The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 13, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 13, 1999
Anthony R. Metke, Woodridge, IL (US);
Jeffrey L. Allen, Naperville, IL (US);
Midway Games, Inc., Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A system for a networking electronic game units, includes an arcade router coupled with one or more game units at each of a plurality of locations and coupled to a communications resource for supporting bi-directional exchange of information with the one or more game units. A first router is coupled with a first group of the communications resources for supporting bi-directional exchange of information with a first group of game units. A first server is coupled with the first router for controlling the bi-directional exchange of information so as to support interactive play by game units at different locations. Embodiments of the system may include a state synchronizing method for synchronizing the exchange of information among game units which are engaged in interactive play in such a manner that each of the game units operates on substantially the same sequence of incoming information, and a bandwidth manager for controlling access of each game unit to the network based on available bandwidth and on a player skill level associated with each game unit.