Abstract:
The present invention relates to a system and method for interactive gaming comprising: a central broadcast center ( 10 ) transmitting signals over a first communications network; a gaming system ( 25 ) residing within the central broadcast center ( 10 ); a plurality of users who access the gaming system ( 25 ) via the first communication network. The gaming system ( 25 ) provides a plurality of games that incorporate a scoring protocol that provides real time scoring data transmitting from the plurality of users back to the gaming system via a second communication network. The plurality of users may review the real time scoring data via the first communications network.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to interactive gaming via a television system and communications network. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Interactive gaming provides entertainment for the general public in many forms, such as PC gaming, specific console formatted gaming and gaming via a communications network with a central server. Each form of interactive gaming presents various advantages and disadvantages. Some gaming allows a multitude of players access but may be subject to equipment specifications such as server limitations, connection speeds, internet service provider, broadband capabilities, video cards and/or peripheral equipment. Specific formatted gaming is limited to participants with direct access to the gaming console, i.e., Playstation, X-Box, and Gameboy. Gaming via a communication network may allow many users but is subject to the communication capabilities of each user and are limited to users who have access to the communication network. Frequently, users may lose their connection to the central gaming server due to various network problems. By using existing television systems for interactive gaming one may increase the potential market for interactive gaming and diminish some of the shortcomings associated with interactive gaming via a communication network. Other interactive television gaming systems include Bell ExpressVu in Canada and Visionik in Denmark. These interactive systems however lack flexible and effective user friendly functionality. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,610 to Junkin relates to an interactive apparatus and method that allows participants to compete in an interactive game occurring in real time or as a taped broadcast of a real time event. The interactive gaming of Junkin may be accomplished by accessing an online version of the game while the corresponding event airs live or is rebroadcast to the participant on a television. Junkin describes an interactive gaming scheme that allows the participants to select individuals and/or teams, who are engaged in an event being broadcast, from a contest roster database. The participants form a team from the roster database and scores are developed based upon the individual&#39;s and/or team&#39;s performance in the televised event. The interactive gaming of Junkin is specifically associated with the televised event and dependant upon its outcome. Junkin does not discuss or disclose methods of interactive gaming in an independent format where users actively control the outcome and strategy related to the game via the television system. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,974 to Eilat et al. relates to a gaming method for use with an interactive game that a player plays with a player unit having an interface device which is coupled to a television and to at least one communication network. Eilat describes a method which enables two players to engage in an interactive game via a television through a communication network. Eilat allows users to transmit their photos that are incorporated in the interactive game and allows the players play the game while viewing the game on their respective televisions. Eilat essentially describes interactive games for two participants who view the game on a television and other viewers may watch the interactive play. U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,396 to Galyean, III et al. (Galyean) relates to an interactive computer game with a television broadcast, where a central control establishes a large virtual environment in which viewers participate with characters either controlled or designed by them. The interactive game of Galyean allows users to directly control or influence characters within an active region with defined boundaries that encompass part of the virtual environment that is much less that the total environment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to interactive gaming via a participant&#39;s television. In one exemplary embodiment, the interactive gaming involves a trivia game which consists of one or more levels of play, wherein each level presents participants with increasingly difficult questions. Participants answer multiple questions related to a predetermined subject such as entertainment, sports, science, culture, art and/or health. Upon completion of a game or skill level within a game, participants may submit their respective scores to a central database and registry at an Interactive Game Center (IGC), i.e. server, where the score is compared to scores submitted by other participants. The IGC tallies scores in real time and sends the results back to each participant&#39;s set-top box, thereby allowing the users to compete with other players within a predetermined region. Participants may periodically, i.e. upon completing a question or a skill level, quit or pause the game for any desired time period. Participants may execute the quit or pause function at any time during the game. 
     Subscribers to the present invention may play the game through a conventional television. Subscribers may compete with other subscribers in real time due to the real time updates provided through the IGC. The subscriber may view results that include the subscriber&#39;s ranking or standing among the group of participants within the particular game. 
     The present invention may use the DIRECTV Interactive programming via the DIRECTV satellite system. Advantageously, a broadcaster may generate revenue by charging subscribers for playing the game and sponsors for advertising. The present invention provides a new television interactive game that is more exciting and user friendly than prior art. Subscribers have an unlimited number of competitors who may reside any where in the world. Participants may submit their respective scores to the IGC for tallying and ranking, or participants may choose to merely play without submitting their scores. 
     The present invention includes a database of questions that reside within a set-top box where the database is refreshed every hour. Participants may compete in a particular game at any time. New games may be started at pre-determined periods of time, such as every one or two weeks. Each new set of questions may give rise to a new contest between the participants. The database of questions may be associated with different skill levels to ensure a challenging gaming experience for all participants. 
     Advantageously, participants may pause the game after any question and turn off the television or switch to other programming. Participants may then return to the game at any time. At a predetermined level or after all of the proffered questions have been asked, participants may submit their respective score to be compared with others. The database of questions includes a substantial volume of questions in order to avoid repetition and to maintain the participant&#39;s interest. 
     During each game, each question must be answered within a predetermined time period. A participant may achieve a higher score by answering questions as quickly as possible. In one exemplary embodiment, if the predetermined time period expires, then the participant cannot answer the question, or in an alternative embodiment, the participant may submit an answer after expiration of the predetermined time period simply to determine if the participant actually knew the correct answer. Other variations of the general question/answer game format include supplying answers immediately or not supplying answers until completion of predetermined segments. If the participants are not supplied with a correct answer, then the question or a related question may be used again for this participant. 
     Participants subscribe to the interactive gaming via their respective set-top box. The set-tip boxes permit multiple participants to subscribe through a single set-top box. In an alternative embodiment, some participants may play the interactive games without subscribing, however unsubscribed participants merely answer questions for entertainment purposes and may not directly and interactively compete with any other participants. Furthermore, several set-top boxes may be installed at a particular location enabling a team of participants to compete with other teams within a predetermined region. 
     In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  shows an exemplary schematic diagram of a data flow according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  shows an exemplary set top box configuration according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  shows a flowchart related to a scoring algorithm according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  shows a second flowchart related to the scoring algorithm according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2C  shows a third flowchart related to the scoring algorithm according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2D  shows a fourth flowchart related to the scoring algorithm according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows an exemplary illustration of a portal screen of according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows an exemplary main game screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows an exemplary question screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows an exemplary correct answer screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows an exemplary incorrect answer screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows an exemplary level completion screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  shows an exemplary a score registration screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10A  shows a flowchart related to a gaming sequence according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10B  shows the further steps of the flowchart related to the gaming sequence according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10C  shows the further steps of the flowchart related to the gaming sequence according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention enables a dynamic interactive game platform for use with a conventional television system. The present invention allows multiple users to participate in an interactive game via a television system that allows user interaction, continuous real-time scoring, multiple achievement levels and unique scoring schemes. The scoring scheme associated with the present invention awards points for correct answers, correct answers within a pre-determined time period, bonus points for consecutive correct answers, weighted correct answers associated with each achievement level, and tallies the score in dynamic real time. The present invention accomplishes real time interaction through the use of a satellite television system and a central interactive gaming center. 
     A data flow for a system according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1A . A gaming system  25  includes a question database  12  for use with a game application  14 , such as an application for a trivia game. The gaming system  25  transmits data from the question database  12  and the trivia application  14  to a real-time update server  16 . The update server  16  transmits data to an uplink server  18  that relays the data to a satellite  20 . The satellite  20  then transmits the data from the question database  12  and/or game application  14  to a user&#39;s television STB  22 . The questions and gaming application for playing the trivia game reside in the user&#39;s STB  22 . The user may then interactively review the questions and provide answers via the STB  22 . Questions are then asked and answers evaluated from the STB  22 . A central broadcast center  10  includes, inter alia, the gaming system  25 , the unlink server  18 , the real time server  16  and transaction server  24 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, approximately 100 questions per level may be provided to a user periodically, i.e., hourly. The user, after playing the game may then submit their final score for a level or the entire game to a transaction server  24 . The final scores are transmitted through a telephone from the STB  22  to the transaction server  24 . However, other means for transmitting the final scores are conceivable, such as data including scores from several STBs  22  may be sent to the transaction server  24  for the game. As shown in  FIG. 1A , data from the STB  22  is transferred via a modem to a point of presence (POP)  23  and then transmitted over the interne  15  to the transaction server  24 . 
     From the transaction server  24 , the data sent by the STBs  22  is placed in a high score database  26 . The high score database  26  stores the scores from several users for comparison and ranking purposes. A list of high scores and other related data can then be transmitted back via the uplink server  18  to the user so that the user may see the user&#39;s score as compared with the other competitors. Data transmission may be provided through a real time update server  16  to an uplink server  18  and uplink server  18  then transmits a question packet from the question database  12  and the game application  14  to the STB  22 . Based upon the data stored in the high score database  26 , a prize may be sent to the user with the high score for a particular period such as two weeks, one month or year. The present invention also facilitates the ability to provide questions on different types of knowledge for various gaming contests. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the question database  12  and the high score database  26  are stored in computer systems such as the Sun Ultra 5 having a Sparc 400 MHz processor and 256 MB of RAM, using the Solaris 8 operating environment and MySQL 3.53 database management software. The uplink server  18  may be a Sun Ultra 10 having a Sparc 400 MHz processor and 256 MB of RAM, using the Solaris 8 operating environment. The real-time update server  16  may be an HP NetServer LPr with a Pentium III 800 MHz processor, using Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating system and the .NET platform. The transaction server  24  may be a Sun Blade  100  having a Sparc II 500 MHz processor. The RAM is preferred to be at least 512 MB and the computer may use the Sun Solaris 8 operating environment and Tomcat 4.1 Web Server software. The STB  22  may be a GLA 2.5 version using OpenTV EN 2.1 software for its applications. In one exemplary embodiment, the STB  22  has 2 MB of RAM and 3 MB of Flash memory. Equivalent software and hardware for the servers, databases and STBs may be substituted for the items described. Also, the question database  12  and the high score database  26  may be located in the same hardware system. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1B , a detail exemplary configuration for the STB  22  is shown. Data flows into and from the STB  22  via input  227  and output  229 . A STB database  221  stores question packets sent to the STB  22  from the gaming system  25 . The STB  22  also includes a gaming application  223  which executes the interactive gaming functionality for the user. The user interacts with the STB  22  via a handheld device  22   a  that transmits user commands to the STB  22  via a wireless transmission  22   b . A user transmitter/receiver  22   c  receives the commands from the handheld device  22   a  and relays  223   b  these commands to the STB gaming application  223 . The transmissions to and from the STB gaming application  223  include a question protocol to the television  220  and user replies, answers and commands, via the handheld device  11 . The gaming application  223  includes applications which tally store a base score  223   c  and a bonus &amp; time score  223   d.    
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , an exemplary scoring algorithm is depicted. Initially, a score is calculated for a particular question as shown in step  100 . The algorithm then tallies a base score, step  200 , calculates time based component, step  300 , calculates a bonus score component, step  400  and then calculates a score for the given level, step  500 . To output the complete total score, the algorithm sums the score for each completed level and then outputs the sum as the total score for the particular user.  FIGS. 2B through 2D  show sublevels associated with the total score algorithm of  FIG. 2A . Referring to  FIG. 2B , the score for a particular question, step  100 , includes: calculation of the total time to complete the question step  110 ; determination of the total time to complete a question on level (i); and using these two time components to determine the output score s j ′(i) for a particular question, step  120 , where s j ′(i)=(t a (i)−t j /t a (i))+ε, for correct answers only where ε=a fudge factor. In calculating the time base score step  300 , the algorithm provides a sum total of each score for all questions, step  310 . The summation of the total scores is then multiplied by the tally base score and a level factor i, step  320 . The result of the multiplication outputs a time base score at step  330  which is used in step  300  of  FIG. 2A . The bonus score component step  400  of  FIG. 2A  is calculated according to the steps of  FIG. 2D . Initially, an input of the total number of questions asked Q(i) asked , step  410 , is followed by an input of the total number of asked, questions correctly answered Q(i) correct , step  420 . A ratio is calculated in order to determine the percentage of correct answers. The correct percentage is then multiplied by the base level bonus score times the level factor i at step  440 , then the bonus score component b i  is output at step  450 . As one may ascertain from the above algorithm, a user&#39;s score includes the number of correct answers, time associated in supplying the correct answers and an implementation of bonus scoring based thereon. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the steps for playing the game are as follows. A portal screen  28  is provided, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The screen  28  allows the user to pick any of a number of games to be provided. Once the user selects a game, the user is brought to a main game screen  50  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The user enters a unique identifier  52  to play the game, where the identifier  52  is shown along with other information such as the location. On the initial screen, the points and level of play have not yet been recorded for the user. However, scores and rankings  56 ,  58  may be displayed for those who have already entered their score. Although a limited number of scores may be displayed on the screen, a scroll bar  60  may be used to display a longer list of scores. The main screen  50  allows the user to play  62 , enter the results  64  or change the user identifier playing the game  66 . The user is also given directions  68  regarding the game. 
     After the user elects to play a particular game, the game begins with a question screen  70  as shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown, the question screen  70  provides information which the user may use for competing in the game. As shown, data for the user includes level of play  72 , the number of questions asked for the level played  74 , number of correct answers toward the number needed to advance to the next level  76 , question category  78 , time remaining to answer  80 , points awarded for a rapid answer  82  and total points accumulated so far  84 . Extra points may be awarded based upon the percentage of correct answers answered previously for the level being played and upon the level of play. The display of these extra points  86  is also shown on the question screen  70 . Also on the question screen  70  are the question  88  and the answer choices  90 . As shown, the number of right answers required per level is ten. 
     If the user correctly answers the question in the allotted time, a correct answer screen is provided  100 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The number of correct answers  76  is incremented as well as the points awarded  82  and the total points received  84 . In addition, the amount of extra points  86  earned is incremented for the higher ratio of correct answers to questions asked. A message  92  informs the user that the answer is correct and offers the user the choice of moving forward or going back to the main menu. 
     If an incorrect answer is given, or time runs out, an incorrect answer screen  101  is provided as shown in  FIG. 7 . In the incorrect answer screen  101 , the number of points  82  awarded is shown to be zero, and the extra points  86  to be awarded is diminished because the ratio of correct answers to answers given has been lowered. A message  102  is provided which informs the user that the answer is wrong. In addition, the message  102  offers the user the choice of moving forward or going back to the main menu. 
     After the number of answers needed to advance to the next level is obtained, a level completion screen  110  is provided as shown in  FIG. 8 . A message  112  is provided informing the user, and a choice may be provided to continue to the next level or return to the main menu. If the user returns to the main menu, the user may elect to submit score results to the transaction server  24 . The score registration screen  120  shown at  FIG. 9  is provided if the user submits a score. As shown, the user&#39;s identifying information  52  and level score  53  is provided on the level completion screen. A high score roster  122  is also provided. In the roster, the high score list for the game currently residing in players&#39; STBs is provided to all users. This high score list is updated throughout the residency of the game in the STBs. If an individual user makes one of the high scores for the game, then the user&#39;s name is added to the roster. The user&#39;s data is sent to the high score database  26  which is transmitted to the real-time update server and then transmitted to the respective STB for each user. 
     The user&#39;s score may be visible for a level or the game presented on the television almost instantly upon registration of the score. A portion of this information may be given, or additional information may be given, depending upon what type of game is provided. For example, the game may be based upon math or geography or any other field of knowledge. Appropriate information may be provided to make each type of game interesting. 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  show a flow chart which sets forth the steps for interactive gaming according to the present invention. Initially, a user tunes to the game portal via the set top box, step  810  and selects the interactive trivia game from the game portal, step  820 . Upon selection of the trivia game, the user inputs a user id, step  870 . The trivia game allows multiple users to play the game via a single set top box. After the initial selection of a user, the trivia game&#39;s main menu appears, step  830 . The user may choose four options while on the main menu exit the game, step  840 , play the game step  850 , submit scores  860  or select another user  870 . If the user chooses to play the trivia game  850 , then the game sequence is initiated as shown in  FIG. 10C . The questions as sent from the gaming system  25  are uploaded for the current level, step  880 . The user begins the game by answering the current question  890  and then continues to the next question and/or next level if the user has completed the current level questions. The user may also opt to end the game at any time after the complete of a question. So the user answers the current question  890  and decides whether to continue  894 . The gaming application  223  determines if the level is complete  896  based upon the number of correct answers supplied by the user and notifies the user. Next the gaming application  223  determines if the game has been played through completion, step  898 , if not then the trivia engine  223   a  increments the user to the next level  882  or alternatively if the game is complete the game ends. Upon incrementing to the next level trivia game cycles back to step  880  and the user views and answers the current question, step  890 . 
     Further aspects of the interactive game include a three level game that may be played at one or more levels, where the point score equals zero, and the maximum score equals 12,000. Users must provide ten correct answers to advance to the next level. The score for each level has two components: (1) one component is based upon how quickly the correct answer is provided; and (2) the other component is based upon how many questions are required to get the required ten correct answers. 
     Each question has a base value equal to 100 times the level of the question. When presented with a question, the user will have a predetermined period of time to answer the question, such as 30 seconds times the level of the question. The more time a user uses to input a right answer, the fewer points received. A visual indicator shows the time and available points ticking down. If the points available drops to zero, the user can no longer answer the question and the user must move on to the next question to keep playing. 
     The first score component for a level is calculated by summing up the score of each correctly answered question and multiplying it by 100 times the level. The second score component for a level is calculated by multiplying 100 times the level by the ratio of number of questions answered correctly over the number of questions asked in total. Preferably, the points available are provided to the user in real time. Thus, a diminishing progress bar tells the user the points available if the answer is given instantaneously. The progress bar starts at 100% and drops incrementally to 0%. Color change for the time bar as the time lapses is also preferred. The second score component of the score for completing the level is updated after each question is answered. The cumulative score is updated after each question is answered. Other scoring methods are contemplated, such as eliminating the time factor in scoring or giving more value to the time factor. 
     The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made there from within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.