Abstract:
The present invention integrate functions of an SIP (or equivalent protocol) conference server with a game server for seamless presentation of new game play opportunities to wireless or mobile devices. The communications which are specific to a certain wireless device are routed according to well known identification means of said wireless device by the conference server.

Description:
[0001]     The present application claims benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/723,310 filed Oct. 4, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to networks for interactive gaming. More particularly, the present invention relates to individual wireless devices operating interactively through multiple integrated systems.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     From man&#39;s early history, games have been intended primarily to be interactive among humans. The advances in computer solitaire, computer chess, and online gambling against a computer notwithstanding, humans still prefer to interact with other humans in at least some portion of computer-based games and gambling. Online games and gambling have evolved so that multiple human players may interact with each other for pre-selected activities and times.  
         [0004]     The advances in and availability of access to wireless networks, such as cellular telephone, bluetooth, and Internet protocol types, have brought the functions of traditional personal computers to compact, portable, wireless devices such as telephones and PDA&#39;s. However, it is clear that the transition is filled with substantial challenges. Non-wireless systems are essentially all connected via a worldwide computer network and are, theoretically, all accessible to each other. A wired network connection in one part of the world allows interactive connection, via a third party server, with a wired network connection in any other part of the world. The nature of wireless networks and limits of specific connections thereto create certain problems in application of interactive gaming to small handheld wireless devices.  
         [0005]     Of particular interest are wireless networks supported by Internet protocol (IP) backbones, especially those involving voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) connections between interactive gamers. Wireless VoIP has the potential of dramatically reducing the cost of worldwide wireless connections between mobile users by avoiding long distance charges typically required of cellular and satellite networks. The virtual environment of a game or gambling interaction makes the physical locations of the players irrelevant. The virtual landscape or look and feel of an interactive game is a creature of the user interface, not the user or their location.  
         [0006]     There is a need for integration of the world of interactive gaming widely available to users of personal computers with wired network connections to the Internet and the wireless device user having access to Internet protocol networks.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention integrates conference functions of wireless IP networks with game states and media communications required for interactive gaming. Network communications all games to be created that allow users to interact in virtual environments. These networked games allow the users to play games together if they are in the same room or on the other side of the world, as long as they are connected to network.  
         [0008]     Significant new gaming capabilities are possible by the combination of wireless networks, multimedia communications and interactive gaming. Although the following embodiments describe wireless devices for individual users, one skilled in the art will understand by these descriptions that such devices may also be connected by wired connection to the various devices and networks described herein.  
         [0009]     Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is the real-time communication protocol for Voice over IP (VoIP). It is a preferred protocol for the invention system, as it can support video and instant-messaging applications, which capabilities are adapted for game play in the invention system by way of local interaction and subsequent communication with other wireless devices. SIP performs basic call-control. With SIP, most of the logic for call setup and other functions resides on the SIP device or user agent, such as an IP network wireless telephone. In contrast, traditional telephony or H.323-based telephony uses a model of intelligent, centralized phone switches with dumb phones.  
         [0010]     In a decentralizing embodiment of the invention system, an SIP-enabled phone, having significant multimedia communications functions for the mobile, wireless device, enables formation of decentralized interactive gaming networks without the requirement for state coordination with a third party game server. Ad hoc networks for interactive gaming or gambling are achievable by use of software programs resident on the wireless devices themselves.  
         [0011]     The invention system is comprised of two or more wireless devices which communicate by way of wireless connection to an IP network, such as under VoIP. The wireless devices are adapted to be SIP-enabled (or under similar protocol) for multimedia (audio and video) presentation through the local user interface, typically a compact color dot matrix liquid crystal display and one or more speakers. An input/output unit connects the display and speakers to a processor comprising a memory and central processing unit (CPU), which operate under a device control program. The input/output unit further connects the processor with a wireless communication module and user input interface. The user input interface typically consists of a microphone and pressure sensitive buttons and/or a touchscreen integral with the display.  
