US 12,303,783 B2
Systems and methods for converting a bounded gameplay session to an unbounded gameplay session
Michael D. Marr, Monroe, WA (US); Keith S. Kaplan, Bothell, WA (US); and Nathan T. Lewis, Woodinville, WA (US)
Assigned to Activision Publishing, Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US)
Filed by Activision Publishing, Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/812,968.
Application 17/812,968 is a continuation of application No. 16/377,673, filed on Apr. 8, 2019, granted, now 11,420,119.
Application 16/377,673 is a continuation of application No. 14/712,387, filed on May 14, 2015, granted, now 10,286,314, issued on May 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0001295 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A63F 13/44 (2014.01); A63F 13/46 (2014.01); A63F 13/48 (2014.01); A63F 13/795 (2014.01); A63F 13/73 (2014.01)
CPC A63F 13/44 (2014.09) [A63F 13/46 (2014.09); A63F 13/48 (2014.09); A63F 13/795 (2014.09); A63F 13/73 (2014.09)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system adapted to selectively convert a bounded gameplay session to an unbounded gameplay session in a multiplayer video game for players of the multiplayer video game, wherein at least a portion of the multiplayer video game is hosted by at least one server and executed on a plurality of client devices remotely located from the at least one server, wherein the bounded gameplay session or unbounded gameplay session is accessible via at least one of the plurality of client devices, wherein the bounded gameplay session is configured to run a session of the multiplayer video game until a predefined game objective is fulfilled or time has expired and wherein the unbounded gameplay session is configured to run a session of the multiplayer video game continuously, the system comprising:
a customization application adapted to execute on the at least one server or to execute on each of the plurality of client devices and further configured to automatically monitor the bounded gameplay session to determine whether, during the bounded game play session, the predefined game objective is fulfilled or the time has expired;
a gameplay session engine adapted to execute on the at least one server or to execute on each of the plurality of client devices, wherein the gameplay session engine is further configured to:
initiate the bounded gameplay session for all the players;
query a predetermined number of the players to determine if the bounded gameplay session should be converted to the unbounded gameplay session for all the players;
convert the bounded gameplay session to the unbounded gameplay session for all the players based on a result of said query;
extend a game map of the unbounded gameplay session; and
terminate the unbounded gameplay session only when no more of the players remain in the unbounded gameplay session.