Wireless communication between physical figures to evidence real-world activity and facilitate development in real and virtual spaces

• US 10,229,608 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellifect Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intellifect Incorporated
• Inventors: Lundin, John A., Westfall, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US15/655,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20170316704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/14 with provision for individual teacher-student communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to physical figures having wireless communication devices implanted therein to capture evidence relating to real-world activities that may be required to progress in real-world and/or virtual spaces. For example, the wireless communication devices implanted in the physical figures may confirm proximity to other users and capture evidence indicating that progress has been achieved in real-world missions that may involve teamwork, competition, outdoor activities, and/or other real-world interaction. In one embodiment, the physical figures may have one or more sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.) that can measure activities performed with the physical figures such that the wireless communication devices implanted therein may exchange the sensor measurements in relation to the cooperative and/or competitive interaction therebetween.

Claims

1. A physical figure, comprising:

one or more body pieces having a character likeness;

a wireless communication device configured to capture evidence confirming that a user associated with a team having multiple members has performed a real-world activity that includes at least a wireless communication with a second physical figure having wireless communication capabilities, the real-world activity representing an advancement towards achieving one or more real-world team objectives that are defined in a virtual space, wherein the one or more real-world team objectives include a requirement that the physical figure be used to perform the real-world activity that includes at least the wireless communication with the second physical figure during a real-world interaction between the user and at least one other user; and

a processing unit configured to transmit the captured evidence to a computing platform configured to determine progress that the team has made towards achieving the one or more real-world team objectives defined in the virtual space based at least in part on the evidence captured with the wireless communication device.

2. The physical figure recited in claim 1, wherein the captured evidence confirms that the user performed the real-world activity based on the wireless communication with the second physical figure confirming proximity between the user and the second physical figure.

3. The physical figure recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a location data receiver configured to determine a location associated with the physical figure, and wherein the captured evidence confirms that the user performed the real-world activity based on the determined location.

4. The physical figure recited in claim 1, wherein the real-world activity comprises one or more of a cooperative activity or a competitive activity that requires wireless interaction with the second physical figure.

5. The physical figure recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to measure motion that further confirms that the user has performed real-world physical activity.

6. The physical figure recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is further configured to detect the second physical figure in proximity thereto via the wireless communication, and wherein the processing unit is further configured to generate the one or more real-world team objectives that include the requirement that the physical figure be used to perform the real-world activity in response to a determination that the second physical figure was used to perform the real-world activity.

7. The physical figure recited in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to receive character representation information that indicates the progress that the team has made towards achieving the one or more real-world team objectives defined in the virtual space.

8. The physical figure recited in claim 7, further comprising one or more display screens configured to display the character representation information that indicates the progress that the team has made towards achieving the one or more real-world team objectives defined in the virtual space.

9. The physical figure recited in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit the captured evidence to the computing platform over a wireless link using the wireless communication device.

10. The physical figure recited in claim 1, wherein the real-world activity comprises one or more of a social experience, a physical activity, or a learning experience.

11. A method for capturing evidence that relates to real-world activities, comprising:

establishing a wireless connection at a physical figure, wherein the physical figure comprises one or more body pieces having a character likeness;

monitoring the wireless connection to capture evidence confirming that a user associated with a team having multiple members has performed a real-world activity that includes at least a wireless communication with a second physical figure having wireless communication capabilities, the real-world activity representing an advancement towards achieving one or more real-world team objectives that are defined in a virtual space, wherein the one or more real-world team objectives include a requirement that the physical figure be used to perform the real-world activity that includes at least the wireless communication with the second physical figure during a real-world interaction between the user and at least one other user; and

transmitting the captured evidence to a computing platform configured to determine progress that the team has made towards achieving the one or more real-world team objectives defined in the virtual space based at least in part on the evidence captured over the monitored wireless connection.

12. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising confirming that the user performed the real-world activity based on the captured evidence including wireless communication with another proximally located physical figure.

13. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising determining a location associated with the physical figure using a location data receiver implanted in the physical figure, wherein the captured evidence confirms that the user performed the real-world activity based on the determined location.

14. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the real-world activity comprises one or more of a cooperative activity or a competitive activity that requires wireless interaction with another physical figure.

15. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising obtaining one or more motion measurements confirming that the user has performed real-world physical activity using one or more internal sensors implanted in the physical figure or one or more external sensors that communicate with the physical figure over the wireless connection.

16. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising:

detecting another proximally located physical figure via the wireless connection; and

generating the one or more real-world team objectives that include the requirement that the physical figure be used to perform the real-world activity in response to a determination that the other physical figure was used to perform the real-world activity.

17. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising receiving character representation information that indicates the progress that the team has made towards achieving the one or more real-world team objectives defined in the virtual space.

18. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising displaying the character representation information that indicates the progress that the team has made towards achieving the one or more real-world team objectives defined in the virtual space on one or more display screens located on the physical figure.

19. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the captured evidence is transmitted to the computing platform over the wireless connection.

20. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the real-world activity comprises one or more of a social experience, a physical activity, or a learning experience.