Amusement devices: games – Problem eliciting response – Questions and answers
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-31
2001-07-31
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Amusement devices: games
Problem eliciting response
Questions and answers
C463S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267379
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of interactive entertainment systems and methods for using such systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional interactive games of the game show or quiz show variety typically pose trivia questions to players. In these games, the multimedia question content is usually text-based and the multimedia question structure is often multiple choice. The text-based games do not include graphics. Moreover, if the multimedia questions posed are multiple choice, there is usually only one correct multimedia answer to each question. For example, NTN Trivia and You Don't Know Jack use text-based multiple choice questions having only one correct multimedia answer.
Some conventional game show or quiz show interactive games pose questions to individual players who compete against each other. For example, NTN Trivia is designed for up to twenty players, but all of the players are playing as individuals in competition with each other. Similarly, You Don't Know Jack is designed for three individuals to play against one another.
A few conventional game show or quiz show interactive games may be designed for team play. However, these games generally allow only one player per team to play at a time. For example, the so-called team play of NTN Trivia allows only one player per team to play at a time. Moreover, most conventional game show or quiz show interactive games usually are restricted to being played without any host/player interaction. This is the case with NTN Trivia, for example. It can be appreciated therefore that what is needed is an electronically interactive game that at least poses questions in more than textual form, that features host/player interaction, and which accommodates team play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Presented herein is a system and method to play an electronically interactive multimedia game that overcomes the limitations associated with conventional game show or quiz show interactive games and provides additional benefits. One embodiment uses multimedia-based (i.e., text, audio, graphical images, etc.) questions that may have a plurality of answers for each question. This embodiment also poses the multimedia questions to teams of players. The team of players simultaneously play for the success of their particular teams by selecting answers to the multimedia question posed. The players on each team collaborate with each other to come up with an overall correct multimedia answer to the multimedia question. Because the multimedia questions and multimedia answers are more complex than in conventional game show or quiz show interactive games, the players must pool their knowledge to get the overall correct answer and advance in the game. The interactive multimedia game system and method challenges players to select, match, combine, and associate fun images. Because the game works pictorially, it is accessible to a wider group of players. This embodiment also may be led by a live human host who conducts the game and interacts with the players and teams. The live human host may pose bonus questions in non-electronic format, in an effort to break a tie, for example, and may award prizes to the winning team.
The interactive multimedia game may be played in a location-based facility. The location-based facility may include a host that conducts the game. The host may include a live human host and a computer host.
The location-based facility also may include a multimedia unit. The multimedia unit may include a processor, a screen(s) for displaying text and graphics, and an audio system for playing music and sound effects, for example, as well as for amplifying voices.
At the start of the interactive multimedia game the live human host may organize a plurality of teams to play the game. Each team includes a plurality of players. The location-based facility thus also may include a plurality of player terminals around which the plurality of teams gather. Each player terminal is accessible to each player on each team simultaneously.
The interactive multimedia game may be played in rounds. In one embodiment, the interactive multimedia game includes a first round, a second round, a third round, or a “lightning round.” In each round, the interactive multimedia game poses a multimedia question to the plurality of teams and provides a plurality of possible multimedia answers to the multimedia question. The plurality of teams must pick one, two, or three multimedia answers from among the plurality of possible multimedia answers. In one embodiment the multimedia screen(s) displays the multimedia question and the plurality of possible multimedia answers to the multimedia question.
Unlike conventional game show or quiz show interactive games, the multimedia question and the plurality of possible multimedia answers to the multimedia question may be in text, audio, and graphic form. The text may be “question text,” “hint text,” or “answer text.” The possible multimedia answers to the multimedia question are termed “question graphics.”
Of course, a particular type of question is not required by the present invention. Rather, the multimedia questions may be any of a variety of types. For example, in one embodiment, the multimedia question may be an “identification question,” which has one, two, or three question graphics that fit the question text. In another embodiment, the multimedia question may be a “matching question,” which matches two question graphics, for example, based on the question text. Alternatively, the multimedia question may be an “oddball question” that asks which question graphic does not belong in the plurality of question graphics. In another embodiment, the multimedia question may be a “linking question,” in which there exists a relationship between two or three question graphics, for example. There may be “compound word” questions in which players combine two or more question graphics to form a compound word or phrase that best fits the question text. One embodiment includes a “sequencing question,” which requires the possible multimedia answers to be selected in a particular sequence. There may also be “polling questions,” which ask factual questions and then calculate the responses as in a survey rather than a quiz.
The interactive multimedia game may provide a plurality of player terminals to enable the plurality of players to substantially simultaneously select answer(s) from among the plurality of possible multimedia answers displayed on the multimedia screen. The player terminals may have a plurality of player input devices that correspond to the plurality of question graphics. In one embodiment, the player input devices may be push buttons. The player terminals may also) include a plurality of signal lights that indicate whether the particular team selected the correct multimedia answer(s).
In one embodiment, the player terminals may include an audio system to play the digital audio of the game, as well as to amplify human voices. The player terminals also include computers or processors to process player inputs and to communicate with the computer host.
The player terminals may also include a display unit and keyboard or other player input device to receive and display a unique team name for each team.
Further features and advantages as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments are described in detail below.
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Carey Rachel E.
Forrest Andrew R.
Pruzan Alan J.
Coie Perkins
Forrest-Pruzan Creative LLC
Paradiso John
Vo Peter
LandOfFree
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