Systems and methods for providing multi-level fantasy sports contests in fantasy sports contest applications

• US 7,614,944 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Sports Holdings, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barber, Dave, Junkin, William, Hughes, Patrick J
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, THOMAS HAYNES
• Application Number:
  US10/234,346
• Time in Patent Office: 2,629 Days
• Field of Search: 700 91- 93, 463 1- 6, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/4
• 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 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing multi-level fantasy sports contests in a fantasy sports contest application are provided. The fantasy sports contest application may provide multi-level fantasy sports contest in an award league. The fantasy sports contest application may create award leagues of different levels and focus on various geographical units. In some embodiments of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may allow a user to enter the same team to compete in one or more leagues. In these embodiments, the same set of rules may apply to all leagues for a particular sport. In some embodiments of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may allow the user to advance from lower level leagues to higher level leagues having the same or cooperating sponsors. In some embodiment of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may allow a user to enter a team that was previously drafted for one league to compete in another league.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a first fantasy sports contest and a second fantasy sports contest to a user using a fantasy sports contest application implemented by processing circuitry in communication with user equipment the method comprising:

identifying by the processing circuitry a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest and with the user, the first fantasy sports contest taking place during a first time period; and

automatically selecting by the processing circuitry at least a portion of a second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest and with the user from the first fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the second fantasy sports contest takes place during a second time period that overlaps with the first time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprises identifying a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with a first set of team selection rules;

automatically making at least a portion of the roster selection in the second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest comprises making at least a portion of the roster selections in the second fantasy sports team roster according to a second set of team selection rules; and

the first set of team selection rules is different from the second set of team selection rules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprises identifying a first fantasy sports contest associated with a first contest level that allows a first group of users having a first set of characteristics to make roster selections;

automatically making at least a portion of the roster selections in the second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest comprises identifying a second fantasy sports contest associated with a second contest level that allows a second group of users having a second set of characteristics to make roster selections; and

the first group of users and the second group of users share at least one user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprising:

receiving a code that uniquely identifies the first fantasy sports contest from the user; and

displaying information associated with the first fantasy sports contest in response to receiving the code from the user.

5. The method of claim 1, the system further comprising:

displaying user performance information associated with the first fantasy sports contest to the user, and

simultaneously displaying user performance information associated with the second fantasy sports contest to the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying user performance information comprises displaying prize information.

7. The method of claim 6, the system further comprising:

receiving user-command to obtain additional information associated with the prize information; and

displaying the additional information associated with the prize information to the user in response to receiving the user-command.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the additional information associated with the prize information comprises displaying a receipt for claiming a prize.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying the receipt for claiming the prize comprises displaying a confirmation code on the receipt, wherein the confirmation code uniquely identifies the receipt.

10. A system for providing access to a first fantasy sports contest and a second fantasy sports contest to a user using a fantasy sports contest application, the system comprising:

means for identifying a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest and with the user, the first fantasy sports contest taking place during a first time period; and

means for automatically selecting at least a portion of a second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest and with the user from the first fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the second fantasy sports contest takes place during a second time period that overlaps with the first time period.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the means for identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprises means for identifying a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with a first set of team selection rules;

the means for automatically making at least a portion of the roster selection in the second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest comprises means for making at least a portion of the roster selections in the second fantasy sports team roster according to a second set of team selection rules; and

the first set of team selection rules is different from the second set of team selection rules.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the means for identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprises means for identifying a first fantasy sports contest associated with a first contest level that allows a first group of users having a first set of characteristics to make roster selections;

the means for automatically making at least a portion of the roster selections in the second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest comprises means for identifying a second fantasy sports contest associated with a second contest level that allows a second group of users having a second set of characteristics to make roster selections; and

the first group of users and the second group of users share at least one user.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprising:

means for receiving a code that uniquely identifies the first fantasy sports contest from the user; and

means for displaying information associated with the first fantasy sports contest in response to receiving the code from the user.

14. The system of claim 10, the system further comprising:

means for displaying user performance information associated with the first fantasy sports contest to the user, and

means for simultaneously displaying user performance information associated with the second fantasy sports contest to the user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for displaying user performance information comprises means for displaying prize information.

