Method of and system for conducting multiple contests of skill with a single performance

• US 8,002,618 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winview IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: WinView Incorporated (GameSquare Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockton, David B., Berner, Mark K., Micheli, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/652,240
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: 463/5, 463/9, 463/16, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/9
• 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A method of and system for conducting multiple competitions of skill for a single performance are described herein. User generated competition groups and system generated competition groups allow users to participate in multiple competitions at once based on answering the same questions or making the same selections related to a single event. The users are informed of each competition either via email, text message or when logging into the network via a website. The users select which competitions groups to join. After joining the desired groups, the users then make their selections related to the event which are transmitted to the network where results are tabulated and transmitted back to the users. The results are separated based on each competition group, so that users can continually know where they stand in each separate competition. With multiple competition groups, users are able to have varying success from the same performance in multiple competitions.

Claims

1. A method of participating in multiple contests of skill each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to a common event comprising:

a. receiving a list of competitive groups to join on a memory device;

b. selecting a plurality of competitive groups to join;

c. participating with the plurality of competitive groups by sending selections related to the common event from the memory device to a server, wherein the common event comprises a common set of game elements revealed simultaneously to all competitors; and

d. receiving standings on the memory device from the server periodically and during participating with the plurality of competitive groups, wherein the standings are based on results from the selections, are separated based on the plurality of competitive groups and represent relative performance in the separate competitive groups.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of a television-based sporting event, an entertainment show and a game show.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises classic card, dice, trivia and word games played simultaneously.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the competitive groups are selected from the group consisting of service provider generated competitive groups and user generated competitive groups.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the service provider generated competitive groups are based on general playing characteristics.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the list of competitive groups to join is received on the device selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a personal computer and a PDA.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the competitive groups are maintained in a database.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the results include a handicap.

9. A method of conducting multiple contests of skill each comprising a plurality of competitors, wherein the multiple contests correspond to a common event, the method comprising:

a. generating separate competitive groups related to the event;

b. coupling to a network with a memory device to participate in the competitive groups;

c. informing a user which of the competitive groups are available for the user to join;

d. joining a selected number of the competitive groups;

e. participating with the competitive groups by sending selections related to the common event from the memory device to a server within the network, wherein the common event comprises a common set of game elements revealed simultaneously to all competitors;

f. storing results and standings on the server, wherein the standings are based on the results and the results are based on the selections and further wherein the standings are separated based on the plurality of competitive groups and represent performance in the competitive groups; and

g. transmitting the standings to the memory device periodically and during participating with the competitive groups.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising displaying the standings on the device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the server contains an application and a database for assisting in generating the competitive group.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the application includes a graphical user interface.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the device contains an application for assisting in generating the competitive group.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein generating competitive groups related to the event further comprises:

a. coupling to the server;

b. selecting a type of contest and additional conditions to be included in the competitive group;

c. adding competitors to the competitive group; and

d. selecting the event for competition by the competitive group.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the type of contest is selected from the group consisting of an open contest, a head-to-head contest and a team contest.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein adding competitors to the competitive group includes identifying the competitors by an identifier selected from the group consisting of a username, an email address, a cellular phone number and a personal identifier.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14 further comprising sending an invitation which informs the competitors of an opportunity to be included in the competitive group.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the invitation is sent by a mechanism selected from the group consisting of an email, an SMS text message and a voice message.

19. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of a television-based sporting event, an entertainment show and a game show.

20. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the event comprises classic card, dice, trivia and word games played simultaneously.

21. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the competitive groups are selected from the group consisting of service provider generated competitive groups and user generated competitive groups.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the service provider generated competitive groups are based on general playing characteristics.

23. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a personal computer and a PDA.

24. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the competitive groups are maintained in a database.

25. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the results include a handicap.

26. A system for conducting multiple contests of skill each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to a common event comprising:

a. a device; and

b. a server coupled to the device through a network for;

i. storing competitive groups;

ii. receiving selections related to the common event, wherein the common event comprises a common set of game elements revealed simultaneously to all competitors;

iii. storing results and standings based on the selections, wherein the standings are based on the results, are separated based on the competitive groups and represent performance in the competitive groups; and

iv. transmitting the standings to the device periodically and during participation of the common event.

27. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the server is further for providing an interface for generating competitive groups related to the event.

28. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the device contains an application for generating the competitive groups related to the event.

29. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of a television-based sporting event, an entertainment show and a game show.

30. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the event comprises classic card, dice, trivia and word games played simultaneously.

31. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the device communicates data for generating the competitive groups, for selecting the competitive groups to join and for submitting the selections.

32. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the network includes at least one of the Internet and a cellular network.

33. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the network identifies the competitive groups a user is eligible for.

34. The system as claimed in claim 26 further comprising a database stored on the server for managing the selections, the results, the standings and the competitive groups.

35. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a personal computer and a PDA.

36. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the results include a handicap.

37. A network of devices for conducting multiple contests of skill each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to a common event comprising:

a. a plurality of devices; and

b. a server within a network, wherein the server and the plurality of devices communicate to conduct the multiple contests of skill corresponding to the common event, the server for;

i. storing competitive groups;

ii. receiving selections related to the common event, wherein the common event comprises a common set of game elements revealed simultaneously to all competitors;

iii. storing results and standings based on the selections, wherein the standings are based on the results, are separated based on the competitive groups and represent performance in the competitive groups; and

iv. transmitting the standings to the device periodically and during participation of the common event.

38. The network of devices as claimed in claim 37 wherein the plurality of devices are selected from the group consisting of cellular phones, laptop computers, personal computers and PDAs.

39. A server device for conducting multiple contests of skill each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to a common event comprising:

a. a storage mechanism; and

b. an application for interacting with the storage mechanism and a communicating device to generate and store competitive groups which are used to compete in the multiple contests of skill for;

i. receiving selections related to the common event, wherein the common event comprises a common set of game elements revealed simultaneously to all competitors;

ii. storing results and standings based on the selections, wherein the standings are based on the results, are separated based on the competitive groups and represent performance in the competitive groups; and

iii. transmitting the standings to the device periodically and during participation of the common event.

40. The server device as claimed in claim 39 wherein the storage mechanism is a database.

41. The server device as claimed in claim 39 wherein the communicating device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a personal computer and a PDA.

42. The server device as claimed in claim 39 wherein interacting with the storage mechanism and the communicating device further includes receiving selections and transmitting standings.

43. A device for participating in multiple contests of skill each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to a common event comprising:

a. a communications module for coupling to a server, the server for;

i. storing competitive groups;

ii. receiving selections related to the common event, wherein the common event comprises a common set of game elements revealed simultaneously to all competitors;

iii. storing results and standings based on the selections, wherein the standings are based on the results, are separated based on the competitive groups and represent performance in the competitive groups; and

iv. transmitting the standings to the device periodically and during participation of the common event; and

b. an application for utilizing the communications module for coupling to a server to communicate with the server to generate competitive groups which are used to compete in the multiple contests of skill.

44. The device as claimed in claim 43 wherein the application utilizes the communications module for coupling to the server to send selections to and receive standings from the server.