Systems and methods for providing enhanced sports watching media guidance

• US 7,985,134 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US11/888,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 9, 463/20, 463/23, 463 30- 32, 463/34, 463 36- 37, 463 40- 43, 463 46- 47, 463/50, 463/53, 463/56, 463/25, 273/108.1, 273/108.3, 273/108.4, 273/118.R, 273/150, 273/244, 273/244.1, 273/247, 273/259, 273/317.1, 273/317.3, 273/317.4, 273/317.5, 273/317.6, 273/359, 273/406, 273/440.1, 273460-461, 340/323.R, 340/323.B, 700 90- 93, 705/37, 709203-207, 345473-475, 345618-619, 345/629, 377 4- 5, 725/37, 725/40, 725/58, 725/112, 725/114, 725135-136, 725/138, 725/141, 725/144
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 using a channel name
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 : involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 : Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An integrated environment for sports watching, sports wagering, and fantasy league play is provided. Odds, spread, or money line information may be displayed for any available sporting contest. Wagers may be accepted and payout information may be automatically calculated. The desired wager amount may be deducted from a wagering account bank balance associated with the user. Data relating to the sporting contest may be received from a supplemental data feed or data source in real-time, and the user'"'"'s wagering account bank balance may be automatically updated based on the received data and the placed wager. The integrated fantasy league feature allows a user to create or join a public or private fantasy league, create new teams, view player or team statistics, and send messages between other users. Fantasy league point totals may be automatically computed and displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing an integrated sports wagering and viewing environment, the environment including a content source and a user equipment, wherein the user equipment comprises a user input device, a display, and control circuitry, wherein the content source and the user equipment are in different geographical locations, the method comprising:

receiving, from the user input device, a first indication of a sporting contest, wherein;

the first indication enables a user to place a wager on the sporting contest; and

the sporting contest is a live event received by the user equipment from the content source, wherein the live event is a contest between a plurality of teams having a plurality of human competitors;

in response to receiving the first indication, simultaneously;

displaying, on the display, (1) information about the sporting contest,

(2) bank balance information associated with the user, and

(3) odds, spread, or money line data for the sporting contest, wherein said information about the sporting contest, bank balance information associated with a user and odds, spread, or money line data for the sporting contest are generated by and received from the content source;

prior to the end of the sporting contest;

receiving, from the user input device, an indication of at least one of the plurality of human competitors, at least one of the plurality of teams, or wager type;

receiving, from the user input device, a desired wager amount, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the wager amount prior to the end of the sporting contest and while the user is viewing the sporting contest;

calculating, using the content source, a payout amount based on the desired wager amount and the odds, spread, or money line;

displaying, on the display, the calculated payout amount; and

deducting the desired wager amount from the bank balance;

after the sporting contest begins;

providing, from the content source to the user equipment, an audio or video presentation of the sporting contest to the user;

receiving, from the content source at the user equipment, results of the sporting contest; and

automatically updating the bank balance based on the received results; and

after receiving results of the sporting contest from the content source and updating the bank balance;

receiving, from the user input device, a second indication of the sporting contest after the conclusion of the sporting contest; and

displaying, on the display, the results of the sporting contest and

the updated bank balance in response to receiving the second indication of the sporting contest.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically updating the bank balance based on the received results comprises adding the wager amount to the bank balance if the received results indicate that the wager was not lost.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically updating the bank balance based on the received results comprises adding the calculated payout amount to the bank balance if the received results indicate that the wager was won.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing the user from accessing wagering features if the bank balance is less than a predetermined amount.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the wager type is selected from the group consisting of final score, half-time score, and over/under.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the bank balance comprises a bank balance of pretend money.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the user can use the pretend money to purchase the right to view programming.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the user can use the pretend money to purchase merchandise.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising paying interest on the bank balance.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user an option to reset the bank balance when it falls below a first predetermined amount, wherein resetting the bank balance comprises setting the bank balance to a second, larger predetermined amount.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising offering the user an incentive to create wagers.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the incentive comprises an entry into a drawing.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing the bank balance as an incentive for the user to perform another action.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the other action comprises subscribing to a package of sports programming.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the other action comprises completing a survey.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the other action comprises answering a trivia question.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a ranked list of the bank balances associated with a plurality of users;

displaying at least a portion of the ranked list; and

displaying the user'"'"'s position on the ranked list.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a request from the user to view a list of recent wagers, and, in response to the request, displaying a list of recent wagers placed by the user.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to restrict access to wagering features;

receiving a first access code from the user;

storing the first access code;

requiring the entry of a second access code prior upon the user'"'"'s subsequent selection of a wagering feature;

comparing the second access code to the stored first access code;

if the access codes are the same, allowing the user to access the selected wagering feature; and

if the access codes are not the same, preventing the user from accessing the selected wagering feature.

20. A system for providing an integrated sports wagering and viewing environment comprising:

memory to store bank balance information associated with a user; and

user equipment comprising control circuitry, a user input device and a display, wherein;

a content source and the user equipment are in different geographical locations; and

the control circuitry is configured to;

receive, from the user, a first indication of a sporting contest, wherein;

the first indication enables the user to place a wager on the sporting contest; and

the sporting contest is a live event received by the user equipment from the content source, and wherein the live event is a contest between a plurality of teams having a plurality of human competitors;

in response to receiving the first indication, simultaneously;

display information about (1) the sporting contest,

(2) the bank balance information and

(3) odds, spread, or money line data for the sporting contest, wherein said information about the sporting contest, bank balance information and odds, spread, or money line data for the sporting contest are generated by and received from the content source;

prior to the end of the sporting contest;

receive from the user an indication of at least one of the plurality of human competitors, at least one of the plurality of teams, or wager type;

receive from the user a desired wager amount, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the wager amount prior to the end of the sporting contest and while the user is viewing the sporting contest;

calculate, using the content source, a payout amount based on the desired wager amount and the odds, spread, or money line;

display the calculated payout amount; and

deduct the desired wager amount from the bank balance;

after the sporting contest begins;

provide an audio or video presentation of the sporting contest received from the content source to the user;

receive results of the sporting contest from the content source; and

automatically update the bank balance based on the received results; and

after receiving results of the sporting contest from the content source and updating the bank balance;

receive from the user a second indication of the sporting contest after the conclusion of the sporting contest; and

display the results of the sporting contest and

the updated bank balance in response to receiving the second indication of the sporting contest.