Games with wireless communications capabilities

Abstract

A plurality of games, whose members might be physically spaced apart, wirelessly communicate with a game management system. Communication can be on-demand and in real-time in response to on-going game play.

1 . A system comprising: 
 a plurality of video games, each game includes a wireless transceiver and control circuits coupled thereto as well as communications software; and    a monitoring apparatus wirelessly coupled to the games, the monitoring apparatus including software for at least monitoring game play.    
   
   
       2 . A system as in  claim 1  where the monitoring apparatus is coupled to the games, at least in part via a computer network.  
   
   
       3 . A system as in  claim 1  which includes a database wirelessly coupled to the video games for storage of game play information.  
   
   
       4 . A system as in  claim 1  which includes software wirelessly coupled to the games for carrying out diagnostic evaluation of at least some of the games.  
   
   
       5 . A system as in  claim 1  which includes software, wirelessly coupled to the games, the software accumulates game play statistics.  
   
   
       6 . A system as in  claim 5  which includes software wirelessly coupled to the games for carrying out a diagnostic evaluation of at least some of the games.  
   
   
       7 . A system as in  claim 6  where the monitoring apparatus includes a graphical users interface with software that selectively displays game play statistics.  
   
   
       8 . A system as in  claim 7  where the communications software provides on-demand, real-time transmission of game play data.  
   
   
       9 . A system as in  claim 1  where the communications software provides on-demand, real-time transmission of game play data.  
   
   
       10 . A system as in  claim 8  which includes player identification software which couples player related performance information to a selected game.  
   
   
       11 . A system as in  claim 8  which includes financial account software which maintains player financial accounts.  
   
   
       12 . A system as in  claim 11  which includes software, responsive to one of credit or debit cards, which establishes game play credits in respective player financial accounts.  
   
   
       13 . A system as in  claim 8  which includes real-time competition software that enables game play at a plurality of games to be part of a single competitive activity.  
   
   
       14 . A system as in  claim 8  which includes real-time tracking software that monitors scoring at a plurality of games while respective play is in process at those games.  
   
   
       15 . A method comprising: 
 establishing wire-less communications, on a real-time basis, between a plurality of video games and a game play database.    
   
   
       16 . A method as in  claim 15  which includes providing current player statistics, on demand, from the database.  
   
   
       17 . A method as in  claim 15  which includes conducting real-time competitions between various members of the plurality.  
   
   
       18 . A method as in  claim 17  which includes displaying competition information at various members of the plurality.  
   
   
       19 . A method as in  claim 15  which includes maintaining player account information, on a real-time basis, in the database.  
   
   
       20 . A method as in  claim 15  which includes wirelessly monitoring performance of at least one of the video games.  
   
   
       21 . A method as in  claim 15  which includes wirelessly adjusting game variables of at least one of the video games.  
   
   
       22 . A method as in  claim 20  which includes wirelessly adjusting game variables of at least one of the video games.