Computer-implemented method for facilitating the exchange of information between individuals

• US 10,029,178 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theodore M. Dunn
• Original Assignee: Theodore M. Dunn
• Inventors: Dunn, Theodore M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US15/284,226
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/22 Games, e.g. card games

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for facilitating the exchange of information amongst two or more individuals is provided, which can be effectively implemented into a myriad of applications. By way of example, in some applications (e.g., Contract Bridge card games) the method may be employed to increasingly improve the ability of card game playing partners to more accurately assess, and therefore more accurately predict, each other'"'"'s strategies and moves in a card game scenario, wherein the sheer quantity of available card game moves results in the possibility of making such improvements via conventional means—such as practice games incorporating various different moves, verbal strategy-based discussions and the like—a statistical impossibility. In yet other applications (e.g., teaching in academic-type settings) the system and method incorporates an Internet website wherein teachers are able to utilize a host of website functions to efficiently analyze, via data feedback, the overall effectiveness of specific lessons, as well as a detailed analysis of individual student performance. In this manner, the method provides a unique means for teachers to continuously improve the overall effectiveness of their homework, lessons and exams, while also having an effective means for tailoring student-specific homework, lessons and exams, based upon what is most effective to optimize a particular student'"'"'s learning.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for improving the ability of a first partner to predict strategies and moves of a second partner during play of a future card game competition against an opposing two-partner team, the competitive card game of the type incorporating commonly-accepted partner-to-partner communication restrictions intended to avoid the first partner from divulging information pertaining to the first partner'"'"'s mental game-playing strategy to the second partner, and vice-versa, where divulging such information is likely to provide an unfair advantage over the opposing team and would be considered a partner communication-related impropriety, the competitive card game of the type incorporating such a great variety of potential unique game playing situations that unique game situations are rarely duplicated, the method comprising steps of:

(a) providing a central computer system of the type having a central processing unit (CPU), memory storage device, and an instruction set executable by the CPU and presenting exemplary unique card game play situations;

(b) providing a first remote computer device controlled by said first partner and a second remote computer device controlled by said second partner, said first and second remote computer devices each in bi-directional network communication with said central computer system;

(c) identifying a unique card game playing situation by said central computer system, and communicating said unique card game playing situation to said first and second remote computer devices;

(d) prompting said first and second partners to input, via said corresponding first and second computer devices, respective proposed game moves in response to said unique card game playing situation, wherein the first and second partners subsequently input their respective proposed game moves independently for subsequent communication to said central computer system;

(e) receiving, at said central computer system, the respective proposed moves made by the first and second partners in response to the unique card game play situation;

(f) comparing, by said central computer system, the proposed moves made by the first and second partners, and determining whether or not said proposed moves are a match;

(g) communicating the proposed move made by the first partner from the central computer system to the second partner'"'"'s computer device, and communicating the proposed move made by the second partner from the central computer system to the first partner'"'"'s computer device, thereby enabling the first and second partners to review and compare the corresponding proposed moves;

(h) establishing, via said central computer system, bi-directional electronic communication between said first and second computer devices, and subsequently initiating an exchange of information between said first and second partners pertaining to their respective mental reasoning processes used to arrive at their respective proposed moves;

(i) arriving at a common agreed-upon proposed move based upon said unique card game play situation, where the proposed moves of the first and second partners is determined to be a non-match, and subsequently arriving at a common agreed-upon underlying mental reasoning process supporting the common agreed-upon proposed move, between said first and second partners;

(j) creating a card game situation agreement document in the form of a digital computer file, said situation agreement document functioning to record information pertaining to said unique card game play situation, to said common agreed-upon move in response to said unique card game play situation, and to said corresponding agreed-upon mental reasoning process for arriving at said common agreed-upon move;

(k) identifying and subsequently saving said situation agreement document file to a competitive card game situation agreement document file library stored upon said central computer system memory storage device in a manner enabling selective future access to said situation agreement document file in said file library by said first and second partners;

(l) inquiring, via a communication from said central system computer to said partner computer devices, whether said first and second partners both desire to create a new unique card game play situation to repeat the process; and

(m) repeating steps (c) through (l) if, in step (l), said first and second partners both desire to create a new unique card game play situation,

wherein, repetition of said steps (c) through (l) functions to incrementally improve each partner'"'"'s comprehension and understanding of the other partner'"'"'s mental thought process vis-à

-vis identifiable common characteristics associated with corresponding subsets of said unique card game play scenarios, for subsequent application during an actual card game competition between said first and second partners and said opposing two-partner team.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step (c) of creating a unique card game playing situation further comprises generating, at said central computer system, a random unique card game playing situation via an instruction set command communicated to said central processing unit.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step (c) of creating a unique card game playing situation further comprises selecting a unique card game playing situation from a previously established library of card game playing situations maintained upon said central computer system memory storage device.

4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said competitive card game further comprises Contract Bridge and the number of potential unique game playing situations is greater than 1×

10²⁸ unique game playing situations.

5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, wherein:

said step (d) of prompting the first and second partners to input, via said corresponding first and second computer devices, respective proposed game moves in response to said unique card game playing situation, further comprises prompting the first and second partners to input, via said corresponding first and second computer devices, respective proposed bids in response to a unique Contract Bridge card game playing situation; and

said step (e) of receiving, at said central computer system, the respective proposed moves made by made by the first and second partners in response to the unique card game play situation, further comprises receiving;

at said central computer system;

the respective proposed bids made by the first and second partners in response to a unique Contract Bridge card game playing situation.