U.S. Pat. No. 7,006,984

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention shall be described usingFIGS. 1–3. It should be noted that the present invention as illustrated inFIGS. 1–3is 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 inFIG. 1. The wireless telecommunications system includes a wireless telecommunications network10which communicates with a plurality of mobile terminals12-1through12-3using 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 terminals12-1through12-3. One of the mobile terminals, for example, mobile terminal12-2, 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 terminals12could, for example, be accomplished using apparatus included in each mobile terminal, the wireless telecommunications network10and/or a short range radio base station14.

One alternative for effecting the passing of the virtual ball between mobile terminals12is accomplished using IR light signals. Each mobile terminal12as illustrated inFIG. 1includes infrared (IR) apparatus1210which transmits and receives IR light signals. The IR light signals being transmitted to and from a mobile terminal12can 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 terminal12also includes a display1212which is used to display.

The virtual ball included in the IR light signal received by a mobile terminal12could, 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 display1212of the mobile terminal12.

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 terminals12is accomplished by using the short range radio base station14to transmit a signal including the virtual ball between mobile terminals. The short range radio base station14can operate, for example, according to the bluetooth standard. The short range radio base station14can also be used to initiate the start of the multi-player game. Particularly, the short range radio base station14when 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 terminal12. The randomly selected mobile terminal12upon 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 network10, between mobile terminals and/or by sending Short Message Service (SMS) messages between mobile terminals using the Short Message Service Center (SMSC)16of the wireless telecommunications system.

As described above, a virtual ball can be passed between mobile terminals12by use of the IR apparatus1210included in each mobile terminal12. According toFIG. 2, in order to effect the passing of a virtual ball between a first mobile terminal12-1and a second mobile terminal12-2, a first signal20including the virtual ball is transmitted from the first mobile terminal12-1to the second mobile terminal12-2representing the virtual ball being passed from the first mobile terminal12-1to the second mobile terminal12-2. In response to receipt of the first signal20in the second mobile terminal12-2, a second signal22is sent from the second mobile terminal12-2to the first mobile terminal12-1indicating that the virtual ball has been caught. In response to receipt of the second signal22in the first mobile terminal12-1, a third signal24is sent from the first mobile terminal12-1to the second mobile terminal12-2including an activation code for activating the virtual ball. In response to receipt of the third signal24in the second mobile terminal12-2, a fourth signal26is sent from the second mobile terminal12-2to the first mobile terminal12-1acknowledging receipt of the activation code and indicating that the second mobile terminal12-2is now in possession of the virtual ball. Thereafter, the second mobile terminal12-2activates 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 apparatus1210included 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 inFIG. 2, initiation of the game can be accomplished by the wireless telecommunications network10or the short range radio base station14randomly selecting a mobile terminal12and sending a fifth signal including the virtual ball to the selected (first) mobile terminal12-1. Sending the fifth signal including the virtual ball to the first mobile terminal12-1in this manner places the virtual ball in play so that the multi-player game can proceed. Further, as described above, one of the mobile terminals12-2or 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 terminals12by use of the wireless telecommunications network10or by use of the short range radio base station14. The wireless telecommunications network10can, for example, send the signal including the virtual ball between mobile terminal by placing a call between the mobile terminal12and/or by sending SMS messages between the mobile terminals. The short range radio base station14, can, for example, send the signal including the virtual ball between mobile terminals by transmitting short range radio signals between the mobile terminals.FIG. 3illustrates the operations performed by the mobile terminals12and the wireless telecommunications network10or the short range radio base station14to cause the passing of the virtual ball between mobile terminals.

FIG. 3will be described below relative to the wireless telecommunications network10. However, it should be noted that essentially the same description applies to the case where the wireless telecommunications network10is replaced by the short range base station14.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the start of a multi-player game can be initiated by the wireless telecommunications network10randomly selecting a mobile terminal and passing a first signal including the virtual ball the selected (first) to mobile terminal12-1. The first signal30could, for example, be a call sent from the wireless telecommunications network10to the first mobile terminal12-1or a SMS message transmitted from the SMSC16of the wireless telecommunications network10to the first mobile terminal12-1. Further, the first signal20could be a short range radio signal when the short range radio base station14is being used rather than the wireless telecommunications base station10.

The virtual ball of the first signal30could, 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 display1212of the mobile terminal12-1upon 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 terminal12-1to pass the virtual ball to another user of another mobile terminal12-2within 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 terminal12-1would 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 terminal12-1can cause the virtual ball to be passed to another mobile terminal by sending a second signal32including the virtual ball from the first mobile terminal12-1to the wireless telecommunications network10representing that the virtual ball is being passed to another mobile terminal12-2identified by the user of the first mobile terminal12-1. The wireless telecommunications network10upon receipt of the second signal32establishes a connection with a second mobile terminal12-2identified by the user of the first mobile terminal12-1and sends a third signal34including the virtual ball to the second mobile terminal12-2. The sending of the third signal34represents the completion of the passing of the virtual ball from the first mobile terminal12-1to the second mobile terminal12-2.

The second mobile terminal12-2upon receipt of the third signal34from the wireless telecommunications network10, automatically displays the data or information contained in the virtual ball on its display1212-2. The data or information displayed on the display1212-2of the second mobile terminal12-2informs the rules of the game to the user of the second mobile terminal12-2. Further, the data or information displayed on the display of the second mobile terminal12-2informs the user of the second mobile terminal12-2of advertisement and promotional information concerning a product or service. As with the user of the first mobile terminal12-1, the user of the second mobile terminal12-2is 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 terminal12-1upon receipt of the first signal30including the virtual ball initiating play of the game can, for example, send a fourth signal36including the virtual ball directly to the second mobile terminal12-2without using the wireless telecommunications network10. The fourth signal36including the virtual ball could, for example, be transmitted by the IR apparatus1210included within each of the mobile terminals12or by the short range radio base station14which 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.