Patents by Inventor Chris Hibbert

Chris Hibbert has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10806998
    Abstract: Systems and methods for exchanging information in a distributed computing system implementing an interactive application, such as a location-based parallel reality game, are provided. In particular, the subject matter of the present disclosure provides an alternative approach for providing and processing return results from a remote procedure call (RPC) by which remote computing systems (e.g. a game server and a remote client) send requests and responses to one another. Rather than providing a single return result in response to a single request as in typical remote procedure calls, information about updates to the state of the interactive application, such as updates to game status, can be returned via side channels which are handled generically while passing the main return result of the invoked service directly back to the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Luiz Otavio Zorzella, Alexander Vladimirov, Neal Kanodia, Chris Hibbert, Charles Spirakis
  • Patent number: 10646783
    Abstract: Systems and methods for linking real world activity, such as real world commercial activity or real world data collection activity, with a location-based parallel reality game are provided. In particular, a game server hosting a parallel reality game can modify, update, or add to game data stored in a game database associated with the parallel reality game to include certain game features in the parallel reality game linked with real world activity in the real world. The game features can be linked with activities in the real world such that player actions associated with the game features in the virtual world can lead to or encourage activity in the real world, such as commercial activity and/or data collection activity in the real world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Hibbert, John V. Hanke, Phillip Craig Keslin, Leor Stern, Mark A. Aubin, James Dinkelacker, William J. Kilday, Yennie Solheim, Keith P. Golden, Charles Spirakis
  • Patent number: 10471358
    Abstract: A parallel reality game has a virtual world that parallels at least a portion of the real world. A captured region is identified within the virtual world that is associated with a team within the parallel reality game. A geographic region is identified within the real world corresponding to the captured region within the virtual world. Data associated with population density for at least a portion of the geographic region is accessed. A score is assigned for the captured region based on the population density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kornmann, Alexander Vladimirov, Chris Hibbert, Jim Wang, Charles Spirakis, John V. Hanke
  • Patent number: 10130888
    Abstract: Methods and systems for verifying and/or modifying game data for a location-based game, such as a parallel reality game, are provided. Game data for the location-based game can be verified and/or modified by establishing one or more mini-games to be played within the location-based game. Players can be encouraged to play the mini-game by providing a reward, such as a virtual reward that can be used in the location-based game or by providing another suitable reward. Mini-game data received from a plurality of players of the mini-game can be aggregated and used to update game data for the location-based game. In this manner, game elements, game objectives, and/or game play for all players in the location-based game (even players that do not play in the mini-game) can be adjusted based on the aggregated responses to the mini-game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kornmann, Charles Spirakis, Chris Hibbert, Mark A. Aubin
  • Patent number: 9723107
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing cross-cutting actions that cut across many remote procedure calls (RPCs) in an interactive application, such as location-based parallel reality game are provided. In particular, one or more decorators can be associated in a source file, such as a Java source file, with a remote procedure call class defining a plurality of RPC methods for the interactive application. Each decorator can be a set of instructions that gets executed before and after an RPC method and addresses concerns that cut across a plurality of RPC methods for the interactive application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Luiz Otavio Zorzella, Alexander Vladimirov, Neal Kanodia, Chris Hibbert
  • Patent number: 9669296
    Abstract: Systems and methods for linking real world activity, such as real world commercial activity or real world data collection activity, with a location-based parallel reality game are provided. In particular, a game server hosting a parallel reality game can modify, update, or add to game data stored in a game database associated with the parallel reality game to include certain game features in the parallel reality game linked with real world activity in the real world. The game features can be linked with activities in the real world such that player actions associated with the game features in the virtual world can lead to or encourage activity in the real world, such as commercial activity and/or data collection activity in the real world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Hibbert, John V. Hanke, Phillip Craig Keslin, Lior Stern, Mark A. Aubin, James Dinkelacker, William J. Kilday, Yennie Solheim, Keith P. Golden, Charles Spirakis
  • Patent number: 9669293
    Abstract: Methods and systems for verifying and/or modifying game data for a location-based game, such as a parallel reality game, are provided. Game data for the location-based game can be verified and/or modified by establishing one or more mini-games to be played within the location-based game. Players can be encouraged to play the mini-game by providing a reward, such as a virtual reward that can be used in the location-based game or by providing another suitable reward. Mini-game data received from a plurality of players of the mini-game can be aggregated and used to update game data for the location-based game. In this manner, game elements, game objectives, and/or game play for all players in the location-based game (even players that do not play in the mini-game) can be adjusted based on the aggregated responses to the mini-game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kornmann, Charles Spirakis, Chris Hibbert, Mark A. Aubin
  • Patent number: 9621635
    Abstract: Systems and methods for exchanging information in a distributed computing system implementing an interactive application, such as a location-based parallel reality game, are provided. In particular, the subject matter of the present disclosure provides an alternative approach for providing and processing return results from a remote procedure call (RPC) by which remote computing systems (e.g. a game server and a remote client) send requests and responses to one another. Rather than providing a single return result in response to a single request as in typical remote procedure calls, information about updates to the state of the interactive application, such as updates to game status, can be returned via side channels which are handled generically while passing the main return result of the invoked service directly back to the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Luiz Otavio Zorzella, Alexander Vladimirov, Neal Kanodia, Chris Hibbert, Charles Spirakis
