SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING PLAY OF A VIDEO GAME VIA A WEB SITE

• US 20070123347A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Magdalena Fincham, Russell Sammon
• Original Assignee: James Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Magdalena Fincham, Russell Sammon
• Inventors: Jorasch, James, Sammon, Russell, WALKER, Jay, Fincham, Magdalena
• Application Number:
  US11/624,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20070123347A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 2300/8064 Quiz
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method and system for operating a video game or video game tournament (e.g., via a Web site) is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system a bonus is provided to a player playing the video game or participating in the video game tournament. In some embodiments a bonus is provided to the player if a rating associated with the player is worse than a threshold rating. In some embodiments a bonus is provided to the player if the occurrence of at least one predetermined condition is identified. Such a condition may be, for example, a condition that indicates the player will soon cease playing the video game or participating in the tournament.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, in a memory within a secure perimeter of a device associated with a player of a game, tournament data associated with a session of the game played by the player, wherein the tournament data comprises data indicative of an amount of time associated with the player'"'"'s play of the game session; and

transmitting to a game controller, after a delay in communications with the game controller, the tournament data associated with the game session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tournament data further comprises data indicative of payment information associated with the player.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing, in the memory within the secure perimeter of the player device, one or more cryptographic keys.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

encrypting the payment information associated with the player to define the data indicative of the payment information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the payment information associated with the player comprises credit card information.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitting is conducted after completion of the game session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the tournament data further comprises data indicative of input provided by the player during play of the game session.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the delay in communications is caused by latency problems in a network utilized for communications between the player device and the game controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the tournament data is compared, by the game controller, to timing information associated with the communications between the player device and the game controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the player device comprises a set-top box.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the player device comprises a mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile terminal comprises one or more of:

(i) a laptop computer;

(ii) a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device;

(iii) a telephone; and

(iv) a video game terminal.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, at a game controller and from a device associated with a player of a game, an indication of tournament data associated with a session of the game played by the player, wherein the tournament data is stored in a memory within a secure perimeter of the player device, and wherein the tournament data comprises data indicative of an amount of time associated with the player'"'"'s play of the game session; and

determining if the player qualifies to win a prize, at least by comparing a portion of the secure tournament data to tournament data received from other players participating in the tournament.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the tournament data comprises data indicative of payment information associated with the player.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the payment information comprises encrypted payment information.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the payment information comprises credit card information.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving is conducted after completion of the game session.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the tournament data comprises data indicative of input provided by the player during play of the game session.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, at least by comparing the tournament data to timing data associated with communications between the game controller and the player device, that the player should not be penalized for effects due to latency.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving occurs after a delay in communications with the player device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the delay in communications is caused by latency problems in a network utilized for communications between the player device and the game controller.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the player device comprises a set-top box.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the player device comprises a mobile terminal.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the mobile terminal comprises one or more of:

(i) a laptop computer;

(ii) a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device;

(iii) a telephone; and

(iv) a video game terminal.

25. A method of using a distributed electronic tournament system in which a plurality of remotely located players participate in a tournament through input/output devices connected to a central controller which manages the tournament, comprising:

uniquely identifying a player communicating with the central controller via an associated input/output device;

allowing the player to participate in the tournament via the associated input/output device upon payment of an entry fee by the player, the tournament occurring within a time window;

receiving, at the central controller and from the associated input/output device, and after a delay in communications with the associated input/output device, an indication of tournament data associated with a session of a game of the tournament played by the player, wherein the tournament data is stored in a memory within a secure perimeter of the associated input/output device; and

determining if the player qualifies to win a prize, at least by comparing a portion of the secure tournament data to tournament data received from other players participating in the tournament.

26. A system comprising:

a user interface via which a player may participate in a tournament by playing a session of a game associated with the tournament;

a secure memory storing tournament data associated with the game session, wherein the tournament data comprises data indicative of an amount of time associated with the player'"'"'s play of the game session;

a communication device operable to conduct communications with a remote game controller; and

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface, the secure memory, and the communication device, and adapted to;

cause the secure memory to store the tournament data; and

cause the communication device to transmit, to the remote game controller, and after a delay in communications with the remote game controller, the tournament data.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the system comprises a mobile terminal.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

store, in a secure perimeter of the storage device, tournament data associated with a session of a game played by a player, wherein the tournament data comprises data indicative of an amount of time associated with the player'"'"'s play of the game session; and

transmit, to a game controller, and after a delay in communications with the game controller, the tournament data associated with the game session.

29. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to:

store, in a memory within a secure perimeter of a device associated with a player of a game, tournament data associated with a session of the game played by the player, wherein the tournament data comprises data indicative of an amount of time associated with the player'"'"'s play of the game session; and

transmit to a game controller, after a delay in communications with the game controller, the tournament data associated with the game session.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

receive, at a game controller and from a device associated with a player of a game, an indication of tournament data associated with a session of the game played by the player, wherein the tournament data is stored in a memory within a secure perimeter of the player device; and

determine if the player qualifies to win a prize, at least by comparing a portion of the secure tournament data to tournament data received from other players participating in the tournament.

31. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to:

receive, at a game controller and from a device associated with a player of a game, an indication of tournament data associated with a session of the game played by the player, wherein the tournament data is stored in a memory within a secure perimeter of the player device; and

determine if the player qualifies to win a prize, at least by comparing a portion of the secure tournament data to tournament data received from other players participating in the tournament.