Method and apparatus for playing games between the clients of entities at different locations

• US 6,893,347 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Rautila, Heikki, Zilliacus, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/350,315
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/29, 463 40- 43, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/138.2, 700 90- 93
• US Class Current: 463/41
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM

Abstract

A method and apparatus for playing games between the clients of entities at different locations by linking multiple players together through a network using the users'"'"' mobile phones. The method includes connecting a plurality of mobile phones together through a network for playing a game, setting up a game scenario for each of the plurality of mobile phones and transmitting game signals between the plurality mobile phones across the network. At least two of the plurality of mobile phones are remotely located. The mobile phones connect to the network through a base station. A connection from a mobile phone to the network through a base station is a low power radio frequency connection. The interactive game may be interrupted when a mobile phone receives a call. The interactive game is interrupted only for the mobile phone receiving the call.

Claims

1. A multiplayer game system, comprising:

a plurality of non-cellular transceiver modules interconnected through a communication network, the non-cellular transceiver modules including a wireless transceiver used for localized gaming transactions;

a plurality of mobile devices coupled to the plurality of non-cellular transceiver modules, wherein a first group of mobile devices is in local proximity to the wireless transceiver of a first non-cellular transceiver module and a second group of mobile devices is in local proximity to the wireless transceiver of a second non-cellular transceiver module, the first and second groups of mobile devices being outside of local proximity to each other, wherein the first and second groups of mobile devices includes;

a first transceiver coupled to a cellular network to conduct cellular communications; and

a second transceiver to bypass the cellular network and coupled to facilitate gaming activities with the proximately located wireless transceiver; and

wherein at least one of the first group of mobile devices engages in a multiplayer game with at least one of the second group of mobile devices via the interconnected non-cellular transceiver modules.

2. The multiplayer game system according to claim 1, wherein the communication network includes one of a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), Internet, Intranet, Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

3. The multiplayer game system according to claim 1, wherein the second transceiver includes a low power radio frequency transceiver.

4. The multiplayer game system according to claim 3, wherein the low power radio frequency transceiver includes a Bluetooth transceiver.

5. The multiplayer game system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver includes a low power radio frequency transceiver.

6. A mobile terminal coupled to a multiplayer game system, the multiplayer game system having first and second non-cellular transceiver stations interconnected via a communication network and wirelessly coupled to first and second groups of mobile terminals respectively, the first and second groups of mobile terminals being outside proximity range of one another, the mobile terminal comprising:

a first transceiver coupled to a cellular network to conduct cellular communications; and

a second transceiver to bypass the cellular network and coupled to facilitate gaming activity with the first non-cellular transceiver station, the mobile terminal engaging in a multiplayer game with ones of the first and second groups of mobile terminals through the interconnected first and second non-cellular transceiver stations.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the second transceiver includes a low power radio frequency transceiver.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the low power radio frequency transceiver includes a Bluetooth transceiver.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising a display coupled to provide gaming activity information relating to the ones of the first and second groups of mobile terminals.

10. A method of facilitating gaming activity between spatially separate groups of mobile terminals, the method comprising:

establishing a first non-cellular connection between a first group of mobile terminals and a first transceiver station via a non-cellular transceiver located within each mobile terminal of the first group of mobile terminals;

establishing a second non-cellular connection between a second group of mobile terminals and a second transceiver station via a non-cellular transceiver located within each mobile terminal of the second group of mobile terminals;

facilitating communication between the first and second transceiver stations via a non-cellular communication network to establish the gaming activity between at least one of the mobile terminals of the first group of mobile terminals and at least one of the mobile terminals of the second group of mobile terminals; and

wherein a cellular transceiver of each mobile terminal facilitates communication via a cellular network and the non-cellular transceiver of each mobile terminal bypasses the cellular network to facilitate the gaming activity between its associated transceiver station and at least one of the mobile terminals of the first and second groups of mobile terminals.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein establishing the first and second non-cellular connections includes using a low power radio frequency connection.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein using the low power radio frequency connection includes using a Bluetooth connection.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising providing gaming information to the ones of the first and second groups of mobile terminals, wherein the gaming information includes a list of mobile terminals participating in the gaming activity and first and second group identification.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving a call via the cellular network at one or more of the mobile terminals, wherein the gaming activity is interrupted for the one or more mobile terminals without interrupting the gaming activity for other ones of the mobile terminals in their respective groups.

15. A multiplayer game system, comprising:

a plurality of low power radio frequency (LPRF) transceiver modules interconnected through a communication network, each LPRF transceiver module including a respective LPRF transceiver used for localized gaming transactions;

a plurality of mobile devices coupled to the plurality of LPRF transceiver modules, wherein a first group of mobile devices is in local proximity to the LPRF transceiver of a first of the LPRF transceiver modules and a second group of mobile devices is in local proximity to the LPRF transceiver of a second of the LPRF transceiver modules, the first and second groups of mobile devices being outside of a proximity range of each other, wherein the mobile devices of the first and second groups of mobile devices include;

a first transceiver coupled to a cellular network to conduct cellular communications; and

a second transceiver to bypass the cellular network and coupled to facilitate gaming activities with the proximately located LPRF transceiver; and

wherein at least one of the first group of mobile devices engages in a multiplayer game with at least one of the second group of mobile devices via the interconnected LPRF transceiver modules.