Apparatus and method for managing social games

• US 7,305,398 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ties Social Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mordechai Teicher
• Inventors: Teicher, Mordechai
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veillard; Jacques
• Application Number:
  US10/841,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/6, 707/10, 707100-102, 709/227, 709/253, 463/25, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• 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 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing inter-personal activities to facilitate matchmaking between single individuals, by instructing each individual what to do and with whom during a series of game sessions. Singles join a forum in which a plurality of activities contained in a database are individually assigned to participants, who confidentially express their preferences for specific activities and for other participants with whom to conduct activities. Expressed preferences are not disclosed to other individuals, but are input to a secure computer system that assigns the activities. Participants'"'"' wish-lists influence assignments made by the computer, and random factors provide variety and protect privacy by obscuring the effect of the wish-lists. After each assignment, participants can update their wish-list to affect further assignments.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computer for generating a game of a game series for a participant from a forum of subscribers, the method comprising:

receiving a personal wish list from each of the subscribers, said personal wish list includes a scoring of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers;

picking another subscriber as a partner for the participant in accordance with;

the scoring of the participant'"'"'s level of interest in said partner, and

the scoring of said partner'"'"'s level of interest in the participant;

assigning matched game assignments to the participant and said partner; and

subsequent to said assigning, receiving from the participant an update for the participant'"'"'s personal wish list, and receiving from said partner an update for said partner'"'"'s personal wish list, to selectably affect said picking toward a next game in the game series.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said picking.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said personal wish list also includes a ranking of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in game assignments from an assignment database, and said assigning is responsive to said ranking made by the participant and said partner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

game assignments from an assignment database are qualified by at least one of a level of intensity and a level of intimacy;

each picking of a first subscriber and a second subscriber for a game in the game series is counted by a number respective to said first subscriber and said second subscriber; and

said assigning is responsive also to comparing said qualification with said number respective to said participant and said partner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

game assignments from an assignment database are qualified by at least one of a level of intensity and a level of intimacy; and

said assigning is responsive also to comparing said qualification with the scoring of the participant'"'"'s level of interest in said partner and the scoring of said partner'"'"'s level of interest in said participant.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said assigning.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said matched game assignments are identical.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said matched game assignments are complementary.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said matched game assignments are face-to-face assignments.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said matched game assignments are virtual assignments.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said picking another subscriber as a partner for the participant, is in accordance also with:

the participant'"'"'s scorings of the participant'"'"'s level of interest in subscribers other than said partner.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said picking another subscriber as a partner for said participant, is in accordance also with:

the scorings of the level of interest, of subscribers other than said partner, in the participant.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said picking another subscriber as a partner for said participant, is in accordance also with:

said partner'"'"'s scorings of said partner'"'"'s level of interest in subscribers other than the participant.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said picking another subscriber as a partner for said participant, is in accordance also with:

the scorings of the level of interest, of subscribers other than said participant, in said partner.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said picking another subscriber as a partner for the participant, is in accordance also with additional scorings made by forum subscribers, said additional scorings being other than:

the scoring of the participant'"'"'s level of interest in said partner, and the scoring of said partner'"'"'s level of interest in the participant.

16. A method implemented by a computer for generating games for a plurality of subscribers with respect to game assignments from an assignment database, the method comprising:

receiving from each subscriber of said plurality a personal wish list, said personal wish list including;

a scoring of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers from the plurality, and

a ranking of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in game assignments from the assignment database;

picking a first subscriber and a second subscriber in accordance with;

the scoring of said first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in said second subscriber, and

the scoring of said second subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in said first subscriber; and

assigning to each of said first subscriber and said second subscriber a matched game assignment from said assignment database in accordance with the ranking received from said first subscriber and the ranking received from said second subscriber.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said picking.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising drawing a random number to affect said assigning.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the matched game assignment of said first subscriber and the matched game assignment of said second subscriber are identical.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the matched game assignment of said first subscriber and the matched game assignment of said second subscriber are complementary.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said picking a first subscriber and a second subscriber is in accordance also with:

said first subscriber'"'"'s scorings of said first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in subscribers other than said second subscriber.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said picking a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with:

the scorings of the level of interest, of subscribers other than said second subscriber, in said first subscriber.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said picking a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with:

said second subscriber'"'"'s scorings of said second subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in subscribers other than said first subscriber.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said picking a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with:

the scorings of the level of interest, of subscribers other than said first subscriber, in said second subscriber.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein said picking a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with additional scorings made by forum subscribers, said additional scorings being other than:

the scoring of the first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in said second subscriber, and the scoring of said second subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in said first subscriber.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the matched game assignment of said first subscriber and the matched game assignment of said second subscriber are face-to-face assignments.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the matched game assignment of said first subscriber and the matched game assignment of said second subscriber are virtual assignments.

