Methods, devices, and systems for video gaming

• US 8,613,674 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Charles Vago, Mark Anthony Charles
• Original Assignee: James Charles Vago, Mark Anthony Charles
• Inventors: Vago, James Charles, Charles, Mark Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIDDLE, JAY TRENT
• Application Number:
  US13/274,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20120094757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

There is a game console, wherein the game console further comprises a set of computer readable instructions for: transmitting login data to at least one game server, wherein the at least one game server is associated with a game service for a gaming community; transmitting data from the game console to the at least one game server to associate the first gamer and a second gamer as members of a semi-permanent gaming clan using the personally identifiable data for the first gamer and the second gamer, wherein the gaming clan has a clan identifier associated therewith; c) transmitting data from the game console to the at least one game server to establish one of the first gamer and the second gamer as a semi-permanent clan leader.

Claims

1. A game system, comprising:

a game console comprising;

a CPU;

b) a computer readable medium;

c) a network interface;

d) an operating system stored on the computer readable medium;

e) a video interface port for transmitting a video signal to a display;

f) a system bus interconnecting the computer readable medium, the CPU, the network interface and the video port;

g) a first video game application for providing game play stored, at least in part, on the computer readable medium;

a smart phone connected wirelessly to a cellular network and to the game console, the connection to the game console being within a short range; and

wherein the game console further comprises a set of computer readable instructions for;

a) pairing the smart phone with the game console and controlling the smart phone;

b) wirelessly transmitting a first phone number associated with a first gamer tag to the smart phone;

c) receiving a first message wirelessly from the smart phone;

d) receiving a second message from a first smart device via the network interface;

e) displaying the first or second message within a video game image projected by a display connected to the video interface port or transmitting the first message or the second message to a speaker, wherein the first or second message is displayed or transmitted without suspending gameplay;

f) transmitting a reply to the smart phone or the first smart device, wherein the reply is inputted to the game console without suspending game play.

2. The game system of claim 1, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprises instructions enabling a real time interactive audio dialog between a user of a second smart device in communication with the smart phone and a user of the game console.

3. The game system of claim 1, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprise instructions for routing audio data associated with the first message to a speaker associated with the game console to the exclusion of game play audio.

4. The game system of claim 1, further comprises a headset or game controller in data communication with the game console and one of the headset or the game controller further comprises an input device for selecting whether game play audio data or audio data associated with the first message is sent the headset.

5. The game system of claim 1, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprise instructions for receiving one of the first phone number and the first gamer tag from a game server.

6. The game system of claim 1, wherein the first phone number and the first gamer tag are stored on the computer readable medium.

7. The game system of claim 1, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprises instructions for displaying one of a second phone number or a second gamer tag when the second phone number or the second gamer tag are received as part of the second message.

8. The game system of claim 1, further comprising a game controller in communication with the game console and comprising an input mechanism for inputting the reply to one of the first or second messages.

9. The game system of claim 1, wherein the set of computer readable further comprise instructions for routing the first message to a speaker to the exclusion of game play audio associated with the first video game application.

10. A game system, comprising:

a game console comprising;

a) a CPU;

b) a computer readable medium;

c) a network interface;

d) an operating system stored on the computer readable medium;

e) a video interface port for transmitting a video signal to a display;

f) a system bus interconnecting the computer readable medium, the CPU, the network interface and the video port;

g) a first video game application for providing game play stored, at least in part, on the computer readable medium;

a first smart device connected wirelessly to a cellular network and to the game console, the connection to the game console being within a short range; and

wherein the game console further comprises a set of computer readable instructions for;

a) pairing the first smart device with the game console and controlling the first smart device;

b) wirelessly instructing the first smart device to transmit a first phone number to a cellular network;

c) receiving a first message wirelessly from the first smart device;

d) receiving a second message from a second smart device via the network interface;

e) displaying the first or second message within a video game image projected by a display connected to the video interface port or transmitting the first message or the second message to a speaker; and

f) transmitting a reply to the first smart device or the second smart device, wherein the reply is inputted to the game console.

11. The game system of claim 10, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprise instructions for wirelessly transmitting the first phone number associated with a first gamer tag to the first smart device.

12. The game system of claim 10, wherein the computer readable medium stores a plurality of phone numbers as clan data and wherein the clan data further comprises information selected from the group consisting of an email address, a clan identifier, a clan class, a time zone, a native language, a list of video games, a list of game maps and combinations thereof.

13. The game system of claim 11, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprises instructions for receiving one of the first phone number and the first gamer tag from a game server.

14. The game system of claim 13, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprises instructions for displaying one of a second phone number or a second gamer tag when the second phone number or the second gamer tag are received as part of the second message.

15. The game system of claim 10, further comprises a headset or game controller in data communication with the game console and one of the headset or the game controller further comprises an input device for selecting whether game play audio data or audio data associated with the first message or the second message is sent the headset.

16. The game system of claim 10, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprise instructions for routing audio data associated with the first message to a speaker associated with the game console to the exclusion of game play audio.

17. The game system of claim 10, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprise instructions for communicating with a game server hosting a game service associated with a gaming community and wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprise instructions for communicating with a message component of the game service.

18. The game system of claim 10, wherein the set of computer readable instructions further comprises instructions enabling a real time interactive audio dialog between a user of a third smart device in communication with the first smart device and a user of the game console.