Method, apparatus, system and computer program product for event triggered games

• US 20070238525A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vringo Infrastructure, Inc. (XpresSpa Group, Inc. (f/k/a FORM Holdings Corp.))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Suomela, Riku
• Application Number:
  US11/393,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238525A1
• 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 13/30 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 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A method of providing event triggered games includes operations of receiving a subscription to a game service from a subscriber, providing game content including a game to the subscriber, and enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.

Claims

1. A method of providing event triggered games, the method comprising:

receiving a subscription to a game service from a subscriber;

providing game content including a game to the subscriber; and

enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving game results from the subscriber;

determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber; and

notifying the subscriber of the performance results.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising determining performance results of a plurality of other subscribers to the game service and notifying the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein enabling remote execution comprises providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein triggering execution of the game comprises manually sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein triggering execution of the game comprises automatically sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the game subscription comprises subscribing to a long term game service defined by one of:

a predetermined time; and

a predetermined number of real world events.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.

10. A computer program product for providing event triggered games, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving a subscription to a game service from a subscriber;

a second executable portion for providing game content including a game to the subscriber; and

a third executable portion for enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for receiving game results from the subscriber; and

a fifth executable portion for determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber and a plurality of other subscribers to the game service; and

a sixth executable portion for notifying the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11, further comprising a seventh executable portion for determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.

13. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein the third executable portion comprises instructions for providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.

14. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the third executable portion comprises instructions for manually sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.

15. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the third executable portion comprises instructions for automatically sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.

16. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the first executable portion further includes instructions for subscribing to a long term game service defined by one of:

a predetermined time; and

a predetermined number of real world events.

17. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.

18. An apparatus for providing event triggered games, the apparatus being configured to be capable of wireless communication with a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a processing module capable of receiving a subscription to a game service from the mobile terminal and directing provision of game content including a game to the mobile terminal; and

a trigger module capable of enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processing module is further configured to be capable of:

receiving game results from the subscriber;

determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber; and

notifying the subscriber of the performance results.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising determining performance results of a plurality of other subscribers to the game service and notifying the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the processing module is further capable of determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.

22. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein the processing module is further configured to be capable of providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.

23. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the trigger module is further capable of manually sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.

24. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the trigger module is further capable of automatically sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.

25. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processing module is capable of receiving a subscription to a long term game service defined by one of:

a predetermined time; and

a predetermined number of real world events.

26. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.

27. A mobile terminal for providing event triggered games, the mobile terminal comprising:

an execution module capable of;

sending a subscription to a game service to a game server;

receiving game content including a game from the game server; and

executing the game in response to receipt of a remotely transmitted trigger, the trigger being transmitted responsive to an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.

28. A mobile terminal according to claim 27, wherein the execution module is further capable of locally determining game results.

29. A mobile terminal according to claim 27, wherein the execution module is further capable of sending game results to the game server.

30. A mobile terminal according to claim 27, wherein the execution module is further capable of receiving performance results from the game server.

31. A mobile terminal according to claim 27, wherein the execution module is capable of sending a subscription to a long term game service defined by one of:

a predetermined time; and

a predetermined number of real world events.

32. A mobile terminal according to claim 27, wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.

33. A system for providing event triggered games, the system comprising a mobile terminal and a game server,

wherein the mobile terminal comprises an execution module capable of:

sending a subscription to a game service to the game server;

receiving game content including a game from the game server; and

enabling remote execution of the game in response to receipt of a remotely transmitted trigger, the trigger being transmitted by the game server responsive to an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein the game server is further capable of:

receiving game results from the subscriber;

determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber; and

notifying the subscriber of the performance results.

35. A system according to claim 33, further comprising determining performance results of a plurality of other subscribers to the game service and notifying the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.

36. A system according to claim 35, wherein the processing module is further capable of determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.

37. A system according to claim 33, wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein the processing module is further configured to be capable of providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.