Methods and apparatus for distributed gaming over a mobile device
First Claim
1. A method of updating participants of a game, comprising:
- selecting from a plurality of participants of the game, a subset of sampling participants;
establishing a two-way connection with each of the sampling participants;
maintaining the two-way connection throughout the game with each of the sampling participants;
periodically, receiving through the two-way connection, data from only the sampling participants, the data representing performance of the sampling participant for a period of the game;
based only on the sampling data, determining a performance metric for the game; and
broadcasting the performance metric to a participant of the game.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are provided for updating game participants. In some embodiments, the participants receive game control information via a one-way broadcast. The method selects a set of sampling participants from the set of all participants of a game. In some embodiments, the selection occurs prior to the start of the game. The method of some embodiments establishes a two-way connection between a server and each of the sampling participants. For some embodiments, the two-way connection is realtime. The method continuously maintains the two-way connection throughout the game. During each discrete game period, the method receives from a sampling participant, data for the sampling participant'"'"'s game period performance. Based on the received data, the method determines the performance for the game period and broadcasts this information to a non-sampling participant. A non-sampling participant is a participant who was not selected for the set of sampling participants. In some embodiments, the non-sampling participant determines a standing relative to the other participants in the game event. Some embodiments provide a method and system for detecting unusual performance in a game. The game has a participant. The method calculates for the participant an average performance level. Based on the average performance level, the method tracks for the participant a participant improvement factor and stores the participant improvement factor. The method compares the participant improvement factor to a threshold value.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method of updating participants of a game, comprising:
-
selecting from a plurality of participants of the game, a subset of sampling participants; establishing a two-way connection with each of the sampling participants; maintaining the two-way connection throughout the game with each of the sampling participants; periodically, receiving through the two-way connection, data from only the sampling participants, the data representing performance of the sampling participant for a period of the game; based only on the sampling data, determining a performance metric for the game; and broadcasting the performance metric to a participant of the game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A system for updating participants of a game, comprising:
-
means for selecting from a plurality of participants of the game, a subset of sampling participants; means for establishing a two-way connection with only each of the sampling participants; means for maintaining the two-way connection throughout the game with each of the sampling participants; means for periodically, receiving through the two-way connection, data from only sampling participants, the data representing performance of the sampling participant for a period of the game; means for based only on the sampling data, determining a performance metric for the game; and means for broadcasting to a participant of the game the game performance metric. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of updating participants of a game on a device, comprising:
-
randomly selecting a subset of sampling participants from a plurality of participants of the game, wherein randomly selecting the subset of sampling participants is performed by a server; establishing a two-way connection only with each of the sampling participants; maintaining the two-way connection with each of the sampling participants throughout the game; periodically, receiving through the two-way connection, data from only sampling participants, the data representing performance of the sampling participant for a period of the game; based only on the sampling data, determining a performance metric for the game; broadcasting the performance metric to a participant of the game.
-
-
21. A method of updating participants of a real-time game of skill based on televised events on a device, comprising:
-
selecting a sampling subset of sampling participants from a plurality of participants of the game, wherein the plurality of participants of the game are a participant subset of a plurality of viewers; establishing a two-way connection with only each of the sampling participants; maintaining the two-way connection with each of the sampling participants throughout the game; periodically, receiving through the two-way connection, real-time sampling data from a only sampling participants, the data representing performance of the sampling participant for a period of the game; based only on the sampling data, determining a performance metric for the game; and broadcasting the performance metric to all participants of the game.
-
-
22. A method of updating participants of a contest on a device, comprising:
-
selecting a sampling subset of sampling participants from a plurality of participants of the contest, wherein the plurality of participants includes the sampling subset of sampling participants and a non-sampling subset of non-sampling participants, wherein each of the sampling subset of sampling participants and each of the non-sampling subset of non-sampling participants are participating in the contest on the device; establishing a two-way connection only with each of the sampling subset of sampling participants; maintaining the two-way connection with each of the sampling subset of sampling participants throughout the contest; periodically, receiving through the two-way connection, data from each of the sampling subset of sampling participants, the data representing performance of the sampling participant for a period of the contest; based only on the sampling data, determining a performance metric for the contest; and broadcasting the performance metric to the participants of the contest.
-
Specification