Interactive gaming channel video stream with nested features
View Patent ↗An interactive gaming channel presented on a monitor, with a plurality of transponders being used to present the games available at a given time. Such a channel in accordance with the present invention comprises a game selection screen, comprising a genre selection area and a game selection area, related to the genre selection area, wherein a viewer of the monitor selects a game to be played from a plurality of games.
1. An interactive system for presenting an interactive gaming channel on a monitor, with a plurality of transponders being used to present games available on the interactive gaming channel at a given time, comprising:
a receiver for receiving separate signals wherein a programming guide is distinct from the interactive gaming channel, and wherein the interactive gaming channel is received via satellite, the separate signals used to form the interactive gaming channel comprising:
a game selection screen, comprising:
a genre selection area; and
a game selection area, related to the genre selection area, wherein a bandwidth of the game selection screen, the genre selection area, and the game selection area is less than a viewer channel, wherein inputs to the receiver select a game to be played from a plurality of games, and a plurality of separate signals from the plurality of transponders are combined to graphically present the interactive gaming channel on the monitor; and
wherein:
use of a capacity of one or more of the plurality of transponders causes one or more games to be unavailable; and
the receiver is configured to display an alert regarding the unavailability of the one or more games.
2. The interactive system of claim 1 , wherein each transponder in the plurality of transponders uses less than a full viewer channel's bandwidth to send the portion of the interactive gaming channel.
3. The interactive system of claim 1 , wherein each transponder sends only a portion of the plurality of games.
4. The interactive system of claim 1 , wherein each transponder in the plurality of transponders uses less than a full viewer channel's bandwidth to send the portion of the plurality of games.
5. The interactive system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver further comprises a gaming platform.
6. The interactive system of claim 5 , wherein the interactive gaming channel comprises a plurality of genres of games, each genre of games in the plurality of genres of games comprising games specific to a given gaming platform.
7. The interactive system of claim 5 , wherein at least one genre of games has a restricted access.
8. The interactive system of claim 1 , wherein the interactive gaming channel has a restricted access.
9. An apparatus for displaying an interactive gaming channel, with a plurality of transponders each sending simultaneous separate signals used to present games available on the interactive gaming channel at a given time, comprising:
a broadcast delivery system, comprising a transmitter and a receiver;
a monitor, coupled to the receiver, for selectively displaying the interactive gaming channel and a programming guide, the programming guide being distinct from the interactive gaming channel, and wherein the interactive gaming channel is received via satellite, the interactive gaming channel comprising a game selection screen, a genre selection area, and a game selection area, from wherein a game selected from a plurality of games is selectively chosen, wherein a bandwidth of the game selection screen, the genre selection area, and the game selection area is less than a viewer channel;
a processor, coupled to the monitor and the receiver, the processor processing the signals from the plurality of transponders by combining separate signals from the plurality of transponders to graphically present the interactive gaming channel on the monitor; and
an input device, coupled to the processor, for inputting information corresponding to at least one selected game into the processor; and
wherein:
use of a capacity of one or more of the plurality of transponders causes one or more games to be unavailable; and
the receiver is configured to display an alert regarding the unavailability of the one or more games.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the broadcast delivery system is a satellite television delivery system.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each transponder in the plurality of transponders uses less than a full viewer channel's bandwidth to send the portion of the interactive gaming channel.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each transponder sends only a portion of the plurality of games.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each transponder in the plurality of transponders uses less than a full viewer channel's bandwidth to send the portion of the plurality of games.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a receiver, for receiving plurality of games and the interactive gaming channel from the plurality of transponders.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the receiver further comprises a gaming platform.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the interactive gaming channel comprises a plurality of genres of games, each genre of games in the plurality of genres of games comprising games specific to a given gaming platform.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least one genre of games has a restricted access.
18. An interactive system for presenting an interactive gaming channel on a monitor, with a plurality of transponders being used to present games available on the interactive gaming channel at a given time, comprising:
a receiver for receiving separate signals wherein a programming guide is distinct from the interactive gaming channel, and wherein the interactive gaming channel is received via satellite, the separate signals used to form the interactive gaming channel comprising:
a game selection screen, comprising:
a genre selection area; and
a game selection area, related to the genre selection area, wherein a bandwidth of the game selection screen, the genre selection area, and the game selection area is less than a viewer channel, and wherein inputs to the receiver select a game to be played from a plurality of games, and a plurality of separate signals from the plurality of transponders are combined to graphically present the interactive gaming channel on the monitor; and
wherein:
use of a capacity of one or more of the plurality of transponders causes the interactive gaming channel to be unavailable; and
the receiver is configured to display an alert regarding the unavailability of the interactive gaming channel.
19. An apparatus for displaying an interactive gaming channel, with a plurality of transponders each sending simultaneous separate signals used to present games available on the interactive gaming channel at a given time, comprising:
a broadcast delivery system, comprising a transmitter and a receiver;
a monitor, coupled to the receiver, for selectively displaying the interactive gaming channel and a programming guide, the programming guide being distinct from the interactive gaming channel, and wherein the interactive gaming channel is received via satellite, the interactive gaming channel comprising a game selection screen, a genre selection area, and a game selection area, from wherein a game selected from a plurality of games is selectively chosen, wherein a bandwidth of the game selection screen, the genre selection area, and the game selection area is less than a viewer channel;
a processor, coupled to the monitor and the receiver, the processor processing the signals from the plurality of transponders by combining separate signals from the plurality of transponders to graphically present the interactive gaming channel on the monitor; and
an input device, coupled to the processor, for inputting information corresponding to at least one selected game into the processor;
wherein:
use of a capacity of one or more of the plurality of transponders causes the interactive gaming channel to be unavailable; and
the receiver is configured to display, on the monitor, an alert regarding the unavailability of the interactive gaming channel.