Location-based leaderboard

Abstract

A world may be partitioned into a set of regions and sub-regions by the computer game system in a hierarchical manner, wherein the regions and sub-regions are arranged according to a hierarchy, each sub-region being encompassed by a higher-level sub-region or region, and two or more highest-level sub-regions being encompassed by a region. A location of a user of the computer game system along with one or more statistics associated with the user may be assigned to a smallest sub-region created in the hierarchical manner. A rank of the user may then be determined within a region or sub-region encompassing the smallest sub-region to which the user's location was assigned, wherein the rank is determined using the one or more statistics associated with the user. One or more users may then be notified of the rank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 a) associating a location of a user of the computer system with a sub-region of a world with the computer system, wherein the world is partitioned into a set of regions and sub-regions in a hierarchical manner, wherein each sub-region is encompassed by a higher-level sub-region or region, and two or more highest-level sub-regions are encompassed by a region created by the hierarchical spatial data structure;   b) obtaining a rank of the user within a region or sub-region encompassing the sub-region with which the user's location is associated, wherein the rank is determined using one or more statistics associated with the user, wherein the size of the sub-regions or regions created by the hierarchical spatial data structure are established based on a population density for the region or sub-region, and wherein a region or sub-region is subdivided if the population density of the region or sub-region is above a threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising partitioning the world into the set of regions and sub-regions with the computer system using the hierarchical spatial data structure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying, storing, or transmitting the rank obtained in b) with the computer system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location of the user is determined by a global positioning system (GPS) in the computer system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system is a computer game system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more statistics associated with the user include a number of computer game trophies earned. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more statistics associated with the user include a number of levels completed by the user for a particular game title. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more statistics associated with the user include a high score earned by the user for a particular game title. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical spatial data structure is a geodesic grid. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user is one of a plurality of users of a video game. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rank is a rank of the user relative to the other users of the plurality that are located within the sub-region with which the user's location is associated. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical spatial data structure is a geodesic grid, a quad tree, or an R-tree. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory; and   computer coded instructions embodied in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer coded instructions are configured to execute a method for implementing a location-based leaderboard, comprising:   a) associating a location of a user of the computer system to a sub-region of a world with the computer system, wherein the world is partitioned into a set of regions and sub-regions in a hierarchical manner, wherein each sub-region is encompassed by a higher-level sub-region or region, and two or more highest-level sub-regions are encompassed by a region created by the hierarchical spatial data structure;   b) obtaining a rank of the user within a region or sub-region encompassing the sub-region with which the user's location is associated, wherein the rank is determined using one or more statistics associated with the user, wherein the size of the sub-regions or regions created by the hierarchical spatial data structure are established based on population density for the region or sub-region, and wherein a region or sub-region is subdivided if the population density of the region or sub-region is above a threshold.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-coded instruction further comprise instructions for partitioning the world into the set of regions and sub-regions with the computer system using the hierarchical spatial data structure. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-coded instruction further comprise instructions for displaying, storing, or transmitting the rank obtained in b). 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a geo-location device coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the system is a computer game system. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more statistics associated with the user include a number of computer game trophies earned. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more statistics associated with the user include a number of levels completed by the user for a particular game title. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more statistics associated with the user include a high score earned by the user for a particular game title. (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the hierarchical spatial data structure is a geodesic grid. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the rank is a rank of the user relative to other users of a plurality of users that are located within the sub-region with which the user's location is associated. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the hierarchical spatial data structure is a geodesic grid, a quad tree, or an R-tree. 
     
     
         24 . A computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for implementing a method, said method comprising:   a) associating a location of a user of the computer system to a sub-region of a world with the computer system, wherein the world is partitioned into a set of regions and sub-regions in a hierarchical manner, wherein each sub-region being encompassed by a higher-level sub-region or region, and two or more highest-level sub-regions being encompassed by a region created by the hierarchical spatial data structure;   b) obtaining a rank of the user within a region or sub-region encompassing the sub-region with which the user's location is associated, wherein the rank is determined using one or more statistics associated with the user, wherein the size of the sub-regions or regions created by the hierarchical spatial data structure are established based on population density for the region or sub-region, and wherein a region or sub-region is subdivided if the population density of the region or sub-region is above a threshold.