# US RE45,040 E1 · Electronic invitations for an on-line game > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US RE45,040 E1 - Document ID: USRE45040E1 - Status: Granted - Kind: E1 - Application number: 13/673,798 - Filed: 2012-11-09 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-21 - Assignees: Facebook, Inc. - Applicants: Facebook, Inc. - Inventors: Edmund J. Fish; Allen J. Eichler; June R. Herold - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/USRE45040E1 ## Abstract An instant messaging user may use a buddy list that includes a user-selected list of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) to identify another instant messaging user with whom instant messages are to be exchanged. An instant messaging user also may use a buddy list for other purposes, such as to initiate playing of an on-line game or to invite participants to play an on-line game. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for inviting a participant to play a session of an on-line game, the method comprising: receiving, from a user designated as a game organizer, an indication of a potential participant of an on-line game accessible over a network of computers; enabling transmission of an invitation to the a potential participant to play the a session of the an on-line game, wherein: the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the session of the on-line game and a revise control operable to enable the potential participant to indicate a different game parameter for the on-line game, and; the game parameter represents a configuration parameter indicating how the online game is to be played; receiving an indication of a different game parameter from the potential participant, the different game parameter representing a configuration parameter of the game indicating how the on-line game is to be played and a condition under which the potential participant is willing to play the on-line game; and communicating the different game parameter to the a user designated as the game organizer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the user designated as the game organizer is a user designated as an organizer of the session of the on-line game, and the method further comprising applying the different game parameter to the session of the on-line game without affecting the designation of the game user as an organizer of the session of the on-line game. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: applying the different game parameter to the session of the on-line game; and designating the potential participant as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 2 further comprising: applying the different game parameter to the session of the on-line game; and designating the potential participant as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game to replace the user designated as the game organizer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein communicating the different game parameter to the user designated as the game organizer comprises: communicating a decline indicator for the on-line game session to the user designated as the game organizer; and sending a new invitation to the user designated as the game organizer for a new session of the on-line game, wherein the new invitation includes a new game parameter to be applied to the new session of the on-line game. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the invitation includes a control to conditionally accept the invitation to indicate that the invited participant is only willing to play if a revised game parameter is applied to the session of the on-line game. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the revise control is operable to initiate an instant messaging session between a user who received the invitation and a user who sent the invitation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the revise control is operable to initiate a chat session between a user who received the invitation and a user who sent the invitation. ### Claim 9 A computer-implemented method for initiating an on-line game, the method comprising: receiving, from a first user, an indication of a second user of an on-line game accessible over a network of computers and an indication of at least one selection of a game condition to be applied to the a session of the an on-line game; enabling transmission of an invitation to the a second user to play the session of the on-line game, wherein the invitation includes the indication of the at least one selection of a game condition to be applied to the session of the on-line game; enabling transmission of a reply invitation to the first user that invited to play the session of the online game, wherein the reply invitation includes an indication of at least one different selection of a game condition to be applied to the session of the on-line game; receiving an indication of acceptance of the at least one different selection of a game condition to be applied to the session of the on-line game; and initiating the session of the on-line game, wherein at least one different selected game condition is applied to the session of the on-line game. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the first user is a user designated as an organizer of the session of the on-line game, and the method further comprising applying the at least one different selected game condition to the session of the on-line game without affecting the designation of the organizer of the session of the on-line game. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: applying the at least one different selected game condition to the session of the on-line game; and designating the second user as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: applying the at least one different selected game condition to the session of the on-line game; and designating the second user as a game organizer of the session of the on-line game to replace the first user designated as a game organizer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein enabling transmission of a reply invitation to the first user comprises: communicating a decline indicator for the on-line game session to the first user; and sending a new invitation to the first user for a new session of the on-line game, wherein the new invitation includes a new game parameter to be applied to the new session of the on-line game. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the invitation includes a control to conditionally accept the invitation to indicate that the second user is only willing to play if a revised game parameter is applied to the session of the on-line game. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the revise control is operable to initiate an instant messaging session between the first and second users. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the revise control is operable to initiate a chat session between the first and second users. ### Claim 17 A computer-based system comprising one or more processors configured to: enable transmission of an invitation to a potential participant to play a session of the on-line game, wherein the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the session of the on-line game and a control operable to enable the potential participant to indicate a different game parameter for the on-line game; receive an indication of a different game parameter from the potential participant, the different game parameter representing a configuration parameter of the game indicating how the on-line game is to be played and a condition under which the potential participant is willing to play the on-line game; and communicate the different game parameter to the user. ### Claim 18 A computer implemented method comprising: identifying a user of an online communication service; accessing a buddy list that is associated with the user and the online communication service; enabling presentation of a game service interface, wherein the game service interface comprises: an indication of multiple user-selectable games; and a buddy invitation section including an option to invite a buddy from the buddy list to play a game; and enabling a transmission of an invitation to the buddy to participate in a game session, wherein the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the game session and an option to enable the buddy to indicate a different game parameter for the game session. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface comprises a featured game section, wherein the featured game section is distinct from the depiction of the multiple user selectable games and depicts at least one featured game selected from the multiple user-selectable games. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface further comprises a depiction of at least a portion of the buddy list. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface comprises an indication regarding the availability of at least one buddy from the buddy list. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface indicates a game that at least one buddy from the buddy list is currently playing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface comprises an advertisement portion including a display of one or more advertisements. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the indication of multiple user-selectable games divides at least a portion of the multiple user-selectable games into categories. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface further comprises information relating to one or more game achievements of at least one buddy from the buddy list. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface is integrated within a webpage. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the game service interface is displayed prior to the display of a game play interface where actual game play occurs. ### Claim 28 A computer-based system comprising one or more processors configured to: identify a user of an online communication service; access a buddy list that is associated with the user and the online communication service; enable presentation of a game service interface, wherein the game service interface comprises: an indication of multiple user-selectable games; and a buddy invitation section, wherein the buddy invitation section provides an option to invite a buddy from the buddy list to play a game; and enable a transmission of an invitation to the buddy to participate in a game session, wherein the invitation includes a game parameter to be applied to the game session and an option to enable the buddy to indicate a different game parameter for the game session. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface comprises a featured game section, wherein the featured game section is distinct from the depiction of the multiple user selectable games and depicts at least one featured game selected from the multiple user-selectable games. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface further comprises a depiction of at least a portion of the buddy list. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface comprises an indication regarding the availability of at least one buddy from the buddy list. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface indicates a game that at least one buddy from the buddy list is currently playing. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface comprises an advertisement portion including a display of one or more advertisements. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the indication of multiple user-selectable games divides at least a portion of the multiple user-selectable games into categories. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface further comprises information relating to one or more game achievements of at least one buddy from the buddy list. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface is integrated within a webpage. ### Claim 37 (depends on 28) The computer-based system of claim 28, wherein the game service interface is displayed prior to the display of a game play interface where actual game play occurs.