NETWORKED, ELECTRONIC GAME TOURNAMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20080113815A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weingardt Development, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gaming Grids, Inc.
• Inventors: Weingardt, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,663,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A plurality of players of at least one electronic game are enabled to play the game over a network. Players are ranked, based on accomplishments during game play, on a grid having multiple vertical levels and, on at least one of the vertical levels, multiple horizontal tiers. Player rankings are adjusted, following game play, based on points earned or lost. In one embodiment, defending players may be compensated without regard to game outcome.

Claims

1. A networked, electronic game method comprising:

accepting participation in play of an electronic game over a network by a plurality of players;

determining a rank for individual players of the plurality of players;

positioning the ranked individual players on a grid;

wherein the grid has a plurality of vertical levels and wherein individual vertical levels have a plurality of horizontal tiers;

enabling issuance of a challenge by a lower-ranked challenger player against a higher-ranked defender player;

enabling acceptance of the challenge by the defender;

enabling play of the electronic game over the network by the challenger against the defender;

one of awarding and deducting points for at least one of the challenger and the defender based on the play of the electronic game over the network;

adjusting the rank of at least one of the challenger and the defender as a consequence of the one of awarding and deducting points based on the play of the electronic game over the network; and

facilitating one of vertical and horizontal movement of at least one of the challenger and the defender along the grids in response to the adjustment in rank.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein movement within horizontal tiers located on the grid is separated into different fee regions.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the challenger is required to pay an entry fee to play the game against the defender and wherein an amount of the entry fee is varied based on the fee region in which the defender is located.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prompting a challenger to define criteria for a plurality of challenge games to occur within a defined period of time;

in response to the criteria, locating defenders to participate in the challenge games against the challenger.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

prompting a defender to define criteria for a plurality of defense games to occur within a defined period of time;

in response to the criteria, locating challengers to participate in the defense games against the defender.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prompting a challenger to define criteria for issuance of an immediate challenge against a single defender;

in response to the criteria, locating a single defender to participate in the challenge game against the challenger.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing compensation to at least one defender for participating in a game against a challenger, without regard to an outcome of the game.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the awarding and deducting points for at least one of the challenger and the defender based on the play of the electronic game over the network depends on a plurality of criteria, including game outcome and at least one skill exhibited during play of the game not connected to game outcome.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the criteria incorporates relative position of the challenger and the defender on the grid.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising facilitating play by at least one of the challenger and the defender on a side grid wherein the play on the side grid does not affect the rank of the at least one of the challenger and the defender on the grid.

11. A networked, electronic game method comprising:

accepting participation in play of an electronic game over a network by a plurality of players;

determining a rank for individual players of the plurality of players;

positioning the ranked individual players on a grid;

wherein the grid has a plurality of vertical levels and wherein individual vertical levels have a plurality of horizontal tiers;

enabling issuance of a challenge by a lower-ranked challenger player against a higher-ranked defender player;

enabling acceptance of the challenge by the defender;

enabling play of the electronic game over the network by the challenger against the defender;

providing compensation to the defender for participating in the game against the challenger, without regard to an outcome of the game;

one of awarding and deducting points for at least one of the challenger and the defender based on the play of the electronic game over the network;

wherein the awarding and deducting points for at least one of the challenger and the defender based on the play of the electronic game over the network depends on a plurality of criteria, including game outcome and at least one skill exhibited during play of the game not connected to game outcome;

adjusting the rank of at least one of the challenger and the defender as a consequence of the one of awarding and deducting points based on the play of the electronic game over the network; and

facilitating one of vertical and horizontal movement of at least one of the challenger and the defender along the grid, in response to the adjustment in rank.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the horizontal tiers located on the grid are separated into different fee regions.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the challenger is required to pay an entry fee to play the game against the defender and wherein an amount of the entry fee is varied based on the fee region in which the defender is located.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

prompting a challenger to define criteria for a plurality of challenge games to occur within a defined period of time;

in response to the criteria, locating defenders to participate in the challenge games against the challenger.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

prompting a defender to define criteria for a plurality of defense games to occur within a defined period of time;

in response to the criteria, locating challengers to participate in the defense games against the defender.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

prompting a challenger to define criteria for issuance of an immediate challenge against a single defender;

in response to the criteria, locating a single defender to participate in the challenge game against the challenger.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the criteria incorporates relative position of the challenger and the defender on the grid.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising facilitating play by at least one of the challenger and the defender on a side grid wherein the play on the side grid does not affect the rank of the at least one of the challenger and the defender on the grid.

19. A game system comprising

a grid having a plurality of vertical levels and wherein individual vertical levels have a plurality of horizontal tiers;

an electronic game;

a communications network;

wherein a plurality of players, including at least one challenger and at least one defender are capable of playing the game over the communications network;

wherein the at least one defender is ranked into one or more of the plurality of tiers on the grid based on points accumulated during play of the game over the communications network; and

a challenge invocation module, utilizable by the challenger, to issue a challenge to at least one defender to play the game over the communications network.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the horizontal tiers located on the grid are separated into different fee regions.

21. The system of claim 19 further comprising a challenge acceptance module, utilizable by the defender, to accept the challenge from the challenger.

22. The system of claim 19 further comprising means for awarding and deducting points for at least one of the challenger and the defender based on the play of the electronic game over the communications network based on a plurality of criteria, including game outcome and at least one skill exhibited during play of the electronic game not connected to game outcome.

23. A networked, electronic game method comprising:

accepting participation in play of an electronic game over a network by a plurality of players;

determining a rank for individual players of the plurality of players;

positioning the ranked individual players;

enabling issuance of a challenge by a lower-ranked challenger player against a higher-ranked defender player;

enabling acceptance of the challenge by the defender;

enabling play of the electronic game over the network by the challenger against the defender;

one of awarding and deducting points for at least one of the challenger and the defender based on the play of the electronic game over the network;

adjusting the rank of at least one of the challenger and the defender as a consequence of the one of awarding and deducting points based on the play of the electronic game over the network; and

facilitating practice by at least one of the challenger and the defender of skill sets used at different game levels;

wherein the practice does not affect the rank of the at least one of the challenger and the defender.