IP Verse

Methodology for equalizing systemic latencies in television reception in connection with games of skill played in connection with live television programming

Patent No. US9993730 (titled "Methodology for equalizing systemic latencies in television reception in connection with games of skill played in connection with live television programming") on Jun 16, 2017. The application was issued on Jun 12, 2018.

What is this patent about?

’730 is related to the field of distributed gaming and real-time interactive entertainment. Specifically, it addresses the technical challenges of synchronizing mobile gaming applications with live or taped television broadcasts, where varying signal propagation delays can create unfair advantages for certain participants.

The underlying idea behind ’730 is that the inherent latency in television delivery—caused by satellite hops, cable head-end processing, or digital recording buffers—must be neutralized to maintain a level playing field. By segmenting the total audience into cohorts based on their specific signal reception path, the system can calculate the precise delta between the live action and the viewer's screen to ensure that game-critical interactions are perfectly timed.

The claims of ’730 focus on a game server architecture that manages these cohorts of Internet-connected devices by issuing a lockout signal tailored to measured delays. This mechanism prevents users from submitting predictions or responses after an event's outcome has already been revealed on their specific broadcast feed, effectively equalizing the experience across different transmission mediums and time zones.

In practice, the system identifies the delivery method—such as satellite, cable, or over-the-air—and applies an artificial delay or a time-stamped control signal to the gaming client. This ensures that a participant watching a low-latency broadcast cannot gain an edge over someone whose signal is delayed by several seconds. The invention also contemplates physical location tracking to segregate attendees at a live venue into their own competitive pool, as they see the action before any televised broadcast.

This approach differs from prior solutions by moving beyond simple global timers and instead focusing on the systemic propagation path of the media. By utilizing automated audio/video recognition or user-assisted synchronization to measure real-time latency, the invention transforms a fragmented viewing audience into a synchronized competitive environment, regardless of whether the content is a live sports match or a syndicated game show.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical Landscape

In the mid-2000s when ’730 was filed, interactive entertainment systems were typically implemented using centralized game servers that synchronized data with broadcast television signals. At a time when systems commonly relied on diverse delivery paths—including over-the-air broadcasts, various cable head-ends, and satellite providers—the inherent propagation delays between these mediums were non-trivial. Hardware and software constraints of the era meant that a single live event would reach different geographic cohorts at different times, creating a fragmented viewing experience where the arrival of a signal could vary by several seconds depending on the specific reception equipment and service provider utilized by the end user.

Prosecution Position

The disclosed invention addresses the technical problem of systemic latency variances in distributed gaming by implementing an architectural shift that groups participants into specific cohorts based on their unique signal reception paths. By determining the precise amount of delay for each cohort—through methods such as automated audio/video sampling, GPS-based location mapping, or user-initiated event marking—the system enables the dynamic adjustment of game control data. This integration allows for the synchronization of 'lock-out' signals and game data streams across disparate reception environments, achieving the technical effect of a level playing field where participants viewing delayed signals are not disadvantaged by those receiving faster broadcasts.

Claims

This patent contains 81 claims, with claims 1, 68, 78, 79, 80, and 81 serving as the independent claims. The independent claims focus on a game server architecture designed to manage games of skill or chance by grouping internet-connected devices into cohorts and issuing lockout signals based on measured or determined transmission delays to ensure fair participation across different broadcast mediums, time zones, or specific game events. The dependent claims generally serve to refine the methods for determining delay, specify various synchronization techniques such as audio/video sampling and automatic content recognition, define the types of broadcast delivery systems, and detail the specific timing and conditions under which lockout signals are triggered during live or recorded entertainment.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Amount of delay (Claim 1, Claim 68, Claim 78, Claim 79, Claim 80, Claim 81)	The present invention relies on a variety of methodologies which are able to be utilized to determine the time difference between the reception of the television picture being utilized by the central game production facility where “lock out” signals are generated and each separate group of viewers. Propagation delays result from, among other things, the number of satellite hops required to deliver the signal, the method of processing and rebroadcasting the signal after it is received by cable systems head ends or an over the air broadcast television station. These delays are able to result in a difference between the first signal received and the last received of more than several seconds.	The measured or determined time difference (latency) between the reception of a television signal at the central game production facility and the reception of that same signal by a specific cohort of viewers.
Cohort (Claim 1, Claim 68, Claim 78, Claim 79, Claim 80, Claim 81)	For this system, the total viewing population for a telecast is divided into segments or blocks of viewers referred to as “cohorts.” For example, the 2 million inhabitants of the San Francisco Bay Area would be divided into approximately 1 over the air broadcast, 3 satellite independent providers and several cable “head ends” or central broadcast points serving a “cohort.” All subscribers to a particular service provider or who are receiving an over the air broadcast in a specific metropolitan area will receive the signal at their location at the same time.	A specific segment or block of viewers grouped together because they receive a television signal through the same delivery path or source, such as a specific cable head-end, satellite provider, or over-the-air broadcast station.
Equalizing (Claim 79)	Utilizing software resident in the game control server, game control data for each set of viewers/competitors... are batched together... and the appropriate delay is either time stamped on the game “lock out” signals, or is imposed on the entire data stream so that competitors receiving their television information slightly behind or ahead of others gain no material competitive advantage. This time equalization from cohort to cohort could, for example, involve artificially delaying the transmission of the game control data stream sent to all competitors cell phones or other mobile devices by the appropriate amount of seconds.	The process of neutralizing systemic latency variances by adjusting the timing of game data or lockout signals so that no participant gains a competitive advantage based on their signal delivery method.
Game control data (Claim 79)	The server stores game control data and transmits the game control data to the mobile device. The game control data includes delay information for implementing the lockout signal. Another method is for the game control server to send all the game control data to all of the viewers/competitors of the game at the same time, and the client software is able to delay the presentation of the game data based on the viewers' cohort.	The data stream sent from the server to mobile devices that includes game instructions, lockout information, and specific delay parameters used to synchronize the game with the telecast for a particular cohort.
Lockout signal (Claim 1, Claim 68, Claim 78, Claim 79, Claim 80, Claim 81)	Such a game utilizes a “lock out” signal to prohibit the entry of predictions after the competitor sees the play begin to unfold, at the snap of the ball. The time stamped “lock out” signal is generated by a game producer also viewing the same telecast from a different location. The server sends a lockout signal at an appropriate time based on a measured amount of delay to prevent a user from submitting a response after they see the outcome.	A time-stamped control signal generated by the game server to prohibit participants from entering or changing predictions after a specific event has occurred or become visible in the telecast.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case Number	Filing Date	Title
3:25-cv-01146	Feb 10, 2025	Winview Ip Holdings, Llc V. Fanduel, Inc.

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US9993730

Application Number: US15625988A
Filing Date: Jun 16, 2017
Publication Date: Jun 12, 2018
External Links: Slate, USPTO , Google Patents