28. A method for operating at least one user terminal for a first subscriber participating in a game series within a forum of subscribers, the method comprising:

receiving a personal wish list from the first subscriber, said personal wish list scoring the first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers from the forum and ranking the first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in game assignments from an assignment database;

sending said personal wish list to a game generator;

receiving from said game generator an identity of a second subscriber from the forum, and an assigned game assignment from said assignment database; and

presenting said identity of said second subscriber and said assigned game assignment, to the first subscriber.

29. A software product stored on a computer-readable medium to instruct a computer to:

read a wish-list database that includes a scoring of a level of interest of each subscriber of a forum in other subscribers from said forum;

pick a first subscriber and a second subscriber in accordance with;

the scoring of said first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in said second subscriber, and

the scoring of said second subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in said first subscriber;

select two matched game assignments from an assignment database;

assign to each of said first subscriber and second subscriber a game assignment from said two matched game assignments; and

subsequent to said assign, receive an update to said wish-list database.

30. The software product of claim 29, wherein said wish-list database also includes a ranking of a level of interest of each subscriber from said forum in assignments from said assignment database, and said select is made in accordance with said ranking by said two subscribers.

31. The software product of claim 29, wherein said pick is affected by drawing a random number.

32. The software product of claim 29, wherein said select is affected by drawing a random number.

33. The software product of claim 29, wherein said matched game assignments are identical.

34. The software product of claim 29, wherein said matched game assignments are complementary.

35. The software product of claim 29, wherein said pick a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with:

said first subscriber'"'"'s scorings of said first subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in subscribers other than said second subscriber.

36. The software product of claim 35, wherein said pick a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with:

the scorings of the level of interest, of subscribers other than said second subscriber, in said first subscriber.

37. The software product of claim 35, wherein said pick a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with:

said second subscriber'"'"'s scorings of said second subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in subscribers other than said first subscriber.

38. The software product of claim 35, wherein said pick a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with:

the scorings of the level of interest, of subscribers other than said first subscriber, in said second subscriber.

39. The software product of claim 29, wherein said pick a first subscriber and a second subscriber, is in accordance also with additional scorings made by forum subscribers, said additional scorings being other than:

the scoring of the participant'"'"'s level of interest in said partner, and the scoring of said partner'"'"'s level of interest in the participant.

40. The software product of claim 29, wherein said two matched game assignments are face-to-face assignments.

41. The software product of claim 29, wherein said two matched game assignments are virtual assignments.

42. A method implemented by a computer for generating a game of a game series for a participant from a forum of subscribers, the method comprising:

receiving a personal wish list from each of the subscribers, said personal wish list includes a scoring of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers;

picking another subscriber as a partner for the participant in accordance with the scorings in the personal wish lists of subscribers from the forum;

assigning matched game assignments to the participant and said partner; and

subsequent to said assigning, receiving from the participant an update for the participant'"'"'s personal wish list, and receiving from said partner an update for said partner'"'"'s personal wish list, to selectably affect said picking toward a next game in the game series.

43. A method implemented by a computer for generating games for a plurality of subscribers with respect to game assignments from an assignment database, the method comprising:

receiving from each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers a personal wish list, said personal wish list including;

a scoring of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in other subscribers from said plurality, and

a ranking of said each subscriber'"'"'s level of interest in game assignments from said assignment database;

picking a first subscriber and a second subscriber in accordance with said scorings in said personal wish lists of the plurality of subscribers; and

assigning to each of said first subscriber and said second subscriber a matched game assignment from said assignment database in accordance with said rankings received from said first subscriber and said second subscriber.

44. A software product stored on a computer-readable medium to instruct a computer to:

read a wish-list database that includes a scoring of a level of interest of each subscriber of a forum in other subscribers from said forum;

pick a first subscriber and a second subscriber in accordance with said scorings in said wish list database;

select two matched game assignments from an assignment database;

assign to each of said first subscriber and second subscriber a game assignment from said two matched game assignments; and

subsequent to said assign, receive an update to said wish-list database from said first subscriber and said second subscriber.