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

• US 9,978,217 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US15/297,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20170053498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 463 5, 463 9, 463 16, 463 42
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• 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 programmed in a device, the method comprising:

a. providing to the device from a server a list of competitive participant groups to join;

b. receiving user input including a group selection of a plurality of competitive participant groups to join, wherein the plurality of competitive participant groups corresponds to a same one or more events;

c. receiving additional user input including a single set of event selections related to the one or more events, wherein the single set of event selections comprises predictions of occurrences happening before and during completion of the one or more events and enables simultaneously participating with the plurality of competitive groups;

d. providing a lockout signal from the server to the device to prevent further additional user input after the lockout signal is triggered; and

e. providing current standings and results related to the single set of event selections, wherein the current standings are based on the results.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises multiple athletic contests taking place in a single day.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises a partial athletic contest.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises one or more partial athletic contests.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises a weekly event.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises a week-long event.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the week-long event comprises a competitive game show.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises a variety of events.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein each group of the competitive participant groups vary in time duration.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of competitive participant groups is associated with a user-specified event.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises events that occur on multiple days.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the events are related events.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the standings are separate for each of the plurality of competitive participant groups.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein a separate prize is awarded for each of the plurality of competitive participant groups.

15. The method of 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.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprises card, dice, trivia and word games played simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple contests.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the multiple contests comprise athletic contests.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a server, a cellular device, a laptop computer, a personal computer, a PDA or other web connected device.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the competitive participant groups includes a plurality of competitors with at least 1000 competitors.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the competitive participant groups includes a plurality of competitors distributed throughout a country.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the competitive participant groups comprise competitors in more than one country.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising synchronizing the single set of event selections with the one or more events.

24. A device comprising:

a. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for

i. providing a list of competitive participant groups to join;

ii. receiving user input including a group selection of a plurality of competitive participant groups to join, wherein the plurality of competitive groups corresponds to one or more events;

iii. receiving additional user input including a single set of event selections related to the one or more events wherein the single set of event selections comprises predictions of occurrences happening before and during completion of the one or more events and enables simultaneously participating with the plurality of competitive groups;

iv. providing standings, wherein the standings are based on results from the single set of event selections;

v. triggering a lockout signal to prevent further additional user input; and

vi. providing current standings and results related to the single set of event selections simultaneously to each of the competitive groups, wherein the current standings are based on the results; and

b. a processor for processing the application.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein each competitive participant group is distinguishable based on participants in each competitive participant group.

26. The device of claim 24 wherein the one or more events comprises multiple athletic contests taking place in a single day.

27. The device of claim 24 wherein the one or more events comprises a partial athletic contest.

28. The device of claim 24 wherein the one or more events comprises one or more partial athletic contests.

29. The device of claim 24 wherein the one or more events are each related events.

30. The device of claim 24 wherein the standings are separate for each of the plurality of competitive participant groups.

31. The device of claim 24 wherein a separate prize is awarded for each of the plurality of competitive participant groups.

32. The device of claim 24 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.

33. The device of claim 24 wherein the one or more events comprises card, dice, trivia and word games played simultaneously.

34. The device of claim 24 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple contests.

35. The device of claim 34 wherein the multiple contests comprise athletic contests.

36. The device of claim 24 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a server, a cellular device, a laptop computer, a personal computer, a PDA or other web connected device.

37. The device of claim 24 wherein each of the competitive participant groups includes at least 1000 competitors.

38. The device of claim 24 wherein each of the competitive participant groups includes a plurality of competitors distributed throughout a country.

39. The device of claim 24 wherein the competitive participant groups comprise competitors in more than one country.

40. The device of claim 24 wherein the device is further configured for synchronizing the single set of event selections with the one or more events.

41. A method programmed in a device, the method comprising:

a. receiving user input including a group selection of a plurality of competitive participant groups to join;

b. receiving additional user input including a single set of event selections related to one or more events, wherein the single set of event selections comprises predictions of occurrences happening before and during completion of the one or more events and enables participating with the plurality of competitive groups by sending the single set of event selections to a server, wherein the single set of event selections is sent by a participant for the plurality of competitive participant groups, further wherein a separate prize is awarded for each of the plurality of competitive participant groups;

c. receiving standings on a device from the server, wherein the standings are based on results from the single set of event selections; and

d. receiving a lockout signal to prevent further additional user input after the lockout signal is received.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises multiple athletic contests taking place in a single day.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises a partial athletic contest.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises one or more partial athletic contests.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises a weekly event.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises a week-long event.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the week-long event comprises a competitive game show.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises a variety of events.

49. The method of claim 41 wherein each group of the competitive participant groups vary in time duration.

50. The method of claim 41 wherein the plurality of competitive participant groups is associated with a user-specified event.

51. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises events that occur on multiple days.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the events are related events.

53. The method of claim 41 wherein the standings are separate for each of the plurality of competitive participant groups.

54. The method of claim 41 wherein a separate prize is awarded for each of the plurality of competitive participant groups.

55. The method of claim 41 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.

56. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprises card, dice, trivia and word games played simultaneously.

57. The method of claim 41 wherein the one or more events comprise multiple contests.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the multiple contests comprise athletic contests.

59. The method of claim 41 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a second server, cellular device, a laptop computer, a personal computer, a PDA or other web connected device.

60. The method of claim 41 wherein each of the competitive participant groups includes at least 1000 competitors.

61. The method of claim 41 wherein each of the competitive participant groups includes a plurality of competitors distributed throughout a country.

62. The method of claim 41 wherein the competitive participant groups comprise competitors in more than one country.

63. The method of claim 41 wherein the device is further configured for synchronizing the single set of event selections with the one or more events.