Patents by Inventor Erik Axel Johnson

Erik Axel Johnson 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: 8702518
    Abstract: A system and method for determining and providing one or more guest passes for temporary access to one or more video games to a first player that was previously granted membership to a platform that offers access to playing these video games. One or more different determinations are made on information related to the first player and/or available video games to generate one or more guest passes for a video game that is at least somewhat relevant to the first player. In at least one embodiment, one or more of the different determinations can be intrinsically and/or extrinsically weighted to further refine the generation of a guest pass for a video games that is at least somewhat relevant to the first player, and thereby more likely to be offered by the first player to a second player. Also, the platform enables the determining and generating of the one or more guest passes to the one or more video games for the first player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: John A. McCaskey, IV, Derrick Jason Birum, John Cook, Erik Axel Johnson, Gregory Coomer
  • Patent number: 8628414
    Abstract: A method and system are directed towards providing interactive commentaries within a video game. The interactive commentaries are configured to increase a value of the video game by enhancing the video game with interactive rich commentaries regarding features and concepts of the video game and/or its construction. The interactive commentaries offer a variety of features that may, in one embodiment, take control of a player's view of the video game, and thereby more effectively communicate various aspects during the commentary. In one embodiment, a player may receive a video game reward for playing the interactive commentary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Walker, Gregory Coomer, Erik Axel Johnson
  • Patent number: 8341753
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are arranged to enable loading of an application, such as a game application, prior to a formal release date of the application. An end-user is provided components of the application either over a network, CD, DVD, or the like. At least one component of the application is encrypted. The end-user may register with an application provider. At a pre-defined time, such as a release date for the application, a decryption key is made available to the end-user. The decryption key may be employed to decrypt the encrypted component(s) of the application, such that the application may be readied for execution. In addition, bug fixes, additions, or the like, may also be pre-loaded to release of the application, thereby ensuring that the end-user has the most current application configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Derrick Jason Birum, Erik Axel Johnson, Christopher Richard Newcombe
  • Publication number: 20080234043
    Abstract: A system and method for determining and providing one or more guest passes for temporary access to one or more video games to a first player that was previously granted membership to a platform that offers access to playing these video games. One or more different determinations are made on information related to the first player and/or available video games to generate one or more guest passes for a video game that is at least somewhat relevant to the first player. In at least one embodiment, one or more of the different determinations can be intrinsically and/or extrinsically weighted to further refine the generation of a guest pass for a video games that is at least somewhat relevant to the first player, and thereby more likely to be offered by the first player to a second player. Also, the platform enables the determining and generating of the one or more guest passes to the one or more video games for the first player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: John A. McCaskey, Derrick Jason Birum, John Cook, Erik Axel Johnson, Gregory Coomer
  • Publication number: 20080015003
    Abstract: A method and system are directed towards providing interactive commentaries within a video game. The interactive commentaries are configured to increase a value of the video game by enhancing the video game with interactive rich commentaries regarding features and concepts of the video game and/or its construction. The interactive commentaries offer a variety of features that may, in one embodiment, take control of a player's view of the video game, and thereby more effectively communicate various aspects during the commentary. In one embodiment, a player may receive a video game reward for playing the interactive commentary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Walker, Gregory Coomer, Erik Axel Johnson