Patents by Inventor J. Allen Brack

J. Allen Brack 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: 10086279
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and specially configured machines are described for hosting an instance of a cross-realm zone that manages interaction among characters from different instances of a virtual world in a massively multiplayer online game. Different zones of the virtual world may support different numbers of realms or different combinations of realms, and some zones of the virtual world may remain as single-realm zones. When a character enters a zone, the character may be added to an instance of a cross-realm zone based on the virtual world for which the character is a member. A single cross-realm zone may handle all characters that enter the zone from a subset of realms, but not characters that enter the zone from other realms that are not in the subset of realms. Characters in a cross-realm zone might not have any affiliation or prior social connection or interaction with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
    Inventors: Alec Dun, Kurtis McCathern, Michael Elliott, J. Allen Brack, Tom Chilton
  • Publication number: 20160121212
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and specially configured machines are described for hosting an instance of a cross-realm zone that manages interaction among characters from different instances of a virtual world in a massively multiplayer online game. Different zones of the virtual world may support different numbers of realms or different combinations of realms, and some zones of the virtual world may remain as single-realm zones. When a character enters a zone, the character may be added to an instance of a cross-realm zone based on the virtual world for which the character is a member. A single cross-realm zone may handle all characters that enter the zone from a subset of realms, but not characters that enter the zone from other realms that are not in the subset of realms. Characters in a cross-realm zone might not have any affiliation or prior social connection or interaction with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Alec Dun, Kurtis Mccathern, Michael Elliott, J. Allen Brack, Tom Chilton
  • Patent number: 9220982
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and specially configured machines are described for hosting an instance of a cross-realm zone that manages interaction among characters from different instances of a virtual world in a massively multiplayer online game. Different zones of the virtual world may support different numbers of realms or different combinations of realms, and some zones of the virtual world may remain as single-realm zones. When a character enters a zone, the character may be added to an instance of a cross-realm zone based on the virtual world for which the character is a member. A single cross-realm zone may handle all characters that enter the zone from a subset of realms, but not characters that enter the zone from other realms that are not in the subset of realms. Characters in a cross-realm zone might not have any affiliation or prior social connection or interaction with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
    Inventors: Alec Dun, Kurtis McCathern, Michael Elliott, J. Allen Brack, Tom Chilton
  • Publication number: 20130296045
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and specially configured machines are described for hosting an instance of a cross-realm zone that manages interaction among characters from different instances of a virtual world in a massively multiplayer online game. Different zones of the virtual world may support different numbers of realms or different combinations of realms, and some zones of the virtual world may remain as single-realm zones. When a character enters a zone, the character may be added to an instance of a cross-realm zone based on the virtual world for which the character is a member. A single cross-realm zone may handle all characters that enter the zone from a subset of realms, but not characters that enter the zone from other realms that are not in the subset of realms. Characters in a cross-realm zone might not have any affiliation or prior social connection or interaction with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Alec Dun, Kurtis McCathern, Michael Elliott, J. Allen Brack, Tom Chilton