  • Patent number: 9604131
    Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying player proximity within a location-based game are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for verifying player proximity may include receiving a request associated with verifying the proximity of a first player of the location-based game relative to a second player of the location-based game and transmitting a visual indicator to a first client of the first player, wherein the visual indicator is associated with a data record configured to expire within a predetermined time period. In addition, the method may include receiving a copy of the visual indicator from a second client of the second player and determining whether the copy of the visual indicator was received prior to the expiration of the data record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Shoji Kiyohara, Chris Hibbert, Charles Spirakis, James Dinkelacker, John V. Hanke, Phillip Craig Keslin
  • Patent number: 9545565
    Abstract: A parallel reality game has a virtual world that parallels at least a portion of the real world. A captured region is identified within the virtual world that is associated with a team within the parallel reality game. A geographic region is identified within the real world corresponding to the captured region within the virtual world. Data associated with population density for at least a portion of the geographic region is accessed. A score is assigned for the captured region based on the population density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kornmann, Alexander Vladimirov, Chris Hibbert, Jim Wang, Charles Spirakis, John Hanke
  • Patent number: 9128789
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing cross-cutting actions that cut across many remote procedure calls (RPCs) in an interactive application, such as location-based parallel reality game are provided. In particular, one or more decorators can be associated in a source file, such as a Java source file, with a remote procedure call class defining a plurality of RPC methods for the interactive application. Each decorator can be a set of instructions that gets executed before and after an RPC method and addresses concerns that cut across a plurality of RPC methods for the interactive application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Luiz Otavio Zorzella, Alexander Vladimirov, Neal Kanodia, Chris Hibbert
  • Patent number: 6609200
    Abstract: The invention includes a markup language according to the SGML standard in which document type definitions are created under which electronic documents are divided into blocks that are associated with logical fields that are specific to the type of block. Each of many different types of electronic documents can have a record mapping to a particular environment, such as a legacy environment of a banking network, a hospital's computer environment for electronic record keeping, a lending institution's computer environment for processing loan applications, or a court or arbitrator's computer system. Semantic document type definitions for various electronic document types (including, for example, electronic checks, mortgage applications, medical records, prescriptions, contracts, and the like) can be formed using mapping techniques between the logical content of the document and the block that is defined to include such content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignees: Financial Services Technology Consortium, International Business Machines Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Inc., Clareon Corporation, Telcordia Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Milton Anderson, Frank Jaffe, Chris Hibbert, Jyri Virkki, Jeffrey Kravitz, Sheveling Chang, Elaine Palmer
  • Publication number: 20010018739
    Abstract: The invention includes a markup language according to the SGML standard in which document type definitions are created under which electronic documents are divided into blocks that are associated with logical fields that are specific to the type of block. Each of many different types of electronic documents can have a record mapping to a particular environment, such as a legacy environment of a banking network, a hospital's computer environment for electronic record keeping, a lending institution's computer environment for processing loan applications, or a court or arbitrator's computer system. Semantic document type definitions for various electronic document types (including, for example, electronic checks, mortgage applications, medical records, prescriptions, contracts, and the like) can be formed using mapping techniques between the logical content of the document and the block that is defined to include such content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Publication date: August 30, 2001
    Inventors: Milton Anderson, Frank Jaffe, Chris Hibbert, Jyri Virkki, Jeffrey Kravitz, Sheveling Chang, Elaine Palmer
  • Patent number: 6209095
    Abstract: The invention includes a markup language according to the SGML standard in which document type definitions are created under which electronic documents are divided into blocks that are associated with logical fields that are specific to the type of block. Each of many different types of electronic documents can have a record mapping to a particular environment, such as a legacy environment of a banking network, a hospital's computer environment for electronic record keeping, a lending institution's computer environment for processing loan applications, or a court or arbitrator's computer system. Semantic document type definitions for various electronic document types (including, for example, electronic checks, mortgage applications, medical records, prescriptions, contracts, and the like) can be formed using mapping techniques between the logical content of the document and the block that is defined to include such content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Financial Services Technology Consortium
    Inventors: Milton Anderson, Frank Jaffe, Chris Hibbert, Jyri Virkki, Jeffrey Kravitz, Sheveling Chang, Elaine Palmer
  • Patent number: 6021202
    Abstract: The invention includes a markup language according to the SGML standard in which document type definitions are created under which electronic documents are divided into blocks that are associated with logical fields that are specific to the type of block. Each of many different types of electronic documents can have a record mapping to a particular environment, such as a legacy environment of a banking network, a hospital's computer environment for electronic record keeping, a lending institution's computer environment for processing loan applications, or a court or arbitrator's computer system. Semantic document type definitions for various electronic document types (including, for example, electronic checks, mortgage applications, medical records, prescriptions, contracts, and the like) can be formed using mapping techniques between the logical content of the document and the block that is defined to include such content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Financial Services Technology Consortium
    Inventors: Milton Anderson, Frank Jaffe, Chris Hibbert, Jyri Virkki, Jeffrey Kravitz, Sheveling Chang, Elaine Palmer