Method of and system for managing client resources and assets for activities on computing devices

• US 8,738,694 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winview IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: WinView Incorporated (GameSquare Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huske, Tim, Micheli, Mark J., Lockton, David B., Bemer, Mark K., Ford, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Golabbakhsh, Ebrahim
• Application Number:
  US11/472,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20070054695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,898 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A method of and system for enabling a distributed entertainment system over a computing device is described herein. When implementing a distributed entertainment system wherein the entertainment system is directly correlated to live events or televised programs, there are a number of issues that must be addressed such as differing timing and channels of television programs and separate state laws. Furthermore, there are a plethora of varying computing device models possibly requiring model-specific software. An “Activity Client” is provided to handle such concerns. Furthermore, since time is of the essence for activities based on live or televised events, it is necessary to ensure a computing device is able to receive the necessary updates for the program before the event begins. By providing only the needed components instead of entire data packages, the present invention is able to much more efficiently prepare users'"'"' computing devices in time.

Claims

1. A method of implementing an entertainment service on computing devices comprising:

a. selecting and registering with a television-related service;

b. downloading an activity client to a computing device;

c. loading a set of event information related to the location of the computing device to the activity client from the television-related service, wherein the location determines the set of event information to be loaded;

d. selecting an event to participate in by a user from a presented list of possible events constructed from the set of event information;

e. downloading a set of activity-specific information related to an activity from a server to the computing device including;

i. receiving a list of assets from the server;

ii. comparing the list of assets with a first set of assets on the computing device; and

iii. receiving only a second set of assets within the list of assets that are not already resident on the computing device; and

f. executing an application corresponding to the event on the computing device, wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of a game, a survey and a poll.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the activity client is a program for managing activity information and data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising identifying a user status.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein identifying the user status includes identifying a geographic location of the computing device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the activity client is specifically designed for the computing device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein executing the application is in real-time, synchronized with the event.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of event information includes a schedule of available events.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the schedule of available events includes a name of a television event, identification of an activity to be played with the television event, a television network and local channel offering the television event, a duration of the television event and information relating to nature of a prize related to the television event.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising displaying the set of event information.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of event information is continually broadcast from the server and received at the computing device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of activity-specific information includes activity-specific instructions and information related to nature of the activity and event.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an activity interpreter resident in the activity client is used to execute the application.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the activity interpreter combines activity, event and device instructions to execute the activity in real-time.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device is a wireless device.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a set-top box, a personal computer, a gaming console, a laptop computer, a cell phone, a PDA and a combination device.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising improving efficiency by prioritizing the second set of assets.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second set of assets are grouped into a set of necessary assets and a set of preferred assets.

18. A method of implementing an entertainment service on computing devices comprising:

a. selecting and registering with a television-related service;

b. selecting an activity client from a set of activity clients based on identification data of a computing device;

c. downloading the activity client to the computing device;

d. loading a set of event information related to the location of the computing device from the television-related service into a template residing in the activity client;

e. selecting an event to participate in from a list of possible events;

f. downloading a set of activity-specific information related to an activity from a server to the computing device, wherein the set of activity-specific information is grouped into a first group of required assets and a second group of preferable assets, wherein assets in each of the first group and the second group are prioritized; and

g. executing an application corresponding to the event on the computing device, wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of a game, a survey and a poll.

19. A method of implementing an entertainment service on computing devices comprising:

a. selecting and registering with a television-related service;

b. downloading an activity client to a computing device;

c. loading a set of event information to the activity client from the television-related service;

d. selecting an event to participate in from a list of possible events;

e. a downloading a set of activity-specific information from a server to the computing device, wherein the set of activity-specific information is grouped into a first group of required assets and a second group of preferable assets, wherein assets in each of the first group and the second group are prioritized, and wherein the first group of required assets is downloaded before the event begins; and

f. executing an application corresponding to the event on the computing device, wherein the application is synchronized with television programming, and further wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of a game, a survey and a poll.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 further comprising identifying a user status including identifying a geographic location of the computing device.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein executing the application is in real-time, synchronized with the event.

22. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the computing device is a wireless device.

23. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a set-top box, a personal computer, a gaming console, a laptop computer, a cell phone, a PDA and a combination device.

24. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event includes an activity of skill.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein prizes are awarded to winners of the activity of skill.

26. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the activity-specific information includes advertising.

27. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event is watched on a user'"'"'s wireless device.

28. A method of implementing an entertainment service on computing devices comprising:

a. selecting and registering with a television-related service;

b. downloading an activity client to a computing device;

c. loading a set of game information from the television-related service related to the location of the computing device to the activity client, wherein the location determines the set of game information to be loaded;

d. selecting a game to participate in by a user from a presented list of possible games constructed from the set of game information;

e. a downloading a set of activity-specific information related to an activity from a server to the computing device; and

f. executing an application corresponding to the game on the computing device, wherein the application is selected from the group consisting of a game, a survey and a poll.