Peer-to-peer wagering platform

• US 9,649,564 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skillz Platform, Inc. (Skillz Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Skillz Inc.
• Inventors: Abdalla, Ahmed, Chafkin, Casey, Paradise, Andrew, Petralia, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US14/976,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/70 Game security or game management aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

Data characterizing historical skills-based gaming metrics for a first user and historical skills-based gaming metrics for at least one second user is accessed. Using the accessed data and a set of rules, a targeted advertisement to present to the first user is determined. The targeted advertisement specifies at least one skills-based game and a characterization of the at least one second user'"'"'s historical skills-based gaming metrics. The targeted advertisement is generated. Data characterizing the targeted advertisement is provided. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a client including an executable game instance, a stream of pseudo random number seeds characterized by a unique match identifier for an online digital gaming competition, the client enrolled in the online competition;

receiving, at the client and from a game server, game data for executing the game instance, the game instance requiring one or more random numbers to complete execution of the game instance;

generating, using the stream of pseudo-random number seeds, a plurality of pseudo-random numbers; and

executing the game instance by the client and using the plurality of pseudo-random numbers to provide the online competition to a player such that a beginning of gameplay experience is common between the game instance and a second game instance executing on a second client enrolled in the online digital gaming competition;

wherein at least one of receiving, generating, and executing is implemented by at least one data processor forming part of at least one computing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game instance provides a game of skill.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the game instance provides a game of skill having random elements.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the game instance and the second game instance initialize associated random elements to a common pseudo-random value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the plurality of pseudo-random numbers includes generating a stream of pseudo-random numbers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second game instance is executed by the second client and using the plurality of pseudo-random numbers to provide the online competition to a second player.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stream of pseudo-random number seeds is received from a transactional server in communication with the second client, the transactional server remote from and independent of the game server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the client includes a peer-wagering module integrated into the game instance and working with transactional server to enable players to wager on the outcome of the competition.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the client, game server, and transactional server are separate and remote.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the client is a mobile device.

11. A non-transitory computer program product storing instructions, which when executed by at least one data processor of at least one computing system, implement a method comprising:

receiving, at a client including an executable game instance, a stream of pseudo random number seeds characterized by a unique match identifier for an online digital gaming competition, the client enrolled in the online competition;

receiving, at the client and from a game server, game data for executing the game instance, the game instance requiring one or more random numbers to complete execution of the game instance;

generating, using the stream of pseudo-random number seeds, a plurality of pseudo-random numbers; and

executing the game instance by the client and using the plurality of pseudo-random numbers to provide the online competition to a player such that a beginning of gameplay experience is common between the game instance and a second game instance executing on a second client enrolled in the online digital gaming competition.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the game instance provides a game of skill.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the game instance provides a game of skill having random elements.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the game instance and the second game instance initialize associated random elements to a common pseudo-random value.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein generating the plurality of pseudo-random numbers includes generating a stream of pseudo-random numbers.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the second game instance is executed by the second client and using the plurality of pseudo-random numbers to provide the online competition to a second player.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the stream of pseudo-random number seeds is received from a transactional server in communication with the second client, the transactional server remote from and independent of the game server.

18. A system comprising:

at least one data processor;

memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one data processor, causes the at least one data processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a client including an executable game instance, a stream of pseudo random number seeds characterized by a unique match identifier for an online digital gaming competition, the client enrolled in the online competition;

receiving, at the client and from a game server, game data for executing the game instance, the game instance requiring one or more random numbers to complete execution of the game instance;

generating, using the stream of pseudo-random number seeds, a plurality of pseudo-random numbers; and

executing the game instance by the client and using the plurality of pseudo-random numbers to provide the online competition to a player such that a beginning of gameplay experience is common between the game instance and a second game instance executing on a second client enrolled in the online digital gaming competition.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the game instance provides a game of skill.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the game instance provides a game of skill having random elements.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the game instance and the second game instance initialize associated random elements to a common pseudo-random value.