Online gaming with prize incentives
First Claim
1. In a network comprising a content server and a plurality of connected user terminals, a method of providing online gaming involving multiple players comprising:
- receiving a request to initiate an online game;
identifying at least two players to participate in the online game;
enabling the online game to be played by the identified players;
determining a winner of the online game; and
delivering at least part of a specified prize amount to the winner.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatus that provide an online gaming experience that is attractive to players and which provides an economic benefit to an application manufacturer or other party providing the online gaming system. In one embodiment, tokens are provided to players as currency to be used in the online gaming system of the present invention. The tokens may be issued for free, or they may issued for a fee associated with each token. In a further embodiment, an online currency account is maintained by the online gaming system for the players of the online gaming system. The players then submit a prize amount to be awarded the winner of the game. The prize amount is accompanied by a submission of the tokens necessary to comprise the prize amount. Alternatively, the online currency accounts for the players are debited by the corresponding amount. Each player may provide half of the prize amount, or any other percentage decided upon by the players (other percentages may reflect handicaps, etc.) or predefined by the online gaming system. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the tokens may be used to purchase goods online, either at a site hosted by the manager of the online gaming system or at other sites that have arrangements with the online gaming system manager to accept these tokens.
237 Citations
36 Claims
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1. In a network comprising a content server and a plurality of connected user terminals, a method of providing online gaming involving multiple players comprising:
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receiving a request to initiate an online game;
identifying at least two players to participate in the online game;
enabling the online game to be played by the identified players;
determining a winner of the online game; and
delivering at least part of a specified prize amount to the winner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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16. A method of providing an online game system comprising:
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receiving an identification of a lead player;
providing an online game configuration interface to the lead player;
receiving from the lead player online game configuration information for a multiple-player game, the information including prize information;
enabling the online game between identified players;
providing a prize corresponding to the prize information to at least one winning player of the online game.
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17. A method of providing an online game system comprising:
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receiving online currency to be used to fund a prize amount for at least one winner of an online game from at least two players of the online game; and
awarding at least a portion of the prize amount to at least one winning player of the online game.
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30. A method of providing an online gaming system and an online store comprising:
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providing an online game in which prize amounts are awarded responsive to online currency received from players of the online game to fund the prize amount; and
providing access to goods to be sold in an online store, wherein goods can be purchased by players using online currency awarded to the players from online games. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification