Location-based ad-hoc game services

1. A method of administering a game over a wireless telecommunications network serving a number of mobile terminals, said wireless telecommunications network including a number of base stations providing wireless communication coverage for corresponding geographically defined cells, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a game offering in response to a triggering event;

(b) designating a region in response to the established game offering;

(c) locating mobile terminals within the designated region;

(d) sending over the wireless telecommunications network, to mobile terminals within the designated region, an invitation to participate in a game in accordance with the established game offering, said invitation originating from a network entity other than a mobile terminal participating in the game; and,

(e) collecting over the wireless telecommunications network, from mobile terminals to which the invitation was sent, responses to the invitation, said responses indicating that the invitation to participate in the game has been accepted or declined.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) includes:

monitoring the location of mobile terminals; and,

the triggering event is when a number of mobile terminals within a particular relative proximity to one another satisfies a threshold number of mobile terminals.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) includes:

receiving a game request from a party desiring the game to be offered; and,

the triggering event is receipt of the game request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the invitation and the responses are communicated using a short message service protocol.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated region is coextensive with a cell, and the invitation is sent using a short message service cell broadcast from the base station providing wireless communication coverage for the cell.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(f) regulating play-of the game, said game being played with those mobile terminals from which responses to the invitation indicated acceptance.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

(g) determining a winner of the game upon its completion; and,

(h) announcing over the wireless telecommunications network, to one or more of the mobile terminals participating in the game, an identity of the determined winner.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

generating a map of the designated region; and,

during play of the game, providing the map over the wireless telecommunications network to one or more of the mobile terminals participating in the game.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the map shows thereon the location of one or more of the mobile terminals participating in the game.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (f) includes:

monitoring the location of one or more of the mobile terminals participating in the game;

receiving over the wireless telecommunications network, input from one or more of the mobile terminals participating in the game;

keeping track of a current state of the game;

applying rules of the game to thereby generate a resulting consequence based on at least one of: (i) the location of one or more of the mobile terminals participating in the game, (ii) the received input; and, (iii) the current state of the game; and,

communicating the generated consequence over the wireless telecommunications network to one or more of the mobile terminals participating in the game.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

tallying up how many responses indicate that the invitation has been accepted; and,

canceling the game if the tally does not satisfy an established threshold.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network entity is a game server operatively connected to the wireless telecommunications network.

13. A game service system for administering games over a wireless telecommunications network serving a number of mobile terminals, said wireless telecommunications network including a number of base stations providing wireless communication coverage for corresponding geographically defined cells, the game service system comprising:

means for establishing a game offering in response to a triggering event;

means for designating a region in response to the established game offering;

means for locating mobile terminals within the designated region;

means for sending over the wireless telecommunications network, to mobile terminals within the designated region, an invitation to participate in a game in accordance with the established game offering, said means for sending being a network entity other than a mobile terminal participating in the game; and,

means for collecting over the wireless telecommunications network, from mobile terminals to which the invitation was sent, responses to the invitation, said responses indicating that the invitation to participate in the game has been accepted or declined.

14. The game service system of claim 13 , wherein one or more servers in operative communication with the wireless telecommunications network comprise the means for establishing, designating, locating, sending and collecting.

15. The game service system of claim 14 , further comprising:

a short message service (SMS) center through which at least one of the invitation and the responses are routed as SMS messages.

16. The game service system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a database in which mobile terminals are registered to be eligible for participation in games administered by the game service system.

17. The game service system of claim 16 , wherein the database further contains preference information for each mobile terminal registered therein, said preference information identifying at least one of: (i) a type of game favored; (ii) a preferred time for game play; and, (iii) a preferred location for game play, said preference information being accessed to establish game offerings tailored to one or more of the mobile terminals for which the preference information is applicable.

18. The game service system of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for monitoring historical patterns of participation by one or more of the mobile terminals in games administered by the game service system; and,

means for generating the preference information for respective mobile terminals based on the historical patterns observed.