Combining broadcast sporting events and computer-based gaming

• US 20080032797A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harris, Tom, Bogot, Carmi
• Application Number:
  US11/498,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032797A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for extending a broadcast game into a viewer-played game, including a) providing a broadcast game to a viewer, b) receiving an instruction from the viewer during the broadcast to provide a simulation of the broadcast game, and c) providing a viewer-played game to the viewer, where the viewer-played game provides interactive game play within the simulation.

Claims

1. A method for extending a broadcast game into a viewer-played game, the method comprising:

a) providing a broadcast game to a viewer;

b) receiving an instruction from said viewer during said broadcast to provide a simulation of said broadcast game; and

c) providing a viewer-played game to said viewer, wherein said viewer-played game provides interactive game play within said simulation.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said providing of said viewer played game comprises providing a simulation of said broadcast game that incorporates at least one characteristic of said broadcast game, thereby creating a continuation of said broadcast game.

3. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising announcing the availability of said viewer-played game play in connection with said broadcast game.

4. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising accepting payment from said viewer in connection with said viewer-played game.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said simulation has an initial state, and wherein said initial state is based on a previous state of said broadcast game.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said simulation has an initial state, and wherein said initial state is based on a current state of said broadcast game.

7. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

suspending said providing of said broadcast game upon said providing of said viewer-played game; and

resuming said providing of said broadcast game upon cessation of said viewer-played game..

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein said providing of said viewer played game comprises providing said viewer-played game for a period of time generally equal to the time elapsed between a time corresponding to said previous state and a time during said broadcast when said instruction was received.

9. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

interrupting said broadcast game during said viewer-played game;

buffering said broadcast game from said point of interruption; and

resuming said broadcast game from said point of interruption upon cessation of said viewer-played game.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said providing said broadcast game and said providing said viewer-played game comprise providing said broadcast game and said viewer-played game simultaneously.

11. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising selectably switching between said broadcast game and said viewer-played game.

12. A method according to claim 11 and further comprising receiving a signal from said viewer requesting said switching.

13. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising initializing said simulation from parameters of said broadcast game, wherein said parameters are derived from a digital broadcast stream carrying said broadcast game.

14. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising modifying a simulation parameter of said viewer-played game responsive to a modification of a corresponding real parameter of said broadcast game.

15. A method according to claim 14 and further comprising determining when to modify said simulation parameter of said viewer-played game.

16. A method according to claim 15 and further comprising receiving a signal from said viewer indicating when to modify said simulation parameter of said viewer-played game.

17. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising substituting a simulation parameter of said viewer-played game corresponding to a real parameter of said broadcast game with a different simulation parameter not corresponding to a real parameter of said broadcast game.

18. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising receiving an instruction from said viewer during said viewer-played game to spawn an additional viewer-played game from said first viewer-played game.

19. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising providing said viewer with control over a player who is not among the players in said broadcast game.

20. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising providing said viewer with control over which players participate in said viewer-played game.

21. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising controlling the performance of a player in a viewer-played game in accordance with the current performance statistics of a corresponding living player.

22. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising providing multi-player game play of said viewer-played game.

23. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising controlling said broadcast game with information from said viewer-played game.

24. A system for extending a broadcast game into a viewer-played game, the system comprising:

a viewer-played game configured to provide interactive game play within a simulation of a broadcast game; and

a processing unit configured to provide said broadcast game and said viewer-played game to a viewer.

25. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to receive an instruction from said viewer during said broadcast game to initiate said viewer-played game.

26. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to provide said broadcast game and said viewer-played game responsive to receiving said instruction.

27. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to incorporate at least one characteristic of said broadcast game within said simulation, thereby creating a continuation of said broadcast game.

28. A system according to claim 24 and further comprising a broadcast medium configured to convey a message announcing the availability of said viewer-played game play in connection with said broadcast game.

29. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to accept payment from said viewer in connection with said viewer-played game.

30. A system according to claim 24 wherein said simulation has an initial state, and wherein said initial state is based on a previous state of said broadcast game.

31. A system according to claim 24 wherein said simulation has an initial state, and wherein said initial state is based on a current state of said broadcast game.

32. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to:

suspend said providing of said broadcast game upon said providing of said viewer-played game, and

resume said providing of said broadcast game upon cessation of said viewer-played game.

33. A system according to claim 30 wherein said processing unit is configured to provide said viewer-played game for a period of time generally equal to the time elapsed between a time corresponding to said previous state and a time during said broadcast when said viewer-played game was initiated.

34. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to:

interrupt said broadcast game during said viewer-played game;

buffer said broadcast game from said point of interruption; and

resume said broadcast game from said point of interruption upon cessation of said viewer-played game.

35. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to provide said broadcast game and said viewer-played game simultaneously.

36. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to selectably switch between said broadcast game and said viewer-played game.

37. A system according to claim 36 wherein said processing unit is configured to receive a signal from said viewer requesting said switching.

38. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to initialize said simulation from parameters of said broadcast game, wherein said parameters are derived from a digital broadcast stream carrying said broadcast game.

39. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to modify a simulation parameter of said viewer-played game responsive to a modification of a corresponding real parameter of said broadcast game.

40. A system according to claim 39 wherein said processing unit is configured to determine when to modify said simulation parameter of said viewer-played game.

41. A system according to claim 40 wherein said processing unit is configured to receive a signal from said viewer indicating when to modify said simulation parameter of said viewer-played game.

42. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to substitute a simulation parameter of said viewer-played game corresponding to a real parameter of said broadcast game with a different simulation parameter not corresponding to a real parameter of said broadcast game.

43. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to receive an instruction from said viewer during said viewer-played game to spawn an additional viewer-played game from said first viewer-played game.

44. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to provide said viewer with control over a player who is not among the players in said broadcast game.

45. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to provide said viewer with control over which players participate in said viewer-played game.

46. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to control the performance of a player in a viewer-played game in accordance with the current performance statistics of a corresponding living player.

47. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to provide multi-player game play of said viewer-played game.

48. A system according to claim 24 wherein said processing unit is configured to control said broadcast game with information from said viewer-played game.