Game service system

• US 8,113,955 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2000
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Bae, Kuk Ho, Ju, Kwang Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCLELLAN, JAMES S
• Application Number:
  US09/709,574
• Time in Patent Office: 4,110 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/53 Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A game service system is provided for transmitting and receiving a broadcast signal and reproducing an image and an audio signal. This system allows a user not only to view TV programs broadcasted from a broadcasting station, but also to order a desired game program, receive the selected game program from a broadcasting station, and execute the selected game program. In addition, because the game program can be transmitted through the broadcasting media, a plurality of users can receive a desired game program.

Claims

1. A game service system, comprising:

a game service transmitting device, comprising;

a multiplexer configured to convert image information and audio information of a broadcast signal, a game program, and game-related information into a transport stream, and

a transmitting unit configured to channel-code, modulate, amplify, and transmit the transport stream; and

a game service receiving device, comprising;

a tuning unit configured to receive the image and audio information of the broadcast signal, a game program ordered by a user, and game-related information, and to select either the image and audio information corresponding to a broadcast channel desired by the user, or the game program ordered by the user; and

a common game interface module configured to demodulate a selected game program and game-related information, to error correct the demodulated information, to download the game program and store the game program in a game memory portion of the common game interface unit for access by a user when desired, and to process the game-related information.

2. A game service transmitting device, comprising:

a multiplexer configured to convert image and audio information of a broadcast signal, a game program, and game-related information by packet unit on a time basis into a transport stream; and

a transmitting unit configured to channel-code the transport stream, and to modulate, amplify, and transmit the transport stream to a receiving unit when requested by a user.

3. A game server system, comprising a game service transmitting device configured to provide game programs and game-related information, wherein the game service transmitting device includes, a multiplexer configured to convert image information and audio information of a broadcast signal, a game program, and game-related information by packet unit on a time basis into a transport stream, and a transmitting unit configured to channel code, modulate, amplify, and transmit the transport stream.

4. The game server system according to claim 3, wherein the game server is configured to receive a game ordering signal indicating a game desired by a user, and to provide the selected game program and game-related information.

5. A game service transmitting method, comprising:

converting image and audio information of a broadcast signal, a game program, and game-related information by packet unit on a time basis into a transport stream;

coding the transport stream; and

amplifying, modulating, and transmitting the transport stream over a certain channel.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein converting image and audio information of the broadcast signal, a game program, and game-related information by packet unit on a time basis into a transport stream further comprises:

adding a new game program desired by a user and game-related information to a previously established game list; and

converting the new game program and game-related information into a transport stream.

7. A game service receiving method, comprising:

extracting a game list comprising game-related information from a transport stream that includes time basis multiplexed packet units of image and audio information of a broadcast signal, a listing of game programs, and game-related information;

downloading a game program desired by a user according to the game-related information and storing the game program in a game memory portion of a receiving device; and

executing the game when desired by the user.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising requesting a game program desired by the user from a transmitting party when the game program desired by the user is not included in the extracted game list.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the game-related information comprises a packet identifier (PID) configured to identify a packet of a game program ordered by a user, and a game list.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

displaying the extracted game list on a display; and

requesting a game desired by the user from a transmitting party when the game program desired by the user is not included in the displayed game list.

11. A broadcast and game receiving device, comprising:

a downloader configured to receive a transport stream having time basis multiplexed packet units of image and audio info nation of a broadcast signal of a channel, a game program, and game-related information, and to download a game program ordered by a user using the game-related information encoded with the image and audio information of the broadcast signal;

a game memory configured to store the downloaded game program for access by a user when desired; and

a CPU configured to execute the stored game program in response to a user request.