Title: Electronically augmented multiplayer sporting game with virtual ball passed by infrared apparatus
Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting multi-player games in a wireless telecommunications system including a wireless telecommunications network which communicates using radio signals with a plurality of mobile terminals. The objects of the multi-player games are accomplished in the invention by passing a virtual ball between the mobile terminals. The virtual ball can be passed between the mobile terminals using various means including infrared (IR) transmission, a call being placed, Short Message Service (SMS), or short range radio apparatus. The virtual ball could include data or information regarding the game and/or advertising or promotional information regarding products or services being offered. The data or information in the virtual ball is automatically displayed on the display of the mobile terminal upon receiving the virtual ball.
Patent Number: 7,006,984 Issued on 02/28/2006 to Meyers, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Meyers; Stephan (Tampere, FI);
Mattila; Jouka (Tampere, FI)
|
| Assignee:
|
Nokia Corporation (Espoo, FI)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
674536 |
| Filed:
|
October 1, 2003 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
705/14; 463/40; 463/42 |
| Current Intern'l Class: |
G06F 17/60 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
705/14
463/40,42
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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| 5618045 | Apr., 1997 | Kagan et al.
| |
| 5695400 | Dec., 1997 | Fennell et al.
| |
| 5738583 | Apr., 1998 | Comas et al.
| |
| 5774673 | Jun., 1998 | Beuk et al.
| |
| 5797085 | Aug., 1998 | Beuk.
| |
| 5929848 | Jul., 1999 | Albukerk et al.
| |
| 5950202 | Sep., 1999 | Durward et al.
| |
| 5999808 | Dec., 1999 | Ladue.
| |
| 6099408 | Aug., 2000 | Schneier et al.
| |
| 6285868 | Sep., 2001 | Ladue.
| |
| 6301338 | Oct., 2001 | Makela et al.
| |
| 6327300 | Dec., 2001 | Souissi et al.
| |
| 6358150 | Mar., 2002 | Mir et al.
| |
| 6674995 | Jan., 2004 | Meyers et al.
| |
| 2004/0102249 | May., 2004 | Meyers et al.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 11057144 | Mar., 1999 | JP.
| |
Other References
"USA.Net, Xoom enter deals with MyPoints", Advertising Age, v. 70 n. 32, Aug.
2, 1999, p. 32.
|
Primary Examiner: Champagne; Donald L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
Parent Case Text
The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/469,291,
filed Dec. 22, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,955, the contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of conducting a multi-player game in a wireless telecommunications
system, comprising:
receiving, by a mobile terminal operated by a first player, a message including
a virtual ball relating to the multi-player game, the virtual ball including information
relating to rules for the multi-player game and data automatically displayed on
a display of the mobile terminal, wherein the rules define a period of time requiring
the first player to forward the virtual ball to another player for receiving a
promotional item;
forwarding, by the mobile terminal operated by the first player, the virtual
ball to another mobile terminal; and
providing the promotional item to said mobile terminal operated by the first
player if the virtual ball is forwarded within the period of time defined in the
rules for the multi-player game; and
wherein game points are scored by forwarding the virtual ball.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data displayed on the display of the mobile
terminal includes advertising information.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertising information displayed on the
mobile terminal relates to the promotional item.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional item comprises discount on
a product.
5. A mobile terminal for conducting a multi-player game in a wireless telecommunications
system, comprising:
a display;
means for receiving, in said mobile terminal being operated by a first player,
a message including a virtual ball relating to the multi-player game,
wherein the virtual ball includes information relating to rules for the multi-player
game and data automatically displayed on said display,
wherein the rules define a period of time requiring the first player to forward
the virtual ball to another player for receiving a promotional item; and
means for forwarding from said mobile terminal to another mobile terminal the
virtual ball; and
wherein the promotional item is provided to said mobile terminal if the virtual
ball is forwarded within the period of time defined in the rules for the multi-player
game and game points are scored by forwarding the virtual ball.
6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the data displayed on said display
of said mobile terminal includes advertising information.
7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the advertising information displayed
on said display of said mobile terminal relates to the promotional item.
8. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the promotional item comprises discount
on a product.
9. A wireless telecommunications system comprising:
a plurality of mobile terminals;
a wireless telecommunications network which communicates with a plurality of
mobile terminals,
wherein at least two of said mobile terminals can conduct a multi-player game
in said wireless telecommunications system,
wherein each mobile terminal of said at least two of said mobile terminals comprises:
a display,
means for receiving, in said mobile terminal being operated by a first player,
a message including a virtual ball relating to the multi-player game,
wherein the virtual ball includes information relating to rules for the multi-player
game and data automatically displayed on said display,
wherein the rules define a period of time requiring the first player to forward
the virtual ball to another player for receiving a promotional item, and
means for forwarding from said mobile terminal to the other mobile terminal of
said at least two mobile terminals the virtual ball,
wherein the promotional item is provided to said mobile terminal if the virtual
ball is forwarded within the period of time defined in the rules for the multi-player
game and game points are scored by forwarding the virtual ball.
10. The wireless telecommunications system of claim 9, wherein the data displayed
on said display of said mobile terminal includes advertising information.
11. The wireless telecommunications system of claim 10, wherein the advertising
information displayed on said display of said mobile terminal relates to the promotional item.
12. The wireless telecommunications system of claim 9, wherein the promotional
item comprises discount on a product.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-player game using a virtual ball. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-player game that can be
played using apparatus including wireless mobile terminals operating in a wireless
telecommunications system.
Various multi-player games using wireless apparatus have been proposed. These
multi-player games typically operate, for example, using infrared transmission
and receiving devices that are primarily provided for simulating the shooting of
other players or objects. Infrared light transmitted from one such wireless game
apparatus (light gun) may strike a target which includes an infrared detector for
detecting when the infrared light strikes the target and an infrared transmitter
for signaling to the light gun and other apparatus that the infrared from the light
gun has hit the target. Typical of such games is "laser tag".
Various apparatus have been proposed regarding infrared data transmission
systems, game apparatus and light guns. Examples of such apparatus are disclosed
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,794,841; 3,870,305; 4,426,662; and 4,799,683.
However, such apparatus may not encourage a significant amount of physical
exertion on the part of the players or interaction among the players when the object
of the game is to strike a non-moving target. Further, such apparatus require that
each of the players to be fitted with special custom apparatus specifically designed
to interact with each other to effect the game play. This is particularly inherent
in games such as laser tag. Still further, such apparatus do not transmit as part
of the infrared light signal data or information which could, for example, cause
the target to perform particular operations such as displaying a display the data
or information included in the infrared light signal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for conducting multi-player
games in a wireless telecommunications system including a wireless telecommunications
network which communicates with a plurality of mobile terminals using radio signals,
wherein objects of the games are accomplished by passing a virtual ball between
the mobile terminals. In the present invention, passing of the virtual ball between
the mobile terminals is accomplished using apparatus included in each mobile terminal,
the wireless telecommunications network and/or short range radio apparatus.
In the present invention, the virtual ball could, for example, be passed between
mobile terminals by infrared (IR) transmission from IR apparatus included as part
of each mobile terminal, by a call being placed between mobile terminals through
the wireless telecommunications network, by a Short Message Service (SMS) message
which is transmitted by a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) of the wireless telecommunications
system or by short range radio apparatus which operates according to, for example,
the Bluetooth standard.
According to one embodiment of the present invention when the virtual ball
is passed between mobile terminals by IR transmission, a first signal including
the virtual ball is transmitted from a first mobile terminal to a second mobile
terminal representing the virtual ball being passed from the first mobile terminal
to the second mobile terminal. In response to receipt of the first signal in the
second mobile terminal, a second signal is sent from the second mobile terminal
to the first mobile terminal indicating that the virtual ball has been caught.
In response to receipt of the second signal in the first mobile terminal, a third
signal is sent from the first mobile terminal to the second mobile terminal including
an activation code for activating the virtual ball. In response to receipt of the
third signal in the second mobile terminal, a fourth signal is sent from the second
mobile terminal to the first mobile terminal acknowledging receipt of the activation
code and indicating that the second mobile terminal is now in possession of the
virtual ball. Thereafter, in the second mobile terminal the virtual ball is activated
using the activation code.
It should be noted that the passing of the virtual ball by IR transmission may
not necessarily require that wireless telecommunications mobile terminals be used.
Any terminal having IR transmission and receiving apparatus would accomplish the
goals of the game.
The virtual ball being passed between the mobile terminals could, for example,
be a ball used in a multi-player game having a goal used for scoring. In such a
game, the virtual ball can be passed between mobile terminals using the IR apparatus
included in each of the mobile terminals. Opposing players could block the passing
of the ball using their bodies or other means. One of the mobile terminals can
be used as a goal and points are scored by transmitting the virtual ball from the
mobile terminal of a player to the goal.
Initiation of game play could occur by randomly selecting a mobile terminal
and passing the virtual ball to the selected mobile terminal from a server in the
telecommunications system using a call, a SMS message, IR transmission or short
range radio signal.
The virtual ball could, for example, include the rules or other information concerning
the game and/or data or information such as advertising or promotional offers which
are to be viewed or taken advantage of by the players. The data or information
contained in the virtual ball could, for example, be automatically displayed on
the display of the mobile terminal of the player receiving the virtual ball.
When the virtual ball includes such data or information, the object of the game
could be to pass the virtual ball to another player within a preset period of time.
By passing the virtual ball to another player within the preset period of time
the player could win, for example, promotional items such a discount on the purchase
of a product or service being advertised.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description,
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a telecommunications system according
to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operations performed by mobile terminals
in the telecommunications system according to the present invention; and
FIG. 3 illustrates the operations performed by mobile terminals and the wireless
telecommunications network according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention shall be described using FIGS. 1-3. It should be noted
that the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is one example of an embodiment
of the present invention. The present invention can be implemented according to
any other embodiment known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for conducting multi-player
games in a wireless telecommunications system such as that illustrated in FIG.
1. The wireless telecommunications system includes a wireless telecommunications
network
10 which communicates with a plurality of mobile terminals
12-
1
through
12-
3 using radio signals. The objects of any of the games
played using the apparatus of the wireless telecommunications system are accomplished
by passing a virtual ball between the mobile terminals
12-
1 through
12-
3. One of the mobile terminals, for example, mobile terminal
12-
2,
could be used as a goal to which the virtual ball is passed to score points. Special
goal apparatus can also be provided to permit all of the players having mobile
terminals to participate in the multi-player game.
In the present invention, the passing of a signal including a virtual ball between
the mobile terminals
12 could, for example, be accomplished using apparatus
included in each mobile terminal, the wireless telecommunications network
10
and/or a short range radio base station
14.
One alternative for effecting the passing of the virtual ball between mobile
terminals
12 is accomplished using IR light signals. Each mobile terminal
12 as illustrated in FIG. 1 includes infrared (IR) apparatus
1210
which transmits and receives IR light signals. The IR light signals being transmitted
to and from a mobile terminal
12 can carry a signal representing a virtual
ball. Transmitting the signal from one mobile terminal to another mobile terminal
represents passing the virtual ball from the one mobile terminal and catching the
virtual ball in the other mobile terminal. Each mobile terminal
12 also
includes a display
1212 which is used to display.
The virtual ball included in the IR light signal received by a mobile terminal
12 could, for example, contain information regarding the game including
information of one or more of the players of the game and/or advertising or promotional
information regarding a product or service. The information contained in a virtual
ball is automatically displayed on the display
1212 of the mobile terminal
12.
It should be noted that the passing of the virtual ball by IR transmission may
not necessarily require that wireless telecommunications mobile terminals be used.
Any terminal having IR transmission and receiving apparatus would accomplish the
goals of the game.
Another alternative for effecting the passing of the virtual ball between
mobile terminals
12 is accomplished by using the short range radio base
station
14 to transmit a signal including the virtual ball between mobile
terminals. The short range radio base station
14 can operate, for example,
according to the bluetooth standard. The short range radio base station
14
can also be used to initiate the start of the multi-player game. Particularly,
the short range radio base station
14 when initiating the start of the multi-player
game, randomly selects one of the mobile terminals and passes a signal including
the virtual ball to the selected mobile terminal
12. The randomly selected
mobile terminal
12 upon receipt of the signal including the virtual ball
can then begin the multi-player game by passing a signal including the virtual
ball to a teammate. Thereafter, players on the same team cooperate to ultimately
pass the virtual ball to the goal to score points. Opposing players can prevent
the passing of the signal including virtual ball by blocking the IR light signal
with their body or using other means.
Yet another alternative for effecting the passing of the virtual ball between
mobile terminals is accomplished by transmitting a signal including the virtual
ball via a call established by the wireless telecommunications network
10,
between mobile terminals and/or by sending Short Message Service (SMS) messages
between mobile terminals using the Short Message Service Center (SMSC)
16
of the wireless telecommunications system.
As described above, a virtual ball can be passed between mobile terminals
12
by use of the IR apparatus
1210 included in each mobile terminal
12.
According to FIG. 2, in order to effect the passing of a virtual ball between a
first mobile terminal
12-
1 and a second mobile terminal
12-
2,
a first signal
20 including the virtual ball is transmitted from the first
mobile terminal
12-
1 to the second mobile terminal
12-
2
representing the virtual ball being passed from the first mobile terminal
12-
1
to the second mobile terminal
12-
2. In response to receipt of the
first signal
20 in the second mobile terminal
12-
2, a second
signal
22 is sent from the second mobile terminal
12-
2 to
the first mobile terminal
12-
1 indicating that the virtual ball has
been caught. In response to receipt of the second signal
22 in the first
mobile terminal
12-
1, a third signal
24 is sent from the first
mobile terminal
12-
1 to the second mobile terminal
12-
2
including an activation code for activating the virtual ball. In response to receipt
of the third signal
24 in the second mobile terminal
12-
2,
a fourth signal
26 is sent from the second mobile terminal
12-
2
to the first mobile terminal
12-
1 acknowledging receipt of the activation
code and indicating that the second mobile terminal
12-
2 is now in
possession of the virtual ball. Thereafter, the second mobile terminal
12-
2
activates the virtual ball using the activation code. Each of the first through
fourth signals can, for example, be IR light signals transmitted and received by
the IR apparatus
1210 included in each of the mobile terminals.
It should be noted that the passing of the virtual ball by IR transmission may
not necessarily require that wireless telecommunications mobile terminals be used.
Any terminal having IR transmission and receiving apparatus would accomplish the
goals of the game. It should be further noted that if SMS messaging is used rather
than IR transmissions, confirmations of receipt of messages is inherent in the
system. Thus, confirmation signals and confirmation signals are not necessary.
Although not illustrated in FIG. 2, initiation of the game can be accomplished
by the wireless telecommunications network
10 or the short range radio base
station
14 randomly selecting a mobile terminal
12 and sending a
fifth signal including the virtual ball to the selected (first) mobile terminal
12-
1. Sending the fifth signal including the virtual ball to the
first mobile terminal
12-
1 in this manner places the virtual ball
in play so that the multi-player game can proceed. Further, as described above,
one of the mobile terminals
12-
2 or a special goal apparatus (not
shown) can be used as a goal for scoring. The goal can also serve a function of
enforcing the rules of the multi-player game.
Further, as described above, a signal including the virtual ball can be
passed between mobile terminals
12 by use of the wireless telecommunications
network
10 or by use of the short range radio base station
14. The
wireless telecommunications network
10 can, for example, send the signal
including the virtual ball between mobile terminal by placing a call between the
mobile terminal
12 and/or by sending SMS messages between the mobile terminals.
The short range radio base station
14, can, for example, send the signal
including the virtual ball between mobile terminals by transmitting short range
radio signals between the mobile terminals. FIG. 3 illustrates the operations performed
by the mobile terminals
12 and the wireless telecommunications network
10
or the short range radio base station
14 to cause the passing of the virtual
ball between mobile terminals.
FIG. 3 will be described below relative to the wireless telecommunications network
10. However, it should be noted that essentially the same description applies
to the case where the wireless telecommunications network
10 is replaced
by the short range base station
14.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the start of a multi-player game can be initiated by
the wireless telecommunications network
10 randomly selecting a mobile terminal
and passing a first signal including the virtual ball the selected (first) to mobile
terminal
12-
1. The first signal
30 could, for example, be
a call sent from the wireless telecommunications network
10 to the first
mobile terminal
12-
1 or a SMS message transmitted from the SMSC
16
of the wireless telecommunications network
10 to the first mobile terminal
12-
1. Further, the first signal
20 could be a short range
radio signal when the short range radio base station
14 is being used rather
than the wireless telecommunications base station
10.
