SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ONLINE SMS GAMES

• US 20100106612A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Shekhar, Roberts, Mike A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/28 SMS billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 : Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

In accordance with the disclosed embodiments, a system and method is presented for providing online SMS games to any SMS equipped device without having to install any additional applications on the SMS equipped device. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a text message from a SMS equipped device. The method sends a text message that includes a list of available online SMS games to the SMS equipped device. The method receives a text message from the SMS equipped device that indicates a selected SMS game from the list of available online SMS games. The method sends a text message to the SMS equipped device to initiate playing of the selected SMS game.

Claims

1. A method for providing online short message service (SMS) games to a SMS equipped device, the method comprising:

receiving a first text message from the SMS equipped device;

sending a second text message that includes a list of available online SMS games to the SMS equipped device;

receiving a third text message from the SMS equipped device that indicates a selected SMS game from the list of available online SMS games;

sending a fourth text message to the SMS equipped device to initiate playing of the selected SMS game; and

sending an instructional text message to the SMS equipped device that provides instructions for playing the SMS equipped device.

2. A method for providing online short message service (SMS) games to a SMS equipped device, the method comprising:

receiving a first text message from the SMS equipped device;

determining a SMS service provider associated with the SMS equipped device;

determining whether the SMS service provider has a pay agreement with a provider of the online SMS games;

responsive to the SMS service provider not having the pay agreement with the provider of the online SMS games, sending a second text message to the SMS equipped device to indicate to a user of the SMS equipped device that the online SMS games are currently not available to consumers of the SMS service provider;

responsive to the SMS service provider having the pay agreement with the provider of the online SMS games, sending a third text message that includes a list of available online SMS games to the SMS equipped device;

receiving a fourth text message from the SMS equipped device that indicates a selected SMS game from the list of available online SMS games; and

sending a fifth text message to the SMS equipped device to initiate playing of the selected SMS game; and

providing reward points to the user based on a number of text messages sent and received from the SMS equipped device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an identifier associated with the SMS equipped device; and

using the identifier to determine the SMS service provider associated with the SMS equipped device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the fifth text message includes an option for the user to begin playing the selected SMS game.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the fifth text message includes an option for the user to continue playing a previously stored game of the selected SMS game.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the fifth text message includes an option for the user to receive instructions for playing the selected SMS game.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the fifth text message includes an option for the user to play the selected SMS game against a second user.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising logging a number of text messages sent and received from the SMS equipped device for billing the SMS service provider.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a sixth text message from the SMS equipped device that indicates an action to perform associated with the selected SMS game and performing the action.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the reward points are redeemable by the user for goods and services using the SMS equipped device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that a second player is playing the selected SMS game against the user, sending a seventh text message the second player indicating the action taken by the user.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user is playing the selected SMS game against a data processing system, performing a computer specified action associated with the selected SMS game; and

sending a seventh text message to the user indicating the computer specified action taken by the data processing system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the seventh text message includes an image of a current state of the selected SMS game.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing a current state of the selected SMS game in memory.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring for an eighth text message from the second player indicating a second action to perform associated with the selected SMS game;

responsive to not receiving the eighth text message within a specified time from the second player, sending the second player a time out text message indicating that the second player has been disassociated with the selected game and sending the user a notification text message that the second player has been disassociated with the selected game.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

monitoring for a winning condition after every performed action associated with the selected SMS game; and

responsive to the winning condition occurring, notifying the user and any other player associated with the selected SMS game of an occurrence of the winning condition.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing reward points for the user based on an outcome of the selected SMS game.

4. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

20. An online short message service (SMS) gaming service apparatus comprising:

memory coupled to a processing unit, the memory includes computer usable program code; and

the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to;

receive a first text message to play an online SMS game from a SMS equipped device;

determine a SMS service provider associated with the SMS equipped device;

determine whether the SMS service provider has a pay agreement with a provider of the online SMS games;

send a second text message to the SMS equipped device to indicate to a user of the SMS equipped device that the online SMS games are currently not available to consumers of SMS service provider in response to the SMS service provider not having the pay agreement with the provider of the online SMS games;

send a third text message that includes a list of available online SMS games to the SMS equipped device in response to the SMS service provider having the pay agreement with the provider of the online SMS games;

receive a fourth text message from the SMS equipped device that indicates a selected SMS game from the list of available online SMS games;

send a fifth text message to the SMS equipped device to initiate playing of the selected SMS game; and

send a sixth text message to the SMS equipped device, wherein the sixth text message includes an image of a current state of the selected SMS game, the image being comprised of keyboard characters used to generate a picture that resembles the current state of the selected SMS game.