Patents by Inventor Stephanie K. Schultz

Stephanie K. Schultz 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).

  • Publication number: 20180261048
    Abstract: An approach to facilitating event-based currency is provided. A first virtual currency usable by users of a game space to purchase in-space benefits may be managed. An event in the game space that is conducted during an event time period may be managed such that, during the event time period, an event virtual currency may be distributed to one or more of the users as a reward for certain operations and/or achievements performed in the game space during the event time period. Exchanges of in-space benefits associated with the event virtual currency may be effectuated for one or more of the users. In some implementations, the event virtual currency may not available to the users after the event time period, while the first virtual currency may be available to the users during and after the event time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Publication number: 20180211307
    Abstract: A shop interface is presented to users in conjunction with presentation of views of an online game, wherein the shop interface is configured to facilitate presentations to users of offers to sell virtual items usable within the game in exchange for consideration. In response to detecting that the online game is systematically unavailable to users, an alternative virtual shop interface is presented to users that is accessed over the Internet separately from the online game, and offers to sell the virtual times usable within the game are presented to users in exchange for less consideration than the offers to sell the virtual items through the shop interface presented in conjunction with the online game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Patent number: 9978211
    Abstract: An approach to facilitating event-based currency is provided. A first virtual currency usable by users of a game space to purchase in-space benefits may be managed. An event in the game space that is conducted during an event time period may be managed such that, during the event time period, an event virtual currency may be distributed to one or more of the users as a reward for certain operations and/or achievements performed in the game space during the event time period. Exchanges of in-space benefits associated with the event virtual currency may be effectuated for one or more of the users. In some implementations, the event virtual currency may not available to the users after the event time period, while the first virtual currency may be available to the users during and after the event time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Patent number: 9940665
    Abstract: A shop interface is presented to users in conjunction with presentation of views of an online game, wherein the shop interface is configured to facilitate presentations to users of offers to sell virtual items usable within the game in exchange for consideration. In response to detecting that the online game is systematically unavailable to users, an alternative virtual shop interface is presented to users that is accessed over the Internet separately from the online game, and offers to sell the virtual times usable within the game are presented to users in exchange for less consideration than the offers to sell the virtual items through the shop interface presented in conjunction with the online game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Patent number: 9795886
    Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to determining prices for a protection extension in an online game. The protection extension may be implemented, for example, after a user's beginning protection and/or any other in-game protection period has ceased. The protection extension may be dynamically priced for individual users. The protection extension may be priced, for example, based on the user's power and/or strength in a game, and/or based on other factors. For example, the stronger the user is in the game, the more expensive the extension of protection, and the weaker the user is in the game, the cheaper the extension of protection. This may provide an opportunity for a less experienced player to build up their strength in a game, thus promoting further player engagement. Individualizing the price of protection extensions may provide other enhancements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Kellen Christopher Smalley, Stephanie K. Schultz
  • Patent number: 9773254
    Abstract: An approach to facilitate providing an event space associated with a primary virtual space is provided. An event space is provided to users of a primary virtual space, wherein the event space comprises one or more event objectives. Users of the primary virtual space having primary user accounts have associated event space accounts indicating event user parameters, event game parameters, and event inventory information for the first user. The user may be provided with event virtual items for purchase wherein the event virtual items are used in the event space during the event period. In response to a determination of the progress of the user associated with one or more event objectives an event award is determined for distribution to the user, wherein the event award may be used within the primary virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone, Ken Go
  • Patent number: 9636573
    Abstract: A shop interface is presented to users in conjunction with presentation of views of an online game, wherein the shop interface is configured to facilitate presentations to users of offers to sell virtual items usable within the game in exchange for consideration. In response to detecting that the online game is systematically unavailable to users, an alternative virtual shop interface is presented to users that is accessed over the Internet separately from the online game, and offers to sell the virtual times usable within the game are presented to users in exchange for less consideration than the offers to sell the virtual items through the shop interface presented in conjunction with the online game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Patent number: 9626475
