Predefined messages for wireless multiplayer gaming

• US 6,908,389 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Puskala, Teemu
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/800,772
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 6, 463 39- 46, 380/251, 709/219, 455/412
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video

Abstract

A system and method for mobile terminal users who play networked games to communicate with each other. Messages to be sent between players and methods of sending the messages are predefined either by a game player or at the system level. These messages can then be sent in an easy way by the game player from his mobile terminal to another player or potential player for any of various game-related purposes.

Claims

1. An online gaming system for playing games, the system comprising:

at least one wireless terminal adapted to run a multiplayer game to be played between said at least one wireless terminal and at least one other terminal running the game;

a game program executable by the at least one wireless terminal for providing game-related events;

means for determining a state of the game comprising means for scanning the game-related events, wherein at least one game-related predefined message is presented to a user of the at least one wireless terminal based on the determined state of the game;

means for selecting, by the user, whether to transmit the presented at least one game-related predefined message wirelessly from said at least one wireless terminal to said at least one other terminal;

means for modifying, if necessary, the at least one game-related predefined message to match the terminal capabilities of said at least one other terminal to which the predefined message is to be sent; and

means for transmitting said at least one game-related predefined message to said at least one other terminal.

2. The online gaming system of claim 1,

wherein the state of the game comprises at least one of before a game is being played by the user, during a game being played by the user, after a game has been played by the user, and when a predefined game-related criteria is met;

and

wherein the predefined game-related criteria comprises an event that is related to the game and is predefined.

3. The online gaming system of claim 2, wherein the predefined game-related event comprises one of capturing an opponent, beating the opponent, killing the opponent, hitting the opponent, seeing the opponent, being captured, being killed, being hit, and being seen by the opponent during the game.

4. The online gaming system of claim 2, wherein the predefined game-related criteria are met where at least one of the scanned game-related events match at least one of a plurality of predefined game-related events.

5. The online gaming system of claim 4, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises content related to the at least one game-related event if the predefined game-related criteria are met.

6. The online gaming system of claim 4, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message is sent automatically to the at least one other terminal when at least one of the scanned game-related events matches at least one of the plurality of predefined game-related events.

7. The online gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game program comprises an indicator to be displayed when the at least one game-related predefined message appropriate for the state of the game is available for sending.

8. The online gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless terminal comprises:

a dedicated button to be activated by the user to send the at least one game-related predefined message to the at least one other terminal.

9. The online gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of:

a game-play message to be sent to the at least one other terminal during a game, and

a game-environment message related to playing a game to be sent to the at least one other terminal before or after the game.

10. The online gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of voice, text, sound, an image, a picture, a video, and a multimedia message.

11. The online gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one other terminal to which the game-related predefined message is to be sent is preselected.

12. The online gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one other terminal to which the game-related predefined message is to be sent comprises a predefined category of one or more players.

13. The online gaming system of claim 12, wherein the predefined category comprises at least one of all players presently online, all players not presently engaged in a game, all players presently initiating a game, all players presently engaged in a game, all players on the user'"'"'s own team, all players on an opposing team, at least one player previously defined by the user, and a game platform running the game.

14. The online gaming system of claim 13, wherein the at least one player previously defined by the user is defined by a gaming attribute.

15. The online gaming system of claim 14, wherein the gaming attribute is the relative ranking of the player.

16. The online gaming system of claim 12, wherein the predefined category changes depending on the state of the game.

17. The online gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises a picture and the terminal capabilities of the at least one other terminal do not support reproducing a picture, and wherein the at least one game-related predefined message is modified by replacing the picture in the at least one game-related predefined message with text describing the picture.

18. The online gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a destination database containing records for each of the at least one other terminal, wherein each record comprises the output capacity of the at least one other terminal.

19. The online gaming system of claim 18, wherein the means for modifying the at least one game-related predefined message modifies the at least one game-related predefined message based on the output capacity of the at least one other terminal, wherein the output capacity is determined by accessing the destination database.

20. The online gaming system of claim 18, wherein the destination database is located in at least one of the at least one wireless terminal and a game platform running the game.

21. The online gaming system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for logging into the game, wherein each terminal logged into the game has a corresponding record in the destination database.

22. The online gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

storage means for storing game-related predefined messages, wherein each game-related predefined message is identified by a code and, when a code is sent to the storage means, the storage means recognizes and provides the game-related predefined message identified by the received code.

23. The online gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a game platform configured to communicate with the at least one wireless terminal comprised of;

storage means for storing game-related predefined messages;

means for a player to log into the game platform; and

a player database containing records for each player logged in to the game platform, wherein each record comprises the destination address of the logged in player and the output capacity of the terminal of the logged in player;

wherein the game platform is the platform on which logged in players play with each other.

