Summary: 
U.S. Patent No. 9,044,680 (the '680 Patent) describes a method for two players to interact in certain online games. The type of game depicted in the patent is a city building that could be found on Facebook or the free-to-play versions on iOS. The '680 Patent specifically relates to the ability to invite friends to help progress the game. A friend can help complete a building or generate income depending on the task assigned to the friend. Both players need to be playing the game for the invitation to be sent. A player accepting the invitation will obtain an in-game reward for helping.

Abstract:
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for executing an online game. One method includes an operation for executing a first game board for a first user and a second game board for a second user. The first game board is created when the first user plays the game for the first time and the second game board is created when the second user plays the game for the first time. The method further includes operations for detecting a visit by the second user to the first game board, and for detecting a request by the second user to place a game asset in the first game board. The game asset is installed in the first game board when the first user approves the request, and the second user obtains one or more game rewards when the first user interacts with the game asset while playing the online game.

Illustrative Claim:
1. A method for processing game operations during execution of an online game, the method comprising: executing, by a game server, a first game board for a first user and a second game board for a second user, wherein the first game board is created when the first user plays the online game for a first time and the second game board is created when the second user plays the online game for a first time; establishing, by a live interaction server, a synchronous mode of play when the first user and the second user play the online game at a same time, and an asynchronous mode of play when the first user and the second user are not playing the online game at the same time; sending from the live interaction server to the game server information identifying if the first user and the second user are in synchronous mode; detecting, while in synchronous mode, a visit by the second user to the first game board and a request by the second user to place a game asset of the second user in the first game board of the first user; presenting, while in synchronous mode, to the first user in the first game board an option to approve the request; and installing the game asset in the first game board when the first user approves the request, wherein the second user obtains one or more game rewards when the first user interacts with the game asset while playing the online game, wherein operations of the method are executed by a processor.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas