Method of and system for conducting multiple contests of skill with a single performance

• US 9,314,701 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2015
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winview IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: WinView Incorporated (GameSquare Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockton, David B., Berner, Mark K., Micheli, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/723,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 463 5- 9, 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A method of and system for conducting multiple competitions of skill for a single performance are described herein. User generated competition groups and system generated competition groups allow users to participate in multiple competitions at once based on answering the same questions or making the same selections related to a single event. The users are informed of each competition either via email, text message or when logging into the network via a website. The users select which competitions groups to join. After joining the desired groups, the users then make their selections related to the event which are transmitted to the network where results are tabulated and transmitted back to the users. The results are separated based on each competition group, so that users can continually know where they stand in each separate competition. With multiple competition groups, users are able to have varying success from the same performance in multiple competitions.

Claims

1. A method of simultaneously participating in multiple contests each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to an event comprising:

a. receiving a list of competitive groups to join on a memory device;

b. receiving user input including a group selection of a plurality of competitive groups to join, wherein each group of the plurality of competitive groups is a separate competition; and

c. receiving additional user input including one or more event selections related to the event, wherein the one or more event selections enable participating with the plurality of competitive groups by sending selections related to the event from the memory device to a server.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of a television-based sporting event, an entertainment show and a game show.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises classic card, dice, trivia and word games played simultaneously.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein receiving standings on the device occurs during participating with the plurality of competitive groups.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising receiving standings, wherein the standings are separated based on the plurality of competitive groups.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising receiving standings, wherein the standings are received periodically and represent relative performance in the separate competitive groups.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the competitive groups are selected from the group consisting of service provider generated competitive groups and user generated competitive groups.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the service provider generated competitive groups are based on general playing characteristics.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the list of competitive groups to join is received on the device selected from the group consisting of a cellular device, a laptop computer, a personal computer and a PDA.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the competitive groups are maintained in a database.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the results include a handicap.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises multiple athletic contests.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises multiple athletic contests taking place in a single day.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises a variety of events.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises a season of events.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises events that occur on multiple days.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the events are related events.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the event comprises a video game, computer game or electronic game.

19. A network of devices for conducting multiple contests of skill or chance each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to an event comprising:

a. a plurality of devices, each configured for receiving user input including a group selection of a plurality of competitive groups to join, wherein each group of the plurality of competitive groups is a separate competition, and receiving additional user input including one or more event selections related to the event; and

b. a server within a network, wherein the server and the plurality of devices communicate to conduct the multiple contests of skill or chance corresponding to the event, further wherein participating in the multiple contests of skill or chance is based on a single performance which is applied to each of the multiple contests of skill or chance simultaneously.

20. The network of devices as claimed in claim 19 wherein the plurality of devices are selected from the group consisting of cellular devices, laptop computers, personal computers and PDAs.

21. The network of devices as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event comprises multiple athletic contests.

22. The network of devices as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event comprises multiple athletic contests taking place in a single day.

23. The network of devices as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event comprises a variety of events.

24. The network of devices as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event comprises a season of events.

25. The network of devices as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event comprises events that occur on multiple days.

26. The network of devices as claimed in claim 25 wherein the events are related events.

27. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the event comprises a video game, computer game or electronic game.

28. A device for participating in multiple contests of skill or chance each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to an event comprising:

a. a communications module for coupling to a server; and

b. an application for utilizing the communications module for coupling to a server to communicate with the server to generate competitive groups which are used to compete in the multiple contests of skill or chance, wherein the application enables an individual user to join a plurality of competitive groups for the event, wherein the application is configured for receiving user input including a group selection of the plurality of competitive groups to join, wherein each group of the plurality of competitive groups is a separate competition; and

receiving additional user input including one or more event selections related to the event.

29. The device as claimed in claim 28 wherein the event comprises multiple athletic contests taking place in a single day.

30. The device as claimed in claim 28 wherein the event comprises a variety of events.

31. The device as claimed in claim 28 wherein the event comprises a season of events.

32. The device as claimed in claim 28 wherein the event comprises events that occur on multiple days.

33. The device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the events are related events.

34. The device as claimed in claim 28 wherein the event comprises multiple athletic contests.

35. The device as claimed in claim 28 wherein the application utilizes the communications module for coupling to the server to send selections to and receive standings from the server.

36. The method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the event comprises a video game, computer game or electronic game.

37. A method of simultaneously participating in multiple contests each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to an athletic contest comprising:

a. receiving a list of competitive groups to join on a memory device;

b. selecting receiving user input including a group selection of a plurality of competitive groups to join, wherein each group of the plurality of competitive groups is a separate competition; and

c. receiving additional user input including one or more selections related to the athletic contest, wherein the one or more selections enable participating with the plurality of competitive groups by sending selections related to the athletic contest from the memory device to a server.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37 wherein receiving standings on the device occurs during participating with the plurality of competitive groups.

39. The method as claimed in claim 37 further comprising receiving standings,

wherein the standings are separated based on the plurality of competitive groups.

40. The method as claimed in claim 37 further comprising receiving standings,

wherein the standings are received periodically and represent relative performance in the separate competitive groups.

41. The method as claimed in claim 37 wherein the athletic contest comprises multiple athletic contests.

42. The method as claimed in claim 37 wherein the athletic contest comprises multiple athletic contests taking place in a single day.

43. The method as claimed in claim 37 wherein the athletic contest comprises a season of athletic contests.

44. The method as claimed in claim 37 wherein the athletic contest occurs on multiple days.