Unlocking Virtual Items for Online Use and in Video Games

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for providing access to a virtual object corresponding to a real object. There is provided a method comprising authenticating a user account for a networked application, confirming a validity of a user provided code, wherein the code is visible on the real object or on accompanying materials of the real object, and granting the user account access to the virtual object for use in the networked application in response to the confirming of the validity. As a result, users are enabled to enjoy interactions with real objects as well as corresponding virtual objects both in an offline video game context and in an online network application context.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for use by a hardware processor for providing access to a virtual object, the method comprising:
 authenticating, by the hardware processor, a user account for a networked application;   confirming, by the hardware processor, a validity of a code, wherein the code becomes visible to a user by solving a puzzle; and   granting, by the hardware processor, the user account access to the virtual object for use in the networked application in response to the confirming of the validity.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 causing the networked application to show the virtual object on a display.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein prior to confirming the validity of the code the method further comprises:
 receiving the code from a user input.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the code is embedded in the puzzle. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the code comprises a string of numeric digits. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the code comprises a string of alphanumeric digits. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the code comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the visual object comprises a piece of clothing wearable by an avatar of the user account in the networked application. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the networked application comprises a persistently online social networking application. 
     
     
         30 . A server for providing access to a virtual object, the server comprising:
 a hardware processor configured to:
 authenticate a user account for a networked application; 
 confirm a validity of a code, wherein the code becomes visible to a user by solving a puzzle; and 
 granting the user account access to the virtual object for use in the networked application in response to the confirming of the validity. 
   
     
     
         31 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to cause the networked application to show the virtual object on a display. 
     
     
         32 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein prior to confirming the validity of the code the hardware processor is further configured to receive the code from a user input. 
     
     
         33 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein the code is embedded in the puzzle. 
     
     
         34 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein the code comprises a string of numeric digits. 
     
     
         35 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein the code comprises a string of alphanumeric digits. 
     
     
         36 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein the code comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         37 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein the visual object comprises a piece of clothing wearable by an avatar of the user account in the networked application. 
     
     
         38 . The server of  claim 30 , wherein the networked application comprises a persistently online social networking application.