US6312336B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic game guide system
Assignee: Synamedia Ltd
•
Filing: 1999-02-04
•
Granted: 2001-11-06
•
Expires: 2019-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A gaming guide method including providing first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network, and displaying simultaneously at least a portion of the first gaming guide information and at least a portion of the second gaming guide information. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
Inventors
- 👤 Doron Handelman
- 👤 David Zviel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:54
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/30; A63F13/33; A63F13/338; A63F13/12; A63F13/335; A63F13/50; A63F13/53; A63F13/533; H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/478; H04N21/4781; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/40; A63F2300/409
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network; displaying simultaneously at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in a store-and-record menu; and enabling a user to perform at least one operation in said store-and-record menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network; displaying simultaneously at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in a store-and-record menu; and enabling a user to perform at least one operation in said store-and-record menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 1 and wherein said displaying also comprises: displaying the at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and the at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in separate regions on a display.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1 and wherein said computer based communication network includes at least one of the following: the Internet; a local area network (LAN); a wide area network (WAN); and a commercial interactive communication network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according claim 1 and also comprising combining said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information to form combined gaming guide information prior to said displaying, and wherein said displaying comprises displaying said combined gaming guide information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to claim 1 and also comprising retrieving third gaming guide information from a storage device, and wherein said displaying comprises: displaying simultaneously said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information, said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information and at least a portion of said third gaming guide information in said store-and-record menu, and said result also comprises: storing at least some of the information retrieved from the storage device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 5 and also comprising: performing a selection from said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information, from said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information, and from said at least a portion of said third gaming guide information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method according to claim 5 wherein said first gaming guide information includes a first list of available games, said second guide information includes a second list of available games and said third guide information includes a third list of available games, and said displaying comprises displaying the first list of available games, the second list of available games and the third list of available games in said store-and-record menu.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 7 and comprising marking at least one favorite game from at least one of the first list, the second list, and the third list.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1 and also comprising: performing a selection from said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and from said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
128 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing database management software; providing first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network, the first gaming guide information and the second gaming guide information each being provided in a format acceptable as input by the database management software; and employing the database management software to combine said first gaming guide information and said second gaming guide information into a combined gaming guide database, and to handle interactions between a user and the combined gaming guide database which enable the user to perform at least one operation to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
128 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing database management software; providing first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network, the first gaming guide information and the second gaming guide information each being provided in a format acceptable as input by the database management software; and employing the database management software to combine said first gaming guide information and said second gaming guide information into a combined gaming guide database, and to handle interactions between a user and the combined gaming guide database which enable the user to perform at least one operation to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
110 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing to a user interface unit first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network; linking at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming combined gaming guide information; and performing at least one operation on said combined gaming guide information via a combined menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received at the user interface unit from the television network; and storing information received at the user interface unit from the computer based communication network.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
110 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing to a user interface unit first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network; linking at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming combined gaming guide information; and performing at least one operation on said combined gaming guide information via a combined menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received at the user interface unit from the television network; and storing information received at the user interface unit from the computer based communication network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 11 and wherein the linking comprises linking at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information according to at least one of the following: a keyword; a logical connection; and a rule.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 12 and wherein at least one of said keyword, said logical connection and said rule is pre-determined.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 11 and also comprising retrieving third gaming guide information from a memory, and wherein said linking comprises: linking at least a portion of said third gaming guide information to said combined gaming guide information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method according to claim 14 and wherein said linking at least a portion of said third gaming guide information to said combined gaming guide information comprises linking at least a portion of said third gaming guide information to at least one of said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and at said least a portion of said second gaming guide information according to at least one of the following: a keyword; a logical connection; and a rule.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 15 and wherein at least one of said keyword, said logical connection and said rule is pre-determined.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 14 and also comprising: displaying said at least a portion of said third gaming guide information when said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information are displayed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 14 and also comprising: displaying said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information when said at least a portion of said third gaming guide information is displayed.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 11 and also comprising: displaying said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information when said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information is displayed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 11 and also comprising: displaying said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information when said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information is displayed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
182 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, prepare said first gaming guide information together with said second gaming guide information in a format suitable for displaying simultaneously at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in a store-and-record menu, and enable a user to perform at least one operation in the store-and-record menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
182 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, prepare said first gaming guide information together with said second gaming guide information in a format suitable for displaying simultaneously at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in a store-and-record menu, and enable a user to perform at least one operation in the store-and-record menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said user interface unit is also operative to prepare said first gaming guide information and said second gaming guide information in a format suitable for displaying simultaneously said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in separate regions on said display.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus according to claim 21 and wherein said user interface unit also comprises a memory, the memory includes third gaming guide information, and said user interface unit is also operative to prepare at least a portion of said third gaming guide information in a format suitable for displaying together in said store-and-record menu said at least a portion of said first gaming guide information, said at least a portion of said second gaming guide information, and said at least a portion of said third gaming guide information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
158 words
A gaming guide system comprising: a television network; a computer based communication network; and a multiplicity of user units, each user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive first gaming guide information from the television network and second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, prepare said first gaming guide information together with said second gaming guide information in a format suitable for displaying simultaneously at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in a store-and-record menu, and enable a user to perform at least one operation in the store-and-record menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
158 words
A gaming guide system comprising: a television network; a computer based communication network; and a multiplicity of user units, each user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive first gaming guide information from the television network and second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, prepare said first gaming guide information together with said second gaming guide information in a format suitable for displaying simultaneously at least a portion of said first gaming guide information and at least a portion of said second gaming guide information in a store-and-record menu, and enable a user to perform at least one operation in the store-and-record menu to obtain a result comprising both of the following: recording information received from the television network; and storing information received from the computer based communication network; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
114 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing from a television network first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games and from a computer based communication network second gaming guide information which includes a second list of games; simultaneously displaying said first list and said second list in a combined menu; choosing one of said first list and said second list; marking at least one favorite game in the chosen one of said first list and said second list; and marking at least one favorite game in the non-chosen one of said first list and said second list in response to marking of said at least one favorite game in said chosen list.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
114 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing from a television network first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games and from a computer based communication network second gaming guide information which includes a second list of games; simultaneously displaying said first list and said second list in a combined menu; choosing one of said first list and said second list; marking at least one favorite game in the chosen one of said first list and said second list; and marking at least one favorite game in the non-chosen one of said first list and said second list in response to marking of said at least one favorite game in said chosen list.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
115 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing from a television network first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games and from a computer based communication network second gaming guide information which includes a second list of games; linking at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming combined gaming guide information that includes a combined list of games combining games from the first list with games from the second list; and determining a popularity of a game in the combined list of games during a popularity measurement period with respect to other games in the combined list of games.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
115 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing from a television network first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games and from a computer based communication network second gaming guide information which includes a second list of games; linking at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming combined gaming guide information that includes a combined list of games combining games from the first list with games from the second list; and determining a popularity of a game in the combined list of games during a popularity measurement period with respect to other games in the combined list of games.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
91 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network; linking at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming a combined game guide; and offering, via the combined game guide, at least one option to participate in a game referred to in said first gaming guide information based upon participation in a game referred to in said second gaming guide information.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