24. An online gaming system for playing games, the system comprising:

at least one wireless terminal adapted to run a game to be played with at least one other terminal running the game;

a processor within the at least one wireless terminal for controlling functions relating to the game;

a storage device in communication with the processor;

a game program operative on the processor of the at least one wireless terminal comprising;

means for maintaining in the storage device a database identifying at least one set of predefined messages available to send from said at least one wireless terminal to said at least one other terminal;

means for scanning game-related events to identify conditions matching any of at least one predefined game-related criteria; and

means for presenting at least one game-related predefined message to a user of said at least one wireless terminal when at least one of the conditions matching any of the at least one predefined game-related criteria is identified, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message may be selected by the user to be sent from said at least one wireless terminal to said at least one other terminal;

means for modifying the at least one game-related predefined message to match the terminal capabilities of said at least one other terminal to which the at least one game-related predefined message is sent, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message is subject to interaction with a user of the at least one wireless terminal; and

means for transmitting said at least one game-related predefined message to said at least one other terminal.

25. The online gaming system of claim 24, wherein the predefined game-related criteria comprises an event that is related to the game and is predefined.

26. The online gaming system of claim 25, wherein the predefined game-related event comprises one of capturing an opponent, beating the opponent, killing the opponent, hitting the opponent, seeing the opponent, being captured, being killed, being hit, and being seen by the opponent during the game.

27. The online gaming system of claim 24, wherein the game program comprises:

an indicator to be displayed on the at least one wireless terminal when at least one of the conditions matching any of the at least one predefined game-related criteria is identified,

wherein the at least one game-related predefined message is appropriate to the scanned at least one predefined game-related event matching any of the at least one predefined game-related criteria, and

wherein said indicator indicates that the at least one game-related predefined message is available for sending.

28. The online gaming system of claim 24, wherein the at least one wireless terminal comprises:

a dedicated button to be activated by the user to send the at least one game-related predefined message to the at least one other terminal.

29. The online gaming system of claim 24, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of:

a game-play message to be sent to the at least one other terminal during a game, and

a game-environment message related to playing a game to be sent to the at least one other terminal before or after the game.

30. The online gaming system of claim 24, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of voice, text, sound, an image, a picture, a video, and a multimedia message.

31. The online gaming system of claim 24, wherein the at least one wireless terminal comprises:

means for transmitting a short code representing a particular at least one game-related predefined message, wherein the short code is recognized and the particular at least one game-related predefined message is transmitted to a specified at least one of the at least one other terminal.

32. The online gaming system of claim 31, wherein the database maintained in the storage device comprises:

records containing short codes, including said short code, wherein each short code represents at least one of the at least one game-related predefined message.

33. The online gaming system of claim 32, further comprising:

a message database for recognizing the short code from the at least one wireless terminal, for presenting the particular at least one game-related predefined message represented by the short code, and for storing the particular at least one game-related predefined message.

34. The online gaming system of claim 33, wherein the specified at least one of the at least one terminal is at least one of i) previously specified;

ii) specified in a communication accompanying the short code from the at least one at least one wireless terminal;

iii) specified in the message database; and

iv) specified in the database maintained in the storage device.

35. A method of providing an online gaming system for playing games, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting at least one wireless terminal adapted to run a game to be played with at least one other wireless terminal running the game;

scanning game-related events to identify conditions matching any of at least one predefined game-related criteria;

presenting at least one game-related predefined message to a user of said at least one wireless terminal when at least one of the conditions matching any of the at least one predefined game-related criteria is identified;

selecting, by the user of the wireless terminal, the at least one game-related predefined message in order to sent the at least one game-related predefined message from said at least one wireless terminal to said at least one other terminal;

modifying, if necessary, the at least one game-related predefined message to match the terminal capabilities of said at least one other terminal to which the at least one game-related predefined message is to be sent; and

transmitting said at least one game-related predefined message to said at least one other terminal.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the predefined game-related criteria comprises an event that is related to the game and is predefined.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the predefined game-related event comprises one of capturing an opponent, beating the opponent, killing the opponent, hitting the opponent, seeing the opponent, being captured, being killed, being hit, and being seen by the opponent during the game.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of:

a game-play message to be sent to the at least one other terminal during a game, and

a game-environment message related to playing a game to be sent to the at least one other terminal before or after the game.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of voice, text, sound, an image, a picture, a video, and a multimedia message.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of at least one of:

defining the at least one game-related predefined message; and

selecting the at least one destination address to which the at least one game-related predefined message may be sent.

41. The online gaming system of claim 40, wherein the at least one wireless terminal comprises:

means for transmitting a short code representing a particular at least one game-related predefined message, wherein the short code is recognized and the particular at least one game-related predefined message is transmitted to a specified at least one of the at least one other terminal.

42. The online gaming system of claim 41, wherein the at least one wireless terminal further comprises:

a short code database for storing a plurality of short codes, including said short code, wherein each short code represents at least one of the at least one game-related predefined message.

43. The online gaming system of claim 42, further comprising:

a message database for recognizing the short code from the at least one wireless terminal, for presenting the particular at least one game-related predefined message represented by the short code to the game platform, and for storing the particular at least one game-related predefined message.

44. The online gaming system of claim 43, wherein the specified at least one of the at least one terminal is at least one of i) previously specified;

ii) specified in a communication accompanying the short code from the at least one at least one wireless terminal;

iii) specified in the message database; and

iv) specified in the short code database in the at least one wireless terminal.

45. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by the at least one wireless terminal, a short code representing a particular at least one game-related predefined message;

recognizing the short code; and

transmitting the particular at least one game-related predefined message represented by the recognized short code to a specified at least one of the at least one other terminal.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the steps of:

storing short codes, including said short code, in the at least one wireless terminal, wherein each short code represents at least one of the at least one game-related predefined message.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising the step of:

storing, in a message database, the particular at least one game-related predefined message represented by the stored short codes.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the specified at least one of the at least one terminal is at least one of i) previously specified;

ii) specified in a communication accompanying the short code from the at least one at least one wireless terminal;

iii) specified in the message database; and

iv) specified in the database maintained in the storage device.

49. A wireless terminal for playing games, the terminal comprising:

a processor for controlling functions relating to a game;

a storage device in communication with the processor;

a primary input in communication with the processor for registering game-related commands input by a user of a wireless terminal;

a game program operative on the processor of the wireless terminal comprising;

means for maintaining in the storage device a database identifying at least one set of predefined messages available to send to at least one other terminal;

means for presenting at least one game-related predefined message to a user of the wireless terminal based on a state of the game; and

means for selecting, by the user, the at least one game-related predefined message in order to send the at least one game-related predefined message to the at least one other terminal;

means for modifying, if necessary, the at least one game-related predefined message to match terminal capabilities of the at least one other terminal; and

means for transmitting said at least one game-related predefined message to said at least one other terminal.

50. The wireless terminal of claim 49,

wherein the state of the game comprises at least one of before a game is being played by the user, during a game being played by the user, after a game has been played by the user, and when a predefined game-related criteria is met;

and

wherein the predefined game-related criteria comprises an event that is related to the game and is predefined.

51. The wireless terminal of claim 50, wherein the predefined game-related event comprises one of capturing an opponent, beating the opponent, killing the opponent, hitting the opponent, seeing the opponent, being captured, being killed, being hit, and being seen by the opponent during the game.

52. The wireless terminal of claim 49, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of:

a game-play message to be sent to the at least one other terminal during a game, and

a game-environment message related to playing a game to be sent to the at least one other terminal before or after the game.

53. The wireless terminal of claim 49, wherein the at least one game-related predefined message comprises at least one of voice, text, sound, an image, a picture, and a video.

54. The wireless terminal of claim 49, further comprising:

means for transmitting a short code representing a particular at least one game-related predefined message, wherein the short code is recognized and the particular at least one game-related predefined message is transmitted to a specified at least one of the at least one other terminal.

55. The wireless terminal of claim 54, wherein the database maintained in the storage device comprises:

records containing short codes, including said short code, wherein each short code represents at least one of the at least one game-related predefined message.

56. The wireless terminal of claim 55, wherein the specified at least one of the at least one terminal is at least one of i) previously specified;

ii) specified in a communication accompanying the short code from the at least one at least one wireless terminal; and

iii) specified in the database maintained in the storage device.

57. An online gaming system comprising:

at least one wireless terminal on a cellular telephone network for running a player client program, said player client program having a communication link with a game server program; and

a game platform on a wide area network for running the game server program, and for providing a platform on which a user of the at least one wireless terminal can play a game using the player client program, the game platform comprising;

means for the user to log in to the game platform so that the user becomes a logged-in player in the game;

a player database containing records for each player logged in to the game platform, wherein each record comprises the destination address of the logged in player and the output capacity of the terminal of the logged in player;

means for storing at least one predefined message;

means for determining a state of the game by scanning game-related events in the game with scanning software;

means for presenting at least one game-related predefined message to the logged-in player of the wireless terminal based on the state of the game, wherein the logged-in player selects whether to transmit the at least one game-related predefined message to at least one other terminal; and

means for modifying, if necessary, the at least one game-related predefined message to match the terminal capabilities of the at least one other terminal to which the predefined message is to be sent.

58. The online gaming system of claim 57, wherein the at least one wireless terminal comprises:

means for transmitting a short code representing a particular at least one game-related predefined message to the game platform, whereby the game platform recognizes the short code and transmits the particular at least one game-related predefined message to a specified at least one of the at least one other terminal.

59. The online gaming system of claim 58, wherein the game platform comprises:

a message database for recognizing the short code from the at least one wireless terminal, for presenting the particular at least one game-related predefined message represented by the short code to the game platform, and for storing the particular at least one game-related predefined message.

60. The online gaming system of claim 59, wherein the specified at least one of the at least one terminal is at least one of i) previously specified to the game platform;

ii) specified in communication accompanying the short code from the at least one wireless terminal; and

iii) specified in the message database.