16. The system of claim 15, the system further comprising:

means for receiving user-command to obtain additional information associated with the prize information; and

means for displaying the additional information associated with the prize information to the user in response to receiving the user-command.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for displaying the additional information associated with the prize information comprises means for displaying a receipt for claiming a prize.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for displaying the receipt for claiming the prize comprises means for displaying a confirmation code on the receipt, wherein the confirmation code uniquely identifies the receipt.

19. A system for providing access to a first fantasy sports contest and a second fantasy sports contest to a user using a fantasy sports contest application, the system comprising:

a user input device;

a user output device comprising a display device; and

server equipment and user equipment configured to;

identify a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest and with the user, the first fantasy sports contest taking place during a first time period; and

automatically select at least a portion of a second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest and with the user from the first fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the second fantasy sports contest takes place during a second time period that overlaps with the first time period.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the server equipment and the user equipment are configured to:

identify a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with a first set of team selection rules; and

make at least a portion of the roster selections in the second fantasy sports team roster according to a second set of team selection rules, wherein the first set of team selection rules is different from the second set of team selection rules.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the server equipment and the user equipment are configured to:

identify a first fantasy sports contest associated with a first contest level that allows a first group of users having a first set of characteristics to make roster selections; and

identify a second fantasy sports contest associated with a second contest level that allows a second group of users having a second set of characteristics to make roster selections, wherein the first group of users and the second group of users share at least one user.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the server equipment and the user equipment are configured to:

receive a code that uniquely identifies the first fantasy sports contest from the user; and

display information associated with the first fantasy sports contest in response to receiving the code from the user.

23. The system of claim 19, the system further comprising:

display user performance information associated with the first fantasy sports contest to the user, and

simultaneously display user performance information associated with the second fantasy sports contest to the user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the server equipment and the user equipment are configured to display prize information.

25. The system of claim 24, the system further comprising:

receive user-command to obtain additional information associated with the prize information; and

display the additional information associated with the prize information to the user in response to receiving the user-command.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the server equipment and the user equipment are configured to display a receipt for claiming a prize.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the server equipment and the user equipment are configured to display a confirmation code on the receipt, wherein the confirmation code uniquely identifies the receipt.

28. Machine-readable media for providing access to a first fantasy sports contest and a second fantasy sports contest to a user using a fantasy sports contest application implemented by processing circuitry wherein the machine-readable media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising:

identifying by the processing circuitry a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest and with the user, the first fantasy sports contest taking place during a first time period; and

automatically selecting by the processing circuitry at least a portion of a second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest and with the user from the first fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the second fantasy sports contest takes place during a second time period that overlaps with the first time period.

29. The machine-readable media of claim 28, wherein identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprises identifying a first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with a first set of team selection rules;

wherein automatically making at least a portion of the roster selection in the second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest comprises making at least a portion of the roster selections in the second fantasy sports team roster according to a second set of team selection rules; and

wherein the first set of team selection rules is different from the second set of team selection rules.

30. The machine-readable media of claim 28, wherein identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprises identifying a first fantasy sports contest associated with a first contest level that allows a first group of users having a first set of characteristics to make roster selections;

wherein automatically making at least a portion of the roster selections in the second fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the second fantasy sports contest comprises identifying a second fantasy sports contest associated with a second contest level that allows a second group of users having a second set of characteristics to make roster selections; and

wherein the first group of users and the second group of users share at least one user.

31. The machine-readable media of claim 28, wherein identifying the first fantasy sports contest team roster associated with the first fantasy sports contest comprising:

receiving a code that uniquely identifies the first fantasy sports contest from the user; and

displaying information associated with the first fantasy sports contest in response to receiving the code from the user.

32. The machine-readable media of claim 28, the system further comprising:

displaying user performance information associated with the first fantasy sports contest to the user, and

simultaneously displaying user performance information associated with the second fantasy sports contest to the user.

33. The machine-readable media of claim 32, wherein displaying user performance information comprises displaying prize information.

34. The machine-readable media of claim 33, the system further comprising:

receiving user-command to obtain additional information associated with the prize information; and

displaying the additional information associated with the prize information to the user in response to receiving the user-command.

35. The machine-readable media of claim 34, wherein displaying the additional information associated with the prize information comprises displaying a receipt for claiming a prize.

36. The machine-readable media of claim 35, wherein displaying the receipt for claiming the prize comprises displaying a confirmation code on the receipt, wherein the confirmation code uniquely identifies the receipt.