Dynamic physical agent for a virtual game

• US 10,143,919 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Nelson, Robert H., Bunker, Jeffrey O., Lowe, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US14/705,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20160325180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 446175, 446268
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/217 using environment-related information, i.e. information generated otherwise than by the player, e.g. ambient temperature or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• 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 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for creating out-of-game objectives for a computer game. Embodiments include determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game. Communications with a first physical device are established. In response to an in-game event within the computer game, embodiments configure the first physical device to detect a first out-of-game activity by configuring the first physical device with one or more conditions that are satisfied when data collected using one or more sensors of the first physical device exceeds a defined threshold value, and that, when satisfied, indicate the first out-of-game activity is completed. Upon receiving, from the first physical device, an indication that the out-of-game activity has been completed, embodiments affect one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed out-of-game activity.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer program code that, when executed, performs an operation to implement game attributes unlockable via real-world activities, the operation comprising:

determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game executing on a computer system;

establishing communications with a sensor device associated with the user account and having one or more sensors, wherein the sensor device is communicatively connected to the computer system and detachably coupled to a toy device, wherein the computer game is usable absent the toy device and the sensor device;

authenticating the toy device by communicating with an Application Programming Interface (API) of the sensor device, wherein the sensor device is configured to retrieve identification information for the toy device from a memory of the toy device;

in response to an in-game event within the computer game, configuring the sensor device to detect a first real-world activity by configuring the sensor device with one or more conditional statements for evaluating, against a defined threshold value, data collected using the one or more sensors of the sensor device, wherein the one or more conditional statements, when satisfied based on the collected data, indicate that the first real-world activity is completed; and

upon receiving, from the sensor device, an indication that the first real-world activity has been completed, unlocking one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed real-world activity, whereafter the computer game, including the unlocked one or more gameplay attributes, is usable absent the toy device and the sensor device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first real-world activity comprises performance of a user action, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect that the performance of the user action has occurred based on the collected data exceeding the defined threshold value, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an accelerometer, a light sensor, and a microphone sensor.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the first real-world activity comprises the sensor device being located at a specified geographic location, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect when a determined location of the sensor device matches the specified geographic location.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a light-detecting sensor, wherein the first real-world activity comprises the sensor device being within a physical environment having a measure of luminosity that is greater than a predefined level of luminosity, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect the measure of luminosity using based on the data collected using the light-detecting sensor.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein configuring the sensor device to detect the first real-world activity further comprises:

configuring the sensor device to provide one or more forms of user feedback in response to detecting the first real-world activity.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein establishing communications with the sensor device associated with the user account further comprises:

detecting the sensor device is connected to a base device in communication with the computer system; and

establishing a connection with the sensor device, through the base device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is usable with a plurality of toy devices of distinct types, the plurality of toy devices including the toy device, wherein the sensor device is unusable when not coupled to any toy device, wherein establishing communications with the sensor device associated with the user account comprises:

detecting the sensor device is connected to a base device in communication with the computer system; and

establishing a connection with the sensor device, through the base device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the first real-world activity in a first instance comprises performance of a user action, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect that the performance of the user action has occurred based on the collected data exceeding the defined threshold value, wherein the one or more sensors include an accelerometer, a light-detecting sensor, a microphone sensor, and a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein unlocking one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game based on the completed real-world activity comprises:

identifying a first avatar, within the computer game, that corresponds to a user performing the user action, based on the determined user identification information; and

providing a reward to the first avatar within the computer game, based on the completed real-world activity.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein providing the reward to the first avatar comprises:

granting, to the first avatar, one or more experience points, one or more skill points, one or more skills, a virtual item, and a cosmetic customization; and

granting gameplay content for the user account within the computer game, such that the granted gameplay content becomes accessible for the user account.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first real-world activity in a second instance comprises the sensor device being located at a specified geographic location, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect when a determined location of the sensor device matches the specified geographic location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first real-world activity in a third instance comprises the sensor device being within a physical environment having a measure of luminosity that is greater than a predefined level of luminosity, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect the measure of luminosity using based on the data collected using the light-detecting sensor;

wherein configuring the sensor device to detect the first real-world activity further comprises configuring the sensor device to provide one or more forms of user feedback in response to detecting the first real-world activity.

13. A system to implement game attributes unlockable via real-world activities, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a memory containing computer program code that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising;

determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game;

establishing communications with a sensor device associated with the user account and having one or more sensors, wherein the sensor device is communicatively connected to the system and detachably coupled to a toy device, wherein the computer game is usable absent the toy device and the sensor device;

authenticating the toy device by communicating with an Application Programming Interface (API) of the sensor device, wherein the sensor device is configured to retrieve identification information for the sensor device from a memory of the toy device;

in response to an in-game event within the computer game, configuring the sensor device to detect a first real-world activity by configuring the sensor device with one or more conditional statements for evaluating, against a defined threshold value, data collected using the one or more sensors of the sensor device, wherein the one or more conditional statements, when satisfied based on the collected data, indicate that the first real-world activity is completed; and

upon receiving, from the sensor device, an indication that the first real-world activity has been completed, unlocking one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed real-world activity, whereafter the computer game, including the unlocked one or more gameplay attributes, is usable absent the toy device and the sensor device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first real-world activity comprises performance of a user action, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect that the performance of the user action has occurred based on the collected data exceeding the defined threshold value, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an accelerometer, a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, a light sensor, and a microphone sensor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensors include a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the first real-world activity comprises the sensor device being located at a specified geographic location, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect when a determined location of the sensor device matches the specified geographic location.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensors include a light-detecting sensor, wherein the first real-world activity comprises the sensor device being within a physical environment having a measure of luminosity that is greater than a predefined level of luminosity, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect the measure of luminosity using based on the data collected using the light-detecting sensor.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein configuring the sensor device to detect the first real-world activity further comprises configuring the first physical device to provide one or more forms of user feedback in response to detecting the first real-world activity.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein establishing communications with the sensor device associated with the user account further comprises:

detecting the sensor device is connected to a base device in communication with the computer system; and

establishing a connection with the sensor device, through the base device.

19. A computer-implemented method to implement game attributes unlockable via real-world activities, the computer-implemented comprising:

determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game executing on a computer system;

establishing communications with a sensor device associated with the user account and having one or more sensors, wherein the sensor device is communicatively connected to the computer system and detachably coupled to a toy device, wherein the computer game is usable absent the toy device and the sensor device;

authenticating the toy device by communicating with an Application Programming Interface (API) of the sensor device, wherein the sensor device is configured to retrieve identification information for the toy device from a memory of the toy device;

in response to an in-game event within the computer game, configuring the sensor device to detect a first real-world activity by configuring the sensor device with one or more conditional statements for evaluating, against a defined threshold value, data collected using one or more sensors of the sensor device, wherein the one or more conditional statements, when satisfied based on the collected data, indicate that the first real-world activity is completed; and

upon receiving, from the sensor device, an indication that the first real-world activity has been completed, unlocking one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed real-world activity, whereafter the computer game, including the unlocked one or more gameplay attributes, is usable absent the toy device and the sensor device.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the first real-world activity comprises performance of a user action, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect that the performance of the user action has occurred based on the collected data exceeding the defined threshold value, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an accelerometer, a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, a light sensor, and a microphone sensor, wherein unlocking one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game based on the completed real-world activity further comprises:

identifying a first avatar, within the computer game, that corresponds to a user performing the user action, based on the determined user identification information; and

providing, based on the completed real-world activity, a reward within the computer game by granting, to the first avatar, at least one of one or more experience points, one or more skill points, and one or more skills.