GB2466456A

GB2466456A - Interactive system and method

Info

Publication number: GB2466456A
Application number: GB0823204A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Loder
Original assignee: EVANESCENT Ltd
Current assignee: EVANESCENT Ltd
Priority date: 2008-12-19
Filing date: 2008-12-19
Publication date: 2010-06-23
Also published as: GB0823204D0

Abstract

An interactive display system 1 comprises a processing system 22 for providing information relating to a plurality of selectable elements to a broadcast system 23 and a receiver 31 for receiving from the broadcast system 23 information relating to the plurality of selectable elements. The receiver 31 further comprises a display 32 for displaying the plurality of elements, storage 312 for storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of the possible selectable elements. A selection is received from a user, preferably using a remote control 33. The user selection is shown on the display 32 and the code associated with the selection is retrieved and displayed on the display 32. A user preferably uses a telephone 34 to communicate the code to the processing system 22. The display system 1 is preferably used to play a casino game such as roulette using the set-top box of a television receiver. The selectable elements and respective codes preferably relate to different areas of a roulette betting layout, with the different codes being used to place different bets by the user. The telephone 34 may be a fixed, landline, telephone or a mobile telephone, possibly using text messaging.

Description

Interactive System and Method The present invention relates to an interactive display system and an apparatus for and method of interacting with a transaction processing system.

Since the introduction of the internet and satellite based television services, live gaming has become increasingly popular, with games such as roulette becoming widely available. The internet provides instant interactivity, with the computer mouse being used to make selections on a roulette table displayed on a computer screen. With television based games, such interactivity is less easy to achieve.

Satellite services that provide a return channel allow for easy interactivity, but these are not yet universally available. Many providers therefore use a more traditional return channel in the form of the telephone system. Users can therefore play TV based games by watching the game on the screen and placing their bets over the telephone system, using a landline or mobile.

The problem with this approach is that it can be difficult and time consuming for the user to enter their bets over the telephone, since there are many possible bets in a game such as roulette. In a conventional interactive voice response system, the user will need to traverse a number of menus, responding to questions from the system. For example, if providing a return path for a Roulette game engine, the system might say "For a Straight bet press 1, for a Split bet press 2, for a Corner bet press 3...". Once, the user has pressed a number to select the type of bet, the next prompt is presented, and so on, with multiple levels of menu required to define the exact bet that is wanted.

The present invention aims to address the above problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an interactive display system, comprising a processing system for providing information relating to a plurality of selectable elements to a broadcast system, a receiver for receiving from the broadcast system information relating to the plurality of selectable elements, display means for displaying the plurality of elements on a television display, storage means for storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of the possible selectable elements, means for receiving a selection from a user using a remote control and displaying the selection on the display and means for retrieving a code associated with the selection and displaying the code on the display, wherein a user uses a telephone to communicate the code to the processing system.

Displaying the code to the user via the display provides a quick and convenient mechanism by which the user can then pass the code on to the processing system, for example by telephone or text or other message transmission means, indicating the bet that he or she wishes to place. The user is able to transmit the desired information more quickly and accurately than would otherwise be possible, with a higher level of certainty that the code being entered is the correct one, since the user has direct visual confirmation of the bet that he or she wishes to place on the display.

The telephone may be a fixed or a mobile telephone, and the user may use text messaging to communicate the code to the processing system.

The processing system may include an interactive voice response system for receiving the code, and may be arranged to determine the selected element from the received code.

The display means may be arranged to display a game layout on the display relating to an interactive game, and each code may be associated with a game position to be taken by the user, the game position comprising the selectable element.

The game may comprise roulette and the game position may comprise a bet to be placed in relation to a selection on the displayed board. The selection may be indicated by a highlight shape displayed on the display, and the highlight shape may be arranged to move in a predetermined pattern across the board, each selection indicated by the highlight shape being arranged to display a corresponding code on the display.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a receiver for an interactive display system, the receiver being arranged to receive information from a broadcast system relating to a plurality of selectable elements, further comprising, means for outputting the received information for display, storage means for storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of the selectable elements, means for receiving a selection from a user and means for retrieving a code associated with the selection, wherein the receiver is arranged to output the code for display.

The receiver may comprise an integrated display, for example being a digital television receiver, or may comprise a set-top box to be connected to a television or monitor.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a processing system, comprising means for providing information relating to a plurality of selectable elements to a broadcast system, storage means for storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of a plurality of possible selections, means for receiving a code from a user over a telephone line, the code representing a selection made by the user and means for retrieving the selection made by the user corresponding to the code.

