Virtual reality gaming utilizing mobile gaming

• US 10,279,261 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pinheiro, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/097,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20160228770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging

Abstract

A mobile device is configured as a point and shoot type weapon for gaming, training, or the like. Utilizing the mobile device based weapon, such as a smart phone for example, a user thereof can simply aim the mobile device at a target and shoot. Shooting may be accomplished by tapping the mobile device, activating a button or soft key on the mobile device, making a gesture (e.g., moving a finger as if a trigger is being pulled), providing an audible command (e.g., “shoot”), or the like.

Claims

1. A gaming device for interactions with other gaming devices without the use of a centralized server, the game device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

obtaining a first message associated with firing of a first virtual element from a remote gaming device;

determining a target effect area of the first virtual element based on information of the first message comprising;

an indication of a location of the remote gaming device at a time of the firing of the first virtual element, and

an indication of the aim angle at which the remote gaming device was positioned at the time of the firing of the first virtual element;

determining a current position of the first virtual element based on information of the first message comprising an indication of speed of the first virtual element and

based on the determining the target effect area and the current position of the first virtual element, providing instructions to display the target effect area, a current position of the first virtual element, and an effect of the first virtual element on the gaming device.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is based on a physical geographic area associated with the gaming device and the remote gaming device and wherein a shape of the target effect area is based on a characteristic of game device.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first virtual element is a grenade.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, the operations further comprising receiving a gesture of pulling a trigger of a weapon on the gaming device that is indicative of firing of a second virtual element targeted for the remote gaming device.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the indication of the aim angle at which the remote gaming device was positioned at the time of the firing of the first virtual element is based on information received from a sensor, the sensor comprises one or more of the following:

a GPS-based position sensor, or an acoustic sensor.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, the operations further comprising receiving an audible command that is indicative of firing of a second virtual element.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the target effect area is based on shadowing associated with physical terrain approximate to the gaming device, wherein the physical terrain comprises a building model obtained using satellite images.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises a characteristic of the gaming device that indicates the sensitivity to virtual damage of the gaming device.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

determining a round effect time of the first virtual element; and

determining that the gaming device has been virtually hit by the first virtual element when the gaming device is in the target effect area during the round effect time.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first virtual element comprises a projectile.

11. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the determination as to whether the gaming device is in the target effect area at a determined time is based on a result of an adjudication function.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, the operations further comprising determining that the gaming device has been virtually hit by the first virtual element when the distance between a current location of the first virtual element and a current location of the gaming device is less than a threshold distance.

13. The gaming device of claim 1, the operations further comprising determining that the gaming device has been virtually missed by the first virtual element when the distance between a current location of the first virtual element and a current location of the gaming device is greater than a threshold distance.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is played within a geographic area having an edge boundary that is approximately the radio range of the gaming device.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device operates as a projectile type weapon.

16. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the remote gaming device operates as a projectile type weapon.

17. A method for interactions between gaming devices without the use of a centralized server, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a gaming device, a first message associated with firing of a first virtual element from a remote gaming device;

determining a target effect area of the first virtual element based on information of the first message comprising;

an indication of a location of the remote gaming device at a time of the firing of the first virtual element, and

an indication of the aim angle at which the remote gaming device was positioned at the time of the firing of the first virtual element;

determining a current position of the first virtual element based on information of the first message comprising an indication of speed of the first virtual element; and

based on the determining the target effect area and the current position of the first virtual element, providing instructions to display the target effect area, a current position of the first virtual element, and an effect of the first virtual element on the gaming device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the game is based on a physical geographic area associated with the gaming device and the remote gaming device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first virtual element is a projectile associated with a weapon.

20. The method of claim 17, the further comprising receiving a gesture of pulling a trigger of a weapon on the gaming device that is indicative of firing of a second virtual element targeted for the remote gaming device.