# US 11,305,199 B2 · System and method for managing fantasy sports teams and leagues > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,199 B2 - Document ID: US11305199B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/915,999 - Filed: 2020-06-29 - Published: 2020-10-22 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-13 - Assignees: YouRulz, Inc. - Applicants: YouRulz Inc. - Inventors: Eric D. Martin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305199B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/828: Managing virtual sport teams - A63F 13/44: involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot - A63F 13/533: for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu - A63F 13/79: involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories - A63F 13/87: Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method of using, computer software implementing, and a system for allowing a fantasy sports contest application to provide to a user the ability to substitute bench players for active players prior to or during a corresponding live game. The method is implemented by computer software executed on a system comprising plurality of computers, including: a user interface, a player performance stats tracking mechanism configured to track stats from each player's game, a game clock reader that reads a game clock from each player's game, a database configured to store game clock times and player stats, including player active and inactive statuses, a substitution mechanism configured to substitute a bench player for an active player, a point tallying mechanism configured to tally points based on active player stats, and a stats projection update mechanism configured to provide real-time player stats projection updates. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer software for using a fantasy sports contest application to provide to a contestant the ability to substitute bench players for active players while a corresponding live event or sports game is in progress, where the computer software is executed on a plurality of computers, including a user interface, in conjunction with memory, bus elements and network, the computer software comprising: code establishing a player performance stats tracker, configured to track stats from each player's game; code establishing a player performance stats predictor, configured to provide real-time predictions of future player performance stats, including real-time predictions of future player fantasy points, and real-time updates of performance stats predictions for each player; code providing a game status reader configured to read a status from each player's game, including one or more of a game time status and a round status of the game; code establishing a database housed on one or more non-transitory computer readable media, wherein the database is configured to store game statuses, player stats, including player active and inactive statuses, and predicted player performance stats; code establishing a points counter to tally points obtained by each contestant based on performance stats achieved by each player that a contestant has designated as active during a given contest; and code enabling the contestant to substitute a bench player for an active player at a time during the live event or sports game using one or more real-time in-game player stats and real-time player performance stats predictions, including real-time player fantasy points predictions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medium of claim 1 additionally comprising code enabling substitution of a bench player for an active player, wherein the threshold trigger acts on one or more player performance parameters, including yards rushing, yards receiving, passes completed, receptions caught, passes blocked, sacks made, and ratio of time played on the field to total elapsed game time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The medium of claim 1 additionally comprising code performing substitution of a bench player for an active player based on a change in status of a starting player from active to out, based on one or more of injury and suspension. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The medium of claim 2, additionally comprising code performing substitution of a bench player for an active player using the player performance threshold trigger, further comprising the following formula: real-time in-game player stats predicted for an active player, Player A, are less than player stats predicted for a bench player, Player B, in a contemporaneous or future game. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The medium of claim 1 additionally comprising code providing a position place holder if the user moves a player from active status to bench or out status without substituting a bench player for an active player's position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The medium of claim 1 wherein the fantasy sports contest comprises any sport with a plurality of players. ### Claim 7 A system for managing a fantasy sports league, comprising: a database storing a plurality of fantasy players; a plurality of user interface devices connected to the database over a network, wherein the user interface is configured to enable a contestant to select a fantasy team of fantasy players and wherein the selections made through the interface on the user interface devices are stored in the database; and one or more servers comprising a cloud-based player performance stats provider; a player performance stats tracker configured to track player performance stats from each player's game; a game status reader configured to read a game status from each player's game, including one or more of a game time status and a round status of the game; a database housed on one or more non-transitory computer readable media, wherein the database is configured to store game statuses and player performance stats, including player active and inactive statuses, and predicted player performance stats; a substitution mechanism enabling substitution of a bench player for an active player at a time during a live sports game, competition or other event using one or more real-time in-game player stats, real-time player stats predictions and real-time player fantasy points predictions; a fantasy points tallying mechanism enabling accrual of points obtained by each contestant based on performance stats achieved by each player that a contestant has designated as active during a given contest; and a player stats projection real-time update mechanism providing real-time predictions of future player performance stats, including real-time predictions of future player fantasy points, and real-time updates of performance stats predictions for each player. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the substitution mechanism further enabling substitution of a bench player for an active player, wherein the threshold trigger acts on one or more player performance parameters, including yards rushing, yards receiving, passes completed, receptions caught, passes blocked, sacks made, and ratio of time played on the field to total elapsed game time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the substitution mechanism further performs substitution of a bench player for an active player based on a change in status of a starting player from active to out, based on one or more of injury and suspension. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the substitution mechanism further performs substitution of a bench player for an active player using the player performance threshold trigger, further comprising the following formula: real-time in-game player stats predicted for an active player, Player A, are less than player stats predicted for a bench player, Player B, in a contemporaneous or future game. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of user interface devices is a mobile phone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the fantasy league server sends notifications to the mobile phone via one or more of a text message and a voice message. ### Claim 13 A method for managing a fantasy sports league, comprising: providing a plurality of fantasy players on a database; connecting a plurality of remote user interface devices to the database over a network; receiving input from one of the plurality of user interface devices using an interface to select a fantasy team of fantasy players; storing the selections made through the interface on the user interface devices on the database, comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable media; providing player performance stats from each player's game to a player performance stats tracker; providing a game status, including a game time status or a round status of a game, from each player's game to a player game status tracker; storing on the database game statuses and player stats, including player active and inactive statuses, and predicted player performance stats; tallying fantasy game points obtained by each contestant based on performance stats achieved by each player that a contestant has designated as active during a given contest or contest round; providing player performance stats predictions, player fantasy points predictions, and updates to the same in real-time; substituting a bench player for an active player during a live sports game, competition or other event using one or more real-time in-game player stats and real-time player performance stats predictions, including real-time player fantasy points predictions; and notifying, via the fantasy league server, any of the plurality of user interface devices that a change to the selected fantasy players has been made. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of user interface devices is a mobile phone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein notifying the mobile phone of one contestant through one or more of a text message and a voice message. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein substituting a bench player for an active player is performed using the threshold trigger acting on one or more player performance parameters, including yards rushing, yards receiving, passes completed, receptions caught, passes blocked, sacks made, and ratio of time played on the field to total elapsed game time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein substituting a bench player for an active player is performed using a change in status of a starting player from active to out, based on one or more of injury and suspension. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein substituting a bench player for an active player is performed using the player performance threshold trigger, further comprising the following formula: real-time in-game player stats predicted for an active player, Player A, are less than player stats predicted for a bench player, Player B, in a contemporaneous or future game. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of user interface devices is a mobile phone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the fantasy league server sends notifications to the mobile phone via one or more of a text message and a voice message.