LOCATION AWARE AD-HOC GAMING

• US 20090011834A1
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Chhabra, Kapil
• Granted Patent: US 8,628,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method of mobile gaming is disclosed. The method includes configuring a mobile device to communicate in a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol, determining location information for the mobile device, communicating the location information and a gaming request via the first communication protocol to a game server, receiving a gaming request response from the game server via the first communication protocol, initiating a gaming session in response to the gaming request response, wherein the gaming session is conducted via the second communication protocol.

Claims

1. A method of mobile gaming, the method comprising:

configuring a mobile device to communicate in a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol;

determining location information for the mobile device;

communicating the location information and a gaming request via the first communication protocol to a game server;

receiving a gaming request response from the game server via the first communication protocol; and

initiating a gaming session in response to the gaming request response, wherein the gaming session is conducted via the second communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is determined based on GPS information, manual information or triangulation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is a cellular protocol and wherein the second communication protocol is a wireless networking protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming request includes information selected from the group consisting of:

information relating to another mobile device;

an SSID, a login;

configuration data, and transmission rates.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating the location information for the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the gaming session includes initiating the gaming session between the mobile device and another mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gaming session between the mobile device and another mobile device is conducted via the second communication protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming request response indicates that another mobile device is within communication range of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming request and the gaming request response are SMS messages communicated via the first communication protocol.

10. A mobile gaming device comprising:

a communication system configured to communicate via a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol;

a controller configured to;

determine location information associated with the mobile gaming device;

communicate the location information and a gaming request via the first communication protocol to a game server;

receive a gaming request response from the game server via the first communication protocol; and

initiate a gaming session in response to the gaming request response, wherein the gaming session is conducted via the second communication protocol.

11. The mobile gaming device of claim 10, wherein the location information is determined based on GPS information, manual information or triangulation.

12. The mobile gaming device of claim 10, wherein the first communication protocol is a cellular protocol and wherein the second communication protocol is a wireless networking protocol.

13. The mobile gaming device of claim 10, wherein the gaming request includes information selected from the group consisting of:

information relating to another mobile gaming device;

an SSID, a login;

configuration data, and transmission rates.

14. The mobile gaming device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to update the location information for the mobile gaming device.

15. The mobile gaming device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to initiate the gaming session between the mobile gaming device and another mobile gaming device.

16. The mobile gaming device of claim 15, wherein the gaming session between the mobile gaming device and another mobile gaming device is conducted via the second communication protocol.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the gaming request response indicates that another mobile device is within communication range of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the gaming request and the gaming request response are SMS messages communicated via the first communication protocol.

19. The mobile gaming device of claim 10, wherein the communication system includes a first communication module configured to communicate via the first communication protocol and a second communication module configured to communicate via the second communication protocol.