Method And System For Mediating Interactive Services Over A Wireless Communications Network

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for controlling the state of an interactive application and controlling delivery of the interactive application to one or more users. The system of the present invention is a system for delivering an interactive application to one or more users of a communications network and may comprise an interactive application adapted to the communications network; a user access device adapted to receive said interactive application; control means for establishing parameters under which said interactive application is rendered on said user access device; and mediation means for establishing terms for the interaction between the at least one user and other users and the communications network.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A handheld device capable of communicating with one or more servers and one or more other handheld devices via one or more wireless networks, the handheld device comprising:
 a processor;   a camera;   memory to store instructions that when executed by the processor result in the handheld device being capable of performing, when the handheld device is in operation, operations to:
 receive, by the handheld device, at least one request to facilitate, at least in part, provision to the handheld device of location information and user information, the location information being associated with the one or more other handheld devices, the user information being associated with one or more users of the one or more other handheld devices, the location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon global positioning system-related information and/or cellular-related information associated with the one or more other handheld devices; 
 permit, at least in part, facilitation of provision to the one or more other handheld devices of other location information and other user information, the other location information being associated with the handheld device, the other location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon other global positioning system-related information and/or other cellular-related information associated with the handheld device, the other user information being associated with a user of the handheld device; 
 request, at least in part, by the handheld device, facilitation by the one or more servers of at least one download to the one or more other handheld devices from the one or more servers, the at least one download being associated, at least in part, with at least one entertainment service that the one or more servers are capable of providing, at least in part, to the handheld device and the one or more other handheld devices. 
   
     
     
         19 . The handheld device of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the one or more wireless networks comprise a cellular network and Internet network.   
     
     
         20 . The handheld device of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the handheld device also comprises:
 a color display; 
 speakers; and 
 a microphone. 
   
     
     
         21 . The handheld device of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the handheld device is capable, when the handheld device is in the operation, of using, at least in part:
 at least one news-related service; 
 at least one stock quotation service; 
 at least one instant messaging service; 
 at least one email service; and 
 at least one purchasing related service. 
   
     
     
         22 . The handheld device of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the at least one entertainment service is capable of being associated with billing for a purchase associated with the at least one entertainment service.   
     
     
         23 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable memories storing instructions for execution by at least one processor of a handheld device, the handheld device being capable, when the handheld device is in operation, of communicating with one or more servers via one or more wireless networks, the instructions when executed by the processor of the handheld device resulting in the handheld device being capable of performing operations comprising:
 receiving, by the handheld device, at least one request to facilitate, at least in part, provision to the handheld device of location information and user information, the handheld device comprising a camera, the location information being associated with the one or more other handheld devices, the user information being associated with one or more users of the one or more other handheld devices, the location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon global positioning system-related information and/or cellular-related information associated with the one or more other handheld devices;   permitting, at least in part, facilitation of provision to the one or more other handheld devices of other location information and other user information, the other location information being associated with the handheld device, the other location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon other global positioning system-related information and/or other cellular-related information associated with the handheld device, the other user information being associated with a user of the handheld device;   requesting, at least in part, by the handheld device, facilitation by the one or more servers of at least one download to the one or more other handheld devices from the one or more servers, the at least one download being associated, at least in part, with at least one entertainment service that the one or more servers are capable of providing, at least in part, to the handheld device and the one or more other handheld devices.   
     
     
         24 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the one or more wireless networks comprise a cellular network and Internet network.   
     
     
         25 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the handheld device also comprises:
 a color display; 
 speakers; and 
 a microphone. 
   
     
     
         26 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the handheld device is capable, when the handheld device is in the operation, of using, at least in part:
 at least one news-related service; 
 at least one stock quotation service; 
 at least one instant messaging service; 
 at least one email service; and 
 at least one purchasing related service. 
   
     
     
         27 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the at least one entertainment service is capable of being associated with billing for a purchase associated with the at least one entertainment service.   
     
     
         28 . One or more servers capable of communicating with a handheld device and one or more other handheld devices via one or more wireless networks when the handheld device and the one or more other handheld devices are in operation, the one or more servers comprising:
 at least one processor capable of executing software resident, at least in part, at the one or more servers, the software when executed resulting in the one or more servers being capable of performing operations to:
 facilitate provision, in response at least in part to at least one request received by the handheld device, of location information and user information to the handheld device, the handheld device comprising a camera, the location information being associated with the one or more other handheld devices, the user information being associated with one or more users of the one or more other handheld devices, the location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon global positioning system-related information and/or cellular-related information associated with the one or more other handheld devices; 
 facilitate provision, as permitted by the handheld device, to the one or more other handheld devices of other location information and other user information, the other location information being associated with the handheld device, the other location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon other global positioning system-related information and/or other cellular-related information associated with the handheld device, the other user information being associated with a user of the handheld device; and 
 facilitate, as requested by the handheld device, at least one download to the one or more other handheld devices from the one or more servers, the at least one download being associated, at least in part, with at least one entertainment service that the one or more servers are capable of providing, at least in part, to the handheld device and the one or more other handheld devices. 
   
     
     
         29 . The one or more servers of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the one or more wireless networks comprise a cellular network and Internet network.   
     
     
         30 . The one or more servers of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the handheld device also comprises:
 a color display; 
 speakers; and 
 a microphone. 
   
     
     
         31 . The one or more servers of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the handheld device is capable, when the handheld device is in the operation, of using, at least in part:
 at least one news-related service; 
 at least one stock quotation service; 
 at least one instant messaging service; 
 at least one email service; and 
 at least one purchasing related service. 
   
     
     
         32 . The one or more servers of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the at least one entertainment service is capable of being associated with billing for a purchase associated with the at least one entertainment service.   
     
     
         33 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable memories storing instructions for execution by at least one processor of one or more servers, the one or more servers being capable of communicating with a handheld device and one or more other handheld devices via one or more wireless networks when the handheld device and the one or more other handheld devices are in operation, the instructions when executed resulting in the one or more servers performing operations comprising:
 facilitating provision, in response at least in part to at least one request received by the handheld device, of location information and user information to the handheld device, the handheld device comprising a camera, the location information being associated with the one or more other handheld devices, the user information being associated with one or more users of the one or more other handheld devices, the location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon global positioning system-related information and/or cellular-related information associated with the one or more other handheld devices;   facilitating provision, as permitted by the handheld device, to the one or more other handheld devices of other location information and other user information, the other location information being associated with the handheld device, the other location information being capable of being based, at least in part, upon other global positioning system-related information and/or other cellular-related information associated with the handheld device, the other user information being associated with a user of the handheld device; and   facilitating, as requested by the handheld device, at least one download to the one or more other handheld devices from the one or more servers, the at least one download being associated, at least in part, with at least one entertainment service that the one or more servers are capable of providing, at least in part, to the handheld device and the one or more other handheld devices.   
     
     
         34 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the one or more wireless networks comprise a cellular network and Internet network.   
     
     
         35 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the handheld device also comprises:
 a color display; 
 speakers; and 
 a microphone. 
   
     
     
         36 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the handheld device is capable, when the handheld device is in the operation, of using, at least in part:
 at least one news-related service; 
 at least one stock quotation service; 
 at least one instant messaging service; 
 at least one email service; and 
 at least one purchasing related service. 
   
     
     
         37 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the at least one entertainment service is capable of being associated with billing for a purchase associated with the at least one entertainment service.