Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – With communication link
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-13
2004-07-06
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
With communication link
C463S001000, C463S023000, C463S030000, C463S031000, C463S032000, C463S037000, C463S040000, C463S043000, C434S350000, C434S354000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758754
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to games, and more specifically to online electronic team games of trivia scheduled based on real-life events.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Competitive games are a well known form of recreation. These games may include physical activities, such as basketball or baseball, or more inactive games, such as “board games” like Monopoly™ and Trivial Pursuit™ Advances in technology have added new games and altered existing games. These advances in technology allow games such as basketball, baseball, or Monopoly™ to played in an electronic format.
Competitive games may be enjoyable because participants can interact with others in friendly competition. Electronic games, however, may suffer from the drawback of reducing the number of people who can participate together in a game. Many current electronic video games are limited to two players competing against each other. This limits who can participate.
Additionally, many conventional games are limited by geography. Players may only compete with other players nearby. To participate, a player may have to travel large distances at great expense to reach a competition. This may discourage players from competing in various contests.
Conventional electronic games may also have a drawback of not establishing competition among a community of players with common interests. Many electronic games are limited to a schedule(s) created by the game manufacturer. These games do not incorporate real-life competition and/or preexisting loyalties held by players. While a player may have a preexisting loyalty to a college football team, for example, existing electronic games do not specifically use these loyalties to promote competition in the electronic games.
These and other drawbacks exist.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to overcome these and other drawbacks in existing systems and methods.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for allowing a plurality of players to electronically compete in contests against each other.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for allowing a plurality of players to be teamed together, based at least in part on player profiles, and matching teams of players against each other in a competition.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for matching teams of players against each other in competition based on real-life events.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for grouping players into teams based on player-selected sports teams and matching teams according to a real-life sports schedule.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for creating a compelling multi-player experience as well as foster a community of like-minded sports fans.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for fostering player loyalty driven by pre-existing, strongly held loyalties to sports teams.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for allowing a player to receive a score for a contest based on the performance of the player in the contest and based on the performance of the player's team in the contest.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for allowing a plurality of players to compete in a trivia based competition by presenting players with a series of questions and tallying the responses provided by the players.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for providing the opportunity for players to accumulate chances to win prizes while participating in competition with and against a plurality of other players.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for providing branding opportunities for partners and clients who sponsor player competition.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods for providing a sizable value-added content to existing online sports content providers who sponsor player competition.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished according to various embodiments of the invention. According to one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of players register to compete. Players are placed on teams based on a player's indication of team preferences. Teams are matched based on real-life events. The score of the competition is tallied, and the players are awarded scores based on the player's individual performance and teams performance.
Other objects and advantages exist for the present invention.
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Lamb Richard Edward
Lavanchy Eric Robert
Zito Anthony Frank
ACTV, Inc
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Nguyen Binh-An D.
Walberg Teresa
LandOfFree
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