Interactive system allowing real time participation

• US 5,860,862 A
• Filed: 01/05/1996
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Virtual Gaming Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: William W. Junkin Trust
• Inventors: Junkin, William W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/583,408
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0058 using electronic means A63F2011/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

An interactive apparatus and method allows the participants to compete in an interactive game based on an event which is occurring in real time. A ticker tape or some other visual display or audio broadcast or the like is shown or broadcast on a device of an interactive apparatus with real time score values indicative of the players'"'"' performance in the event. Using the interactive apparatus, the participants select and trade members on the team using a menu displayed or broadcast on the interactive device. The menu provides relevant information regarding the performance of the participant'"'"'s team, and allows the participant to select and trade members on the participant'"'"'s team with members listed in a contest roster database while the event is occurring in real time. By allowing the participant to interact in real time, the intellectual challenge and emotional enjoyment of the interactive game are greatly enhanced.

Claims

1. An interactive game system comprising:

means for generating real time score values indicative of performances of players involved in an event;

means for conveying to each participant at least one of the real time score values of the players; and

means for enabling selecting at least one player to comprise a team for each participant of the interactive system based on the real time score values of the player.

2. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said generating means comprises:

storage for real time score values of each player of each participant'"'"'s team and real time score values for each player in the event.

3. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said generating means includes

first means for converting statistical input data into real time score values for each player;

and

second means for receiving said real time score values and accessing at least one of said first and second storage devices.

4. The interactive system of claim 3, wherein said first and second means are computer implemented.

5. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said generating means, conveying means and selecting means are coupled together by a communication network.

6. The interactive system of claim 5, wherein said communication network comprises at least one of (1) modem to modem connection via telephone lines and (2) at least one of transmitter and receiver communication via cable lines, fiber optical lines, microwave transmissions and satellite transmissions.

7. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said conveying means comprises a display device capable of displaying video information including a ticker tape format display containing the real time score values.

8. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said conveying means produces audio information.

9. The interactive system of claim 7, wherein said video information comprises at least one of the event and a video program.

10. The interactive system of claim 7, wherein said display device includes means for receiving touch or voice input from the participant.

11. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said selection means includes:

means for providing real time scores of all players in the event;

means for receiving inputs from the participant; and

means for adding a player to the team upon input from the participant.

12. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said selecting means allows each participant to optimize the performance of the team compared to teams of other participants.

13. The interactive system of claim 1 further comprising means for enabling trading at least one player of the team with other players of the event.

14. The interactive system of claim 13, wherein said trading means comprises:

first means for enabling selecting one player from the team;

second means for enabling selecting another player involved in the event; and

third means for enabling replacing the one player with the other player to reform the team.

15. The interactive system of claim 14, wherein said first and second means includes a touch pad input accessible to each participant.

16. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the event is a sports competition.

17. An interactive game system comprising:

a controller for generating real time score values indicative of performances of players involved in an event;

an interactive device for displaying video information to each participant of an interactive game based on the event; and

a communication network coupling said controller and said interactive device such that the real time score values are conveyed to each participant,

wherein said controller comprises a central controller having;

a first storage device for storing real time score values of each player in the event;

a second storage device for storing said real time score values for each player in the event; and

a first computer for accessing at least one of said first and second storage devices.

18. The interactive system of claim 17, wherein said controller further comprises a second computer for converting statistical input data into real time score values of players, and said first and second computers are coupled together by said communication network such that said first computer receives said real time score values.

19. An interactive game system comprising:

a controller for generating real time score values indicative of performances of players involved in an event;

an interactive device for displaying video information to each participant of an interactive game based on the event; and

a communication network coupling said controller and said interactive device such that the real time score values are conveyed to each participant,

wherein said real time score values are displayed in a ticker tape format.

20. An interactive game system comprising:

a controller for generating real time score values indicative of performances of players involved in an event;

an interactive device for displaying video information to each participant of an interactive game based on the event; and

a communication network coupling said controller and said interactive device such that the real time score values are conveyed to each participant,

wherein said interactive apparatus comprises one of a computer system, a telephone, a video monitor, touch sensors, a remote control, a voice synthesizer, and a combination thereof, and further includes a touch tone pad for supplying participant entered data to said network.

21. An interactive game system comprising:

a controller for generating real time score values indicative of performances of players involved in an event;

an interactive device for displaying video information to each participant of an interactive game based on the event; and

a communication network coupling said controller and said interactive device such that the real time score values are conveyed to each participant,

wherein said controller includes;

means for allowing each participant to access a first roster database containing real time score value of players in the event;

means for allowing each participant to select at least one member of the event to comprise a team for each participant of the interactive game; and

means for allowing each participant to access a second roster database containing real time score values of players on each participant'"'"'s team.

22. The interactive system of claim 21, wherein said interactive apparatus includes means for inputting commands to be sent to the controller such that each participant can add or delete a player to the team for optimizing the performance of each participant'"'"'s team compared to other participants.

23. The interactive system of claim 21, wherein said interactive device includes:

means for enabling selecting one player from the team;

means for enabling selecting another player involved in the event; and

means for enabling replacing the one player with the other player into the team.

24. A method for playing an interactive game based on an event occurring in real time, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating real time score values indicative of performances of players involved in the event;

(b) conveying to each participant the real time score values of the players; and

(c) based on step (b), selecting at least one member of the event to comprise a team for each participant of the interactive system.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

viewing the real time score of all players in the event;

receiving inputs from each participant; and

adding a player to the team upon input from each participant.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

selecting one player from the team;

selecting another player involved in the event; and

replacing the one player with the other player to reform the team.

26. The method of claim 31, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of:

converting statistical input data into real time score values for each player;

storing real time score values of each player of each participant'"'"'s team; and

storing said real time score values for each player in the event.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step (a) further comprises generating video information to display a ticker tape containing the real time score values.

29. The method of claim 31, wherein step (c) comprises visually displaying said real time score values.

30. The method of claim 31, wherein step (c) comprises conveying audio information on said real time score values.