Distribution of Electronic Game Elements

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium for using electronic advertising resources as mechanisms to enable individuals to participate in electronic games alone or in conjunction with other players.

1 . A game server comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the game server to at least:
 receive, at the processor, an instruction from an electronic display server to retrieve a game element for distribution into an ad space included in an electronic display, the ad space being configured to include a computer code that communicates to the processor the instruction to retrieve the game element, the instruction including a user identifier identifying a user account associated with a user and including an ad space identifier that indicates an appropriate format for the game element based upon the ad space included in the electronic display;   identify, by the processor, the user account stored in the memory and associated with the user via the user identifier;   determine, by the processor, if the memory stores an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display; and
 if the memory stores an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display, cause by the processor communication of the appropriate game element for display into the ad space; and 
 if the memory does not store an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display, cause by the processor communication of an indication to the electronic display server to retrieve an electronic ad from an ad server to display into in the ad space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The game server of  claim 1 , wherein the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element for the user account comprises the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element based upon the content of the user account. 
     
     
         3 . The game server of  claim 1 , wherein the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element for the user account comprises the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element at random. 
     
     
         4 . The game server of  claim 1 , wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to retrieve the appropriate game element from a source external to the game server. 
     
     
         5 . The game server of  claim 4 , wherein the source external to the game server is an ad server. 
     
     
         6 . The game server of  claim 1 , wherein the processor being caused to receive the instruction to retrieve the game element comprises the processor being caused to receive the instruction via an ad server and the processor being caused to cause communication of the appropriate game element comprises the processor being caused to cause communication of the appropriate game element via the ad server. 
     
     
         7 . The game server of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic display is one of the following: a Web page, a video game, a mobile app, a digital sign, or an electronic billboard. 
     
     
         8 . A method to distribute a game element, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor of a game server, the game server comprising the processor and a memory, an instruction from an electronic display server to retrieve a game element for distribution into an ad space included in an electronic display, the ad space being configured to include a computer code that communicates to the processor the instruction to retrieve the game element, the instruction including a user identifier identifying a user account associated with a user and including an ad space identifier that indicates an appropriate format for the game element based upon the ad space included in the electronic display;   identifying, by the processor, the user account stored in the memory and associated with the user via the user identifier;   determining, by the processor, if the memory stores an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display; and
 if the memory stores an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display, causing by the processor communication of the appropriate game element for display into the ad space; and 
 if the memory does not store an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display, causing by the processor communication of an indication to the electronic display server to retrieve an electronic ad from an ad server to display into in the ad space; 
   wherein receiving the instruction, identifying the user account, evaluating the user account, causing communication of the appropriate game element, and causing communication of the indication are operations performed by the game server including the processor and the memory storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the game server to perform the respective operations.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the appropriate game element for the user account comprises the processor determining the appropriate game element based upon the content of the user account. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the appropriate game element for the user account comprises the processor determining the appropriate game element at random. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the processor retrieving the appropriate game element from a source external to the game server. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the source external to the game server is an ad server. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein receiving the instruction to retrieve the game element comprises the processor receiving the instruction via an ad server and causing by the processor communication of the appropriate game element comprises causing by the processor communication of the appropriate game element via the ad server. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic display is one of the following: a Web page, a video game, a mobile app, a digital sign, or an electronic billboard. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by a processor of a game server, cause the processor to at least:
 receive an instruction from an electronic display server to retrieve a game element for distribution into an ad space included in an electronic display, the ad space being configured to include a computer code that communicates to the processor the instruction to retrieve the game element, the instruction including a user identifier identifying a user account associated with a user and including an ad space identifier that indicates an appropriate format for the game element based upon the ad space included in the electronic display;   identify the user account stored in a memory of the game server and associated with the user via the user identifier;   determine if the memory stores an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display; and
 if the memory stores an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display, cause communication of the appropriate game element for display into the ad space; and 
 if the memory does not store an appropriate game element for the user account to be distributed to the ad space included in the electronic display, cause communication of an indication to the electronic display server to retrieve an electronic ad from ad server to display into in the ad space. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element for the user account comprises the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element based upon the content of the user account. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element for the user account comprises the processor being caused to determine the appropriate game element at random. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15  having further computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to retrieve the appropriate game element from a source external to the game server. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the source external to the game server is an ad server. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor being caused to receive the instruction to retrieve the game element comprises the processor being caused to receive the instruction via an ad server and the processor being caused to cause communication of the appropriate game element comprises the processor being caused to cause communication of the appropriate game element via the ad server.