Method and apparatus for simulating game accessories

• US 20060073895A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Telegames LLC
• Inventors: Wolinsky, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,012,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for simultaneously indicating, on each of a plurality of communication terminals, instructions transmitted by each terminal and the identity of the respective terminals that transmitted the instructions. Such a feature can be used to indicate the moves of parties playing a game over a telephone line. Once a communications link is established between two or more parties, their terminals are placed in a game mode which activates inband signal detection and player identification circuitry located within the terminals. Multi-colored indicators and player identification displays at each terminal are activated, their color being dependent upon the source of received instructions. In one embodiment, player identification indicators may be incorporated into a touch tone keypad located on the terminals. The keypad'"'"'s touch tone keys are modified such that each key has two or more color coded indicators incorporated within, each color representing a particular player'"'"'s move.

Claims

1. A method of identifying game players and game moves, comprising:

in a first communication terminal having a first and a second memory location, storing a telephone number of said first communication terminal in said first memory location;

in a second communication terminal having a third memory location and a fourth memory location, storing a telephone number of said second communication terminal in said third memory location;

dialing, at said first communication terminal, the telephone number of said second communication terminal;

storing said dialed telephone number in said second memory location;

storing said telephone number of said first communication terminal in said fourth memory location;

displaying, at each of said terminals, said telephone number of said first communication terminal retrieved from said first and fourth memory locations; and

displaying at each of said communication terminals, said dialed telephone number retrieved from said second and third memory locations while said telephone number of said first terminal is being displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a communications link between said first and second communication terminals; and

determining, at said second communication terminal, the telephone number of said first communication terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of dialing at the first communication terminal comprises dialing a speakerphone.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of dialing at the first communication terminal comprises dialing a wireless telephone.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein conversing parties associated with said communication terminals spontaneously set up and play a game without substantially interfering with an ongoing conversation over said communications link.

6. A method of identifying game players and game moves, comprising:

in a first communication terminal having a first and a second memory location, storing a telephone number of said first communication terminal in said first memory location;

in a second communication terminal having a third memory location and a fourth memory location, storing a telephone number of said second communication terminal in said third memory location;

receiving, at said second communication terminal, a telephone number of said first communication terminal;

storing said received telephone number in said fourth memory location;

storing the telephone number of said second communication terminal in said second memory location;

displaying, at each of said communication terminals, said received telephone number; and

displaying, at each of said communication terminals, said telephone number of said second communication terminal while said received telephone number is being displayed.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

establishing a communications link between said first and second communication terminals; and

activating at each of said communication terminals, a game mode to play a game between a first player associated with said first communication terminal and a second player associated with said second communication terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving, at the second communication terminal, the telephone number of the first communication terminal comprises the step of receiving, at a speakerphone, the telephone number of the first communication terminal.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving, at the second communication terminal, the telephone number of the first communication terminal comprises the step of receiving, at a wireless telephone, the telephone number of the first communication terminal.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein conversing parties associated with said communication terminals spontaneously set up and play a game without substantially interfering with an ongoing conversation over said communications link.

11. Apparatus for identifying game players and game moves, comprising:

a first communication terminal having a first and a second memory location, wherein said first memory location stores a telephone number of the first communication terminal;

a second communication terminal having a third and a fourth memory location, wherein said third memory location stores a telephone number of the second communication terminal;

means for dialing, at said first communication terminal, said telephone number of said second communication terminal;

means for storing said dialed telephone number in said second memory location;

means for storing said telephone number of said first communication terminal in said fourth memory location;

means for displaying at each of said communication terminals, said telephone number of said first communication terminal; and

means for displaying, at each of said communication terminals, said dialed telephone number while said telephone number of said first communication terminal is being displayed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for establishing a communications link between said first and second communication terminals; and

means for activating, at each of said communication terminals, a game mode to play a game between a first player associated with said first communication terminal and a second player associated with said second communication terminal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one of said communication terminals is a speakerphone.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one of said communication terminals is a wireless telephone.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein conversing parties associated with said communication terminals spontaneously set up and play a game without substantially interfering with an ongoing conversation over said communications link.

16. Apparatus for identifying game players and game moves, comprising:

a first communication terminal having a first and a second memory location, wherein said first memory location stores a telephone number of the first communication terminal;

a second communication terminal having a third and a fourth memory location, wherein said third memory location stores a telephone number of the second communication terminal;

means for receiving, at said second communication terminal, said telephone number of said first communication terminal;

means for storing the received telephone number in said fourth memory location;

means for storing the telephone number of said second communication terminal in said second memory location;

means for displaying, at each of said communication terminals, said received telephone number; and

means for displaying, at each of said communication terminals, said telephone number of said second communication terminal while said received telephone number is being displayed.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for establishing a communications link between said first and second communication terminals; and

means for activating, at each of said communication terminals, a game mode to play a game between a first player associated with said first communication terminal and a second player associated with said second communication terminal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least one of said communication terminals is a speakerphone.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least one of said communication terminals is a wireless telephone.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein conversing parties associated with said communication terminals spontaneously set up and play a game without substantially interfering with an ongoing conversation over said communications link.

21. A method of identifying game players and game moves, comprising:

in a first communication terminal having a first memory location and a second memory location, storing a telephone number of said first communication terminal in said first memory location;

in a second communication terminal having a third memory location and a fourth memory location, storing a telephone number of said second communication terminal in said third memory location;

storing the telephone number of said second communication terminal in said second memory location;

at said first communication terminal, dialing the telephone number of said second communication terminal to place a first telephone call to said second communication terminal;

receiving the first telephone call at said second communication terminal and establishing a communications link between said first and second communication terminals;

receiving caller ID signals associated with the first telephone call at said second communication terminal;

obtaining the telephone number of said first communication terminal from the caller ID signals received at said second communication terminal;

storing the telephone number of said first communication terminal obtained from the caller ID signals in said fourth memory location;

at said first communication terminal, retrieving said telephone number of said first communication terminal from said first memory location and displaying the telephone number of said first communication terminal retrieved from said first memory location;

at said first communication terminal, retrieving said telephone number of said second communication terminal from said second memory location and displaying the telephone number of said second communication terminal retrieved from said second memory location;

at said second communication terminal, retrieving said telephone number of said second communication terminal from said third memory location and displaying the telephone number of said second communication terminal retrieved from said third memory location;

at said second communication terminal, retrieving said telephone number of said first communication terminal from said fourth memory location and displaying the telephone number of said first communication terminal retrieved from said fourth memory location;

wherein said telephone numbers of said first and second communication terminals are displayed concurrently at said first and second communication terminals at least for a first period of time.

22. Apparatus for identifying game players and game moves, comprising:

a first communication terminal comprising a first memory location, a second memory location, a dialer circuit, and a display, the first memory location being capable of storing a telephone number of the first communication terminal;

a second communication terminal having a third memory location, a fourth memory location, a display, and a caller ID circuit, the third memory location being capable of storing a telephone number of the second communication terminal, and the fourth memory location being capable of storing the telephone number of the first communication terminal received from the caller ID circuit;

wherein;

the dialer is capable of dialing the telephone number of the second communication terminal to establish a communications link between said first and second communication terminals

the second memory location is capable of storing the telephone number of the second communication terminal;

the first and second communication terminals are capable of entering a game mode to play a game between a first player associated with said first communication terminal and a second player associated with said second communication terminal;

the display of the first communication terminal displays the telephone numbers of the first and second communication terminals at the same time as the display of the second communication terminal displays the telephone numbers of the first and second communication terminals.

23. A method of identifying game players and game moves, comprising:

dialing, at a first communication terminal associated with a first telephone number, a second telephone number of a second communication terminal;

establishing a communications link between the first and second communication terminals;

simultaneously displaying the first and second telephone numbers at each of the communication terminals;

activating, at each of the communication terminals, a game mode to play a game between a first player associated with the first communication terminal and a second player associated with the second communication terminal;

defining first and second game move identifiers used to differentiate between game moves made by the first player and game moves made by the second player;

displaying the first game move identifier adjacent to the first telephone number at each of the communication terminals; and

displaying the second game move identifier adjacent to the second telephone number at each of the communication terminals.