    Abstract: An approach to facilitating event-based currency is provided. A first virtual currency usable by users of a game space to purchase in-space benefits may be managed. An event in the game space that is conducted during an event time period may be managed such that, during the event time period, an event virtual currency may be distributed to one or more of the users as a reward for certain operations and/or achievements performed in the game space during the event time period. Exchanges of in-space benefits associated with the event virtual currency may be effectuated for one or more of the users. In some implementations, the event virtual currency may not available to the users after the event time period, while the first virtual currency may be available to the users during and after the event time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Patent number: 9613179
    Abstract: An approach to facilitate providing an event space associated with a primary virtual space is provided. An event space is provided to users of a primary virtual space, wherein the event space comprises one or more event objectives. Users of the primary virtual space having primary user accounts have associated event space accounts indicating event user parameters, event game parameters, and event inventory information for the first user. The user may be provided with event virtual items for purchase wherein the event virtual items are used in the event space during the event period. In response to a determination of the progress of the user associated with one or more event objectives an event award is determined for distribution to the user, wherein the event award may be used within the primary virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie K. Schultz, Michael C. Caldarone, Ken Go
  • Patent number: 9573066
    Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to determining prices for a protection extension in an online game. The protection extension may be implemented, for example, after a user's beginning protection and/or any other in-game protection period has ceased. The protection extension may be dynamically priced for individual users. The protection extension may be priced, for example, based on the user's power and/or strength in a game, and/or based on other factors. For example, the stronger the user is in the game, the more expensive the extension of protection, and the weaker the user is in the game, the cheaper the extension of protection. This may provide an opportunity for a less experienced player to build up their strength in a game, thus promoting further player engagement. Individualizing the price of protection extensions may provide other enhancements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Kellen Christopher Smalley, Stephanie K. Schultz
  • Publication number: 20150005054
    Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to facilitating gifting of virtual items between users in an online game. During different periods in the game, users may be awarded virtual items as awards. The system provides the opportunity to a user to gift awards to other users at the time they are distributed. The other users may include members of a common affiliation, other users that have friend or other relationships, and/or other. For example, the game may provide an option to a user to keep an award or to share at least a portion of the award with one or more other users. The one or more users may be selectable from a list presented to the user. This may provide an opportunity for social gifting and/or interaction in the online game if virtual items and/or currency are typically not transferrable between users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Kellen Christopher SMALLEY, Stephanie K. Schultz, Kenneth J. Go
  • Publication number: 20150005051
    Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to determining prices for a protection extension in an online game. The protection extension may be implemented, for example, after a user's beginning protection and/or any other in-game protection period has ceased. The protection extension may be dynamically priced for individual users. The protection extension may be priced, for example, based on the user's power and/or strength in a game, and/or based on other factors. For example, the stronger the user is in the game, the more expensive the extension of protection, and the weaker the user is in the game, the cheaper the extension of protection. This may provide an opportunity for a less experienced player to build up their strength in a game, thus promoting further player engagement. Individualizing the price of protection extensions may provide other enhancements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Kellen Christopher SMALLEY, Stephanie K. Schultz
  • Patent number: 8790185
    Abstract: A game provided to users of a game space may include a task to be performed by the users. A plurality of virtual chance items may be composed. Individual ones of the virtual chance items may be configured to be activated by the users in the game space to obtain virtual awards in the game space. The virtual awards may include one or more primary awards and one or more secondary awards. Composing the virtual chance items may include determining probabilities that the individual virtual chance items will provide a primary award and/or a secondary award upon activation. The virtual chance items may be distributed to the users that complete the task responsive to these users completing the task. The virtual awards may be provided to the users in accordance with the probabilities assigned to the virtual chance items in response to the users activating the virtual chance items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Caldarone, Stephanie K. Schultz