# US 12,005,349 B2 · Synchronized gaming and programming

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- Number: US 12,005,349 B2
- Document ID: US12005349B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/488,674
- Filed: 2021-09-29
- Published: 2022-01-20
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2005-10-03
- Assignees: Winview IP Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: Winview, Inc.
- Inventors: David B. Lockton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005349B2

## CPC

- A63F 13/352: involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
- H04L 65/1094: Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
- A63F 13/355: Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
- A63F 13/46: Computing the game score
- A63F 13/537: using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
- G07F 17/3227: {Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters}
- H04L 65/4015: {where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference}
- H04L 65/611: for multicast or broadcast (systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06)
- H04L 67/131: Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

To encourage viewer participation, games, contests and social interactions are able to be synchronized with programming such as television shows or commercials utilizing a second screen such as a cell phone, iPad® or laptop computer. The programming is able to be television programming, Internet programming (e.g. a video displayed on a webpage or mobile device) or any other programming. The gaming is able to be any game such as a game of skill or chance, for example, a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of playing a game, comprising:
a. streaming video data and game data;
b. operating a program to display the video data and the game data, wherein the video data and the game data are synchronized when displayed; and
c. preventing users from submitting a response to the game data based on the video data and a lockout signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a game start signal and starting the game.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising playing the game by selecting one or more choices related to the video data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously on the same device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are displayed simultaneously on separate devices.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising collecting scores and reporting performance to participants' devices.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising prohibiting further game-related input with the lockout signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the game data contains graphic information in addition to the video data.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the graphic information is displayed on the same device using methods including crawling information, closed captioned information, a picture in picture or a graphical overlay.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the video data or the game data is buffered in advance of a scheduled start.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the video data and the game data on a transmission selected from a TCP, UDP, 3G, multicast or broadcast transmission.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are synchronously displayed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the video data and the game data are synchronized based on a delay and further wherein the delay represents delay of the game data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the video data comprises one or more live events.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more live events are viewed in person by a person physically attending a location corresponding to the one or more live events, wherein the person initiates the lockout signal based on occurrences in the one or more live events.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein information related to the one or more live events is received from a physical location corresponding to the one or more live events.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before competitors in the contest are able to see relevant live action unfold.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before a scoring chance in the one or more live events.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal involves an in-progress play, not during a stoppage, and preventing submitting the response before a critical element of the in-progress play unfolds.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal applies for a limited amount of time.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal applies for an action lasting a limited amount of time.

### Claim 23 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the lockout signal involves presenting new odds on an unresolved proposition.

### Claim 24

A server for synchronizing a game or contest with streaming content comprising:
a. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for:
i. transmitting game data for the game or contest to one or more devices on which the game or contest is to be played wherein the game data is to be synchronized with the streaming content at the one or more devices; and
ii. transmitting a lockout signal to the one or more devices to prevent users from submitting a response to the game or contest based on the streaming content; and
b. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 further comprising determining an amount of delay in the streaming content using a method of automatic content recognition.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 wherein existing events in the streaming content are used as synchronization points for previously downloaded data files to a mobile client.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 wherein a synchronization point is a visible or audible event located within the streaming content.

### Claim 28 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 wherein a synchronization point for synchronizing the streaming content and game data is contained in audio or video within the streaming content.

### Claim 29 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 wherein information is embedded in the streaming content and tracked online in real-time.

### Claim 30 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 further comprising determining an amount of delay in the streaming content using a recognizable signal recognizable by a mobile device.

### Claim 31 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 wherein a plurality of synchronization points are used by a client to continuously check to ensure game data is synchronized with the streaming content.

### Claim 32 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 wherein inserted audio or video is used to continuously check to ensure game data is synchronized on a client with the streaming content.

### Claim 33 (depends on 24)

The server of claim 24 wherein the game or contest comprises one or more live events.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein the one or more live events are viewed in person by a person physically attending a location corresponding to the one or more live events, wherein the person initiates the lockout signal based on occurrences in the one or more live events.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein information related to the one or more live events is received from a physical location corresponding to the one or more live events.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before competitors in the contest are able to see relevant live action unfold.

### Claim 37 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal occurs immediately before a scoring chance in the one or more events.

### Claim 38 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal involves an in-progress play, not during a stoppage, and preventing submitting the response before a critical element of the in-progress play unfolds.

### Claim 39 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal applies for a limited amount of time.

### Claim 40 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal applies for an action lasting a limited amount of time.

### Claim 41 (depends on 33)

The server of claim 33 wherein the lockout signal involves presenting new odds on an unresolved proposition.