Wireless gaming system using standard cellular telephones

• US 20030190956A1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTStarcom Incorporated (UTStarcom Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: UTStarcom Incorporated (UTStarcom Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Vancraeynest, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 6,863,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• 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 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video

Abstract

A method for providing interactive wireless gaming using standard wireless communication devices comprising; receiving a target identity and a delivery location for a game related action from a first game subscriber, wherein the target identity corresponds to a second game subscriber; determining an actual location of the second game subscriber; comparing the actual location of the second game subscriber to the delivery location; and performing game related actions based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for providing interactive wireless gaming using standard wireless communication devices, wherein a plurality of subscribers participate in a wireless game by interacting with each other through a wireless gaming center, the method comprising:

(a) receiving at least an ordinate delivery location and a specified action for a game related action from a first game subscriber;

(b) obtaining an actual location of at least a second game subscriber based on the last known location of the second game subscriber to a location service center;

(c) comparing the actual location to the delivery location; and

(d) performing game related actions based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a target identity corresponding to an identity of the second subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a delivery time of the game related action from the first game subscriber.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the actual location of the second game subscriber is determined by the location service center using land based communication between at least a second game subscriber cellular telephone device and the location service center.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein target identity and delivery location are included in a short message.

6. A method for providing interactive wireless gaming using standard wireless communication devices, wherein a plurality of subscribers participate in a wireless game by interacting with each other through a wireless gaming center, the method comprising

(a) receiving a target identity and a delivery location for a bullet from a first game subscriber, wherein the target identity corresponds to a second game subscriber;

(b) obtaining an actual location of the second game subscriber;

(c) comparing the actual location of the second game subscriber to the delivery location;

(d) recording a hit or a miss based on the results of the comparison and other game related rules; and

(e) sending notifications to the first game subscriber and the second game subscriber informing of the results of the bullet.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a delivery time of the bullet from the first game subscriber.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein target identity and delivery location are included in a short message.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the notifications are included in a short message.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

(a) receiving a target identity and a delivery location for a bomb from a first game subscriber, wherein the target identity is not defined;

(b) determining the plurality of game subscribers located within a defined range of the delivery location;

(c) recording a hit corresponding to a game subscriber based on his location and other game related rules; and

(d) sending notifications to the first game subscriber and at least a subset of the plurality of game subscribers informing of the results of the bomb.

11. The method of claim 10 further wherein the range is defined by the first game subscriber.

12. An apparatus for providing interactive wireless gaming using standard wireless communication devices, wherein a plurality of subscribers participate in a wireless game by interacting with each other through a wireless gaming center, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for receiving a target identity and a delivery location for a game related action from a first game subscriber, wherein the target identity corresponds to a second game subscriber;

(b) means for obtaining an actual location of the second game subscriber;

(c) means for comparing the actual location of the second game subscriber to the delivery location; and

(d) means for performing game related actions based on the comparison results.

13. A wireless gaming system for providing interactive gaming using standard wireless communication devices, wherein a plurality of subscribers participate in a wireless game by interacting with each other through a wireless gaming center, the system comprising:

(a) a wireless communication network providing wireless communications between a plurality of wireless gaming subscribers;

(b) a short message service center for processing short messages over the wireless gaming network;

(c) a wireless gaming center for performing game related functions, wherein the wireless gaming center interacts with the wireless gaming system through short messages; and

(d) location service center for providing game subscriber locations to the wireless gaming center.

14. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium for providing interactive wireless gaming using standard wireless communication devices, wherein a plurality of subscribers participate in a wireless game by interacting with each other through a wireless gaming center, comprising:

(a) code means for receiving a target identity and a delivery location for a game related action from a first game subscriber, wherein the target identity corresponds to a second game subscriber;

(b) code means for obtaining an actual location of the second game subscriber;

(c) code means for comparing the actual location of the second game subscriber to the delivery location; and

(d) code means for performing game related actions based on the comparison.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

code means for receiving a delivery time of the game related action from the first game subscriber.