Interactive television system and methodology

• US 6,193,610 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Virtual Gaming Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Junkin Trust William
• Inventors: Junkin, William W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/939,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/9, 463/4, 463/40, 463/41, 463/36, 463/30, 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 participants to compete in an interactive game, such as a contest or sporting event, occurring in real time or as a taped broadcast of a real time event. The event with which the participant may interact is broadcast live or previously taped but not aired. At home, participants can play along with the broadcast on a real time basis as a previously taped segment of the television show is aired. Interactive play may be accomplished by access to an on-line version of the game while the corresponding game show airs live or is rebroadcast to the participant for the first time on television.

Claims

1. 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 a 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 the participant.

2. The interactive system of claim 1, 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.

3. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a central controller having:

a first storage device for storing real time score values of each player of each participant'"'"'s team;

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.

4. The interactive system of claim 3, wherein said controller further comprises a second computer for converting statistical input data into real time score values for each player, and said first and second computers are coupled together by said communication network such that said first computer receives said real time score values.

5. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said real time score values are displayed in a ticker tape format.

6. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said real time scores are conveyed to the participant in audio form.

7. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said video information comprises at least one of the event and a video program.

8. The interactive system of claim 1, 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.

9. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said real time scores are broadcast in alphabetical order of players in response to touch tone pad inputs by the participant.

10. The interactive system of claim 8, wherein said interactive apparatus further includes a touch tone pad for supplying participant entered data to said network.

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

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

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

12. The interactive system of claim 11, wherein said interactive apparatus includes means for inputting commands to be sent to the controller such that the participant can add or delete a player to the team for optimizing the performance of the participant'"'"'s team compared to other participants.

13. The interactive system of claim 11, wherein said interactive device includes:

means for enabling selecting the player from the team;

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

means for enabling replacing the player with another player into the team.

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

15. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the game is conveyed to a participant through a live broadcast.

16. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the game is conveyed to the participant through a delayed broadcast.

17. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the communication network conveys an on-line version of the game to a participant.

18. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the game is played by a participant in real time on a first carrier system while the game is simultaneously broadcast live.

19. The interactive system of claim 18, wherein the game is played real time on the internet and/or an audio text delivery system while the game show airs live on television simultaneously.

20. The interactive system of claim 18, wherein the game is played real time on the internet and/or an audio text delivery system while the game show airs taped on television simultaneously.