Device and system for playing a game and a method for controlling a game

• US 20070155505A1
• Filed: 07/10/2004
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Huomo, Miikka
• Granted Patent: US 8,926,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

A gaming device for playing a game including one or more parameters that affect a user'"'"'s participation in the game, the gaming device comprising: including a memory storing a data structure that associates each one of a plurality of device configurations with a respective game configuration, wherein each game configuration differently specifies one or more parameters of the game; means for identifying the current device configuration for the device; means for using the data structure to determine a current game configuration associated with the current device configuration; and means for controlling the game by setting parameters in the game as specified by the current game configuration.

Claims

1. A gaming device for playing a game including one or more parameters that affect a user'"'"'s participation in the game, the gaming device comprising:

a memory storing a data structure that associates each one of a plurality of device configurations with a respective game configuration, wherein each game configuration differently specifies one or more parameters of the game;

means for identifying the current device configuration for the device;

means for using the data structure to determine a current game configuration associated with the current device configuration; and

means for controlling the game by setting parameters in the game as specified by the current game configuration.

2. A gaming device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the game comprises gaming objects and the at least one game configuration specifies a parameter that creates a gaming object.

3. A gaming device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the game comprises at least one user gaming object and the created gaming object affects an attribute of the user gaming object.

4. A gaming device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the game comprises at least one gaming object and at least one user gaming object and at least one game configuration specifies a parameter that affects an attribute of the gaming object or an attribute of the user gaming object.

5. A gaming device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means by which the user selects a sub-set of the parameters specified in the current game configuration for use as parameters in the game.

6. A gaming device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for updating the data structure.

7. A gaming device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the game by setting parameters in the game as specified by previous game configurations.

8. A gaming device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for temporarily controlling the game by setting parameters in the game as specified by a virtual game configuration associated with a virtual device configuration selected by the user.

9. A gaming device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for controlling the game, are operable to set parameters in the game as specified by the current game configuration at the instantiation of the game.

10. A gaming device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the parameters set at the instantiation of the game are variable while the game is played.

11. A method of controlling a game played by a user, wherein the game comprises one or more parameters that affect a user'"'"'s participation in the game, the method comprising:

associating each one of a plurality of device configurations with a respective game configuration, wherein each game configuration differently specifies one or more parameters of the game;

identifying the current device configuration for a device;

determining a current game configuration using the current device configuration; and

controlling the current game by setting parameters of the game as specified by the current game configuration.

12. A gaming system for playing a game including one or more parameters that affect a user'"'"'s participation in the game, the gaming system comprising:

a client device comprising means for identifying the current device configuration of the client device; and

a server comprising;

a memory storing a data structure that associates each one of a plurality of device configurations with a respective game configuration, wherein each game configuration differently specifies one or more parameters of the game;

means for using the data structure to determine a current game configuration associated with a current device configuration; and

means for controlling the game by setting parameters in the game as specified by the current game configuration,

wherein the client device additionally comprises means for transmitting the current device configuration to the server and the server additionally comprises means for receiving the current device configuration transmitted from the client device.

14. A server as claimed in claim 12, wherein the server is a game server that is accessed for playing the game.

15. A server as claimed in claim 12, wherein the game is played locally at the client device and the means for controlling the game, controls the game by sending a message to the client device that defines the current game configuration and sets parameters of the game in the client device.

13. A server, for controlling a game, comprising:

a memory storing a data structure that associates each one of a plurality of device configurations with a respective game configuration, wherein each game configuration differently specifies one or more parameters of the game;

means for receiving a current device configuration from a client device;

means for using the data structure to determine a current game configuration associated with the received current device configuration; and

means for controlling the game by setting parameters in the game as specified by the current game configuration.

16. A client device, for playing a game and communicating with a server, comprising:

means for identifying the current device configuration for the client device; and

means for transmitting to the server information identifying the current configuration of the client device for controlling the game.

17. A client device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising means for playing the game remotely at the server.

18. A client device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

means for playing the game locally at the client device; and

means for receiving parameters for controlling the game from the server in reply to the information identifying a configuration of the client device.

19. A client device as claimed in any one of claims 16, further comprising means for adapting the current device configuration and thereby adapting the game.

20. (canceled)