Synchronized gaming and programming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12005349-B2
Application number	US-202117488674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2021
Priority date	Oct 3, 2005
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

To encourage viewer participation, games, contests and social interactions are able to be synchronized with programming such as television shows or commercials utilizing a second screen such as a cell phone, iPad® or laptop computer. The programming is able to be television programming, Internet programming (e.g. a video displayed on a webpage or mobile device) or any other programming. The gaming is able to be any game such as a game of skill or chance, for example, a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of playing a game, comprising:
a. streaming video data and game data;
b. operating a program to display the video data and the game data, wherein the video data and the game data are synchronized when displayed; and
c. preventing users from submitting a response to the game data based on the video data and a lockout signal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a game start signal and starting the game.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising playing the game by selecting one or more choices related to the video data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously on the same device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously on separate devices.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising collecting scores and reporting performance to participants' devices.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising prohibiting further game-related input with the lockout signal.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the game data contains graphic information in addition to the video data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the graphic information is displayed on the same device using methods including crawling information, closed captioned information, a picture in picture or a graphical overlay.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data or the game data is buffered in advance of a scheduled start.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the video data and the game data on a transmission selected from a TCP, UDP, 3G, multicast or broadcast transmission.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are synchronously displayed.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are synchronized based on a delay and further wherein the delay represents delay of the game data.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data comprises one or more live events.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more live events are viewed in person by a person physically attending a location corresponding to the one or more live events, wherein the person initiates the lockout signal based on occurrences in the one or more live events.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein information related to the one or more live events is received from a physical location corresponding to the one or more live events.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before competitors in the contest are able to see relevant live action unfold.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before a scoring chance in the one or more live events.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal involves an in-progress play, not during a stoppage, and preventing submitting the response before a critical element of the in-progress play unfolds.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal applies for a limited amount of time.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal applies for an action lasting a limited amount of time.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal involves presenting new odds on an unresolved proposition.

24. A server for synchronizing a game or contest with streaming content comprising:
a. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for:
i. transmitting game data for the game or contest to one or more devices on which the game or contest is to be played wherein the game data is to be synchronized with the streaming content at the one or more devices; and
ii. transmitting a lockout signal to the one or more devices to prevent users from submitting a response to the game or contest based on the streaming content; and

b. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application.

25. The server of claim 24 further comprising determining an amount of delay in the streaming content using a method of automatic content recognition.

26. The server of claim 24 wherein existing events in the streaming content are used as synchronization points for previously downloaded data files to a mobile client.

27. The server of claim 24 wherein a synchronization point is a visible or audible event located within the streaming content.

28. The server of claim 24 wherein a synchronization point for synchronizing the streaming content and game data is contained in audio or video within the streaming content.

29. The server of claim 24 wherein information is embedded in the streaming content and tracked online in real-time.

30. The server of claim 24 further comprising determining an amount of delay in the streaming content using a recognizable signal recognizable by a mobile device.

31. The server of claim 24 wherein a plurality of synchronization points are used by a client to continuously check to ensure game data is synchronized with the streaming content.

32. The server of claim 24 wherein inserted audio or video is used to continuously check to ensure game data is synchronized on a client with the streaming content.

33. The server of claim 24 wherein the game or contest comprises one or more live events.

34. The server of claim 33 wherein the one or more live events are viewed in person by a person physically attending a location corresponding to the one or more live events, wherein the person initiates the lockout signal based on occurrences in the one or more live events.

35. The server of claim 33 wherein information related to the one or more live events is received from a physical location corresponding to the one or more live events.

36. The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before competitors in the contest are able to see relevant live action unfold.

37. The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before a scoring chance in the one or more events.

38. The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal involves an in-progress play, not during a stoppage, and preventing submitting the response before a critical element of the in-progress play unfolds.

39. The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal applies for a limited amount of time.

40. The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal applies for an action lasting a limited amount of time.

41. The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal involves presenting new odds on an unresolved proposition.

Assignees

• Winview Inc
• Winview Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Lockton David B

Classifications

• H04L67/131

  Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality · CPC title

• H04L65/611

  for multicast or broadcast (systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06) · CPC title

• H04L65/4015

  where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference · CPC title

• G07F17/3227

  Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters · CPC title

• A63F13/355

  Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client · CPC title