System, method and computer program product for providing an interactive trivia game on an electronic device

• US 8,684,807 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Crici
• Original Assignee: Richard Crici
• Inventors: Crici, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/367,281
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463 29- 31, 463 40- 42, 434/322, 434/350
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8064 Quiz

Abstract

An interactive web and mobile phone game system may include a web server having a database, a computer software program and a portable electronic device for interactively communicating with each other via a communications link when playing the game. The game may be played via computer such as a mobile phone, computer terminal or the like. As a non-limiting example, a portable electronic device may be utilized in a vehicle having an actuator linked to a transceiver via a communication interface. A plurality of vehicle components may further be linked to the actuator. In this way, the game may be played using the portable electronic device for remotely communicating with the web server and vehicle components via the communications link.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating an interactive game, the method executing on at least one processor of a computing device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a first user input from a first user at a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a screen of an application executing on the computing device;

upon detecting said first user input from said first user, displaying a game play object at the GUI, said game play object identifying an initial game to be played by said first user;

detecting, at the GUI, a second user input from said first user, wherein said second user input selects a game question category associated with said initial game;

upon detecting said second user input at the GUI, determining whether said first user is a game owner of said initial game;

if said first user is said game owner, selecting game play default rules that designate a plurality of initial game questions associated with said game question category, said initial game questions comprising at least one automatically created initial game question, at least one predetermined initial game question, and at least one user-created initial game question;

upon selection of said game play default rules, said game play default rules automatically creating said at least one automatically created initial game question;

prior to said first user initiating said initial game, said first user selecting said at least one predetermined initial game question from a set of one or more predetermined questions associated with the game question category;

enabling first user to create said at least one user-created initial game question, each of said at least one user-created game question having at least one question and at least one associated answer;

initiating said initial game having said plurality of initial game questions including said at least one automatically created initial game question, said at least one predetermined initial game question from the set of one or more predetermined question associated with the game question category, and said at least one user-created initial game question;

receiving a third user input from said first user that invites a second user to play said initial game through a hyperlink;

enabling said second user to forward said hyperlink of said initial game to a third user during play of the initial game;

upon approval from said first user, said game play default rules enabling creation of a subsequent game comprising a plurality of subsequent game questions to be added to the plurality of initial game questions, said subsequent game questions comprising said at least one additional automatically created initial game question and at least one subsequent user-created game question;

prior to initiating play of said subsequent game, said game play default rules further enabling at least one of said second user and said third user to create said at least one subsequent user-created game question; and

enabling said second user or said third user to initiate said subsequent game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

if the game play default rules consider credentials of the second user, creating said at least one subsequent user-created game question based on the credentials of said second user.