US2012264494A1PendingUtilityA1

Internet family history game interacting with databases

30
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Apr 18, 2011Filed: Apr 18, 2011Published: Oct 18, 2012
Est. expiryApr 18, 2031(~4.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jeffrey Lane WellsScott C. PughRoss S. Wolfley
H04L 67/131A63F 2300/572A63F 2300/554A63F 2300/5553A63F 2300/513A63F 2300/407A63F 2300/575A63F 13/63A63F 13/335A63F 13/87A63F 13/65A63F 13/79
30
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

An family history game in which progress is measured at least partially by a player's family history research. In some embodiments, the family history game may comprise a computer game that may be played online to facilitate interaction between a player and a database. The player may use avatars that represent real people, who may or may not be related to or otherwise associated with the player. The player may retrieve documents or other information from searching one or more online databases that include information about a real person who corresponds to an avatar used by the player. Multiple players may interact with one another in the family history game through online social media.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An online computer game process for interaction between players and an online database, comprising:
 enabling a player to use avatars, each avatar representing a real person; and   retrieving a document or information from a search of an online database that includes information about at least one real person represented by an avatar.   
     
     
         2 . The online computer game process of  claim 1 , comprising a family history game in which retrieving the document or information comprises enabling the player to conduct real life family research. 
     
     
         3 . The online computer game process of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 enabling the player to establish a family tree including the real person and the document or information about the real person.   
     
     
         4 . The online computer game process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling the player to establish a family village populated by a plurality of avatars that are real life relatives of the player.   
     
     
         5 . The online computer game process of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 enabling the player to improve the family village by:
 enabling the player to retrieve documents from a search database and; 
 enabling the player to add avatars to the village and to add information about one or more of the plurality of avatars. 
   
     
     
         6 . The online computer game process of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 electronically interconnecting a plurality of players so that each player of the plurality:
 is aware of the family research of other players of the plurality; and 
 can interact with the other players. 
   
     
     
         7 . The online computer game process of  claim 6 , comprising:
 electronically interconnecting the plurality of players through an online social medium.   
     
     
         8 . The online computer game process of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 enabling a visiting player of the plurality of players to visit a village of another, host player of the plurality of players through the online social medium.   
     
     
         9 . The online computer game process of  claim 8 , wherein enabling the visiting player comprises enabling a visiting avatar of the visiting player to interact with a host avatar of the host player whose village is visited. 
     
     
         10 . An online family history computer game process for interaction between a player and a database, comprising:
 enabling a player to use avatars representative of real people associated with the player; and   retrieving a document or information from a search of a database that includes information about at least one of the real people.   
     
     
         11 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 enabling the player to establish a family tree including information about the real people; and   retrieving the documents or information to add the real people and information about the real people to the family tree.   
     
     
         12 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 10 , comprising:
 enabling the player to establish the a family village populated by avatars that represent real people consisting of relatives of the player.   
     
     
         13 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 12 , wherein retrieving documents or information from the search database enables the player to add at least one avatar to the village or to add information about at least one avatar. 
     
     
         14 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 enabling the player to interact with at least one other selected player through a social medium.   
     
     
         15 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 14 , wherein enabling the player to interact with at least one other selected player includes enabling the player to visit a host village of the at least one other selected player with whom the player is associated through the social medium. 
     
     
         16 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 15 , wherein at least one avatar of the player visiting the host village may interact with at least one host avatar of the at least one other selected player. 
     
     
         17 . An online family history computer game process for interaction between at least one player and at least one real database, comprising:
 enabling a player to use online at least one avatar that is representative of a real life relative of the player;   enabling the player to establish an area referred to as a village; and   enabling the player to provide a function for the at least one avatar in the village.   
     
     
         18 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 17 , wherein enabling the player to provide the function comprises enabling the player to select a job in the village for the at least one avatar. 
     
     
         19 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 providing the at least one avatar with game currency that the player can spend in the village upon completion of the job.   
     
     
         20 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 19 , wherein enabling the player to provide the function comprises enabling the player to select a home in the village for the at least one avatar. 
     
     
         21 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 enabling the player to spend the game currency to purchase the home for the at least one avatar.   
     
     
         22 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 17 , wherein enabling the player to provide the function for the at least one avatar comprises enabling the player to affect a game level for the at least one avatar. 
     
     
         23 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 17 , wherein enabling the player to provide the function for the at least one avatar comprises enabling the player to affect a status or a morale of the at least one avatar. 
     
     
         24 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 enabling the player to retrieve a document or information from a search of an online database that contains information about the relative represented by the at least one avatar, and   storing the document or information about the relative in a library associated with the village.   
     
     
         25 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 24 , wherein enabling the player to retrieve the document or information comprises requiring the player to pay game currency or real money for the document or information. 
     
     
         26 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 24 , wherein storing the document or information comprises storing the document or information in a book associated only with the avatar that corresponds to the relative, the library including a plurality of books corresponding to a plurality of different avatars. 
     
     
         27 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 enabling the at least one player to select a structure for the village.   
     
     
         28 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 27 , wherein enabling the at least one player to select the structure comprises enabling the at least one player to select a building or a monument for placement in the village. 
     
     
         29 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 connecting a first player and a second player online, so that the first player can visit a village of the second player.   
     
     
         30 . The online family history computer game process of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 enabling the first player to assist the second player in a function of an avatar of the second player.

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