US5695400A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of managing multi-player game playing over a network
Assignee: Boxer Jam Productions
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Filing: 1996-01-30
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Granted: 1997-12-09
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Expires: 2016-01-30
Abstract
Abstract A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a multi-player game that is played on a plurality of terminals on a network in a manner that compensates for differences in network latency among different terminals. The method includes: (a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge such as a trivia question to the terminals via the network; (b) receiving a game response signal such as a "buzz-in" from two or more of the terminals; (c) assigning each responding terminal a priority rank according to a characteristic of their respective game response signal, e.g., elapsed time since receipt of the game challenge; (d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank; and (e) sending signals to the responding terminals assigning them respective degrees of control of the game, e.g., the right to take a turn, in accordance with their respective ranks.
Inventors
- 👤 W. Temple W. Fennell, Jr.
- 👤 Todd Hodes
- 👤 Scott Witherell
- 👤 Chris J. Goebel
- 👤 Rajesh P. Thakkar
- 👤 Thomas Schwenk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 08:23
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/30; A63F13/35; A63F13/358; A63F13/33; A63F13/335; A63F13/34; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/40; A63F2300/407; A63F2300/408; A63F2300/50; A63F2300/53; A63F2300/534; A63F2300/537
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played on a plurality of terminals connected by a network, said method comprising: (a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the terminals via the network; (b) receiving a game response signal from one or more terminals; (c) assigning each responding terminal a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with a characteristic of their respective game response signals; (d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank; and (e) sending signals to the responding terminals assigning them respective degrees of control of the game in accordance with their respective ranks.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played on a plurality of terminals connected by a network, said method comprising: (a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the terminals via the network; (b) receiving a game response signal from one or more terminals; (c) assigning each responding terminal a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with a characteristic of their respective game response signals; (d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank; and (e) sending signals to the responding terminals assigning them respective degrees of control of the game in accordance with their respective ranks.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a host computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein (1) each game response signal includes a timestamp, and (2) each terminal's rank is assigned in accordance with its respective timestamp.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a local event.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a global event.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a local time reference.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a global time reference.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: (1) a first responding terminal ascertains its own rank, relative to a second responding terminal, by exchanging timestamp signals with the second responding terminal, and (2) the degree of control of the game assigned to the first responding terminal is assigned in accordance with the rank of the first responding terminal relative to the second responding terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the degree of control of the game assigned to the first responding terminal is assigned by the first responding terminal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8, wherein a winning terminal transmits a signal indicating that its user has won the free-for-all phase of the game.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1: (1) wherein a first terminal has a higher degree of network latency than a second terminal, and (2) further comprising displaying a message at the second terminal during the determination of which responding terminal has the highest rank.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of a game challenge is transmitted by a host computer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of a game challenge is transmitted by one of the terminals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 13, wherein (1) a plurality of respective representations of game challenges is transmitted to the terminals prior to the free-for-all phase, and (2) during the free-for-all phase, a representation of a specified game challenge is displayed at the terminals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 13, wherein a representation of a game challenge for the free-for-all phase in the game is transmitted prior to the beginning of that phase and subsequent to a previous free-for-all phase.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of a game challenge is generated locally at each terminal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the game challenge is a transmission of a packetized video signal.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played by a first terminal and a plurality of terminals connected by a network, said method comprising: (a) the first terminal transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the plurality of terminals via the network; (b) each other terminal assigning itself a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with a characteristic of its respective game response signal; and (c) a winning terminal sending signals to the other terminals indicating that it has assumed a specified degree of control of the game in accordance with its rank.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played by a first terminal and a plurality of terminals connected by a network, said method comprising: (a) the first terminal transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the plurality of terminals via the network; (b) each other terminal assigning itself a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with a characteristic of its respective game response signal; and (c) a winning terminal sending signals to the other terminals indicating that it has assumed a specified degree of control of the game in accordance with its rank.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 18, wherein: (1) each game response signal includes a timestamp; and (2) each terminal's rank is assigned in accordance with its respective timestamp.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a local event.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a global event.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a local time reference.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 18, wherein each terminal's timestamp is generated relative to a global time reference.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
150 words
A method, executed by a host computer, of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played on a plurality of terminals connected to the host computer by a network, said method comprising: (a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the terminals via the network, said representation including a digitized video signal; (b) receiving respective game response signals from one or more terminals, each game response signal including a timestamp; (c) assigning each responding terminal a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with its respective timestamp; (d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank, referred to as the winning terminal, by comparing the timestamps of the responding terminals; (e) sending a signal to the winning terminal giving it control of the game; and (f) sending signals to the other responding terminals locking them out of control of the game.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
150 words
A method, executed by a host computer, of managing user inputs and displaying outputs in a free-for-all phase of a multi-player game being played on a plurality of terminals connected to the host computer by a network, said method comprising: (a) transmitting a representation of a game challenge to the terminals via the network, said representation including a digitized video signal; (b) receiving respective game response signals from one or more terminals, each game response signal including a timestamp; (c) assigning each responding terminal a rank in a priority scheme in accordance with its respective timestamp; (d) determining which responding terminal has the highest rank, referred to as the winning terminal, by comparing the timestamps of the responding terminals; (e) sending a signal to the winning terminal giving it control of the game; and (f) sending signals to the other responding terminals locking them out of control of the game.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A storage device for storing the machine readable instructions for implementing any one of the methods in claims 1 through 24.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-12-08 | 2001-06-09 | 2001-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-08 | 2005-06-09 | 2005-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-08 | 2009-06-09 | 2009-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |