Method and apparatus for simulating game accessories

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for simultaneously indicating, on each of a plurality of communication terminals, instructions transmitted by each terminal and the identity of the respective terminals that transmitted the instructions. Such a feature can be used to indicate the moves of parties playing a game over a telephone line. Once a communications link is established between two or more parties, their terminals are placed in a game mode which activates inband signal detection and player identification circuitry located within the terminals. Multi-colored indicators and player identification displays at each terminal are activated, their color being dependent upon the source of received instructions. In one embodiment, player identification indicators may be incorporated into a touch tone keypad located on the terminals. The keypad's touch tone keys are modified such that each key has two or more color coded indicators incorporated within, each color representing a particular player's move.

1 . A method comprising:
 activating, by a communication device, a game mode to play a game with a remote terminal over a communication link established between the communication device and the remote terminal;   determining, by the communication device, player identifiers for the communication device and the remote terminal in response to activating the game mode; and   annunciating, by the communication device, moves with the player identifiers for the communication device and the remote terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the communication device, instructions corresponding to the moves in the game from the remote terminal over the communication link; and   annunciating, by the communication device, the moves with the player identifiers for the communication device and the remote terminal in response to receiving the instructions corresponding to the moves in the game.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the communication device, instructions corresponding to the moves in the game through a user interface of the communication device; and   annunciating, by the communication device, the moves with the player identifiers for the communication device and the remote terminal in response to receiving the instructions corresponding to the moves in the game.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the communication device, which of the communication device or the remote terminal is authorized to send instructions corresponding to a next move in the game; and   displaying, by the communication device, an indicator of the communication device or the remote terminal that is authorized to send instructions corresponding to the next move in the game.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the communication device, instructions corresponding to the next move in the game; and   annunciating, by the communication device, the next move in the game when the instructions are received from the communication device or the remote terminal that is authorized to send instructions corresponding to the next move in the game.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing, by the communication device, the communications link with the remote terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the player identifiers for the communication device and the remote terminal correspond to colored lights. 
     
     
         8 . A device comprising:
 a network interface configured to communicate with a remote terminal through a communication link established between the device and the remote terminal;   a processing device configured to activate a game mode to play a game with the remote terminal over the communication link and to determine player identifiers for the device and the remote terminal; and   a user interface configured to annunciate moves in the game with the player identifiers for the device and the remote terminal.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the network interface is configured to receive instructions corresponding to the moves in the game from the remote terminal over the communication link, wherein the user interface is configured to annunciate at least one of the moves in the game in response to the received instructions. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive instructions corresponding to the moves in the game and to annunciate at least one of the moves in the game in response to the received instructions. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive a phone number of the remote terminal, and wherein the processing device is configured to initiate establishment of the communication link with remote device through the network interface in response to the reception of the phone number of the remote terminal. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the processing device is configured to determine an authorized player to provide instructions for a first move in the game based on whether the processing device or the remote terminal initiated establishment of the communication link. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the user interface is configured to display an indicator of the authorized player to provide instructions corresponding to the first move in the game, to receive instructions corresponding to the first move in the game, and to annunciate the first move in the game in response to the instructions corresponding to the first move. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising a computer readable memory device storing instructions configured to cause a processing device to perform operations comprising:
 activating a game mode to play a game with a remote terminal over a communication link established between the processing device and the remote terminal;   determining player identifiers to differentiate the processing device and the remote terminal; and   prompting presentation of moves in the game with the player identifiers for the processing device and the remote terminal.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processing device to perform operations further comprising:
 receiving, from the remote terminal over the communication link, move instructions corresponding to the moves in the game; and   prompting presentation of the moves in the game with the player identifiers for the processing device and the remote terminal in response to the move instructions.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processing device to perform operations further comprising:
 receiving move instructions corresponding to the moves in the game from a user interface; and   prompting presentation of the moves in the game with the player identifiers for the processing device and the remote terminal in response to the move instructions.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processing device to perform operations further comprising:
 determining whether the processing device or the remote terminal is authorized to send move instructions corresponding to a next move in the game; and   prompting presentation of an indicator of the processing device or the remote terminal that is authorized to send move instructions corresponding to the next move in the game.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processing device to perform operations further comprising:
 prompting presentation of the next move in the game when move instructions are received from the processing device or the remote terminal that is authorized to send move instructions corresponding to the next move in the game.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processing device to perform operations further comprising establishing the communication link with the remote terminal. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the player identifiers for the processing device and the remote terminal correspond to colored lights.