The plurality of selectable items may comprise a plurality of possible positions on a game board.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of interacting with a processing system, which is arranged to provide information relating to a plurality of selectable elements to a broadcast system, the method comprising receiving from a broadcast system information relating to a plurality of selectable elements, displaying the plurality of elements on a television display, storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of the selectable elements, receiving a selection from a user using a remote control and displaying the selection on the display, retrieving a code associated with the selection and displaying the code on the display and the user using a telephone to communicate the code to the processing system.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an example of a system according to the invention; Figure 2A is a flowchart illustrating a method according to the invention of displaying a bet code on a display corresponding to a bet to be placed; Figure 2B is a flowchart illustrating a method according to the invention of entering a bet code over a telephone connection; Figure 2C is a flowchart illustrating a method according to the invention of receiving a bet code placed by a user over a telephone connection; Figure 3 is an illustration of an alternative system for placing bets according to a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 4A illustrates a table at a receiver system holding the correspondence between a bet to be placed and a corresponding bet code; Figure 4B illustrates a table at a transmitter system holding the correspondence between a received bet code and a bet to be placed; Figures 5A -5F are illustrations of screens depicting a roulette table showing different bet codes corresponding to various bets to be placed; Figure 6 illustrates a remote control for navigating around a display; and Figure 7 illustrates navigational hotspots for a displayed roulette table.

Referring to Figure 1, an interactive system 1 according to the invention comprises a transmitter system 2 and a receiver system 3 which communicate over a communications link 4, for example a terrestrial, satellite or cable television channel. The transmitter system 2 comprises a storage medium such as a database 21, a processing system 22, for example a server, providing processing capability for the transactional process (in this example, bet placement), a broadcast transmitter 23 coupled to the processing system 22 and a telephone receiver system 24 coupled to the processing system 22. The receiver system 3 comprises a broadcast receiver 31, a display 32, a remote control 33 for controlling the receiver and a telephone 34.

The broadcast receiver 31 may, for example, be a set-top box connected to a television, or an integrated digital television implementing the same functionality.

The broadcast receiver 31 includes a processor 311 and a memory 312, along with all the other components necessary to provide the receiver functionality. The memory 312 stores software 313 for implementing the inventive method. The software 313 may be integrated into the broadcast receiver, may be provided on a fixed or removable storage medium, or may be transmitted to the receiver over any suitable communications medium.

The operation of the system is illustrated by reference to the game of roulette, but the invention is not limited to this game, and is equally applicable to other casino style games, and indeed any other type of game or other scenario where a selection made by a user can be associated with a short code, which is then transmitted by a user to a transaction processing system for processing in accordance with the usual requirements for that type of transaction.

Referring to Figure 2A, the software 313 is downloaded to or stored at the broadcast receiver 31 by any conventional route, for example by being transmitted over the communications link 4 (step si). The software 313 stores a code table 50, illustrated in Figure 4A, that stores an association between a plurality of short codes and every possible bet on the roulette table.

Figures 5A -SF illustrate screens 40 representing a roulette table 41 displayed on the display 32 (step s2). A viewer uses the remote control 33 shown in Figure 6, or another remote selection device, to navigate around a roulette board 41 displayed on the display 32, by using the up, down, left and right arrow keys 330 on a navigational keypad 331 of the remote control 33 to move a highlight shape 42 over each of the potential bet selections available. As the arrow keys are pressed, the highlight shape moves around the board 41 in a predefined way.

Referring again to Figure 2A, the software 313 receives information defining the current position of the highlight shape 42 (step s3), looks up in the stored code table the short code represented by the position (step s4), and displays the short code, in this example as a bet code, on the screen (step s5). The user can navigate through the displayed screen as described in detail below, and the software will display the bet code for each possible bet highlighted.

The code table may store the information in any convenient form. For example, although the table 50 in Figure 4A explicitly illustrates the particular bets corresponding to the bet codes, the table need not store the bet information, and may just store the bet codes corresponding to the position information.

Referring to Figure 2B and Figure 5A, the user has selected a straight 1 (referred to as reference numeral 43), which results in a short code 44, referred to as a QuickBet Code' of 001 being displayed. To place a bet, the user telephones the telephone number 45, which may be shown on the screen (step slO) and, after performing conventional identification procedures (step sli), enters the bet code (step s12). The identification procedures may comprise, for example, entry of a personal identification number (PIN) or any other log-in or identification procedure.

Referring to Figure 2C, at the transmitter system, the bet code is received by the processing system 22 (step s20), which looks up its own code table stored in memory 21 to determine the bet placed by the user (step s21). The processing system 22 then processes the bet (step s22) and adds the placed bet to the display data (step s23) to be transmitted to all users of the system (step s24). The display data may include a message generated by the processing system 22 for display to other users to show the latest bets placed, which can, for example, be displayed in a message window 46 shown in Figure 5A.

It will be understood by the skilled person that the processing of bets (step s22) involves whatever procedures are necessary to check that the bet requested conforms with the game rules and the rules set out by the system operator, including checking that the user has sufficient credit, is entitled to place the bet and so on.

A further example of the placing of a bet via an interactive voice response system is shown in Figure 3. After the user has dialled in and entered a valid pin code (step s30), he or she has a number of options marked 1 to 8, activated, for example, by pressing the corresponding key on the keypad. Options 2 to 8 include an option to speak to customer service (2), an option to check the account balance (3), an option to deposit funds (4), an option to withdraw funds (5), an option to turn the bet confirmation function on and off (6), information about responsible gambling (7) and other options (8) as may be specified by the system operator.

