Method for providing customized interactive entertainment over a communications network

• US 6,758,746 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Compass Rose Games, LLC
• Original Assignee: Compass Ross Games Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Thomas C., Handford, Forest J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mosser, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US10/054,649
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/29, 463/41-43, 463/48, 463/9, 705/1, 705/26, 705/37, 705/40
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

An invention creating a new method for providing customized interactive entertainment over a communications network. A method for selecting a player from a player database and for selecting a character with specific character attributes from a character database. These characters are made available at different prices or subscription rates based on criteria such as power, rarity, or importance to ongoing plot lines in the context of the game. The invention is made available via a plurality of networks to a plurality of players playing a plurality of games.

Claims

1. A method for providing customized interactive entertainment to a player, said method comprising:

providing a First Database for storing information about a plurality of Players;

providing a Player Selection Means for selecting a Player from said plurality of Players;

providing a Second Database for storing information about a plurality of predefined Roles within a plot of a game;

providing a Role Selection Means for selecting a Role from said plurality of predefined Roles; and

providing an Order Interface Means for ordering a Role from said plurality of predefined Roles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said Role Selection Means comprises:

providing a Role Browsing Means for selecting a Role from a plurality of ordered lists of Roles; and

providing a Role Searching Means for searching for Roles from said second database.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said Role Selection Means is operable to browse and search by attributes and variables associated with each Role.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said attributes and variables include statistics, skills, limitations, rank, name, title, cost, availability, description, and location in time and space.

5. A method for providing customized interactive entertainment to a player, said method comprising:

providing a First Database for storing information about a plurality of Players;

providing a Player Selection Means for selecting a Player from said plurality of Players;

providing a Second Database for storing information about a plurality of Subscription Types;

providing a Subscription Selection Means for selecting a Subscription Type from said plurality of Subscription Types;

providing a Third Database for storing information about a plurality of predefined Roles within a plot of a game;

providing a Role Selection Means for selecting a Role from said plurality of predefined Roles; and

providing an Order Interface Means for ordering a Role from said plurality of predefined Roles.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said Role Selection Means comprises:

providing a Role Browsing Means for selecting a Role from a plurality of ordered lists of Roles; and

providing a Role Searching Means for searching for Roles from said second database.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said Role Selection Means is operable to browse and search by attributes and variables associated with each Role.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said attributes and variables include statistics, skills, limitations, rank, name, title, cost, availability, description, and location in time and space.

9. A method of providing a multiplayer, online, game, said method comprising:

providing a First Database for storing information about a plurality of Players;

providing a Player Selection Means for selecting a Player from said plurality of Players;

providing a Second Database for storing information about a plurality of predefined Roles within a plot of said game;

providing a Role Selection Means for selecting a Role from said plurality of predefined Roles; and

providing an Order Interface Means for ordering a Role from said plurality of predefined Roles.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said Role Selection Means comprises:

providing a Role Browsing Means for selecting a Role from a plurality of ordered lists of Roles; and

providing a Role Searching Means for searching for Roles from said Second Database.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said Role Selection Means is operable to browse and search by attributes and variables associated with each Role.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said attributes and variables include statistics, skills, limitations, rank, name, title, cost, availability, description, and location in time and space.

13. A method for providing customized interactive entertainment over a communications network, said method comprising:

providing a multiplayer online game with a predefined plot;

providing a First Database for storing information about a plurality of Players;

providing a Player Selection Means for selecting a Player from said plurality of Players;

providing a Second Database for storing information about a plurality of pre-existing Roles with a place in a plot of a game; and

providing a Role Selection Means for selecting a Role from said plurality of predefined Roles, said Role Selection Means comprising;

providing a Role Browsing Means for selecting a Role from a plurality of ordered lists of Roles; and

providing a Role Searching Means for searching for Roles from said Second Database, wherein said Role Selection Means is operable to browse and search by attributes and variables associated with each Role, said attributes and variables including statistics, skills, limitations, rank, name, title, cost, availability, description, and location in time and space; and

providing an Order Interface Means for ordering a Role from said plurality of Roles.