         [0012]     The memory of the wireless comprises game functions operable by the device control program which provide for individual or group play of a computer game. Game functions (or game state functions) may be entirely local or require interaction with a remote game server accessed by way of the IP network. Computer games are well known in the art and many are further known which allow for solitary user or group interactive play, at least in part. A simple example might be the game of poker, where the local display shows a local user&#39;s hand and provides input means for invoking plays required of a player for the displayed hand. The display also shows progress of the play relative to other players. In the poker example, a user may indicate by pressing one or more buttons that they wish to be issued another card. In distributed system according to the invention, the device control program would either (1) cause a card to be issued to the local player and the results would be transmitted to all other players via a conference server for a change in the overall game state of all conferenced players in an ad hoc network or (2) cause a request for a card to be communicated via the conference server to a game server which affects a conference game state, the results of which are then transmitted to the conference server for transmission to each conferenced player&#39;s wireless device, whereupon each player&#39;s representation of the poker would show one player had been issued a card. In either instance, the invention system acts to preserve a uniform conferenced game state among all conferenced players.  
         [0013]     An object of the invention system is to coordinate SIP enabled conferencing via a conference server with a real time game state established by a game service or server. The conference server communicates with the game server, and both communicating with the wireless devices, providing additional useful functions for the overall game play.  
         [0014]     It has not been known to integrate the functions of an SIP (or equivalent protocol) conference server with a game server for seamless presentation of new game play opportunities to wireless or mobile devices. The communications which are specific to a certain wireless device are routed according to well known identification means of said wireless device by the conference server.  
         [0015]     In a centralized gaming embodiment of the invention, a mixer is interposed between the wireless devices and a conference server for receipt of multimedia output from wireless devices for re-organization and re-transmission according to game functions to all the wireless devices. In this embodiment, the processors of the wireless devices comprise sufficient game data and functions so that multimedia input from the game server is not necessary. Such mixers are well known to operate under RTP and UDP for multimedia communication with IP networks, i.e., especially in the context of conference servers. In this embodiment of the invention, multimedia transmissions with a game server are eliminated, and the game server need only communicate SIP and game state signals with the wireless devices to control game play. The conference server communicates by SIP with the mixer and the game server to administer appropriate receipt and transmission of multimedia signals. The centralized gaming embodiment moves the burden of multimedia exchange between wireless devices to a mixer well adapted to handle the signal load.  
         [0016]     In a limited decentralized gaming embodiment, a conference server and mixer communicate and also each directly communicates with two or more wireless devices for game play. However, in this embodiment the wireless devices must be within range of each other to provide for direct wireless communication. The embodiment is limited in decentralization in that the game server is eliminated but still requires intervention of the conference server and mixer. In this embodiment, the wireless devices communicate the game state directly to each other. SIP signaling is accomplished by the conference server by direct communication with each wireless device. As in the previous embodiment, the mixer acts to gather, assemble and re-transmit to all wireless devices the multimedia signals required for game play.  
         [0017]     In a full decentralized gaming embodiment of the invention, a separate game server, conference server and mixer are eliminated, but are instead integrated into each wireless device. The processor of each wireless device comprises means for a conference server and mixer for point to point or ad hoc game playing networks. Each wireless device communicates directly with each other wireless device. In one form of this embodiment, the mixers of each of the wireless devices cooperate to ensure that multimedia content is uniform among all the wireless devices. In addition, the conference servers of each of the wireless devices cooperate to ensure appropriate conference SIP signaling for game play.  
         [0018]     In a hybrid decentralized gaming embodiment of the invention, the full decentralized gaming embodiment structure is modified. A central conference server acts to gather SIP signaling data from one or more of the wireless devices and thereby monitor and control all SIP signaling among the wireless devices. Similarly, a central mixer acts to gather multimedia signals from one or more of the wireless devices and thereby monitor and control all multimedia among the wireless devices.  
         [0019]     An object of the invention provides for a conference server to receive notification that a conference of wireless devices are engaging in an interactive game function, initiating execution of game related functions at the conference server. The conference server maps or coordinates games to conference calls of two or more wireless devices.  
         [0020]     Another object of the invention is to establish conference calls among real time game players.  
         [0021]     Another object of the invention is to adapt SIP (or its equivalent) at a conference server and, optionally, at the wireless devices so that centralized or decentralized game playing networks of wireless devices are established through a conference server include admission control of game players to the game and security against non-admitted interference.  
         [0022]     Another object of the invention provides identification specific users of wireless devices that are designated in a group as local game peers. Local game peers are those players of a specific game or games who prefer to engage in game playing together, as opposed to unknown or non-preferred game players forming a group of remote game peers. SIP (or its equivalent) is adapted to identify such groups and controls exchange of game state information so that a first game state information is available to the local game peers but not remote game peers. In an alternate form of the invention, a specific local game peer may choose to share his own game state information with remote game peers while the game state information of others of the local game peers is prevented from exchange with the remote game peers.  
