Method and system for mediating interactive services over a wireless communications network

• US 20020061743A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Leap Wireless International Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robinson, Richard, Caliguri, Steven, Hutcheson, Doug
• Granted Patent: US 6,874,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 : Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for controlling the state of an interactive application and controlling delivery of the interactive application to one or more users. The system of the present invention is a system for delivering an interactive application to one or more users of a communications network and may comprise an interactive application adapted to the communications network; a user access device adapted to receive said interactive application; control means for establishing parameters under which said interactive application is rendered on said user access device; and mediation means for establishing terms for the interaction between the at least one user and other users and the communications network.

Claims

1. A system for delivering an interactive application to one or more users of a communications network, comprising:

an interactive application adapted to the communications network;

a user access device adapted to receive said interactive application;

control means for establishing parameters under which said interactive application is rendered on said user access device; and

mediation means for establishing terms for the interaction between the at least one user and other users and the communications network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network further comprises a wireless communications network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said user access device is selected from the group consisting of:

a wireless phone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, and an email device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said interactive application comprises more than about three degrees of freedom.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said interactive application resides on said user access device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the latency related to the delivery of said interactive application is less than about 200 ms.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network further comprises a wireless communications network and said interactive application is transmitted between said user access device and the wireless communication network at less than full frame rate.

8. A method for synchronizing delivery of an interactive application to one or more users of wireless access devices over a wireless communications network further comprising a game server, comprising the steps of:

initiating a connection between the wireless access device and the game server over the wireless communications network;

synchronizing the each of the wireless access device(s);

synchronizing the game server; and

facilitating access to the interactive application by the user(s).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of initiating a connection between the wireless access device and the game server further comprises the steps of:

logging on to the system;

locating other users;

retrieving player information about the users located; and

retrieving game information.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of synchronizing the access devices further comprises the step of supplying state information to a synchronization check timer that cooperates with a game timer to determine the interval(s) at which the network synchronizes the access devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

activating the interactive application;

when said game timer equals said synchronization timer, requesting state information from all users relative to game information and testing whether there are any differences in the state of play between users;

if no differences between state of play are detected, delivering the users back to the interactive application; and

if differences in state of play are detected, determining and transmitting state adjustments to the affected one or more user access device(s) to synchronize all state machines.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of smoothing the transition to the adjusted state of play.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of matching skill levels of the one or more users further comprises the steps of:

retrieving information and playing history for each of the one or more users;

retrieving game information;

determining the skill level of each of the one or more users;

notifying each of the one or more users of the other users respective skill levels; and

determining whether each of the one or more users wishes to continue with the interactive application session.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of determining a common user capability set based on at least one factor selected from the group consisting of:

processor capabilities, signal strength, video capabilities, and latency of the user(s) respective access devices.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of uploading game and player detail to the game server.

13. A method for controlling the delivery of an interactive application to one or more users of wireless access devices over a wireless communication network, further comprising a game server, during an interactive application session, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating the interactive application session;

matching skill levels of the one or more users;

accommodating capabilities of the wireless access devices of the one or more users; and

facilitating game play.

15. A method for controlling the delivery of an interactive application to one or more players using access devices over a wireless communications network, further comprising a game server, comprising the steps of:

initiating the interactive application;

locating other potential players;

retrieving information about the potential players, retrieving game information, determining the skill level of the players, notifying the potential players of the skill levels of other potential players, and requesting each player if they wish to continue;

evaluating and resolving any differences between the user'"'"'s respective access devices and the network by querying the access devices regarding their capabilities, and evaluating the capabilities of each users'"'"' access device;

evaluating and resolving any differences between the users'"'"' respective connections;

determining common capability and connection parameters and enabling the common capability and connection parameters that are determined; and

initiating the interactive application.

17. A method for mediating the delivery of an interactive application to one or more players using access devices over a wireless communications network, further comprising a game server, comprising the steps of

initiating an interactive session;

locating potential players; and

facilitating play of the interactive application.

18. A method for controlling the delivery of an interactive application to one or more players using access devices over a wireless communications network, further comprising a game server, comprising the steps of:

logging on to the system;

locating potential players by retrieving player information and past history, retrieving game information, retrieving device information, and determining whether or not the device can provide location information;

if the device or network does not comprise means to locate the wireless access device proceeding to the step of enabling game play;

retrieving location information from the respective devices, determining whether or not the devices are close enough to initiate peer-to-peer play and if they are not, proceeding to the step of enabling game play;

determining whether the devices are capable of peer-to-peer play and if they are not, proceeding with the step of enabling game play;

setting up peer-to-peer communications; and

enabling game play.