Method, apparatus, system and computer program product for event triggered games

Abstract

A method of providing event triggered games includes operations of receiving a subscription to a game service from a subscriber, providing game content including a game to the subscriber, and enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.

1 . A method of providing event triggered games, the method comprising: 
 receiving a subscription to a game service from a subscriber;    providing game content including a game to the subscriber; and    enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving game results from the subscriber;    determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber; and    notifying the subscriber of the performance results.    
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising determining performance results of a plurality of other subscribers to the game service and notifying the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , further comprising determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein enabling remote execution comprises providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein triggering execution of the game comprises manually sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein triggering execution of the game comprises automatically sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein receiving the game subscription comprises subscribing to a long term game service defined by one of: 
 a predetermined time; and    a predetermined number of real world events.    
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.  
   
   
       10 . A computer program product for providing event triggered games, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising: 
 a first executable portion for receiving a subscription to a game service from a subscriber;    a second executable portion for providing game content including a game to the subscriber; and    a third executable portion for enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.    
   
   
       11 . A computer program product according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a fourth executable portion for receiving game results from the subscriber; and    a fifth executable portion for determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber and a plurality of other subscribers to the game service; and    a sixth executable portion for notifying the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.    
   
   
       12 . A computer program product according to  claim 11 , further comprising a seventh executable portion for determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.  
   
   
       13 . A computer program product according to  claim 10 , wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein the third executable portion comprises instructions for providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       14 . A computer program product according to  claim 10 , wherein the third executable portion comprises instructions for manually sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       15 . A computer program product according to  claim 10 , wherein the third executable portion comprises instructions for automatically sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       16 . A computer program product according to  claim 10 , wherein the first executable portion further includes instructions for subscribing to a long term game service defined by one of: 
 a predetermined time; and    a predetermined number of real world events.    
   
   
       17 . A computer program product according to  claim 10 , wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for providing event triggered games, the apparatus being configured to be capable of wireless communication with a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising: 
 a processing module capable of receiving a subscription to a game service from the mobile terminal and directing provision of game content including a game to the mobile terminal; and    a trigger module capable of enabling remote execution of the game responsive to receipt of a trigger associated with an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.    
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the processing module is further configured to be capable of: 
 receiving game results from the subscriber;    determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber; and    notifying the subscriber of the performance results.    
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising determining performance results of a plurality of other subscribers to the game service and notifying the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the processing module is further capable of determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.  
   
   
       22 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein the processing module is further configured to be capable of providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the trigger module is further capable of manually sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       24 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the trigger module is further capable of automatically sending a trigger in response to the predefined event of interest.  
   
   
       25 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the processing module is capable of receiving a subscription to a long term game service defined by one of: 
 a predetermined time; and    a predetermined number of real world events.    
   
   
       26 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.  
   
   
       27 . A mobile terminal for providing event triggered games, the mobile terminal comprising: 
 an execution module capable of: 
 sending a subscription to a game service to a game server;  
 receiving game content including a game from the game server; and  
 executing the game in response to receipt of a remotely transmitted trigger, the trigger being transmitted responsive to an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.  
   
   
   
       28 . A mobile terminal according to  claim 27 , wherein the execution module is further capable of locally determining game results.  
   
   
       29 . A mobile terminal according to  claim 27 , wherein the execution module is further capable of sending game results to the game server.  
   
   
       30 . A mobile terminal according to  claim 27 , wherein the execution module is further capable of receiving performance results from the game server.  
   
   
       31 . A mobile terminal according to  claim 27 , wherein the execution module is capable of sending a subscription to a long term game service defined by one of: 
 a predetermined time; and    a predetermined number of real world events.    
   
   
       32 . A mobile terminal according to  claim 27 , wherein the predefined event of interest corresponds to a real world event.  
   
   
       33 . A system for providing event triggered games, the system comprising a mobile terminal and a game server, 
 wherein the mobile terminal comprises an execution module capable of: 
 sending a subscription to a game service to the game server;  
 receiving game content including a game from the game server; and  
 enabling remote execution of the game in response to receipt of a remotely transmitted trigger, the trigger being transmitted by the game server responsive to an occurrence of a predefined event of interest.  
   
   
   
       34 . A system according to  claim 33 , wherein the game server is further capable of: 
 receiving game results from the subscriber;    determining performance results from the game results of the subscriber; and    notifying the subscriber of the performance results.    
   
   
       35 . A system according to  claim 33 , further comprising determining performance results of a plurality of other subscribers to the game service and notifying the plurality of other subscribers of the performance results.  
   
   
       36 . A system according to  claim 35 , wherein the processing module is further capable of determining total performance results associated with a plurality of different game results from the subscriber and the plurality of other subscribers.  
   
   
       37 . A system according to  claim 33 , wherein the game content comprises a plurality of games, and wherein the processing module is further configured to be capable of providing a particular trigger corresponding to a particular predefined event of interest.