Synchronized gaming and programming

• US 10,653,955 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2018
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winview IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: WinView Incorporated (GameSquare Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockton, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iannuzzi, Peter J
• Application Number:
  US15/886,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20180154255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• 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 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

To encourage viewer participation, games, contests and social interactions are able to be synchronized with programming such as television shows or commercials utilizing a second screen such as a cell phone, iPad® or laptop computer. The programming is able to be television programming, Internet programming (e.g. a video displayed on a webpage or mobile device) or any other programming. The gaming is able to be any game such as a game of skill or chance, for example, a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt.

Claims

1. A method of equalizing effects of latency differences in a contest programmed in a memory of a device comprising:

a. receiving streaming content;

b. determining an amount of propagation delay in the streaming content, wherein a server sends a lockout signal based on an amount of delay to prevent users from submitting a response to the contest based on the streaming content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein timing of receipt of the streaming content is based on a measurement to determine the amount of delay in receiving the streaming content for users of the streaming content.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating a cellular based program to display game data related to the streaming content.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the amount of delay in the streaming content uses watermarking or fingerprinting, wherein fingerprinting involves monitoring a telecast to synchronize game data with the streaming content.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein existing events in the streaming content are used as synchronization points for previously downloaded data files to a mobile client.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a synchronization point is a visible or audible event located within the streaming content.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a synchronization point for synchronizing the streaming content and game data is contained in audio or video within the streaming content.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein an audio or video signal of a measured amount of delay emanating from an event is utilized to determine the delay in the reception of the streamed content.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein information is embedded in the streaming content and tracked online in real-time.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the amount of delay in the streaming content includes using a recognizable signal recognizable by a mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of synchronization points are used by a client to continuously check to ensure game data is synchronized with the streaming content.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein inserted audio or video is used to continuously check to ensure game data is precisely synchronized on a client with the streaming content, wherein the game data is combined with adjusted data for lockouts in a same stream for display on a mobile device as a picture-in-picture or the game data overlaid on the streaming content.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the game data is combined with adjusted data for lockouts in a same stream for display as a picture-in-picture or the game data overlaid on the streaming content.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the contest comprises one or more live events.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more live events are viewed in person by a person physically attending a location corresponding to the one or more live events, wherein the person initiates the lockout signal based on occurrences in the one or more live events.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein information related to the one or more live events is received from a physical location corresponding to the one or more live events.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before competitors in the contest are able to see relevant live action unfold.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before a scoring chance in the one or more events.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the lockout signal involves an in-progress play, not during a stoppage, and preventing submitting the response before a critical element of the in-progress play unfolds.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the lockout signal applies for a limited amount of time.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein the lockout signal applies for an action lasting a limited amount of time.

14. A device for synchronizing a game or contest with streaming content comprising:

a. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for;

i. detecting streaming content with which to be synchronized; and

ii. presenting the game or contest with the streaming content by synchronizing game data based on a determined amount of delay in receiving the streaming content;

iii. receiving a lockout signal to prevent users from submitting a response to the game or contest based on the streaming content; and

b. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein timing of receipt of the streaming content is compared based on a source of the content and determining the amount of delay in receiving the streaming content from different sources.

16. The device of claim 14 further comprising operating a cellular based program to display game data related to the streaming content.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein determining the amount of delay in the streaming content uses watermarking.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein existing events in the streaming content are used as synchronization points as start points for previously downloaded data files to a mobile client.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein a synchronization point is a visible or audible event located within the streaming content.

20. The device of claim 14 wherein a synchronization point for synchronizing the streaming content and game data is contained in audio or video within the streaming content.

21. The device of claim 14 wherein information is embedded in the streaming content and tracked online in real-time.

22. The device of claim 14 wherein determining the amount of delay in the streaming content includes using a recognizable signal recognizable by a mobile device.

23. The device of claim 14 wherein a plurality of synchronization points are used by a client to continuously check to ensure game data is synchronized with the streaming content.

24. The device of claim 14 wherein inserted audio or video is used to continuously check to ensure game data is precisely synchronized on a client with the streaming content.

46. The device of claim 14 wherein the game or contest comprises one or more live events.

47. The device of claim 46 wherein the one or more live events are viewed in person by a person physically attending a location corresponding to the one or more live events, wherein the person initiates the lockout signal based on occurrences in the one or more live events.

48. The device of claim 46 wherein information related to the one or more live events is received from a physical location corresponding to the one or more live events.

49. The device of claim 46 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before competitors in the contest are able to see relevant live action unfold.

50. The device of claim 46 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before a scoring chance in the one or more events.

51. The device of claim 46 wherein the lockout signal involves an in-progress play, not during a stoppage, and preventing submitting the response before a critical element of the in-progress play unfolds.

52. The device of claim 46 wherein the lockout signal applies for a limited amount of time.

53. The device of claim 46 wherein the lockout signal applies for an action lasting a limited amount of time.

25. A method of playing a game, comprising:

a. streaming video data and game data;

b. operating a cellular-based program to display the streamed video data and the game data, wherein the video data and the game data are synchronized based on a determined amount of delay; and

c. preventing users from submitting a response to the game data based on the streaming video data and a lockout signal.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising receiving a game start signal and starting the game.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising playing the game by selecting one or more choices related to the streamed video data.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the streamed video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the streamed video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously on the same device.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the streamed video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously on separate devices.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising collecting scores and reporting performance to participants'"'"' cellular phones.

32. The method of claim 25 further comprising prohibiting further game-related input with a lockout signal.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the game data contains graphic information in addition to the streamed video data.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the graphic information is displayed on the same device using method including crawling information, closed captioned information, a picture in picture or a graphical overlay.

35. The method of claim 25 wherein the streamed video data or the game data is buffered in advance of a scheduled start.

36. The method of claim 25 further comprising transmitting the streamed video data and the game data on a transmission selected from a TCP, UDP, 3G, multicast or broadcast transmission.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein the streamed video data and the game data are synchronously displayed.

54. The method of claim 25 wherein the video data comprises one or more live events.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein the one or more live events are viewed in person by a person physically attending a location corresponding to the one or more live events, wherein the person initiates the lockout signal based on occurrences in the one or more live events.

56. The method of claim 54 wherein information related to the one or more live events is received from a physical location corresponding to the one or more live events.

57. The method of claim 54 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before competitors in the contest are able to see relevant live action unfold.

58. The method of claim 54 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before a scoring chance in the one or more events.

59. The method of claim 54 wherein the lockout signal involves an in-progress play, not during a stoppage, and preventing submitting the response before a critical element of the in-progress play unfolds.

60. The method of claim 54 wherein the lockout signal applies for a limited amount of time.

61. The method of claim 54 wherein the lockout signal applies for an action lasting a limited amount of time.