Monetization & Business Models

Frontage Road Holdings received 2 patents, both centered on the same core problem: how to prevent play-to-earn economies from collapsing under the weight of early asset dumping. The first describes a blockchain system where NFT heroes can only enter secondary markets after reaching minimum evolution levels through actual gameplay, tying trading rights directly to player progression rather than simple ownership. The second reinforces this framework with what the filing calls "fail-safe" hero tokens, which gate secondary market access behind skill-based thresholds while preserving blockchain transparency, cross-chain portability, and embedded royalty enforcement throughout.

Sony received 2 patents addressing the same dead time that players encounter between game sessions. Both filings describe platform-level systems that detect when a game enters a wait state and automatically serve ads, trailers, or mini-games into that window without requiring any integration from the game's developer. Where the 2 patents differ slightly is in framing: one emphasizes the detection of game-state-triggered pauses as monetizable slots, while the other focuses on the broader pipeline that treats loading time as a programmable content opportunity rather than an unavoidable gap.

Atlas Reality received 1 patent describing a system that applies cryptographic assets to traditional video game progression, allowing players to retain ownership of in-game items even after a game's servers go offline. Rather than treating blockchain assets purely as collectibles, the system positions them as functional components of gameplay, bridging conventional monetization models like content purchases and in-app transactions with the persistence guarantees of on-chain ownership.

Mastercard Asia/Pacific received 1 patent for a blockchain-based microtransaction system designed to enable fractional payments across Web3 and metaverse platforms using familiar payment interfaces. The system tokenizes traditional payment methods as smart contracts while keeping values denominated in fiat currency, removing the volatility and complexity typically associated with crypto transactions and allowing users to participate across platforms without locking funds into platform-specific tokens or learning new Web3 interfaces.

Adeia received 1 patent for a dynamic ad insertion system that monitors real-time player engagement and satisfaction metrics to determine when supplemental content appears within a game session. Rather than triggering ads at fixed intervals, the system schedules them based on a player's current state, serving upbeat content after accomplishments and more comfort-oriented content after setbacks, while deliberately avoiding moments of high engagement where the ad would compete with active player attention.

Konami received 2 patents covering distinct but related aspects of the gaming experience. The first describes a deferred resource consumption system for training-style mobile games, where players can begin a session without the full stamina cost required upfront, drawing down those costs across multiple checkpoints mid-session and automatically borrowing parameter headroom when a level-up is imminent. The second addresses audio advertising measurement, describing a system that calculates weighted "audibility scores" by combining factors like volume level, muted state, headphone detection, the relative volume of ad audio against game audio, and visual distraction metrics, giving advertisers a richer quality signal than a simple impression count.

Pilot Games received 1 patent for a mobile virtual world bingo tournament platform built specifically for charitable gaming venues. The system decouples skill-based bonus mini-games from wagering outcomes, meaning that a player's performance in the hunting mini-game component affects their entertainment and competitive standing without altering anyone else's chances in the monetary prize pool. The platform also incorporates progressive prizes, live broadcast hosting, and multi-venue linked tournaments into a single mobile-first system.

Koodbee received 1 patent for a virtual currency architecture that separates currency players purchase from currency they earn through play, allowing social gaming platforms to offer real-money redemptions while staying within gambling regulations. A rule-based engine governs how each currency type is drawn down and replenished, with a specific prioritization strategy that depletes earned currency first and preserves purchased currency to support real-world redemptions, embedding compliance requirements directly into the currency flow logic itself.

Fandex received 1 patent for a card game system that applies poker mechanics to fantasy sports. Real-time athlete performance data determines the value of player cards, and team selection happens through random dealing with optional discards rather than traditional drafting, reducing the time investment required to participate while preserving engagement through live performance tracking and collectible card sets.

Touchtunes Music received 1 patent for a portable coin-operated handheld entertainment device designed for use in restaurants and bars, paired with secure docking stations that prevent theft. The security system combines hardware mechanisms, including spring-loaded locking pins and solenoid assemblies, with software-based proximity detection that triggers electronic locks and alarms, while the device itself supports gaming, music, and internet access on a pay-per-use basis.

Doooga Tec Pte. received 1 patent for an ad-reward system that compensates video content uploaders in virtual currency while simultaneously buying those same tokens back on open exchanges. The dual-action mechanism is designed to create price support on the market side while incentivizing creator participation on the rewards side, combining ad monetization with active on-market token management in a single system.

M-League received 2 patents addressing real-money competition at scale. The first describes an asynchronous wagering system set within a persistent spatial map, where players earn or lose currency based on real-time spatial collisions and voluntary exits rather than waiting for a match to conclude, with server-side collision detection tied directly to wallet transactions to prevent client-side manipulation. The second covers a tournament matchmaking system that allows millions of players to compete without needing to be online at the same time, using time-windowed historical score pools and a dual-band matching range that adjusts dynamically based on real-time return-to-player targets, with high-entry-fee contests restricted to players whose skill variance falls within qualifying thresholds.