Systems and methods for providing fantasy sports contests based on subevents

• US 8,176,518 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Junkin, William, Barber, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles N
• Application Number:
  US10/234,986
• Time in Patent Office: 3,539 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/10, 725/61
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8052 Ball team management
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8064 Quiz
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

Fantasy sports contests based on segments of a single sports event. A segment or subevent may be a portion of a single sports event. The users choose a roster of selections to form an fantasy sports contest team roster. Fantasy points are awarded to the user for the real-life performance of the selections on the fantasy sports contest team roster according to rules of the fantasy sports contest. In one embodiment, the user is presented with bonus questions asking for predictions on the outcome of real-life action during a subevent of the a televised competition. Fantasy points may be awarded to users making correct predictions. The bonus questions may supplement fantasy scoring from the users'"'"' team rosters, or may be presented as a stand alone interactive sports contest.

Claims

1. A method for providing a fantasy sports contest to a user, using a fantasy sports contest application, the method comprising:

providing a broadcast of a sporting game to the user on a display screen;

providing, during the broadcast of the sporting game, the user with the ability to join a fantasy sports contest based on a remaining portion of the sporting game;

providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game to include in a fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the fantasy sports team roster is associated with the fantasy sports contest; and

awarding points to the user based on the performance of the fantasy sports team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game and not on an earlier portion of the sporting game.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game comprises providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from a sporting game involving a local sports team.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing bonus questions associated with the fantasy sports contest team roster; and

scoring the fantasy sports contest based, at least in part, on the bonus questions.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein providing bonus questions comprises querying the user for a prediction on real-life action associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein providing bonus questions comprises providing trivia questions associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest team roster.

6. A method for providing a fantasy sports contest application comprising:

providing a broadcast of a sporting game on a display screen;

enabling, during broadcast of the sporting game, a user to create a customized fantasy sports contest based on the performance of athletes during a remaining portion of the sporting game and not on an earlier portion of the sporting game;

enabling the user to propose the customized fantasy sports contest to other users; and

allowing the user to participate in the customized fantasy sports contest with the other users.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein enabling a user to create a customized fantasy sports contest comprises enabling the user to set at least one of a set of scoring rules and a duration for the customized fantasy sports contest.

8. A system for providing a fantasy sports contest to a user, using a fantasy sports contest application, the system comprising:

means for providing a broadcast of a sporting game to the user on a display screen;

means for providing, during the broadcast of the sporting game, the user with the ability to join a fantasy sports contest based on a remaining portion of the sporting game;

means for providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game to include in a fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the fantasy sports team roster is associated with the fantasy sports contest; and

means for awarding points to the user based on the performance of the fantasy sports team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game and not on an earlier portion of the sporting game.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein means for providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game comprises means for providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from a sporting game involving a local sports team.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

means for providing bonus questions associated with the fantasy sports contest team roster; and

means for scoring the fantasy sports contest based, at least in part, on the bonus questions.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein means for providing bonus questions comprises means for querying the user for a prediction on real-life action associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein means for providing bonus questions comprises means for providing trivia questions associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest team roster.

13. A system for providing a fantasy sports contest application comprising:

means for providing a broadcast of a sporting game on a display screen;

means for enabling, during broadcast of the sporting game, a user to create a customized fantasy sports contest based on the performance of athletes during a remaining portion of the sporting game and not on an earlier portion of the sporting game;

means for enabling the user to propose the customized fantasy sports contest to other users; and

means for allowing the user to participate in the customized fantasy sports contest with the other users.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein means for enabling a user to create a customized fantasy sports contest comprises means for enabling the user to set at least one of a set of scoring rules and a duration for the customized fantasy sports contest.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions for providing a fantasy sports contest to a user, the computer-readable instructions comprising:

providing a broadcast of a sporting game to the user on a display screen;

providing, during the broadcast of the sporting game, the user with the ability to join a fantasy sports contest based on a remaining portion of the sporting game;

providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game to include in a fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the fantasy sports team roster is associated with the fantasy sports contest; and

awarding points to the user based on the performance of the fantasy sports team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game and not on an earlier portion of the sporting game.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable instructions for providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game comprises computer-readable instructions for providing the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from a sporting game involving a local sports team.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, the computer readable instructions further comprising:

providing bonus questions associated with the fantasy sports contest team roster; and

scoring the fantasy sports contest based, at least in part, on the bonus questions.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the computer-readable instructions for providing bonus questions comprises computer-readable instructions for querying the user for a prediction on real-life action associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein the computer-readable instructions for providing bonus questions comprises computer-readable instructions for providing trivia questions associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest team roster.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions for providing a fantasy sports contest application, the computer-readable instructions comprising:

providing a broadcast of a sporting game on a display screen;

enabling, during broadcast of the sporting game, a user, to create a customized fantasy sports contest based on the performance of athletes during a remaining portion of the sporting game and not an earlier portion of the sporting game;

enabling the user to propose the customized fantasy sports contest to other users; and

allowing the user to participate in the customized fantasy sports contest with the other users.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer-readable instructions for enabling a user to create a customized fantasy sports contest comprises computer readable instructions for enabling the user to set at least one of a set of scoring rules and a duration for the customized fantasy sports contest.

22. A system for providing a 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

processing circuitry configured to;

provide a broadcast of a sporting game to the user on the display device;

provide, during the broadcast of the sporting game, the user with the ability to join a fantasy sports contest based on a remaining portion of the sporting game;

provide the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game to include in a fantasy sports contest team roster, wherein the fantasy sports team roster is associated with the fantasy sports contest; and

award points to the user based on the performance of the fantasy sports team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game and not on an earlier portion of the sporting game.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry configured to provide the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from the sporting game comprises processing circuitry configured to provide the user with the ability to select at least one athlete from a sporting game involving a local sports team.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

provide bonus questions associated with the fantasy sports contest team roster; and

score the fantasy sports contest based, at least in part, on the bonus questions.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the processing circuitry configured to provide bonus questions comprises processing circuitry configured to query the user for a prediction on real-life action associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest team roster during the remaining portion of the sporting game.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the processing circuitry configured to provide bonus questions comprises processing circuitry configured to provide trivia questions associated with athletes on the fantasy sports contest roster.

27. A system for providing a fantasy sports contest application comprising:

a user input device;

a user output device comprising a display device; and

processing circuitry configured to;

provide a broadcast of a sporting game on the display device;

enable, during broadcast of the sporting game, a user to create a customized fantasy sports contest based on the performance of athletes during a remaining portion of the sporting game and not on an earlier portion of the sporting game;

enable the user to propose the customized fantasy sports contest to other users; and

allow the user to participate in the customized fantasy sports contest with the other users.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the processing circuitry configured to enable a user to create a customized fantasy sports contest comprises processing circuitry configured to enable the user to set at least one of a set of scoring rules and a duration for the customized fantasy sports contest.