Interactive entertainment electronic system

• US 10,035,066 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Angelici, Marco, Onetti, Andrea Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ROSS A
• Application Number:
  US14/643,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20150182858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 6, 463 37- 47
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

The present invention relates to a remote play device for an interactive entertainment system and may include a class D amplifier and at least one motion detection device. The remote play device may also include a processor to adapt sound effects played through the class D amplifier based upon the at least one motion detection device. A battery may also be included powering at least the class D amplifier.

Claims

1. A remote play device for an entertainment system, the remote play device comprising:

an amplifier;

at least one motion detection device configured to generate motions signals;

a wireless communications device cooperating with said at least one motion detection device to send the motion signals to a remote device and to receive audio signals from the remote device, wherein the remote device is separate and remote from the remote play device, and wherein the audio signals received by the wireless communications device from the remote device comprise audio characteristics that have not been varied based upon the motion signals; and

a processor configured to vary the audio characteristics of the audio signals played through said amplifier based upon said at least one motion detection device, the remote device being configured to adapt video characteristics of video signals, complementary to the audio signals, based on the motion signals.

2. The remote play device according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to turn off power to at least said amplifier based upon no motion being detected by said at least one motion detection device for a threshold time.

3. The remote play device according to claim 1, wherein said amplifier comprises a digital class D amplifier.

4. The remote play device according to claim 1, further comprising a battery configured to power at least said amplifier.

5. The remote play device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one motion detection device comprises a plurality of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) linear accelerometers.

6. The remote play device according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communications device comprises at least one of a Bluetooth and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication device.

7. The remote play device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing wearable by a head of a user and carrying said amplifier, at least one motion detection device, and processor.

8. The remote play device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one other processor coupled to said processor.

9. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for a remote play device for an interactive entertainment system, the ASIC comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) substrate,

an amplifier carried by said IC substrate;

at least one motion detection device carried by said IC substrate and configured to generate motions signals;

a wireless communications device carried by said IC substrate and cooperating with said at least one motion detection device to send the motion signals to a remote device and receive audio signals from the remote device, the remote device being separate from the remote play device and configured to vary multimedia characteristics, other than audio characteristics, based on the motion signals, wherein the audio signals received by the wireless communications device from the remote device comprise audio characteristics that have not been varied based upon the motion signals; and

a processor carried by said IC substrate and configured to vary the audio characteristics of the audio signals played through said amplifier based upon said at least one motion detection device.

10. The ASIC according to claim 9, wherein said processor is configured to turn off power to at least said amplifier based upon no motion being detected by said at least one motion detection device for a threshold time.

11. The ASIC according to claim 9, wherein said amplifier comprises a digital class D amplifier.

12. The ASIC according to claim 9, wherein said at least one motion detection device comprises a plurality of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) linear accelerometers.

13. The ASIC according to claim 9, wherein said wireless communications device comprises at least one of a Bluetooth and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication device.

14. The ASIC according to claim 9, further comprising at least one other processor carried by said IC substrate and coupled to said processor.

15. A method for operating a remote play device for an entertainment system, the remote play device comprising an amplifier, at least one motion detection device, a wireless communications device, and a processor coupled to the amplifier, at least one motion detection device, and wireless communications device, the method comprising:

using the wireless communications device in cooperation with the at least one motion detection device to send motion signals to a remote device and receive audio signals from the remote device, wherein the remote device is separate and remote from the remote play device, and wherein the audio signals received by the wireless communications device from the remote device comprise audio characteristics that have not been varied based upon the motion signals;

using the processor to vary the audio characteristics of the audio signals played through the amplifier based upon the at least one motion detection device; and

using the remote device to vary video characteristics of video signals, complementary to the audio signals, based on the motion signals.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising using the processor to turn off power to at least the amplifier based upon no motion being detected by the at least one motion detection device for a threshold time.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the amplifier comprises a digital class D amplifier.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising supplying power at least the amplifier via a battery.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one motion detection device comprises a plurality of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) linear accelerometers.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the wireless communications device comprises at least one of a Bluetooth and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication device.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the remote play device further comprises a housing wearable by a head of a user and carrying the amplifier, at least one motion detection device, and processor.