91 words
A gaming guide method comprising: providing first gaming guide information from a television network and second gaming guide information from a computer based communication network; linking at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming a combined game guide; and offering, via the combined game guide, at least one option to participate in a game referred to in said first gaming guide information based upon participation in a game referred to in said second gaming guide information.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 27 and wherein said participation in a game referred to in said second gaming guide information comprises at least one of the following: gaming activity of a user; and spending history of a user.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 27 and wherein said offering comprises offering a user to trade prizes accumulated by participation in a game referred to in said second gaming guide information for participation in a game referred to in said first gaming guide information.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
207 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second- gaming guide information which includes a second list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, prepare said first gaming guide information together with said second gaming guide information in a format suitable for simultaneously displaying said first list and said second list in a combined menu, choose one of said first list and said second list, mark at least one favorite game in the chosen one of said first list and said second list, and mark at least one favorite game in the non-chosen one of said first list and said second list in response to marking of said at least one favorite game in said chosen list; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit including marked information.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
207 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second- gaming guide information which includes a second list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, prepare said first gaming guide information together with said second gaming guide information in a format suitable for simultaneously displaying said first list and said second list in a combined menu, choose one of said first list and said second list, mark at least one favorite game in the chosen one of said first list and said second list, and mark at least one favorite game in the non-chosen one of said first list and said second list in response to marking of said at least one favorite game in said chosen list; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit including marked information.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
195 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second gaming guide information which includes a second list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, link at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming combined gaming guide information that includes a combined list of games combining games from the first list with games from the second list, and determine a popularity of a game in the combined list of games during a popularity measurement period with respect to other games in the combined list of games; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit including a determination of the popularity of the game.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
195 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information which includes a first list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second gaming guide information which includes a second list of games is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, link at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming combined gaming guide information that includes a combined list of games combining games from the first list with games from the second list, and determine a popularity of a game in the combined list of games during a popularity measurement period with respect to other games in the combined list of games; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit including a determination of the popularity of the game.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
182 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, link at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming a combined game guide, and generate, via the combined game guide, at least one offer to participate in a game referred to in said first gaming guide information based upon participation in a game referred to in said second gaming guide information; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit including said at least one offer to participate in said game referred to in said first gaming guide information.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
182 words
A user unit in a gaming guide system in which first gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a television network and second gaming guide information is transmitted to the user unit from a computer based communication network, the user unit comprising: a user interface unit operative to perform the following: receive said first gaming guide information from the television network and said second gaming guide information from the computer based communication network, link at least a portion of said first gaming guide information to at least a portion of said second gaming guide information thereby forming a combined game guide, and generate, via the combined game guide, at least one offer to participate in a game referred to in said first gaming guide information based upon participation in a game referred to in said second gaming guide information; and a display operatively associated with said user interface unit and operative to display information received from the user interface unit including said at least one offer to participate in said game referred to in said first gaming guide information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4163254A
Cited
US4225884A
Cited
US4528589A
Cited
US4264924A
Cited
US4264925A
Cited
US4567516A
Cited
US4602279A
Cited
US5036537A
Cited
US4706121A
Cited
US4706121B1
Cited
US4795497A
Cited
US4823385A
Cited
US5033085A
Cited
US4977455A
Cited
US4977455B1
Cited
EP0355957A2
Cited
US4989245A
Cited
EP0409562A2
Cited
US5181107A
Cited
US5051822A
Cited
US5151789A
Cited
US5353121A
Cited
US5532754A
Cited
US5282249A
Cited
US5481609A
Cited
US5060079A
Cited
US5020129A
Cited
EP0461910A2
Cited
US5479268A
Cited
US5479266A
Cited
US5393057A
Cited
US5539450A
Cited
US5592212A
Cited
US5539449A
Cited
US5459222A
Cited
US5581270A
Cited
US5589892A
Cited
US5734786A
Cited
US5832471A
Cited
US5465113A
Cited
EP0662769A1
Cited
US5515106A
Cited
US5541738A
Cited
US5585858A
Cited
US5559548A
Cited
US5635978A
Cited
US5473609A
Cited
US5745895A
Cited
US5774546A
Cited
US5666412A
Cited
US5629733A
Cited
US5767894A
Cited
US5684525A
Cited
US5666645A
Cited
US5630119A
Cited
US5805763A
Cited
US5585838A
Cited
US5760821A
Cited
US5784095A
Cited
US5575717A
Cited
WO1997033434A1
Cited
US6025837A
Cited
US5657072A
Cited
US5940073A
Cited
US6151059A
Cited
US5790201A
Cited
US5978043A
Cited
US6061503A
Cited
US6005938A
Cited
US6163316A
Cited
US6005565A
Cited
US6114376A
Cited
US5784763A
Cited
WO1999001984A1
Cited
US6144991A
Cited
WO2000001149A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-05 | 2005-05-07 | 2005-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-05 | 2009-05-07 | 2009-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-05 | 2013-05-07 | 2013-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |