Prizing remote users using real life sports personalities

• US 10,614,672 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2019
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
• Original Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
• Inventors: Katz, Randall M., Dawson, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, Damon J
• Application Number:
  US16/394,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20190251779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for game play using virtual players, sometimes referred to herein as vBots, where they may have images including those of real world personalities, such as sports personalities, is disclosed. In one aspect, a method for game play involves the use of the system electronic system environment described herein, wherein one or more virtual players are displayed to the player of the game, preferably, the virtual players have differing play characteristics, receiving from the user association with a selection of a virtual player, displaying a simulated game using the virtual players, identifying a subset of the virtual players as being winners of the simulated game, and awarding a win to the lottery user if the selected virtual player is in the subset of virtual players. In one aspect, a team may be formed in which real life sports personalities images are utilized.

Claims

1. A method for electronic game play involving one or more remote users of a system in an electronic environment, the remote users utilizing first electronic communications devices, the first electronic communications devices having input capability and generate an output corresponding to the input, the first electronic communications devices having storage to store a game application program from a remote server, the first electronic communications devices having graphical display capability, comprising the steps of:

transmitting the game application program from the server to the first electronic communications devices for storage of the program in response to a user initiated action to request the program,

registering the remote users at the server,

receiving the output from the one or more remote users a selection indicating an association with one or more real life sports personalities to organize a team of personalities, the selection being communicated by the output of the first electronic communications devices over a public communication system, the selection of the real life sports personalities being made by the remote user,

displaying a plurality of real life sports personalities including their graphical images,

displaying a game using the team comprised of the one or more real life sports personalities, the real life sports personalities having differing play characteristics, the differing play characteristics being compensated for by the system to provide more uniform results between the remote users,

applying game analytics to the electronic game play, and

awarding a win to the one or more remote users determined by a prizing structure.

2. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game application program is an applet.

3. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game is a sports game.

4. The method for game play of claim 1 further including use of virtual currency.

5. The method for game play of claim 1 further including a player'"'"'s club.

6. The method for game play of claim 1 further including awarding of non-cash prizes.

7. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the player defines limitations on how much to bet.

8. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game analytics monitors player acceptance.

9. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game analytics tracks user specific play.

10. The method for game play of claim 9 wherein the user specific play includes the number of times the player has played the game.

11. The method for game play of claim 9 wherein the user specific play includes the number of times player played in one session.

12. The method for game play of claim 9 wherein the user specific play includes whether the play is continuous without interruption.

13. The method for game play of claim 9 wherein the user specific play includes the frequency between player visits.

14. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game analytics optimizes a prizing structure.

15. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game analytics analyzes as a function of game play parameters.

16. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game analytics stores data on prior game play.