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

• US 9,919,221 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• 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:
  US15/296,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 463 9- 13
• 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 participating in multiple contests each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to one or more events, wherein scoring of each contest is based on predictions of occurrences happening before and during completion of the one or more events, the method 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;

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

d. receiving a lockout signal preventing further additional user input; and

e. simultaneously receiving current standings and results related to the selections, wherein the current standings are based on the results.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more events are selected from the group consisting of a television-based event, a scheduled competition, a scheduled series of competitions, a sporting event, an event based on a video game, computer game or electronic game, an entertainment show, a game show, a reality show, a news show and a commercial contained in a broadcast.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprise 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, a PDA, or other web connected device.

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 one or more events comprise multiple games.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the multiple contests comprise one or more athletic games.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple games taking place in a single day.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprise a variety of events.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprise events that occur on multiple days.

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

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of competitors include at least 1000 competitors.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of competitors are distributed throughout a country.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of competitors are in more than one country.

21. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising synchronizing the multiple contests of skill with the one or more events.

22. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprise one or more competitions based on a video game, computer game or electronic game.

23. A server device for conducting multiple contests of skill or chance each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to one or more events, wherein scoring of each contest is based on predictions of occurrences happening before and during completion of the one or more events, the server device comprising:

a. a memory 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 one or more events; and

b. a processor configured for processing the multiple contests of skill or chance corresponding to the one or more events, wherein processing the multiple contests of skill or chance is based on a single performance for a user which is applied to each of the multiple contests of skill or chance simultaneously, wherein the server device is further configured for sending a lockout signal to prevent further additional user input and simultaneously presenting current standings and results related to the selections, wherein the current standings are based on the results.

24. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple games.

25. The server device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the multiple games comprise one or more athletic games.

26. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple games taking place in a single day.

27. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the one or more events comprise a variety of events.

28. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the one or more events comprise events that occur on multiple days.

29. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the one or more events are related events.

30. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the one or more events comprise one or more competitions based on a video game, computer game or electronic game.

31. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the plurality of competitors include at least 1000 competitors.

32. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the plurality of competitors are distributed throughout a country.

33. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the plurality of competitors are in more than one country.

34. The server device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the server device is further configured for synchronizing the multiple contests of skill with the one or more events.

35. A device for participating in multiple contests of skill or chance each comprising a plurality of competitors and corresponding to one or more events, wherein scoring of each contest is based on predictions of occurrences happening before and during completion of the one or more events, the device 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 one or more events, 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 one or more events, wherein the application receives a lockout signal to prevent further additional input, wherein the application simultaneously presents current standings and results related to the selections, wherein the current standings are based on the results.

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

37. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple games.

38. The device as claimed in claim 37 wherein the multiple games comprise one or more athletic games.

39. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple games taking place in a single day.

40. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the one or more events comprise a variety of events.

41. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the one or more events comprise events that occur on multiple days.

42. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the one or more events are related events.

43. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the one or more events comprise one or more competitions based on a video game, computer game or electronic game.

44. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the plurality of competitors include at least 1000 competitors.

45. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the plurality of competitors are distributed throughout a country.

46. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the plurality of competitors are in more than one country.

47. The device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the device is further configured for synchronizing the multiple contests of skill with the one or more events.