The virtual ball of the first signal
30 could, for example, include data
or information regarding the multi-player game or advertising or promotional information
of a product or service being offered. The data or information included in the
virtual ball is automatically displayed on the display
1212 of the mobile
terminal
12-
1 upon receipt of the signal including the virtual ball.
The information concerning the multi-player game could, for example, provide rules
of the game to be followed. The rules could, for example, require the user of the
first mobile terminal
12-
1 to pass the virtual ball to another user
of another mobile terminal
12-
2 within a preset period of time. The
rules could further state that if the virtual ball is passed to another user of
another mobile terminal within a preset period of time, then the user of the first
mobile terminal
12-
1 would receive promotional items. These promotional
items could include, for example, discounts on the product or service being advertised.
Thus, according to the above, the user of the first mobile terminal
12-
1
can cause the virtual ball to be passed to another mobile terminal by sending a
second signal
32 including the virtual ball from the first mobile terminal
12-
1 to the wireless telecommunications network
10 representing
that the virtual ball is being passed to another mobile terminal
12-
2
identified by the user of the first mobile terminal
12-
1. The wireless
telecommunications network
10 upon receipt of the second signal
32
establishes a connection with a second mobile terminal
12-
2 identified
by the user of the first mobile terminal
12-
1 and sends a third signal
34 including the virtual ball to the second mobile terminal
12-
2.
The sending of the third signal
34 represents the completion of the passing
of the virtual ball from the first mobile terminal
12-
1 to the second
mobile terminal
12-
2.
The second mobile terminal
12-
2 upon receipt of the third signal
34 from the wireless telecommunications network
10, automatically
displays the data or information contained in the virtual ball on its display
1212-
2.
The data or information displayed on the display
1212-
2 of the second
mobile terminal
12-
2 informs the rules of the game to the user of
the second mobile terminal
12-
2. Further, the data or information
displayed on the display of the second mobile terminal
12-
2 informs
the user of the second mobile terminal
12-
2 of advertisement and
promotional information concerning a product or service. As with the user of the
first mobile terminal
12-
1, the user of the second mobile terminal
12-
2 is offered an incentive in the form of promotional items for
passing the virtual ball to still yet another mobile terminal within a preset period
of time.
Alternatively, the first mobile terminal
12-
1 upon receipt
of the first signal
30 including the virtual ball initiating play of the
game can, for example, send a fourth signal
36 including the virtual ball
directly to the second mobile terminal
12-
2 without using the wireless
telecommunications network
10. The fourth signal
36 including the
virtual ball could, for example, be transmitted by the IR apparatus
1210
included within each of the mobile terminals
12 or by the short range radio
base station
14 which operates according to the bluetooth standard.
Thus, according to the above, the present invention provides a method and apparatus
for conducting multi-player games in a wireless telecommunications system including
a wireless telecommunications network which communicates with a plurality of mobile
terminals using radio signals. The objects of the games are accomplished by passing
a virtual ball between the mobile terminals. The passing of the virtual ball between
the mobile terminals can be accomplished by transmitting and receiving IR light
signals to and from IR apparatus included as part of each mobile terminal, by placing
a call through the wireless telecommunications system between mobile terminals,
by transmitting a SMS message between mobile terminals by a SMSC in the wireless
telecommunications system and/or by transmitting short range radio signals between
mobile terminals by short range radio apparatus which operates according to the
bluetooth standard. The virtual ball could, for example, include data or information
such as the rules of the game and/or advertising or promotional information which
are automatically displayed on the display of the mobile terminal once the virtual
ball has been received. The multi-player games could, for example, be conducted
where players pass the virtual ball between mobile terminals with the ultimate
goal of passing the virtual ball to a goal for scoring. Alternatively, the multi-player
games could, for example, be conducted where the virtual ball includes data or
information which is automatically displayed on the display of the mobile terminal
and where the virtual ball must be passed to another player within a preset period
of time entitling the user of the mobile terminal to promotional items.
While the present invention has been described in detail and pictorially in
the accompanying drawings it is not limited to such details since many changes
and modifications recognizable to those of ordinary skill in the art may be made
to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof.
*
