Online game experience using multiple devices

• US 10,300,378 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Yang-Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall, Shauna-Kay
• Application Number:
  US15/657,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20170319955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines

Abstract

Technologies and implementations for providing an online game experience using multiple devices are generally disclosed including methods and devices for, in some examples, receiving first data from a first device, the received first data being associated with a first interaction with the online game, receiving a request to utilize a second device and responsive to the received request, transmitting second data to the second device, the second data being associated with a second interaction with the online game, the second interaction related to first interaction but being different from the first interaction.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method to provide a gaming experience, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a first device and a second device for interaction with a game;

sending, by the processor to the first device, first data, related to the game, for display via a main information window of the first device;

determining, by the processor, a distance between the first device and the second device; and

in response to determining that the distance between the first device and the second device is greater than a specific distance;

customizing, by the processor, second data, related to the game, to include an indication of a proximity error in the second data; and

sending, by the processor to the second device, the customized second data for display via a sub-information window of the second device, wherein the sub-information window of the second device is configured to display data that is distinct from data displayed in the main information window of the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether the second device is a registered device; and

including, by the processor, an indication of a non-registered device with the second data, in response to determining that the second device is non-registered.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether the second device has a touch screen; and

in response to determining that the second device has the touch screen, selecting, by the processor, the sub-information window of the second device for presentation of the customized second data on the touch screen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second device comprises identifying one or more available secondary devices that are suitable for interaction with the game, and wherein the one or more available secondary devices are located within the specific distance from the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the second data based on a location and an orientation of the second device relative to the first device.

6. A processor-implemented method to provide a gaming experience, wherein the processor-implemented method is performed by a game host, the processor-implemented method comprising:

identifying a first device and a second device for interaction with a game;

transmitting first data, related to the game, to the first device, for display via a main information window of the first device;

determining a location and an orientation of the second device relative to the first device; and

identifying, based on the location and the orientation of the second device relative to the first device, second data related to the game; and

transmitting the second data to the second device for display via a sub-information window of the second device, wherein the sub-information window is configured to display data that is distinct from data displayed in the main information window of the first device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether the second device has a touch screen; and

in response to determining that the second device has the touch screen, selecting the sub-information window of the second device for presentation of the second data on the touch screen.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a distance between the first device and the second device; and

in response to determining that the distance between the first device and the second device is greater than a specific distance, transmitting, in the second data, a proximity error to the second device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the second data comprises data that is indicative of the second device being a non-registered device.

10. A game system, comprising:

a first device that includes a main information window; and

a second device that includes a sub-information window, wherein;

the first device is operable to obtain, from a game host, first data, related to a game, for display via the main information window of the first device, and

the second device is operable to obtain, from the game host, second data, related to the game, for display via the sub-information window of the second device,

the second data includes proximity error data that is indicative of a distance between the first device and the second device being greater than a specific distance, and

the sub-information window is configured to display data that is distinct from data displayed on the main information window of the first device.

11. The game system of claim 10, wherein the first device is further operable to:

obtain, from the game host, a list of secondary devices available for interaction with the game; and

transmit, to the game host, a request to utilize one or more of the secondary devices, on the list of secondary devices, to display the second data related to the game.

12. The game system of claim 10, wherein the second device is further operable to:

determine whether a specific webpage is loaded in a browser of the second device; and

in response to a determination that the specific webpage is loaded in the browser, transmit a request to the game host, wherein the request indicates that the second device is available for utilization, as a component of the game, concurrently with the first device.

13. The game system of claim 10, wherein the first device comprises a game console.

14. The game system of claim 10, wherein the second device comprises a mobile device.

15. The game system of claim 14, wherein the mobile device comprises at least one of:

a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, or a tablet personal computer.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer executable instructions, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform or control performance of operations that comprise:

identify a first device and a second device for interaction with a game;

end, to the first device, first data, related to the game, for display via a main information window of the first device;

determine a distance between the first device and the second distance; and

in response to a determination that the distance between the first device and the second device is greater than a specific distance;

customize second data, related to the game, to include of an indication of a proximity error in the second data; and

end, to the second device, the customized second data for display via a sub-information window of the second device, wherein the sub-information window of the second device is configured to display data that is distinct from data displayed in the main information window of the first device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer executable instructions, in response to execution by the processor, further cause the processor to perform or control performance of at least one operation that comprises:

identify one or more available secondary devices that are suitable for interaction with the game, wherein the one or more available secondary devices are located within the specific distance from the first device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the sub-information window is selected based on a location and an orientation of the second device relative to the first device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer executable instructions, in response to execution by the processor, further cause the processor to perform or control performance of at least one operation that comprises:

determine that a specific webpage is loaded in a browser of the second device; and

in response to the determination that the specific page is loaded in the browser, send, to the first device, an indication that the second device is available for utilization, as a component of the game, concurrently with the first device.