NETWORKED SPORTS SIMULATOR AND METHOD

• US 20120149458A1
• Filed: 08/22/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Holiday Golf International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Holiday Golf International, Inc.
• Inventors: Moyer, Alan C., Bricker, Jon, Kirk, Robert, Jacobson, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/214,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20120149458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5593 involving scheduling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A sports simulator network with reward potential. In one embodiment, the system includes a first sports simulator and a second sports simulator. The simulators are configured to allow a plurality of participants to play a sports scenario upon payment. Each participant of the sports simulators achieves a score for the sports scenario. The first sports simulator is configured to communicate with the second sports simulator to determine a winner with a best score for the sports scenario between the first sports simulator and the second sports simulator. When this happens, at least a portion of the cumulative amount of the payments is aggregated to pay a reward to the winner.

Claims

1. A sports simulator network with reward potential, the system comprising:

a first sports simulator configured to allow a plurality of participants to play a sports scenario upon payment of a first sum, wherein each participant of the first sports simulator achieves a score for the sports scenario;

a second sports simulator configured to allow a plurality of participants to play the sports scenario upon payment of a second sum, wherein each participant of the second sports simulator achieves a score for the sports scenario;

wherein the first sports simulator is configured to communicate with the second sports simulator to determine a winner with a best score for the sports scenario between the first sports simulator and the second sports simulator; and

wherein at least a portion of the cumulative amount of the first sum and the second sum are aggregated to pay a reward to the winner.

2. A computerized method for providing a reward based on a game of skill, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a contest expiration time representing a time when a contest will expire;

receiving an amount of a first payment from a first participant;

receiving a first score representing a result from the first participant playing a game of skill;

receiving an amount a second payment from a second participant;

receiving a second score representing a result from the second participant playing a game of skill;

determining a rank of the first participant and the second participant based on the first score and the second score;

in response to the contest expiration time expiring, paying a monetary value to either the first participant or the second participant based on the rank.

3. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising the steps of:

associating a plurality of sports simulators with a contest that provides an aggregate award based on at least a portion of payments received from a plurality of participants to play on the plurality of sports simulators;

storing on a data storage device, a contest expiration time representing a time when the contest will expire;

determining an aggregate reward amount for the contest based on payments received to play on the plurality of sports simulators;

receiving over a communications network, a plurality of scores representing results from the plurality of participants playing on the plurality of sports simulators;

determining a highest rank representing a participant of the plurality of participants with a highest score; and

in response to the contest expiration time expiring, paying a monetary value to a participant with the highest score.