Apparatus and method for managing social games

• US 20040254809A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ties Social Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mordechai Teicher
• Inventors: Teicher, Mordechai
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• 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 13/35 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 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 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing inter-personal activities to facilitate matchmaking between single individuals, by instructing each individual what to do and with whom during a series of game sessions. Singles join a forum in which a plurality of activities contained in a database are individually assigned to participants, who confidentially express their preferences for specific activities and for other participants with whom to conduct activities. Expressed preferences are not disclosed to other individuals, but are input to a secure computer system that assigns the activities. Participants'"'"' wish-lists influence assignments made by the computer, and random factors provide variety and protect privacy by obscuring the effect of the wish-lists. After each assignment, participants can update their wish-list to affect further assignments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a series of social games for a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

a first database containing a plurality of game assignments;

a second database containing a personal wish list for each of the subscribers;

a processor responsive to said second database for;

i) picking at least one subscriber from the plurality of subscribers, and

ii) assigning to each of said at least one subscriber a selected game assignment from said first database; and

an input port for receiving from each of said at least one subscriber, after completion of said selected game assignment, an update to the respective personal wish list, to selectably affect said picking and said assigning with respect to a next social game in the series.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor includes a random number generator, and wherein said processor performs said picking operation responsive to said random number generator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor includes a random number generator, and wherein said processor performs said assigning operations responsive to said random number generator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selected game assignment is a one-player assignment.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one subscriber is two subscribers and said selected game assignment is a couple assignment.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said second database includes individual scores of said subscribers'"'"' level of interest in other subscribers; and

said picking operation performed by the processor includes the actions of;

i) calculating a mutual attraction for combinations of subscriber pairs based on the respective mutual individual scores, and

ii) choosing said two subscribers in response to their mutual attraction.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said second database includes a ranking of the plurality of subscribers'"'"' interest in game assignments from said first database; and

said assigning operation performed by said processor includes selecting said couple assignment from said first database in response to said ranking by said two subscribers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said game assignment is a couples'"'"' competition assignment.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said game assignment is a group assignment.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said game assignment is a face-to-face assignment.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said game assignment is a virtual assignment.

12. An apparatus for picking two subscribers from a plurality of subscribers for an interpersonal couple game, comprising:

a second database scoring, for each subscriber of the plurality, the subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in individual others from the plurality; and

a processor responsive to said second database for calculating a mutual attraction for subscriber pair combinations, and making the picking in response to said mutual attraction of the two subscribers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said processor includes a random number generator, and said processor performs the picking operation in response to said random number generator.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said processor is operable to receive updates from each of the two subscribers to their respective scoring upon completion of the interpersonal couple game.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a first database containing a plurality of game assignments, and wherein:

said second database also includes ranking of said subscribers'"'"' interest in game assignments from said first database; and

said processor is also operative for selecting a pair of matched game assignments from said first database in response to said ranking by the two subscribers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said matched game assignments are identical.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said matched game assignments are complementary.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said matched game assignments are face-to-face assignments.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said matched game assignments are virtual assignments.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising at least one TV camera and a broadcast system for providing a reality show.

21. A method for managing a game from a game series for a participant from a forum of subscribers, comprising:

receiving a personal wish list from each of the subscribers, said wish list scoring each respective subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers;

picking another subscriber as a partner for said participant in accordance with the mutual scores of said participant and said partner in their respective wish lists;

assigning matched game assignments to the participant and said partner; and

after completion of the game, receiving from the participant and said partner an update to their respective wish lists, to selectably affect said picking toward a next game in the game series.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said picking.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said personal wish list is also ranking each respective subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in game assignments, and said assigning is responsive to said ranking made by the participant and said partner.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein:

assignments are qualified by at least one of a level of intensity and a level of intimacy;

picking of the same partner for the subscriber for each game in the game series is counted by a number; and

said assigning is responsive to comparing said qualification with said number.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein:

assignments are qualified by at least one of a level of intensity and a level of intimacy; and

said assigning is responsive to comparing said qualification with said mutual scores.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said assigning.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein said matched game assignments are identical.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein said matched game assignments are complementary.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein said matched game assignments are face-to-face assignments.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein said matched game assignments are virtual assignments.

31. A method for managing games for a plurality of subscribers with respect to game assignments, comprising:

receiving from each of said plurality a personal wish list scoring each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers and ranking said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in game assignments;

picking two subscribers in accordance to their mutual scoring in their respective wish lists; and

assigning to each of said two subscribers a matched game assignment in accordance to said ranking by said two subscribers.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said picking.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said assigning.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said matched game assignments are identical.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein said matched game assignments are complementary.

36. A method for operating user terminals by a first subscriber for participating in a game within a forum of subscribers, comprising:

sending a personal wish list scoring the first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers from the forum and ranking the subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in game assignments; and

receiving a game assignment with another subscriber, said game assignment being selected in response to said scoring and said ranking made by the first subscriber and said another subscriber.

37. A system for managing games for a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

a game generator including;

i) a first database containing a plurality of game assignments,

ii) a second database containing a personal wish list for each of said subscribers, and

iii) a processor responsive to said second database for picking at least one subscriber from the plurality of subscribers and assigning to each of said at least one subscriber a selected game assignment from said first database; and

a user terminal allocated to each of said at least one subscriber to communicate with said game generator for updating said personal wish list after completion of said selected game assignment.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said game generator also includes a random number generator, and said game generator performs said picking operation responsive to said random number generator.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein said game generator also includes a random number generator, and said game generator performs said assigning operations responsive to said random number generator.

40. A software product stored on a computer-readable medium to instruct a computer to:

read a wish-list database scoring the level of interest of each subscriber of a forum in other subscribers from said forum;

pick two subscribers in accordance with their mutual scoring;

select two matched game assignments from an assignment database;

assign to each of said two subscribers a game assignment from said two matched game assignments; and

receive an update to said wish-list database after completion of said two matched game assignments.

41. The software product of claim 40, wherein said wish-list database is also ranking the level of interest of said forum subscribers in assignments from said assignment database, and said select is made in accordance with said ranking by said two subscribers.

42. The software product of claim 40, wherein said pick is affected by a random number.

43. The software product of claim 40, wherein said select is affected by a random number.

44. The software product of claim 40, wherein said matched game assignments are identical.

45. The software product of claim 40, wherein said matched game assignments are complementary.