System And Method for Television-Based Services

• US 20080102954A1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eGames.com Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: NTN Buzztime Incorporated (Eterna Therapeutics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schueller, Darren
• Granted Patent: US 8,562,438 B2
• 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 13/338 using television networks
• 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 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for executing an interactive game in a television distribution system. In one aspect, a method includes receiving input over the television distribution system from a game client indicating an action associated with a game instance, wherein the game client is hosted on a set-top box; determining an updated status of the game instance based on the action; generating a game status message identifying the updated status of the game instance; and transmitting the game status message to the game client. Further, the game status message can be transmitted to a plurality of game clients participating in the game instance. Additionally, input can be received over the television distribution system from another game client indicating a second action associated with the game instance and an updated status of the game instance can be determined based on the second action.

Claims

1. A method of executing an interactive game in a television distribution system, the method comprising:

receiving over the television distribution system input from a game client indicating an action associated with a game instance, wherein the game client is hosted on a set-top box;

determining an updated status of the game instance based on the action;

generating a game status message identifying the updated status of the game instance; and

transmitting the game status message to the game client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the input from the game client by a game process executing on a server.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

converting the input from the game client to a message format used in the server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting the game status message to a message format used by the game client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the game status message includes an identifier associated with the game client.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the game status message to a plurality of game clients participating in the game instance.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving input over the television distribution system from another game client indicating a second action associated with the game instance and determining an updated status of the game instance based on the second action.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the game status message by the game client to generate a current status of the game instance at the set-top box.

9. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving input over a television distribution system from a game client indicating an action associated with a game instance, wherein the game client is hosted on a set-top box included in the television distribution system;

determining an updated status of the game instance based on the action;

generating a game status message identifying the updated status of the game instance; and

transmitting the game status message to the game client.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving the input from the game client by a game process executing on a server.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

converting the input from the game client to a message format used in the server.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

converting the game status message to a message format used by the game client.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the game status message includes an identifier associated with the game client.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

transmitting the game status message to a plurality of game clients participating in the game instance.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving input over the television distribution system from another game client indicating a second action associated with the game instance and determining an updated status of the game instance based on the second action.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

processing the game status message by the game client to generate a current status of the game instance at the set-top box.

17. A system comprising:

a game client hosted on a set-top box included in a television distribution system; and

a server including processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving input over the television distribution system from the game client indicating an action associated with a game instance;

determining an updated status of the game instance based on the action;

generating a game status message identifying the updated status of the game instance; and

transmitting the game status message to the game client.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the input from the game client is received by a game process executing on the server.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

converting the input from the game client to a message format used in the server.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

converting the game status message to a message format used by the game client.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the game status message includes an identifier associated with the game client.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

transmitting the game status message to a plurality of game clients participating in the game instance.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving input over the television distribution system from another game client indicating a second action associated with the game instance and determining an updated status of the game instance based on the second action.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

processing the game status message by the game client to generate a current status of the game instance.

25. A system comprising:

an interactive services client hosted on a set-top box included in a television distribution system; and

a server including processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving over the television distribution system a request from the interactive services client to participate in an interactive service hosted by the server;

verifying that the interactive services client is authorized to participate in the interactive service; and

assigning the interactive services client to a process corresponding to the interactive service.