Interactive online Internet game and method of determining winning players

• US 20070111789A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marc Van Deursen, Marieclair Van Iersel
• Original Assignee: Marc Van Deursen, Marieclair Van Iersel
• Inventors: van Iersel, MarieClair, van Deursen, Marc
• Application Number:
  US11/273,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111789A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• 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 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

An interactive musical chair game residing on an Internet website that is accessible by a number of players is disclosed wherein the game causes the display of a page where a player can log on to play the game by supplying an identification such as an email address and/or password, causes the display of a first predetermined area for initially displaying an object associated with each logged-on player and a lesser number of chairs than the number of logged-on players, starts by playing or representing the playing of music while moving the objects relative to the chairs, stops the playing or representation of playing of music, permits the players to choose a chair and attempting to have their respective objects occupy the same, eliminates players whose object failed to occupy a chair, removes at least one addition chair and iteratively permits said starting, stopping, permitting and eliminating actions until one or more winners are determined wherein each winner is a player whose object occupied a chair. A method of determining one or more winners is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An interactive real time musical chair game residing on an Internet website that is accessible by a number of players, comprising:

the game causing the display of a page where a player can log on to play the game by supplying an identification and a password;

the game causing the display of a first predetermined area for initially displaying an object associated with each logged-on player and a lesser number of chairs than the number of logged-on players;

the game starting by playing or representing the playing of music while moving the objects relative to the chairs;

the game stopping the playing or representation of playing of music;

the game permitting the players to choose a chair and attempting to have their respective objects occupy the same;

the game eliminating players whose object failed to occupy a chair;

the game removing at least one addition chair;

the game iteratively permitting said starting, stopping, permitting and eliminating actions until one or more winners are determined, each winner being a player whose object occupied a chair.

2. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein the game is accessible by a number of players within the range of about 5 to about 25.

3. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein said object is one of a natural human character, cartoon characters, an animal or an inanimate objects.

4. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein said objects are avatars that are distinguishable from one another by color, shape or dress.

5. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein the representation of playing of music comprises a visual display of musical indicia.

6. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein said musical indicia comprises one or more musical notes.

7. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein said representation of stopping of playing of music comprises a visual display of musical indicia with at least one bar running across the same.

8. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein the players choose a chair by using a computer mouse device to locate and click on a displayed chair.

9. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein objects that are eliminated are displayed in a separate area outside of said first predetermined area.

10. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein the game eliminates all players whose object failed to occupy a chair within a certain predetermined time after the music is stopped;

11. An interactive game as defined in claim 1 wherein the game moves the objects in a general path relative to the chairs and also moves the objects relative to one another in a generally random manner so that the objects move closer and farther away as they move in said general path.

12. An interactive game as defined in claim 11 wherein said general path is either generally clockwise or counterclockwise around said chairs.

13. An interactive game as defined in claim 11 wherein the players can use a computer mouse device or key board keys to at least partially control the random manner of movement of their respective objects.

14. An interactive game as defined in claim 13 wherein the game permits the players to log on to the game and practice controlling the random manner of movement of their respective object prior to the start of the game.

15. An interactive method of determining one or more winners from a group of players, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a website having a musical chairs game residing thereon;

b) up to a predetermined number of players logging onto the website from a computing device having a cursor control;

c) said website providing a first predetermined area for initially displaying an object associated with each of said logged-on players and a lesser number of chairs than the number of said logged-on players;

d) said website starting the playing the game including playing or representing the playing of music while moving the objects relative to the chairs;

e) said website stopping the playing or representation of playing of music;

f) the players choosing a chair and attempting to have their respective objects occupy the same;

g) said website eliminating players whose object failed to occupy a chair;

h) said website removing at least one addition chair and repeating steps d), e), f) and g) until one or more winners are determined, each winner being a player whose object occupied a chair.

16. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein the game is accessible by a number of players within the range of about 5 to about 25.

17. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein said object is one of a natural human character, cartoon characters, an animal or an inanimate object.

18. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein the representation of playing of music comprises a visual display of musical indicia.

19. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein said representation of stopping of playing of music comprises a visual display of musical indicia with at least one bar running across the same.

20. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein the players choose a chair by using a computer mouse device to locate and click on a displayed chair.

21. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein objects that are eliminated are displayed in a separate area outside of said first predetermined area.

22. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein said website eliminates all players whose object failed to occupy a chair within a certain predetermined time after the music is stopped;

23. An interactive method as defined in claim 15 wherein said website moves the objects in a general path relative to the chairs and also moves the objects relative to one another in a generally random manner so that the objects move closer and farther away as they move in said general path.

24. An interactive method as defined in claim 22 wherein said general path is either generally clockwise or counterclockwise around said chairs.

25. An interactive method as defined in claim 23 wherein the players can use a computer mouse device to at least partially control the random manner of movement of their respective objects.

26. An interactive game as defined in claim 25 wherein said website permits the players to log on to the game and practice controlling the random manner of movement of their respective object prior to the start of the game.