Method of conducting an interactive competition

• US 6,800,031 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Di Cesare, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II, John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US10/121,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/40-42, 273/429-432
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8064 Quiz
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/183 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces

Abstract

An interaction competition provides an entertaining enjoyable environment for a player to compete against a celebrity in a head-to-head trivia game. The questions may be associated with the celebrity rather than random general information or general trivia. The celebrity can participate via prerecorded audio media, prerecorded audio-visual media, or in a live real-time format. A goal of the competition is for a player to gain more points than the celebrity. Another goal of the competition is for the player to answer more questions correctly than the celebrity. At least one or more game episodes can be provided on computer-readable media. A game episode may be implemented with a product featuring a celebrity. The competition can be provided in many different gaming environments. The competition can be provided online via a web-based format; a television game show format; telephone call-in radio talk show format; or a cellular phone game format.

Claims

1. A method of conducting an interactive competition between a celebrity and a player, comprising the steps of:

presenting a question having a plurality of answer options including at least one correct answer option and at least one incorrect answer option, the question having trivia information being associated with the celebrity;

receiving an answer option from the player;

presenting an answer option made by the celebrity; and

repeating the presenting a question step, the receiving step, and the presenting an answer option made by the celebrity for multiple questions;

wherein the step of presenting an answer option made by the celebrity includes providing prerecorded audio data to audibly play the answer opion made by the celebrity;

said prerecorded audio data being presented in an interactive format with said answer option of said player.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including steps of increasing a player score, if the answer option received from the player matches the correct answer option;

increasing a celebrity score, if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the correct answer option; and

updating the player score and the celebrity score for the multiple questions.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of selecting the celebrity for the competition based on internet search requests.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of selecting the celebrity for the competition based on polling for name recognition of the celebrity.

5. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of selecting the celebrity for the competition based on the popularity of at least one of a television show, motion picture, musical presentation, and sports team associated with the celebrity.

6. The method according to claim 2, further including a step of providing the player score to a rating system that includes other scores of different players.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting a question to a player, further includes providing data to audibly play the question to the player.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting a question step includes audibly playing the question from stored audio data.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting a question to a player further includes a step of visually providing the question to the player on a display device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting an answer option made by the celebrity, further includes providing data to visually display the answer on a display device.

11. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of facilitating a player to receive information on products and services of a sponsor of the competition on a display device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple questions includes at least four sequential questions being indirectly associated with the celebrity.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple questions are limited to questions being indirectly associated with the celebrity.

14. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of presenting a linking discussion for the question, prior to the step of presenting a question.

15. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of providing data to audibly play a bantering message to the player from the celebrity, if the answer option received from the player matches the incorrect answer option and if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the correct answer option.

16. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of providing data to audibly play a congratulatory message to the player from the celebrity, if the answer option received from the player matches the correct answer option, and if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the incorrect answer option.

17. The method according to claim 1, further including a step of providing data to audibly play a consoling message to the player from the celebrity, if the answer option received from the player matches the incorrect answer option, and if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the incorrect answer option.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of recording said presenting steps, said receiving steps, and said repeating step so as to provide a communications signal for transmission to a communications network.

19. A computer readable medium having computer-instructions for a method of conducting an interactive competition between a celebrity and a player, comprising the steps of:

presenting a question having a plurality of answer options including at least one correct answer option and at least one incorrect answer option, the question having trivia information being associated with the celebrity;

receiving an answer optio from the player;

presenting an answer option made by the celebrity; and

repeating the presenting step, the receiving step, and the step of presenting an answer option made by the celebrity for multiple questions;

wherein the step of presenting an answer option made by the celebrity includes providing prerecorded audio data to audibly play the answer option made by the celebrity;

said prerecorded audio data being presented in an interactive format with said answer option of said player.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including steps of adjusting a player score, if the answer option received from the player matches the correct answer option;

adjusting a celebrity score, if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the correct answer option; and

updating the player score and the celebrity score for the multiple questions.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of selecting the celebrity for the competition based on internet search requests.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of selecting the celebrity for the competition based on polling for name recognition of the celebrity.

23. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of selecting the celebrity for the competition based on the popularity of at least one of a television show, motion picture, musical presentation, and sports team associated with the celebrity.

24. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, further including a step of providing the player score to a rating system that includes other scores of different players.

25. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the step of presenting a question to a player, further includes a step of providing data to audibly play the question to the player.

26. The computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the question is produced from stored audio data.

27. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the step of presenting a question to a player, further includes a step of sending data to visually provide the question to the player on a display device.

28. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the step of presenting an answer option made by the celebrity, further includes a step of providing data to visually display the answer on a display device.

29. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of providing data for a multimedia celebrity introduction to the player.

30. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of providing an electronic link for a player to receive information on products and services of a sponsor of the competition on a display device.

31. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the multiple questions includes at least four sequential questions being indirectly associated with the celebrity.

32. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the multiple questions are limited to questions being indirectly associated with the celebrity.

33. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of presenting a linking discussion for the question, prior to the step of presenting a question.

34. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of providing data to audibly play a bantering message to the player from the celebrity, if the answer option received from the player matches the incorrect answer option and if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the correct answer option.

35. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of providing data to audibly play a congratulatory message to the player from the celebrity, if the answer option received from the player matches the correct answer option, and if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the incorrect answer option.

36. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further including a step of providing data to audibly play a consoling message to the player from the celebrity, if the answer option received from the player matches the incorrect answer option, and if the answer option made by the celebrity matches the incorrect answer option.

37. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising a step of providing visual data and audio data for transmission to a communications network.