System for profiling mobile station activity in a predictive command wireless game system

• US 6,527,641 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Larsen, Kenneth Bo, Schulz, Paul David, Sinclair, Matthew Frazer
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERUBIN, YVESTE GILBERTE
• Application Number:
  US09/404,759
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 463/39, 463/43, 463/44, 463/42, 463/30, 463/31, 273/371, 455/412, 455/456, 455/556-557, 455/406, 455/66, 709/202, 709/223, 709/219, 379/211.02, 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 707/102
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A system and a method for the customization of an interactive game based on mobile station activity. The interactive game is played in a virtual space using a wireless mobile station as a user interface. The game is tracked and controlled using a game center and a game server. The game server executes a software application that runs a game center. A command set is provided for each state within the game. The choice of a command from the command set changes the game state. Games are designed to be customizable based on, for example, current location of the mobile station, call usage on the mobile station, or wireless services utilized by the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method of applying a user profile in a virtual space created on a mobile station in communication with a network, said method comprising:

automatically collecting user-profile data based on user activity without the virtual space;

storing the user-profile data;

executing a virtual-space application;

communicating a virtual-space application state;

receiving a command in response to said virtual-space application state;

adapting said virtual-space application state to reflect said user-profile data; and

communicating said changed virtual-space application state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual-space application state also reflects selection of one of a plurality of predetermined instructions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual-space application state is communicated from said mobile station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual-space application state is communicated from a base station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual-space application is executed using a game center software application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said game center software application is running on a server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual-space application is executed using a game center software application running on a server configured to communicate with a base station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said changed virtual-space application state is communicated to said mobile station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said user-profile data includes information relating to the manner in which said mobile station utilizes a network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said manner is represented by the call frequency of said mobile station.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said manner is represented by the average call duration of said mobile station.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said manner is represented by the most frequent local locations visited by said mobile station.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said manner is represented by the most frequent global locations visited by said mobile station.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said manner is represented by the local locations called most frequently by said mobile station.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said manner is represented by the countries called most frequently by said mobile station.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said user-profile data is dependent on the manner in which a mobile station utilizes a network wherein said manner is represented by the wireless services accessed by said mobile station.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said user-profile data depends upon prior activity of the mobile station.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said user-profile is based on information collected from at least one non-virtual space application residing on said mobile station.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said non-virtual space application residing on said mobile station is an appointment-calendar application.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of supplementing the information stored in connection with the non-virtual space application residing on said mobile station.

21. A mobile station for communicating with a telecommunication network, said mobile station comprising a transceiver for communicating with said network;

wherein said mobile station is configured to communicate a virtual-space application state, receive a command in response to said virtual-space application state, and convey a predetermined instruction to a server and said server is configured to change said virtual-space application state according to said instruction and said server is configured to communicate said changed virtual-space application state to said mobile station; and

wherein said changed virtual-space application state is also dependent on a user profile containing information that is collected from without the virtual space.

22. The wireless application mobile station of claim 21, wherein said telecommunications network is configured to store use statistics of said mobile station and provide said use statistics to said server upon request.

23. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein said changed virtual-space application state is communicated by said mobile station using a menu and a menu selection on said mobile station produces said predetermined instruction.

24. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein said user profile is dependent on the manner in which said mobile station utilizes said network.

25. The mobile station of claim 24, wherein said manner is represented by the call frequency of said mobile station.

26. The mobile station of claim 24, wherein said manner is represented by the average call duration of said mobile station.

27. The mobile station of claim 24, wherein said manner is represented by the most frequent local locations visited by said mobile station.

28. The mobile station of claim 24, wherein said manner is represented by the most frequent global locations visited by said mobile station.

29. The mobile station of claim 24, wherein said manner is represented by the local locations called most frequently by said mobile station.

30. The mobile station of claim 24, wherein said manner is represented by the countries called most frequently by said mobile station.

31. The mobile station of claim 24, wherein said manner is represented by the wireless services accessed by said mobile station.

32. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein said mobile station further comprises memory for storing mobile-station usage statistics and wherein said mobile station is configured to provide said usage statistics to said server upon request by said server.

33. The wireless application mobile station of claim 21, wherein said changed virtual-space application state is communicated by said mobile station using a menu and said menu comprises one or more of a text and picture format.

34. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein a change in said virtual-space application state depends upon prior mobile station activity.

35. The mobile station of claim 34, wherein said mobile station activity includes the area in which said mobile station is most frequently used.

36. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the user profile includes information collected from at least one non-virtual space application residing on said mobile station.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said non-virtual space application residing on said mobile station is an address-book application.

38. A wireless application system, comprising:

a mobile station which includes a transceiver;

a base station which includes a transceiver wherein said base station and said mobile station communicate with each other using said transceivers;

a server configured to run a game center software application wherein said base station is adapted to communicate with said game center software application and said game center software application is configured to execute a virtual-space application;

wherein said mobile station is configured to communicate a virtual-space application state, receive a command in response to said application state, and convey a predetermined instruction to said server and said server is configured to change said virtual-space application state according to said instruction and said server is configured to communicate said changed virtual-space application state to said mobile station; and

wherein said changed application state is also dependent on a user profile containing information that is collected from without the virtual space.

39. The wireless application system of claim 38, further comprising a telecommunications network configured to store use statistics of said mobile station and provide said use statistics to said server upon request.

40. The wireless application system of claim 38, further comprising a telecommunications network wherein said base station is connected to said telecommunications network and said predetermined instruction is communicated to said server across said telecommunications network.

41. The wireless application system of claim 38, wherein said user profile comprised information relating to the manner in which said mobile station utilizes said network.

42. The wireless application system of claim 38, wherein said mobile station further comprises memory for storing use statistics of said mobile station wherein said mobile station is configured to provide said use statistics to said server upon invocation of said virtual-space application and upon request by said server.

43. The wireless application system of claim 38, wherein a change in said virtual-space application state depends upon prior mobile station activity.

44. The wireless application system of claim 38, further comprising a gateway wherein said base station communicates with said game center software application using said gateway.