Communication system with online game based upon athletic activity and related methods

• US 10,583,353 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maximum Amusements, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maximum Amusements, Inc.
• Inventors: Eno, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall, Shauna-Kay
• Application Number:
  US15/907,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20180280791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 463 7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/04 Card games combined with other games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A communication system may include a server having a memory and processor, mobile wireless communications devices in communication with the server, a given mobile wireless communications device, and a given activity tracker device carried by a respective user of the given mobile wireless communications device. The given mobile wireless communications device may be configured to execute an online card game with other mobile wireless communications devices via the server, wirelessly communicate with the given activity tracker device for monitoring an athletic activity of the respective user of the given mobile wireless communications device, and communicate with the server and cause the online card game to deal a card when the respective user exceeds an athletic activity threshold.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a server comprising a memory and processor coupled therewith;

a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices in communication with said server, each mobile wireless communications device comprising a memory and processor coupled therewith;

a given mobile wireless communications device from said plurality thereof; and

a given activity tracker device carried by a respective user of said given mobile wireless communications device;

said given mobile wireless communications device configured to

execute an online card game with at least one other mobile wireless communications device via said server, the online card game including a minimum number of cards,

wirelessly communicate with said given activity tracker device for monitoring an athletic activity of the respective user of the given mobile wireless communications device, and

communicate with said server and cause the online card game to deal a plurality of sequential cards when the respective user exceeds a corresponding plurality of athletic activity thresholds;

said server is configured to

when the respective user has been dealt a number of cards greater than or equal to the minimum number of cards and when the respective user exceeds a subsequent athletic activity threshold, to deal a new card and permit the respective user to replace an existing card with the new card in the online card game, and

permit the respective user to elect a most desired card for an existing hand of cards.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said given activity tracker device comprises a wearable wireless fitness tracker device separate from said given mobile wireless communications device;

and wherein the athletic activity of the respective user comprises at least one of a value of steps, a value of stair steps, and a linear distance value.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said given mobile wireless communications device comprises a housing, a processor carried by said housing, and a memory coupled to said processor and also carried by said housing;

and wherein said given activity tracker device comprises an integrated activity tracker device coupled to said processor and carried by said housing.

4. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said server is configured to operate the online card game to have a time limit.

5. The communication system of claim 4 wherein said server is configured, when the time limit has expired and when the respective user has been dealt a number of cards less than the minimum number of cards, to end the online card game for the respective user.

6. The communication system of claim 4 wherein said server is configured, when the time limit has expired and when the respective user has been dealt a number of cards greater than or equal to the minimum number of cards, to complete the online card game for the respective user with previously dealt cards.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said online card game comprises a poker card game.

8. The communication system of claim 7 wherein said poker card game comprises one of 5-card draw poker, joker poker, high score poker, 1-deck draw poker, 1-deck poker unlimited, and poker unlimited.

9. A method of operating an online card game within a communication system comprising a server, a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices in communication with the server, a given mobile wireless communications device from the plurality thereof, and a given activity tracker device carried by a respective user of the given mobile wireless communications device, the method comprising:

operating the server and given mobile wireless communications device to execute an online card game with at least one other mobile wireless communications device, the online card game including a minimum number of cards;

operating the given mobile wireless communications device to wirelessly communicate with the given activity tracker device for monitoring an athletic activity of the respective user of the given mobile wireless communications device;

operating the server and the given mobile wireless communications device to cause the online card game to deal a plurality of sequential cards when the respective user exceeds a corresponding plurality of athletic activity thresholds; and

operating the server and the given mobile wireless communications device to

when the respective user has been dealt a number of cards greater than or equal to the minimum number of cards and when the respective user exceeds a subsequent athletic activity threshold, to deal a new card and permit the respective user to replace an existing card with the new card in the online card game, and

permit the respective user to elect a most desired card for an existing hand of cards.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the given activity tracker device comprises a wearable wireless fitness tracker device separate from the given mobile wireless communications device;

and wherein the athletic activity of the respective user comprises at least one of a value of steps, a value of stair steps, and a linear distance value.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the given activity tracker device comprises an integrated activity tracker device carried by a housing of the given mobile wireless communications device.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising operating the server to operate the online card game to have a time limit.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising operating the server, when the time limit has expired and when the respective user has been dealt a number of cards less than the minimum number of cards, to end the online card game for the respective user.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising operating the server, when the time limit has expired and when the respective user has been dealt a number of cards greater than or equal to the minimum number of cards, to complete the online card game for the respective user with previously dealt cards.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the online card game comprises a poker card game.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the poker card game comprises one of 5-card draw poker, joker poker, high score poker, 1-deck draw poker, 1-deck poker unlimited, and poker unlimited.