         [0023]     Another object of the invention is to provide a conference server with central SIP control of a media conference among mobile wireless devices. Another object of the invention is to provide audio conferencing by way of a conference server among wireless devices playing a game so that the voices of the players are exchanged during real time play of the game.  
         [0024]     Another object of the invention is for a conference server to establish geographical locations of wireless devices conferenced in game play to define a local game peer or to change, modify or adapt a game state. For example, two local game peers in a specific city could be allowed by citywide geography to share earned game capabilities as opposed to other game players in a conferenced game.  
         [0025]     Another object of the invention is to provide a conference server offering SIP (or equivalent) client/network service as a base station of operations for game playing or similar, real time multimedia functions for mobile, wireless devices.  
         [0026]     Yet another object of the invention is to provide context-aware conferencing in the context of real time game playing among wireless devices. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0027]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the invention system base gaming embodiment of the invention incorporating coordination of a conference server, a game server and one or more wireless devices.  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the invention system centralized gaming embodiment of the invention incorporating coordination of a conference server, a game server, a mixer and one or more wireless devices.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the invention system limited decentralized gaming embodiment of the invention incorporating coordination of a conference server, a mixer and one or more wireless devices.  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the invention system full decentralized gaming embodiment of the invention incorporating coordination of a two or more wireless devices.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the invention system hybrid decentralized gaming embodiment of the invention incorporating coordination of a conference server, a mixer and one or more wireless devices. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]     The invention is now discussed with reference to the figures.  
         [0033]      FIG. 1  shows a conference server  101  which is SIP enabled or enabled via other similar protocol for conference linkage communication with wireless devices U 1  through U 4 . Game server  102  comprises game function software that provides for interaction between two or more players within the context of game play, i.e., two players may play poker and wager against each other. Such multi-player gaming services are well known and currently available to users having terminal access to the Internet or similar IP network.  
         [0034]     Wireless devices U 1  through U 4  comprise means for communicating by way of wireless connection to an IP network, such as under VoIP. The wireless devices are adapted to be SIP-enabled (or under similar protocol) for multimedia (audio and video) presentation through the local user interface, typically a compact color dot matrix liquid crystal display and one or more speakers. An input/output unit connects the display and speakers to a processor comprising a memory and central processing unit (CPU), which operate under a device control program. The input/output unit further connects the processor with a wireless communication module and user input interface. The user input interface typically consists of a microphone and pressure sensitive buttons and/or a touchscreen integral with the display. Currently available models of wireless phones are intended as wireless devices that are adapted to connect wirelessly via the 802.11 protocols or their equivalents.  
         [0035]     Communications links shown in the figures linking devices U 1  through U 4  with servers  101  and  102  (or other servers operating to provide functions and data to the wireless devices) include well known link equipment such as wireless communications modules, access point base stations, routers, and other such equipment. Such equipment is not shown but is understood by those skilled in the art to be present in operation of the invention system.  
         [0036]     Each of devices U 1  through U 4  respectively comprise gaming clients G 1  through G 4 . The gaming client includes functions stored in the process of the wireless device providing for game play on the wireless device. Game play on the wireless device proceeds somewhat differently for each of the embodiments and is described below.  
         [0037]     In addition, each of devices U 1  through U 4  respectively comprise SIP services S 1  through S 4 . Services S 1  through S 4  provide for VoIP and multimedia communication with other servers and wireless devices.  
         [0038]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , known as the base gaming embodiment, conference server  101  has engaged devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  in a conference CONF 1 , by way of, respectively, services S 1 , S 2  and S 3 . At the same time, devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  are engaged in interactive game play by way of, respectively, clients G 1 , G 2  and G 3  by way of game server  102  and are currently at a game state shown as STATE 1 . The conference server  101  has engaged device U 4  in a conference CONF 2 , by way of service S 4 . At the same time, device U 4  is engaged in solo game play by way of client G 4  by way of game server  102  and are currently at a game state shown as STATE 2 . A game state is a well known term in the art of computer games defining a user&#39;s current status within play of the game, i.e., identity, progress of game play, graphics and sound presentation, etc.  
