System and method for conducting an online competition

• US 20020115488A1
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Lucinda Ann, Pachosa, Dean M., Berry, Nicholas, Tomlin, G. Scott
• Application Number:
  US09/789,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20020115488A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Ranking based online competition system and method in which online game players and sports fans can compete directly with one another and have the results of their games processed into rankings. The competition comprises a season or tour of an extended time duration. Each season or tour is comprised of a number of events or tournaments, which in turn are comprised of one or more rounds or games. The system tracks the results of multiple online events and ranks the players depending on the points they score or the purses they win. The system electronically mimics an actual competition season such as a professional golf tour or a sports season comprised of a number of events. The players are ranked based on the cumulative prizes or points they have won in each of the games. Players need not be entered in all of the events to qualify for an entry on a master scoreboard that displays the rankings of players from the start of the season to a point in time. The top ranked players at the end of the season may be awarded prizes or compete in a finalist championship.

Claims

1. A method for conducting an online computer game competition comprising a plurality of events each of which comprises at least one game with updates of results comprising:

hosting a plurality of games in an event for play by individual players;

enabling individual scores to be posted anytime between specified time periods;

collating the scores of the games at regular intervals;

generating a ranking of participants in the games by sorting the collected scores; and

displaying the game score rankings to enable tracking of players'"'"' progress.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

collecting the game score rankings of completed games for each event; and

generating a final event ranking by sorting all of the game score rankings.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

correlating the final event ranking to a predetermined point matrix to determine a master point value for each player according to their final event ranking.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

ranking the master point values of all players to generate a master scoreboard for the entire competition.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein top ranked players in a final ranking on the master scoreboard at the completion of the competition qualify for prizes.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein top ranked players in a final ranking on the master scoreboard at the completion of the competition qualify for playoff competition.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

correlating the final event ranking to a predetermined prize matrix to determine a prize money value for each player according to their final event ranking.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

ranking the prize money values of all players to generate a master money board for the entire competition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein top ranked players in a final ranking on the master money board at the completion of the competition qualify for prizes.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein top ranked players in a final ranking on the master money board at the completion of the competition qualify for playoff competition.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

requiring player registration information for participation in the competition; and

authenticating players'"'"' registration information with data stored in a database.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

determining whether a player'"'"'s play history in the competition should disqualify the player for further participation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising a step of resolving tied event totals by summing point values for the event ranking for the tied players and evenly dividing among the tied players to determine a resolved point value.

17. The computer game competition of claim 16, wherein said games results board is generated by automatic upload and sorting of games data.

18. The computer game competition of claim 16, wherein said tournament results board is generated by automatic upload and sorting of tournament data.

19. The computer game competition of claim 16, wherein said master scoreboard is generated by automatic upload and sorting of tournament data correlated to a point matrix.

20. The computer game competition of claim 16, wherein said games results board is updated real-time on a regular basis as the games progress.

13. A method of generating a master scoreboard for an online competition comprising a plurality of events each of which comprises a plurality of games played by individual participants, said method comprising:

assigning point values to a winning event total and a number of runners up for each event;

recording the results of all games into a database;

summing the recorded results of all the games to determine an event total for each player;

ranking players for each event according to their event totals;

correlating the point values to players by their event totals;

generating a master scoreboard value by adding each player'"'"'s point value to an existing point value for the player;

sorting the master scoreboard values in an order appropriate for the competition; and

ranking players by their master scoreboard values.

15. A system for generating a master scoreboard for an online competition comprising a plurality of events each of which comprises a plurality of games played by individual participants, said system comprising:

a web server for communication with individual computers for managing a plurality of games and events;

a first database and processor in communication with said web server for storing and processing data collected from the games and events;

an administrative server in communication with said web server for administering game and event information; and

a second database in communication with said administrative server for storing game and event information and player registration information.

16. A computer game competition comprising:

a plurality of tournaments, each tournament comprising plurality of games in which individual players participate;

a games results board listing rankings of players in each of the games;

a tournament results board listing rankings of players who have completed a tournament; and

a master scoreboard listing rankings of players based on their tournament results.