Method of managing multi-player game playing over a network

• US 5,695,400 A
• Filed: 01/30/1996
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blockdot Incorporated (Nexstar Media Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Boxer Jam Productions, LLC
• Inventors: Hodes, Todd, Thakkar, Rajesh P., Schwenk, Thomas, Goebel, Chris J., Witherell, Scott, Fennell, W. Temple W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US08/593,581
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/43, 273/348, 273/138.1, 273/274, 273/460, 364/411, 364/412, 377/5
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS

Abstract

A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a multi-player game that is played on a plurality of terminals on a network in a manner that compensates for differences in network latency among different terminals. The method includes: (a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge such as a trivia question to the terminals via the network; (b) receiving a game response signal such as a "buzz-in" from two or more of the terminals; (c) assigning each responding terminal a priority rank according to a characteristic of their respective game response signal, e.g., elapsed time since receipt of the game challenge; (d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank; and (e) sending signals to the responding terminals assigning them respective degrees of control of the game, e.g., the right to take a turn, in accordance with their respective ranks.

Claims

1. A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played on a plurality of terminals connected by a network, said method comprising:

(a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the terminals via the network;

(b) receiving a game response signal from one or more terminals;

(c) assigning each responding terminal a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with a characteristic of their respective game response signals;

(d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank; and

(e) sending signals to the responding terminals assigning them respective degrees of control of the game in accordance with their respective ranks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a host computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (1) each game response signal includes a timestamp, and (2) each terminal'"'"'s rank is assigned in accordance with its respective timestamp.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a local event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a global event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a local time reference.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a global time reference.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

(1) a first responding terminal ascertains its own rank, relative to a second responding terminal, by exchanging timestamp signals with the second responding terminal, and

(2) the degree of control of the game assigned to the first responding terminal is assigned in accordance with the rank of the first responding terminal relative to the second responding terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the degree of control of the game assigned to the first responding terminal is assigned by the first responding terminal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a winning terminal transmits a signal indicating that its user has won the free-for-all phase of the game.

11. The method of claim 1:

(1) wherein a first terminal has a higher degree of network latency than a second terminal, and

(2) further comprising displaying a message at the second terminal during the determination of which responding terminal has the highest rank.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of a game challenge is transmitted by a host computer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of a game challenge is transmitted by one of the terminals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein (1) a plurality of respective representations of game challenges is transmitted to the terminals prior to the free-for-all phase, and (2) during the free-for-all phase, a representation of a specified game challenge is displayed at the terminals.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a representation of a game challenge for the free-for-all phase in the game is transmitted prior to the beginning of that phase and subsequent to a previous free-for-all phase.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of a game challenge is generated locally at each terminal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the game challenge is a transmission of a packetized video signal.

25. A storage device for storing the machine readable instructions for implementing any one of the methods in claims 1 through 24.

18. A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played by a first terminal and a plurality of terminals connected by a network, said method comprising:

(a) the first terminal transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the plurality of terminals via the network;

(b) each other terminal assigning itself a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with a characteristic of its respective game response signal; and

(c) a winning terminal sending signals to the other terminals indicating that it has assumed a specified degree of control of the game in accordance with its rank.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

(1) each game response signal includes a timestamp; and

(2) each terminal'"'"'s rank is assigned in accordance with its respective timestamp.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a local event.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a global event.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a local time reference.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal'"'"'s timestamp is generated relative to a global time reference.

24. A method, executed by a host computer, of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played on a plurality of terminals connected to the host computer by a network, said method comprising:

(a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the terminals via the network, said representation including a digitized video signal;

(b) receiving respective game response signals from one or more terminals, each game response signal including a timestamp;

(c) assigning each responding terminal a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with its respective timestamp;

(d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank, referred to as the winning terminal, by comparing the timestamps of the responding terminals;

(e) sending a signal to the winning terminal giving it control of the game; and

(f) sending signals to the other responding terminals locking them out of control of the game.