         [0039]     Links  104 ,  105 ,  106  and  110  carry SIP signaling communications between devices U 1  through U 4  and the conference server. Links  107 ,  108 ,  109  and  111  carry game state and/or multimedia signals to each of devices U 1  through U 4 . Game server  102  identifies each of devices U 1  through U 3  as individual game players requiring interactive play at STATE 1 . Game server  102  ensures that real time game state data is consistent and uniform across all of the devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  for play of the game and receives input from those devices which will cause the play of the game to progress. Conference server  101  identifies each of devices U 1  through U 3  and coordinates their communications by way of conference CONF 1 .  
         [0040]     Link  103  carries communications via IP network between conference server  101  and game server  102 . These communications are critical to coordination of conference and gaming functions of the invention system. Servers  101  and  102  exchange information identifying that devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  are both engaged in interactive play at STATE 1  and engaged in conference CONF 1  at the same time. Servers  101  and  102  are then able to share operation of functions of their respective servers for the benefit of devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3 . In a specific example of such coordination, server  101  functions to receive from devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  certain access codes which correspond to a first local game peer group for devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3 . Pursuant to this function, devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  enter said access codes which are received by server  101  and identifies that the first peer group wants to play only among themselves. The identities of the first peer group are transmitted to game server  102 , which results in only devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  being allowed to interactively participate in the game session of STATE 1 . Local game peer groups may be defined by sensed geography of the physical locations of devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  or other criteria.  
         [0041]     The other embodiments of the invention system incorporate the above coordination of game server functions and conference server functions.  
         [0042]      FIG. 2  shows a centralized gaming embodiment of the invention system. Mixer  120  is interposed between conference server  101  and devices U 1  and U 2 . The function of mixer  120  is to provide streaming functions by way of RTP and UDP so that their high speed capabilities reduce the communications load on links  115  and  116  with game server  102 . Game server  102  need only provide game state communication via links  115  and  116 , where the processors of devices U  1  and U 2  carry out the instructions pursuant to the game state communications to cause the game to progress and multimedia presentation to be made consistent between devices U 1  and U 2 . SIP signaling (as in links  104 - 106  and  110  in  FIG. 1 ) are delivered via link  112  between conference server  101  and mixer  120 , which in turn are communicated with devices U 1  and U 2  respectively by links  113  and  114 . Links  113  and  114  also carry multimedia of the subject game to and from mixer  120 .  
         [0043]      FIG. 3  shows a limited decentralized gaming embodiment which eliminates a game server, requiring incorporation of the game server functions in devices U 1  and U 2 . Devices U 1  and U 2  communicate directly via link  122  and share game state information directly during the interactive game play. Links  118  and  119  respectively carry multimedia communications respectively between devices U 1  and U 2 . Links  121  and  123  respectively carry SIP signaling communications between devices U 1  and U 2  and conference server  101 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 4  shows a fully decentralized gaming embodiment of the invention system which eliminates all external servers, requiring that devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3 , respectively incorporate the functions of the game server in programs G 1 , G 2  and G 3 , the functions of the conference server in conference program C 1 , C 2  and C 3 , and the functions of the mixer in mixer program M 1 , M 2  and M 3 . This embodiment operates similar to that of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  although the functions of the conference server and mixer are incorporated into devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3 . Devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  communicate with each other directly. Programs of the groups G 1 , G 2  and G 3 ; C 1 , C 2  and C 3 ; and M 1 , M 2  and M 3  operate cooperatively so that the programs of each group do not conflict but instead cooperate so that one of the three programs acts as a master to the other two or all group programs continuously share state information to accomplish the objects of the invention. In this embodiment, each of the devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  communicate directly with each other for interactive game play.  
         [0045]      FIG. 5  shows a hybrid decentralized gaming embodiment of the invention system, where a central conference server  101  and central mixer  120  are incorporated into the system shown in  FIG. 4 . Server  101  communicates by link  131  with device U 1  to accomplish central control of SIP signaling among devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3 . Server  120  communicates by link  130  to device U 1  to accomplish central control of multimedia exchange among devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3 . In this embodiment, devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3  possess the ability to carry out a fully decentralized interactive gaming session. However, device U 1 &#39;s links  130  and  131  permit a central server control in a daisy chain among devices U 1 , U 2  and U 3 .  
         [0046]     The above design options will sometimes present the skilled designer with considerable and wide ranges from which to choose appropriate apparatus and method modifications for the above examples. However, the objects of the present invention will still be obtained by that skilled designer applying such design options in an appropriate manner.