Method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for enabling real-time competition having an entertaining experience based on a live event

• US 9,047,732 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROTHESAY LIMITED (John Martin Petter Fallstrom)
• Original Assignee: Iconic Worldwide Gaming Ltd.
• Inventors: O'Brien, Patrick Damien
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US14/257,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463/16, 463/25, 463 29- 33, 463 40- 43, 705/35, 705/36.R, 705/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

The disclosed embodiment relates to methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for enabling real-time competition. An exemplary computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for enabling real-time competition between users according to the disclosed embodiment includes, for example, receiving information from a first user computing device associated with a first user corresponding to the first user'"'"'s competitive position regarding a real-time event, transmitting information to a second user computing device associated with a second user identifying the real-time event, receiving information from the second user computing device corresponding to the second user'"'"'s competitive position regarding the real-time event, and transmitting information to the first user computing device and the second user computing device regarding an outcome of the real-time event relative to the first user'"'"'s competitive position and the second user'"'"'s competitive position.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for enabling real-time competition between a first user and a second user, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, information corresponding to a first competitive position associated with the first user, the first competitive position being associated with a live event that occurs over a specified duration of time;

receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, information corresponding to a second competitive position associated with the second user, the second competitive position also being associated with the live event, the first competitive position and the second competitive position being mutually exclusive;

transmitting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, information to at least one of a first user computing device associated with the first user and a second user computing device associated with the second user for display as an entertaining experience during the specified duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a sporting event having a subject matter that is disparate from a subject matter of the live event, the entertaining experience indicating a real-time state of the first competitive position relative to the second competitive position, the real-time state corresponding to a first state in which the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data associated the live event, a second state in which the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated with the live event, or a third state in which neither the first competitive position nor the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated the live event; and

transmitting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, after the specified duration of time has ended, outcome information to at least one of the first user computing device and the second user computing device, the outcome information indicating whether the real-time data at the end of the specified duration of time was consistent with the first competitive position or the second competitive position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time state is obtained from a live feed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified duration of time is a fixed time interval having a start time and an end time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a selection of one or more criteria associated with the first competitive position.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information from the first user computing device corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.

7. An apparatus for enabling real-time competition between a first user and a second user, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to;

enable the receipt of information corresponding to a first competitive position associated with the first user, the first competitive position being associated with a live event that occurs over a specified duration of time;

enable the receipt of information corresponding to a second competitive position associated with the second user, the second competitive position also being associated with the live event, the first competitive position and the second competitive position being mutually exclusive;

transmit information to at least one of a first user computing device associated with the first user and a second user computing device associated with the second user for display as an entertaining experience during the specified duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a sporting event having a subject matter that is disparate from a subject matter of the live event, the entertaining experience indicating a real-time state of the first competitive position relative to the second competitive position, the real-time state corresponding to a first state in which the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data associated the live event, a second state in which the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated with the live event, or a third state in which neither the first competitive position nor the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated the live event; and

transmit, after the specified duration of time has ended, outcome information to at least one of the first user computing device and the second user computing device, the outcome information indicating whether the real-time data at the end of the specified duration of time was consistent with the first competitive position or the second competitive position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the real-time state is obtained from a live feed.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the specified duration of time is a fixed time interval having a start time and an end time.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a selection of one or more criteria associated with the first competitive position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information from the first user computing device corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.

13. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:

receive information corresponding to a first competitive position associated with the first user, the first competitive position being associated with a live event that occurs over a specified duration of time;

receive information corresponding to a second competitive position associated with the second user, the second competitive position also being associated with the live event, the first competitive position and the second competitive position being mutually exclusive;

transmit information to at least one of a first user computing device associated with the first user and a second user computing device associated with the second user for display as an entertaining experience during the specified duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a sporting event having a subject matter that is disparate from a subject matter of the live event, the entertaining experience indicating a real-time state of the first competitive position relative to the second competitive position, the real-time state corresponding to a first state in which the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data associated the live event, a second state in which the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated with the live event, or a third state in which neither the first competitive position nor the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated the live event; and

transmit, after the specified duration of time has ended, outcome information to at least one of the first user computing device and the second user computing device, the outcome information indicating whether the real-time data at the end of the specified duration of time was consistent with the first competitive position or the second competitive position.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the real-time state is obtained from a live feed.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the specified duration of time is a fixed time interval having a start time and an end time.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a selection of one or more criteria associated with the first competitive position.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the information from the first user computing device corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.

19. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:

transmit information corresponding to a first competitive position associated with the first user, the first competitive position being associated with a live event that occurs over a specified duration of time;

receive information corresponding to a second competitive position associated with the second user, the second competitive position also being associated with the live event, the first competitive position and the second competitive position being mutually exclusive;

display an entertaining experience during the specified duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a sporting event having a subject matter that is disparate from a subject matter of the live event, the entertaining experience indicating a real-time state of the first competitive position relative to the second competitive position, the real-time state corresponding to a first state in which the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data associated the live event, a second state in which the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated with the live event, or a third state in which neither the first competitive position nor the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time data associated the live event; and

after the specified duration of time has ended, receive outcome information indicating whether the real-time data at the end of the specified duration of time was consistent with the first competitive position or the second competitive position.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the real-time state is obtained from a live feed.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the specified duration of time is a fixed time interval having a start time and an end time.

22. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a selection of one or more criteria associated with the first competitive position.

23. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the information from the first user computing device corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

24. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.