The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 26, 2014

Filed:

May. 27, 2011
Applicants:

Brian Scott Murphy, Seattle, WA (US);

Stephen G. Latta, Seattle, WA (US);

Darren Alexander Bennett, Seattle, WA (US);

Kevin Geisner, Mercer Island, WA (US);

Shawn C. Wright, Sammamish, WA (US);

Relja Markovic, Seattle, WA (US);

Joel B. Deaguero, Snohomish, WA (US);

Christopher H. Willoughby, Kenmore, WA (US);

Ryan Lucas Hastings, Seattle, WA (US);

Inventors:

Brian Scott Murphy, Seattle, WA (US);

Stephen G. Latta, Seattle, WA (US);

Darren Alexander Bennett, Seattle, WA (US);

Kevin Geisner, Mercer Island, WA (US);

Shawn C. Wright, Sammamish, WA (US);

Relja Markovic, Seattle, WA (US);

Joel B. Deaguero, Snohomish, WA (US);

Christopher H. Willoughby, Kenmore, WA (US);

Ryan Lucas Hastings, Seattle, WA (US);

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A63F 9/24 (2006.01); A63F 13/12 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
A63F 13/12 (2013.01); A63F 2300/807 (2013.01); A63F 2300/50 (2013.01);
Abstract

In accordance with one or more aspects, for a particular user one or more other users associated with that particular user are identified based on a social graph of that particular user. An avatar of at least one of the other users is obtained and included as a non-player-character in a game being played by that particular user. The particular user can provide requests to interact with the avatar of the second user (e.g., calling out the name of the second user, tapping the avatar of the second user on the shoulder, etc.), these requests being invitations for the second user to join in a game with the first user. An indication of such an invitation is presented to the second user, which can, for example, accept the invitation to join in a game with the first user.


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