US6524189B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multi-player game system using mobile telephone and game unit
Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
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Filing: 1999-07-09
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Granted: 2003-02-25
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Expires: 2019-07-09
Abstract
Abstract A multi-player game system using a mobile telephone and a game unit is disclosed. The present invention links multiple users having game units with mobile phones using a low power radio link. The present invention includes at least one mobile phone having a first transceiver for providing connections to a cellular network and a second transceiver for providing short-haul connectivity, and a plurality of game units for interfacing with a plurality of players, each of the game units having a third transceiver for providing short-haul connectivity, wherein the mobile phones and the game units are linked by the second and third transceivers therein to enable a game to be played on the game units by the plurality of players. In at least one of the mobile phones, the second transceiver is a short range wireless transceiver. At least one mobile phone is used to download a game to the game units and the game units include a group selection interface for choosing players to include in a gaming group. The mobile phones may be linked to a base station, a game server and a network interconnecting the base station and the game server, wherein the game server provides a game across the network and base station to the mobile phones for play on the game units.
Inventors
- 👤 Heikki Rautila
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 09:54
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/30; A63F13/32; A63F13/327; A63F13/12; A63F13/33; A63F13/332; A63F13/70; A63F13/79; A63F13/795; A63F13/77; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/40; A63F2300/406; A63F2300/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A game system, comprising: a mobile phone having a first transceiver for providing connections to a cellular network and a second wireless transceiver; and a game unit for interfacing with a player, the game unit having a third wireless transceiver; wherein the mobile phone and the game unit bypass the cellular network through a wireless link formed by the second and third wireless transceivers to enable a game to be played on the game unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
A game system, comprising: a mobile phone having a first transceiver for providing connections to a cellular network and a second wireless transceiver; and a game unit for interfacing with a player, the game unit having a third wireless transceiver; wherein the mobile phone and the game unit bypass the cellular network through a wireless link formed by the second and third wireless transceivers to enable a game to be played on the game unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The game system of claim 1 wherein the game unit comprises a group selection interface for choosing a player to include in a gaming group.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The game system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceivers comprise modules designed according to a Bluetooth specification.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The game system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceivers comprise infrared transceivers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The game system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceivers comprise universal asynchronous receiver/transceivers (UARTs).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The game system of claim 1 wherein the transceivers enable a game to be downloaded to the game unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
An interactive game system, comprising: a mobile phone having a first transceiver for providing connections to a cellular network and a second wireless transceiver; and a plurality of game units for interfacing with a plurality of players, each of the game units having a third wireless transceiver; wherein at least one mobile phone and the game units bypass the cellular network through links formed by the second and third wireless transceivers therein to enable a game to be played on the game units by the plurality of players.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
An interactive game system, comprising: a mobile phone having a first transceiver for providing connections to a cellular network and a second wireless transceiver; and a plurality of game units for interfacing with a plurality of players, each of the game units having a third wireless transceiver; wherein at least one mobile phone and the game units bypass the cellular network through links formed by the second and third wireless transceivers therein to enable a game to be played on the game units by the plurality of players.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interactive game system of claim 7 wherein the wireless transceivers comprise modules designed according to a Bluetooth specification.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The interactive game system of claim 7 wherein the wireless transceivers comprise infrared transceivers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The interactive game system of claim 7 wherein the wireless transceivers comprise universal asynchronous receiver/transceivers (UARTs).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The interactive game system of claim 7 wherein the at least one mobile phone is used to download a game to the game units.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The interactive game system of claim 8 wherein the at least one mobile phone comprises a group selection interface for choosing players to include in a gaming group.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The interactive game system of claim 8 wherein the at least one mobile phone comprises mobile phones associated with each of the game units.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The interactive game system of claim 13 wherein each of the game units are linked to an associated mobile phone by the second transceiver.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The interactive game system of claim 7 further comprising a base station, and a game server, wherein the cellular network interconnects the base station and the game server, and wherein the mobile phone communicates with the game server via the base station via the first transceiver.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The interactive game system of claim 15 wherein the game server provides a game across the network and base station to the at least one mobile phone for play on the game units.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The interactive game system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of game units bypass the cellular network using the third transceiver to allow a game to be played between players using the plurality of game units.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
76 words
A mobile phone, comprising: a keypad for providing user input; a speaker and microphone for providing audio data to a user; a display for displaying information concerning the mobile phone to a user; a first transceiver for providing connections to a cellular network; a second wireless transceiver for bypassing the cellular network to provide wireless interactive gaming connectivity; and a controller, coupling the keypad, speaker arid microphone, display and first and second transceivers, for processing data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
76 words
A mobile phone, comprising: a keypad for providing user input; a speaker and microphone for providing audio data to a user; a display for displaying information concerning the mobile phone to a user; a first transceiver for providing connections to a cellular network; a second wireless transceiver for bypassing the cellular network to provide wireless interactive gaming connectivity; and a controller, coupling the keypad, speaker arid microphone, display and first and second transceivers, for processing data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The mobile phone of claim 18 wherein the second wireless transceiver comprises a transceiver for linking to a game unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The mobile phone of claim 19 herein the game unit comprises a group selection interface for choosing a player to include in a gaming group.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mobile phone of claim 18 further comprising a group selection interface for choosing a player to include in a gaming group.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
54 words
A method for playing a game, comprising: displaying a game on a plurality of game units; linking the plurality of game units to at least one mobile phone of a cellular network using a transceiver to bypass the cellular network; and sending game signals from the mobile phone to a game server for processing.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
54 words
A method for playing a game, comprising: displaying a game on a plurality of game units; linking the plurality of game units to at least one mobile phone of a cellular network using a transceiver to bypass the cellular network; and sending game signals from the mobile phone to a game server for processing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 22 further comprising communicating directly between the plurality of game units using a transceiver to allow a game to be played between players using the plurality of game units.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for playing a game, comprising: displaying a game on a plurality of game units; and linking each of the game units to an associated mobile phone of a cellular network, each mobile phone and game unit including a transceiver to bypass the cellular network for providing the link between the game units and the associated mobile phone.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for playing a game, comprising: displaying a game on a plurality of game units; and linking each of the game units to an associated mobile phone of a cellular network, each mobile phone and game unit including a transceiver to bypass the cellular network for providing the link between the game units and the associated mobile phone.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising downloading a game program from a game server to a game unit using an associated mobile phone.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising selecting a gaming group among the plurality of game units using a group selection process.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for playing a game, comprising: establishing a first player using a mobile terminal of a cellular network as a master; forming a gaming group using the master; and providing a signal from the mobile terminal of the master to at least a mobile terminal of a second player in the gaming group for controlling game parameters while bypassing the cellular network.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for playing a game, comprising: establishing a first player using a mobile terminal of a cellular network as a master; forming a gaming group using the master; and providing a signal from the mobile terminal of the master to at least a mobile terminal of a second player in the gaming group for controlling game parameters while bypassing the cellular network.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the master stores the name of the current game, the identification and addresses of all players in the current game, game related information needed by the players and game state information for all players participating in the game.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 27 wherein each of the first and at least second player need to store the name of the current game, the identification of the master and the game state information last retrieved from the master.
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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) | 2006-02-24 | 2006-08-26 | 2007-02-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-02-24 | 2010-08-26 | 2011-02-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-02-24 | 2014-08-26 | 2015-02-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |