Patent EA-002456-B1 (EA)
Title: Game system
Inventor: STADELMANN ANTON NIKLAUS
IPC: A63F3/08
Filed: 1999-02-17
Abstract: 1. Game system in which a plurality of participants transmit to at least one central play station (3), through a telecommunications network, participant game data for taking part in at least one game (31, 32, 33), the central play station (3) carrying out games (31, 32, 33) according to predefined game rules and transmitting central game data to said participants, the game data exchanged between participants and the central play station (3) being transmitted in special short messages by a plurality of mobile radio devices (2) through a mobile radio network (1) to the central play station (3), or respectively by said central play station (3) through said mobile radio network (1) to said mobile radio devices (2) of said participants, characterized in that the mobile radio devices (2) comprise a SIM card (21), which has memory, programmed means and processor, the programmed means containing a program for execution of the following functions: displaying playing instructions and game results on a display (22) of the mobile radio device (2), receiving participant game data entered through input means of the mobile radio device (2), and transmitting the entered participant game data to the central play station (3) by means of said special short messages. 2. Game system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the central play station (3) includes means to receive bets transmitted by participants, in that it includes means to compare the received bets with betting results, in that it includes means to determine winners and winning sums, and in that it includes means to transmit said game results to the participants. 3. Game system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central play station (3) includes at least one server and has access to at least one database (4) in which game accounts of participants are stored to which wagered amounts and winning sums can be booked. 4. Game system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a said SIM card (21) has stored an amount which can be used to pay wagered amounts. 5. Game system according to claim 4, characterized in that the said central play station (3) can book winnings to a said SIM card (21). 6. Game system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central play station (3) can identify a said participant by means of a participant tag stored on the said SIM card (21). 7. Game system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central play station (3) has access to at least one database (4) in which the central play station (3) stores, for at least certain games, the playing steps carried out for said participants participating therein for these said participants. 8. Game system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said special short messages are transmitted as SMS short messages or as unstructured supplementary service data (USSD). 9. Method for carrying out games (31, 32, 33) in a central play station (3), in which method participant game data, transmitted in special short messages by a plurality of mobile radio devices (2) through a mobile radio network (1), are received by participants, in which method central game data are determined according to predefined game rules, and in which method determined central game data are transmitted in special short messages through said mobile radio network (1) to the mobile radio devices (2) of the participants, characterized in that a SIM card (21) is inserted into the mobile radio devices (2) in each case, which SIM card (21) has memory, programmed means and processor, the programmed means containing a program through which program the following steps are executed: displaying playing instructions and game results on a display (22) of the mobile radio device (2), receiving participant game data entered through input means of the mobile radio device (2), and transmitting the entered participant game data to the central play station (3) by means of said special short messages. 10. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the participant game data include wagered amounts, and in that the method comprises the following additional steps: - identification and authentication of the participants, - booking of received wagered amounts in a database (4),  - determining winning quotas, and  - distribution and booking of winning sums. 11. Method according to one of the claims 9 to 10, characterized in that it comprises the following additional steps: - receiving special short messages with game registrations from interested participants, - transmitting special short messages to registered participants with the request to begin play and for time-limited transmission of participant game data, - storing the received participant game data. 12. Method according to one of the claims 9 to 11, characterized in that it comprises the following additional step: - debiting to a game account or to a SIM card (21) of a registered participant a particular monetary amount for the transmission of short messages. 13. Method according to one of the claims 9 to 12, characterized in that it comprises the following additional steps: - receiving a command for game registration, which has been entered by a participant through input means of said mobile radio device (2), - preparing a special short message with the game registration and transmission thereof to said central play station (3), and - receiving special short messages from said central play station (3) with the request to begin play and for time-limited transmission of participant game data, and transmission of the request to the display (22) of said mobile radio device (2). 14. Method according to one of the claims 9 to 13, characterized in that it comprises the following additional step: - booking a wagered amount transmitted to said central play station (3) against a prepaid stored amount. 15. Method according to one of the claims 9 to 14, characterized in that it comprises the following additional step: - booking of a winning sum transmitted by said central play station (3).