the virtual space.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the user inputs initiating crafting activities in the virtual space comprise one or more of a type of crafting activity to be carried out, a specific grade of the one or more virtual items to be crafted by the crafting activity, equipment to be used to craft the one or more virtual items, virtual resources to be used to craft the one or more virtual items, and a recipe to be used to craft the one or more virtual items.

### Claim 9

A method for dynamically adjusting crafting parameters based on user usage rate of a virtual space, the method being implemented in one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:
executing an instance of the virtual space including implementing the instance of the virtual space by receiving concurrent inputs from multiple of users comprising at least one-hundred users and executing corresponding commands to facilitate interaction with the virtual space by individual ones of the multiple users, the inputs including inputs initiating crafting activities in the virtual space, wherein crafting activities are executed in the virtual space in accordance with crafting activity parameters of the initiating user, and wherein the users are capable of spending real-world currency in the virtual space;
determining, for individual ones of the multiple users, a rate of usage of the virtual space based on the amount of real-world currency spent by the individual user in the virtual space;
adjusting, for individual ones of the multiple users, the crafting activity parameters of the individual user based on the usage rate of the individual user, the adjusting including applying a bonus to the parameters that is inversely proportional to the amount of real-world currency spent by the individual user in the virtual space such that users who have spent a smaller amount currency receive a bonus relative to other users who have spent a lamer amount of currency; and
executing, for individual ones of the multiple users, one or more crafting activities initiated by the individual user in accordance with the adjusted crafting activity parameters of the individual user in the virtual space to produce one or more corresponding virtual items for the individual user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein determining the rate of usage of the virtual space for individual ones of the multiple users further comprises determining an average amount of time spent by the individual user in the virtual space over a sliding window of real world time.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein determining the rate of usage of the virtual space for individual ones of the multiple users further comprises determining an amount of time spent by the individual user in the virtual space during a previous period of time including one or more of a past hour, day, week, and/or month.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the adjusted crafting activity parameters comprise one or more of a virtual resource cost parameter, a virtual item crafting time parameter, a crafted virtual item grade parameter, and a success rate parameter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the bonus applied to the crafting activity parameters comprises one or more of a reduction to the virtual resource cost parameter, a reduction to the virtual item crafting time parameter, an increase to the crafted virtual item grade parameter, and an increase to the success rate parameter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the adjusting of the crafting activity parameters of individual ones of the multiple users is further based on one or more of a skill, an experience level, a class, a race, a profession, a virtual item owned, and a power-up earned by the individual user.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the crafting activities parameters within the virtual space is based on obtained user normalization standards to balance effects to user progression in the virtual space caused by differences in the amounts of real-world currency spent by the users in the virtual space.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the user inputs initiating crafting activities in the virtual space comprise one or more of a type of crafting activity to be carried out, a specific grade of the one or more virtual items to be crafted by the crafting activity, equipment to be used to craft the one or more virtual items, virtual resources to be used to craft the one or more virtual items, and a recipe to be used to craft the one or more virtual items.