Method and system for mediating interactive services over a wireless communications network

• US 7,627,680 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cricket Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hutcheson, Doug, Robinson, Richard, Caliguri, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet
• Application Number:
  US11/032,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20050169235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• 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 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• 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: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 : Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for controlling the state of an interactive application and controlling delivery of the interactive application to one or more users. The system of the present invention is a system for delivering an interactive application to one or more users of a communications network and may comprise an interactive application adapted to the communications network; a user access device adapted to receive said interactive application; control means for establishing parameters under which said interactive application is rendered on said user access device; and mediation means for establishing terms for the interaction between the at least one user and other users and the communications network.

Claims

1. A method of controlling delivery of an interactive application to one or more access devices over a wireless communications network, further comprising a game server, the method comprising:

locating a plurality of potential players, wherein an access device corresponding to each of the plurality of potential players comprises a wireless access device;

retrieving access device information corresponding to the plurality of potential players;

resolving any differences between the access devices corresponding to the plurality of potential players;

determining common capability and connection parameters and enabling the common capability and connection parameters that are determined;

determining a skill level associated with each of the plurality of potential players;

notifying each of the plurality of potential players of the skill level associated with the other potential players;

querying each of the plurality of potential players to determine whether they will join the interactive application as a player; and

initiating the interactive application for each of the joining players.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a common capability set based on at least one factor selected from the group consisting of:

processor capabilities, signal strength, video capabilities, and latency of the access devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein locating a plurality of potential players further comprises:

determining a geographic location for each of the plurality of potential players based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

billing one or more of the plurality of potential players based on a flat-rate, unlimited use plan.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

mediating the interactive application based at least in part on the skill level associated with one or more of the players.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

restricting execution of the interactive application to the determined common capability set.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting communication parameters corresponding to a server executing the interactive application in accordance with the determined common capability and connection parameters.

3. A method of mediating the delivery of an interactive application to one or more access devices over a wireless communications network, further comprising a game server, the method comprising:

initiating an interactive session;

locating one or more access devices corresponding to one or more potential players, the one or more access devices comprising wireless devices;

querying the one or more access devices to determine access device capabilities;

resolving any differences between the one or more access devices based on the determined access device capabilities;

determining a geographic location for each of the one or more access devices based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates; and

facilitating play of the interactive application.

4. A method of controlling the delivery of an interactive game application to one or more access devices over a wireless communications network, further comprising a game server, the method comprising:

locating one or more potential players, wherein an access device corresponding to each of the one or more potential players comprises a wireless access device;

retrieving access device location information corresponding to the one or more potential players, including global positioning system (GPS) coordinates corresponding to one or more of the access devices;

determining that the access devices corresponding to the one or more potential players are capable of peer-to-peer play;

initializing peer-to-peer communications between the access devices; and

enabling game play.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising uploading game and player details to the game server.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein determining that the access devices are capable of peer-to-peer play further comprises:

determining that the access devices corresponding to two or more potential players are located within a predetermined distance of each other.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising mediating game play based on one or more of an access device capability, a player skill value, and a communications network connection parameter.

13. A system comprising:

a wireless communications network communicatively coupling one or more wireless access devices with a game server; and

an interactive game application hosted on the game server, the interactive game application causing processor electronics to perform operations comprising;

locating one or more potential players, each potential player being associated with a wireless access device;

retrieving wireless access device location information corresponding to the one or more potential players, including global positioning system (GPS) coordinates;

determining that the wireless access devices corresponding to the one or more potential players are capable of peer-to-peer play;

initializing peer-to-peer communications between the wireless access devices; and

enabling game play.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the interactive game application further causes processor electronics to perform operations comprising:

uploading game and player details to the game server.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the interactive game application further causes processor electronics to perform operations comprising:

determining that the wireless access devices corresponding to two or more potential players are located within a predetermined distance of each other.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the interactive game application further causes processor electronics to perform operations comprising:

mediating game play based on one or more of a wireless access device capability, a skill value, and a wireless communications network connection parameter.

17. A system comprising:

a wireless communications network communicatively coupling one or more wireless access devices with a game server; and

an interactive application hosted on the game server, the interactive application causing processor electronics to perform operations comprising;

locating potential players, each potential player being associated with a wireless access device;

retrieving wireless access device information corresponding to the potential players;

resolving any differences between the wireless access devices corresponding to the potential players;

determining common capability and connection parameters and enabling the common capability and connection parameters that are determined;

determining a skill level associated with each of the potential players;

notifying each of the potential players of the skill level associated with the other potential players;

querying each of the potential players to determine whether they will join the interactive application as a player; and

initiating the interactive application for each of the joining players.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the interactive application further causes processor electronics to perform operations comprising:

determining a geographic location for each of the potential players based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the interactive application further causes processor electronics to perform operations comprising:

mediating the interactive application based at least in part on skill level.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the interactive application further causes processor electronics to perform operations comprising:

adjusting communication parameters corresponding to the game server in accordance with the determined common capability and connection parameters.