Option 1 is the option required to place a bet. When a user selects this option, the system asks if the bet is a repeat bet (step s31). If it is, the previous bet for that user is selected again (step s32) and the user asked to confirm the bet (step s33), unless this option has been turned off by the user under option 6 described above.

Where the bet is not a repeat bet, the user is asked to enter the bet code (step s34).

The system checks whether the entered code is a valid code (step s35), and if not, the user is asked to re-enter the bet code (step s34). When a valid code has been entered, the user is asked to enter the bet amount (step s36) and then to confirm the bet, as described above (step s33). If the user confirms the bet, or confirmation is not required, the bet is placed (step s37) and a bet placed message played to the user (step s38). The user can then enter further bets as required (step s39) or the call is ended (step s40).

Referring to Figure 5A, the displayed highlight shape 42 is arranged to move, in response to commands entered by the user on his remote control 33, in accordance with a predetermined hotspot' layout, as shown in Figure 7. Use of one of the arrow keys 331 on the navigational keypad 330 of the remote control 33 moves the selection to the next hotspot.

A sequence of moves is now described with reference to Figures 5A -5H. Figure 5A illustrates the selection of a straight 1, with bet code 001, as described above.

Clicking the up arrow key on the remote control causes the highlight to move to select a split bet (1 and 2), with corresponding bet code 038 displayed, as shown in Figure 5B. Clicking the up arrow key again causes the highlight to move to select a street bet (1, 2 and 3), with bet code 040, as shown in Figure 5G. Clicking the right arrow key on the remote control causes the highlight shape to move to select a six line bet (1 to 6), as shown in Figure 5D. Other examples are shown in Figures 5E and 5F.

It will be understood by the skilled person that the way in which the highlight shape moves is fully configurable by the system operator.

While the invention has been primarily described with reference to the game of roulette, it is not limited to this, but is applicable in any situation where a short code can be displayed to represent a selection, where the short code can then be communicated to a remote processing system over a telephone system. It is also envisaged that the short code can be communicated by means of a text message, using an SMS system.

Claims

Claims 1. An interactive display system, comprising: a processing system for providing information relating to a plurality of selectable elements to a broadcast system; a receiver for receiving from the broadcast system information relating to the plurality of selectable elements, display means for displaying the plurality of elements on a television display, storage means for storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of the possible selectable elements, means for receiving a selection from a user using a remote control and displaying the selection on the display; and means for retrieving a code associated with the selection and displaying the code on the display, wherein a user uses a telephone to communicate the code to the processing system.
2. An interactive display system according to claim 1, wherein the telephone is a fixed or a mobile telephone.
3. An interactive display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing system includes an interactive voice response system for receiving the code.
4. An interactive display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the user uses text messaging to communicate the code to the processing system.
5. An interactive display system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing system is arranged to determine the selected element from the received code.
6. An interactive display system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display means is arranged to display a game layout on the display relating to an interactive game, and each code is associated with a game position to be taken by the user, the game position comprising the selectable element.
7. An interactive display system according to claim 6, wherein the game comprises roulette and the game position comprises a bet to be placed in relation to a selection on the displayed layout.
8. An interactive display system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the selection is indicated by a highlight shape displayed on the display.
9. An interactive display system according to claim 8, wherein the highlight shape is arranged to move in a predetermined pattern across the display, each selection indicated by the highlight shape being arranged to display a corresponding code on the display.
10. A receiver for an interactive display system, the receiver being arranged to receive information from a broadcast system relating to a plurality of selectable elements, further comprising: means for outputting the received information for display; storage means for storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of the selectable elements, means for receiving a selection from a user; and means for retrieving a code associated with the selection, wherein the receiver is arranged to output the code for display.
11. A receiver according to claim 10, further comprising an integrated display.
12. A receiver according to claim 10, comprising a set-top box.
13. A receiver according to claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein each code is associated with a selection of a possible bet in a casino style game.

-11 -
14. A receiver according to claim 13, wherein the casino style game comprises roulette.
15. A processing system, comprising: means for providing information relating to a plurality of selectable elements to a broadcast system; storage means for storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of a plurality of possible selections, means for receiving a code from a user over a telephone line, the code representing a selection made by the user; and means for retrieving the selection made by the user corresponding to the code.
16. A processing system according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of selectable items comprise a plurality of possible positions on a game layout.
17. A method of interacting with a processing system, which is arranged to provide information relating to a plurality of selectable elements to a broadcast system, the method comprising: receiving from a broadcast system information relating to a plurality ofselectable elements,displaying the plurality of elements on a television display, storing a plurality of codes, each code associated with one of the selectable elements, receiving a selection from a user using a remote control and displaying the selection on the display; retrieving a code associated with the selection and displaying the code on the display; and the user using a telephone to communicate the code to the processing system.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the user uses text messaging to communicate the code to the processing system.

-12 -
19. A method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the processing system determines the selected element from the received code.
20. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the broadcast system provides a casino style game for display, the code corresponding to a bet to be placed in the casino style game.
21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the casino style game comprises roulette.
22. A computer program, which when executed on a processor, is arranged to perform a method according to any one of claims 17 to 21.
23. An interactive display system substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.