Cellular phone games based upon television archives

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9511287-B2
Application number	US-54233506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2006
Priority date	Oct 3, 2005
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

Cellular phone games based on television archives allow users to play games on their cellular phones wherein the games are based on archived television programs. The game is able to be played simultaneously between competitors or on demand. Game data and video data are combined into one file and are sent to participating cellular phones so that the required information is received at the same time at each cellular phone. Each cellular phone contains software to manipulate the game and video data so that the user is able to play the game. The game is played by watching video clips from archived television programs and then selecting choices related to the video clips using the inputs on the user's cellular phone. User scores are determined based on the answers to the questions related to the video clips and results are distributed to the participants.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of playing a game based on archived television programs, comprising:
a. receiving one or more video files and one or more game data files;
b. operating a cellular based program to display one or more video clips and game data from the one or more video files and the one or more game data files, wherein the one or more video files and the one or more game data files are simultaneously broadcast to all entrants to the game at a specific time, wherein operating the cellular based program includes receiving a time stamped lockout signal by the cellular based program to prevent additional user input, wherein the game data is displayed simultaneously on the same screen with the one or more video clips; and
c. determining a score for each entrant of the game at a game server.

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

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising playing the game by selecting one or more choices related to the video clips.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more video files and the one or more game data files are received in a combined file.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the game data is overlayed on the video clips.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising collecting the scores and reporting performance of participants to a cellular phone.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more video files and the one or more game data files are compressed.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the game data contains graphic information in addition to the video clips.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the graphic information is displayed as a selected one of crawling information, closed captioned information, a picture in picture and a graphical overlay.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more video files and the one or more game data files are received in advance of a scheduled start.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the one or more video files and the one or more game data files on a transmission selected from the group consisting of a single TCP, UDP, 3G, multicast and broadcast transmission.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein transmitting is selected from the group consisting of digital broadcasting, individual streaming and downloading.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the game is played as a selected one of simultaneously live, on demand and practice.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a set of digital audio is received with the one or more video files and the one or more game data files.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a user identifies one or more remote competitors to challenge and compete against in a challenge game.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein after all of the challenged competitors complete the challenge game, results are sent to the challenged competitors including rankings.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the user utilizes the Internet to identify the one or more remote competitors to challenge and compete against.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more video files and the one or more game data files are pre-produced.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the archived television programs are selected from the group consisting of sporting events, game shows and entertainment shows.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or more segments of the archived television programs are included in the one or more video files.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the one or more segments are between five minutes and twenty minutes.

22. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising digitizing analog video.

23. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more video files and the one or more game data files are received over a wireless cellular network.

24. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the video clips and the game data are synchronously displayed.

25. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a record of episodes of the archived television programs played by the user is maintained on the game server to ensure the user receives a never-before played game by the user.

26. A method of playing a game based on a segment of an archived television program, comprising:
a. transmitting a set of files from a server over a wireless cellular network, the set of files comprising:
i. one or more pre-produced video files, wherein the one or more pre-produced video files contain one or more video clips;
ii. one or more game data files, wherein the one or more game data files contain game data, further wherein the game data contains graphic information in addition to the one or more video clips; and
iii. one or more audio files;

b. receiving the set of files on a mobile device, wherein the set of files is simultaneously broadcast to all entrants to the game at a specific time;
c. operating a cellular based program contained on the mobile device to synchronously display the one or more video clips and the game data, wherein operating the cellular based program includes receiving a time stamped lockout signal at the mobile device to prevent additional user input, wherein the game data is displayed simultaneously on the same screen with the one or more video clips;
d. playing the game by selecting one or more choices; and
e. determining a score for each entrant of the game at a game server.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the set of files is assembled into a combined file.

28. The method as claimed in claim 26 further comprising collecting the scores and reporting performance of participants to the mobile device.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the graphic information is displayed as a selected one of crawling information, closed captioned information, a picture in picture and a graphic overlay.

30. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the set of files contains compressed data.

31. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the set of files is received in advance of scheduled start.

32. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein transmitting the set of files is on a transmission selected from the group consisting of a single TCP, UDP, 3G, multicast and broadcast transmission.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32 wherein transmitting is selected from the group consisting of digital broadcasting, individual streaming and downloading.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the game is played as a selected one of simultaneously live, on demand and practice.

35. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein a user identifies one or more remote competitors to challenge and compete against in a challenge game.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein after all of the challenged competitors complete the challenge game, results are sent to the challenged competitors including rankings.

37. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the archived television program is selected from the group consisting of sporting events, game shows and enter

Assignees

• Lockton David B
• Berner Mark K
• Winview Inc

Inventors

• Lockton David B
• Berner Mark K

Classifications

• A63F2300/409

  Data transfer via television network · CPC title

• A63F2300/407

  Data transfer via internet · CPC title

• A63F13/338 Primary

  using television networks · CPC title

• A63F13/335

  using Internet · CPC title

• A63F13/332 Primary

  using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks · CPC title