Tournament network for linking amusement games

• US 20020119824A1
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Midway Amusement Games, LLC (Midway Games Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Midway Amusement Games, LLC (Midway Games Inc.)
• Inventors: Allen, Jeffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US10/083,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20020119824A1
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for coordinating tournaments among multiple amusement games are disclosed. Tournaments of differing geographic and temporal scope are accomplished using communications systems linking amusement games at multiple sites. Player interactivity is enhanced through the communication of player game statistics and other player information between amusement game devices and also through the availability of such information over the Internet. Specialized tournament servers may be used to coordinate tournaments among multiple users, including tournaments involving different genres of games.

Claims

1. A system for providing tournaments for players of amusement game machines comprising:

one or more amusement game machines located at each of a plurality of game machine sites, each of the amusement game machines being adapted for electronic communication via the Internet; and

one or more web servers adapted for communication via the Internet and further adapted to locate and communicate with the amusement game machines via the Internet.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the one or more web servers are adapted to group the amusement game machines into tournament groups according to one or more criteria and further wherein one or more of the one or more web servers are adapted to provide tournaments within the tournament groups.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the criteria are selected from a group consisting of location, geographic region, amusement game machine type, game machine site type, game selection available on the amusement game machines, and difficulty levels available on the amusement game machines.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the tournaments comprise a plurality of amusement games.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the amusement games are selected from a group consisting of puzzle games, sports games, and driving games.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein winners of the tournaments are determined by aggregate scores from the plurality of amusement games.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more updateable tournament leader boards disposed at one or more of the game machine sites.

8. A system for providing tournaments for players of amusement game machines comprising:

one or more amusement game machines disposed at a plurality of game machine sites;

one or more amusement game machine site servers disposed at each of the game machine sites, the amusement game machine site servers being adapted to communicate with one or more of the amusement game machines and with an outside network; and

one or more tournament servers adapted to communicate with the game machine site servers and further adapted to provide tournaments for players of the amusement game machines.

9. A method for providing a tournament for players of amusement game machines comprising:

providing a plurality of game machines at game machine sites for play by tournament players, the game machines including communication devices;

sending game and player information from the game machines via the communication devices to one or more tournament servers, the tournament servers being adapted to accept the information; and

performing operations on the game and player information at the tournament servers, the operations including tracking game and player information and updating game and player information.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining a tournament outcome from the game and player information.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising informing the tournament players of the tournament outcome.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing successful tournament players with a selection of awards based on the tournament outcome.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising accepting award choices from the successful tournament players.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the network is the Internet and wherein one or more of the game devices are provided with keyboards.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein one or more of the game devices are provided with mouse peripherals.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the servers are further adapted to organize award levels based on player performance in a tournament and to offer specific award levels to players who have achieved predetermined criteria in the tournaments.

18. The system of claim 18 wherein the predetermined criteria comprise player rankings.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the predetermined criteria comprise player ratings.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the award levels are adjusted based upon the average level of player achievement in a tournament.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the game devices are adapted to play a variety of different games.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the variety of different games comprises games selected from the group consisting of driving games, sports games, fighting games, adventure games, and puzzle games.

24. The network of claim 23 wherein the at least one server is further adapted to group the amusement game devices into at least one collective award pool.

25. The network of claim 24 wherein the amusement game devices in the at least one collective award pool are adapted to award players of the amusement game devices with prizes based upon the accumulation of at least one statistic among all amusement game devices in the at least one collective award pool.

26. The network of claim 24 wherein the at least one statistic is selected from the group consisting of total plays of the amusement game devices, total time of play on the amusement game devices, and total money input into the amusement game devices.

27. The network of claim 23 wherein the amusement game devices are adapted to provide at least one bonus game in addition to tournament games, the at least one bonus game having at least one bonus game prize associated therewith.

28. The network of claim 27 wherein the at least one bonus game comprises a brief reaction challenge wherein a player must press a flashing button within a predetermined time period to successfully complete the brief reaction challenge.

29. The network of claim 27 wherein the at least one bonus game comprises a trivia challenge wherein the amusement game device presents a player with at least one bonus game trivia question.

30. The network of claim 27 wherein the at least one bonus game comprises a brief arcade challenge wherein the amusement game device presents a player with a short arcade or puzzle game.

14. A system for providing tournaments among players of game devices comprising:

one or more game devices adapted for communication over a network;

one or more servers adapted for communication with the game devices over the network, one or more of the servers being adapted to display a tournament web page allowing player selection of awards; and

one or more databases adapted for communication with the servers over the network, the databases storing player information and information pertaining to game tournaments.

23. A network for providing tournaments among players of amusement game devices, the network comprising:

a plurality of amusement game devices located at game device locations, each amusement game device having a communication device attached thereto;

at least one server configured for communication with the communication devices, the server being adapted to group the amusement game devices based on the game device locations and to provide tournaments for players of the amusement game devices; and

at least one database connected to the server, the database adapted to store information regarding players of the amusement game devices and game results from the amusement game devices.