Methodology for equalizing systemic latencies in television reception in connection with games of skill played in connection with live television programming

• US 8,149,530 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winview IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: WinView Incorporated (GameSquare Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockton, David B., Berner, Mark K., Micheli, Mark J., Lowe, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US11/786,992
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 360/65, 360/51, 381/103, 370/260, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 360/65
• 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 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• 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 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• 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 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/27 : Server based end-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 : Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 : Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4508 : Management of client data or end-user data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 : for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 : Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 : Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56

Abstract

A method of and system for handling latency issues encountered in producing real-time entertainment such as games of skill synchronized with live or taped televised events is described herein. There are multiple situations that are dealt with regarding latencies in receiving a television signal with respect to real-time entertainment based on the unfolding games played along with the telecasts. Systemic delays, arbitrarily imposed delays of a broadcast signal and variances in the precise broadcast times of taped television programs have to be equalized so as to provide fair entertainment.

Claims

1. A method of equalizing effects of latency differences in a game of skill or chance comprising:

a. grouping participants into a set of cohorts viewing a telecast delivered by identical transmission and reception systems;

b. determining an amount of delay for each cohort in the set of cohorts, wherein determining comprises establishing the amount of delay through an automated system which samples an audio or video track of a satellite, cable or over the air broadcast television signal, linked to a game server, to provide information related to a precise arrival of an underlying television picture; and

c. substantially equalizing the set of cohorts through adjustment of the amount of delay, wherein equalizing the set of cohorts comprises time stamping the amount of delay on a game lock out signal, imposing the amount of delay on an entire game data stream and sending game control data to the participant cohorts at the same time where client software delays presentation of game data based on a precise time of reception of the telecast by the group.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising determining how each participant receives a television signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein how each participant receives a television signal is selected from the group consisting of an over the air broadcast, a cable system and a satellite system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the participants are grouped based on how the participants receive a television signal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising determining if there is additional processing of a television signal in a reception location.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the additional processing occurs within a participant'"'"'s location selected from the group consisting of a public place, a home, an office and a bar.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining the amount of delay comprises one or more of:

d. requiring the participants to answer questions related to their television system service;

e. requiring the participants to mark on a game playing client device a precise time that a predetermined audio or visual event is viewed on a television program;

f. utilizing a GPS function in a cellular phone to determine a physical location of each of the participants;

g. utilizing an employee of a game producer who is a member of each cohort in the set of cohorts to determine the amount of delay; and

h. inserting an artifact in the telecast in which the participants respond to.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein input from a client device linked to a broadcast server is utilized to achieve synchronization with the television program.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the telecast comprises commercials.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein questions to be displayed at precise times during the commercials sent to a mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein an incentive is awarded for answering the questions on the mobile device in precise synchronization with the telecast of the commercials.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein existing events in the telecast are used as synchronization points as start points for previously downloaded data files to a mobile client.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein a synchronization point is an event located within the telecast.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein a synchronization point for a live telecast is contained in audio or video within the telecast.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein information is inserted in a Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) or equivalent of a show and tracked online in real-time.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein information is embedded in the telecast and tracked online in real-time.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a start time of the telecast includes using a recognizable signal recognizable by a mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the game of skill comprises pre-produced data files.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the pre-produced data files comprise real-time entertainment.

20. The method of claim 18 where a plurality of synchronization points are used by a client to continuously check to ensure the pre-produced data files are synchronized with the telecast.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein inserted audio or video is used to continuously check to ensure the pre produced data files are precisely synchronized on the client with the telecast.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising precisely synchronizing the telecast with the game of skill or chance presented on a second screen coupled to a cellular network or Internet.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein synchronizing comprises:

a. determining an amount of delay to precisely synchronize between the game of skill stored on a mobile device and the receipt of the program presented on a television; and

b. substantially equalizing presentation of the game of skill with the telecast through adjustment for the amount of delay of the telecast.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein substantially equalizing includes equalizing receipt of lock out events relative to a televised event triggering a lock out.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein synchronizing comprises substantially equalizing a cohort delay to ensure cohorts each receive the game of skill at substantially the same time.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein synchronizing comprises determining a cohort latency based on specific cohort latencies and synchronizing the game of skill for each of the cohorts.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein synchronizing comprises utilizing an audio or video recognition system on a client with online access to the telecast'"'"'s game control server.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein synchronizing comprises using added audio or video events in the telecast as synchronization points.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein a plurality of synchronization points within audio or video are used by software on a client to continuously monitor the telecast to ensure the game of skill is precisely synchronized with the telecast.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein an artifact is inserted into the telecast recognizable by an audio receiver in a mobile device which is utilized to start and continually keep the game of skill synchronized with the telecast.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the telecast is a live telecast.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the game of skill ends when the telecast ends.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the game server sends the game of skill to a mobile device.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the game server sends a game of chance to a mobile device.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein the game of skill is stored in random access memory of a mobile device.

36. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the game of skill on a mobile device.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein an earliest receipt of a lockout signal by the set of cohorts is utilized for equalizing locking out all sets of cohorts receiving the telecast later.

38. The method of claim 7 further comprising establishing the delay by comparing audio or video samples derived from the cellular phone linked to the game server by comparing samples to archived audio or video files of the program being broadcast.

39. The method of claim 7 wherein an archive of a live telecast is generated contemporaneously with broadcast of the live telecast.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustment of the amount of delay results in synchronization of receipt of a television signal of the telecast and presentation of game-related data on a mobile device.

41. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a shortest delay of a cohort of the set of cohorts and applying lockouts to the set of cohorts based on the shortest delay.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein cohorts comprise ad hoc or preexisting groups of friends competing in a separate competition in disparate physical locations.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronization points are the audio or video data for the telecast residing on the game server online with a mobile device.

44. The method of claim 23 wherein cohorts constitute ad hoc or existing groups of geographically dispersed friends participating in a separate game of chance or skill.

45. The method of claim 37 wherein cohorts are ad hoc or previously organized groups of friends competing against each other in a separate contest.

46. A method of equalizing effects of latency differences in a game of skill or chance based on a television program, comprising:

a. grouping participants into a set of cohorts viewing a telecast delivered by identical transmission and reception systems;

b. determining an amount of delay in signal reception for each cohort in the set of cohorts, wherein determining further comprises establishing the amount of delay through an automated system which continuously samples an audio or video track of a satellite, cable or over the air broadcast television signal, linked to a game server, to provide information related to a precise arrival of an underlying television picture relative to the cellular data; and

c. substantially equalizing the set of cohorts through adjustment of the amount of delay to synchronize receipt of a television signal of the telecast and cellular or Internet data, wherein equalizing the set of cohorts incorporates time stamping the amount of delay on a game lock out signal, imposing the amount of delay on an entire game data stream and sending game control data to the participant cohorts at the same time where client software delays presentation of game data based on a precise time of reception of the telecast by the group.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein determining the amount of delay comprises one or more of:

d. utilizing GPS functions in a cellular phone to determine a physical location of each of the participants; and

inserting an artifact in the telecast in which the participants respond to.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising establishing the delay by comparing audio or video samples derived from the cellular phone linked to the game server by comparing samples to archived audio or video files of the program being broadcast.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein an archive of a live telecast is generated contemporaneously with broadcast of the live telecast.

50. The method of claim 46 wherein existing events in the telecast are used as synchronization points as start points for previously downloaded data files.

51. The method of claim 46 wherein a synchronization point is in the audio or video within the telecast.

52. The method of claim 46 wherein information is embedded in the telecast and tracked online in real-time.

53. The method of claim 46 wherein determining a start time of the telecast includes using a recognizable signal by a mobile device.

54. The method of claim 46 where a plurality of synchronization points are used to continuously check to ensure pre-produced data files are synchronized with the telecast.

55. The method of claim 46 wherein inserted audio or video is used to continuously check to ensure pre-produced data files are synchronized with the telecast.

56. The method of claim 46 further comprising synchronizing the telecast and the game of skill.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein synchronizing comprises:

a. determining an amount of delay between the game of skill stored on a mobile device and the telecast presented on a television; and

b. substantially equalizing the game of skill and the telecast through adjustment of the amount of delay.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein substantially equalizing includes equalizing receipt of lock out data relative to an event triggering a lock out.

59. The method of claim 56 wherein synchronizing comprises substantially equalizing a cohort delay to ensure cohorts each receive the game of skill at substantially the same time.

60. The method of claim 56 wherein synchronizing comprises determining a cohort latency based on specific cohort latencies and synchronizing the game of skill for each of the cohorts.

61. The method of claim 46 wherein an earliest receipt of a lockout signal by the set of cohorts is utilized for equalizing cohorts receiving the telecast later.

62. The method of claim 47 further comprising establishing the delay by comparing audio or video samples derived from the cellular phone linked to the game server by comparing samples to archived audio or video files of the program being broadcast.

63. A method of equalizing effects of latency differences in a game of skill or chance based on a television program, comprising:

f. grouping participants into a set of cohorts viewing a telecast comprising commercials delivered by identical transmission and reception systems;

g. determining an amount of delay in signal reception for each cohort in the set of cohorts including utilizing a GPS function in a cellular phone to determine a physical location of each of the participants and utilizing a recognizable signal synchronization point within the telecast, wherein synchronizing comprises substantially equalizing receipt of lock out data relative to an event triggering a lock out and substantially equalizing a cohort delay to ensure each of the cohorts receive the game of skill at substantially the same time by time stamping the amount of delay on the game lockout signal and wherein a plurality of synchronization points within the telecast are used to continuously check to ensure the game of skill is synchronized with the telecast, wherein the game of skill ends when the telecast ends; and

h. substantially equalizing the set of cohorts through adjustment of the amount of delay to synchronize receipt of a television signal of the telecast and cellular data comprising questions related to the commercials.