Method and system for interacting with simulated phenomena
First Claim
1. A method for interacting with a computer-controlled simulated phenomenon according to a narrative, comprising:
- receiving an indication from a mobile device to interact with the simulated phenomenon;
performing the indicated interaction as a function of both an attribute of the simulated phenomenon and an attribute of the mobile device, the attribute of the mobile device based upon a physical characteristic associated with the mobile device in the real world, and causing an action to occur based upon the indicated interaction and the narrative.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for interacting with simulated phenomena are provided. Example embodiments provide a Simulated Phenomena Interaction System “SPIS,” which enables a user to incorporate simulated phenomena into the user'"'"'s real world environment by interacting with the simulated phenomena. In one embodiment, the SPIS comprises a mobile environment (e.g., a mobile device) and a simulation engine. The mobile environment may be configured as a thin client that remotely communicates with the simulation engine, or it may be configured as a fat client that incorporates one or more of the components of the simulation engine into the mobile device. These components cooperate to define the characteristics and behavior of the simulated phenomena and interact with users via mobile devices. The characteristics and behavior of the simulated phenomena are based in part upon values sensed from the real world, thus achieving a more integrated correspondence between the real world and the simulated world. Interactions, such as detection, measurement, communication, and manipulation, typically are initiated by the mobile device and responded to by the simulation engine based upon characteristics and behavior of the computer-generated and maintained simulated phenomena.
330 Citations
263 Claims
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1. A method for interacting with a computer-controlled simulated phenomenon according to a narrative, comprising:
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receiving an indication from a mobile device to interact with the simulated phenomenon;
performing the indicated interaction as a function of both an attribute of the simulated phenomenon and an attribute of the mobile device, the attribute of the mobile device based upon a physical characteristic associated with the mobile device in the real world, and causing an action to occur based upon the indicated interaction and the narrative. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A simulation engine for interacting with a computer-controlled simulated phenomenon, comprising:
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a narrative engine having control flow logic;
a data repository that stores attribute values associated with the simulated phenomenon; and
a simulated phenomenon interaction component, that is structured to receive an interaction indication from a mobile device;
execute an interaction function based upon the stored attribute values of the simulated phenomenon and a physical characteristic associated with the mobile device in the real world; and
cause an action to occur based upon the executed interaction function and the control flow logic of the narrative engine. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to interact with a computer-controlled simulated phenomenon according to a narrative, by:
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receiving an indication from a mobile device to interact with the simulated phenomenon;
performing the indicated interaction as a function of both an attribute of the simulated phenomenon and an attribute of the mobile device, the attribute of the mobile device based upon a physical characteristic associated with the mobile device in the real world, and causing an action to occur based upon the indicated interaction and the narrative. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. A mobile computer game environment comprising:
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a mobile device controlled by an operator; and
a simulation engine that implements a simulated phenomenon according to a narrative for interacting with the simulated phenomenon, the simulation engine structured to receive an indicated interaction;
perform the indicated interaction based upon at least one attribute of the simulated phenomenon, at least one physical attribute of the mobile device related-to the real world, and the narrative;
and indicate results of the performed interaction. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123)
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124. A method in a computer game environment having a mobile device and a simulation engine that implements a simulated phenomenon and narrative logic, comprising:
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under control of the mobile device, indicating a desired interaction to the simulation engine;
under control of the simulation engine receiving the indicated interaction;
performing the indicated interaction based upon at least one attribute of the simulated phenomenon, at least one physical attribute of the mobile device related to the real world, and the narrative logic; and
indicating results of the performed interaction. - View Dependent Claims (125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143)
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144. A computer-based simulation training environment for training an operator to interact with a physical phenomenon, comprising:
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a mobile device that is controlled by the operator; and
a simulation engine that is structured to simulate the physical phenomenon;
receive an interaction request from the mobile device that indicates an attribute associated with the mobile device that is based upon a real world characteristic; and
cause an interaction with the simulated physical phenomenon according to control flow logic of a narrative, based at least in part on the indicated attribute of the mobile device and an attribute of the simulated physical phenomenon. - View Dependent Claims (145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168)
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169. A method in a computer-based simulation training environment for training an operator to interact with a physical phenomenon, the training environment having a mobile device and a simulation engine that simulates the physical phenomenon and a narrative, comprising:
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under control of the mobile device, indicating to the simulation engine a desired interaction that indicates an attribute of the mobile device that is based upon a real world characteristic of the device; and
under control of the simulation engine, receiving the interaction request; and
causing an interaction to occur with the simulated physical phenomenon according to control flow logic of the narrative, based at least in part on the indicated attribute of the mobile device and an attribute of the simulated physical phenomenon. - View Dependent Claims (170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191)
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192. A simulated phenomenon simulator for interacting with a mobile device having a location-based physical attribute, comprising:
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a data repository that stores attribute values of the simulated phenomenon;
a narrative that describes actions that occur when a set of conditions are met and data; and
a simulation control flow logic that causes interactions to occur with the simulated phenomenon by modifying the stored attribute values according to the narrative actions and data and according to the location-based physical attribute of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (193, 194, 195, 196)
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197. A mobile device for interacting with a computer-based simulation engine that implements a simulated phenomenon having at least one attribute based upon sensing a real world physical attribute and that performs interactions with the simulated phenomenon, each interaction performed as a function of the at least one attribute of the simulated phenomenon, and an attribute of the mobile device, comprising:
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a sensor that determines a value of an attribute associated with the physical environment of the mobile device;
an output module that indicates to the simulation engine to perform a desired one of the interactions with the simulated phenomenon, the indication including the value of the attribute determined by the sensor; and
an input module for receiving indications from the simulation engine of the performed interaction with the simulated phenomenon. - View Dependent Claims (198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216)
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217. A method in a mobile device for interacting with a computer-based simulation engine that implements a simulated phenomenon having at least one attribute based upon a real world physical attribute, and that performs interactions with the simulated phenomenon, each interaction performed as a function of the at least one attribute of the simulated phenomenon and a physical attribute of the mobile device, comprising:
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sensing a value of an attribute associated with the physical environment of the mobile device;
sending an indication to the simulation engine of a desired one of the interactions to be performed, the indication including the sensed value of the attribute; and
receiving indications from the simulation engine of the performed interaction with the simulated phenomenon. - View Dependent Claims (218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224)
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225. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to interact with a computer-based simulation engine that implements a simulated phenomenon having at least one attribute based upon a real world physical attribute, and that performs interactions with the simulated phenomenon, each interaction performed as a function of the at least one attribute of the simulated phenomenon and a physical attribute of the mobile device, by:
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sensing a value of an attribute associated with the physical environment of the mobile device;
sending an indication to the simulation engine of a desired one of the interactions to be performed, the indication including the sensed value of the attribute; and
receiving indications from the simulation engine of the performed interaction with the simulated phenomenon. - View Dependent Claims (226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232)
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233. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer process to simulate interactions between a simulated phenomenon and a mobile device, comprising:
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detection instructions that determine whether, given a current state of the device, a modeled state of the device based upon the current state, and a model of characteristics of the simulated phenomenon, the simulated phenomenon is detectable by the mobile device; and
additional interaction instructions that perform at least one of measurement of an attribute of the simulated phenomenon, communication with the simulated phenomenon, and manipulation of an attribute of the simulated phenomenon. - View Dependent Claims (234, 235)
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236. A computer-controlled guide for guiding an operator of a mobile device to transit in a direction determined by the guide, comprising:
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a sensing component that is structured to sense values for an attribute of the real world environment associated with the mobile device;
a simulated phenomena simulation engine that is structured to, receive indications from the sensing component of sensed values of the attribute of the real world environment;
cause simulated phenomena to be presented via the mobile device in a manner that leads the operator to transit in the determined direction, the presentation of the simulated phenomena being based in part on the received sensed values. - View Dependent Claims (237, 238, 239, 240)
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241. A method for interacting with a computer-controlled simulated phenomenon, comprising:
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receiving an indication from a mobile device to interact with the simulated phenomenon;
receiving an indication of a value of a real world attribute that is sensed from the environment associated with the mobile device; and
performing the indicated interaction as a function of both an attribute of the simulated phenomenon and an attribute of the mobile device, wherein the behavior of the simulated phenomenon responsive to the indicated interaction is based upon the received indication of the sensed value of the real world attribute and at least one imaginary attribute. - View Dependent Claims (242, 243, 244, 245, 246)
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247. A simulation environment for interacting with a computer-controlled simulated phenomenon, comprising:
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a sensor that receives an indication of a value of a real world attribute that is sensed from an environment associated with a mobile device; and
a simulation engine that stores data and logic to represent and control the simulated phenomenon, and that is structure to, receive an indication from the mobile device to interact with the simulated phenomenon;
receive the indication of the value of the real world attribute; and
perform the indicated interaction as a function of both an attribute of the simulated phenomenon and an attribute of the mobile device, wherein the behavior of the simulated phenomenon responsive to the indicated interaction is based upon the received indication of the sensed value of the real world attribute and at least one imaginary attribute. - View Dependent Claims (248, 249, 250, 251, 252)
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253. A software interface, stored in a computer-readable memory medium, for providing interaction with a simulated phenomenon in a computer-based simulation system, comprising:
sending a value of an attribute of the simulated phenomenon that is based upon a sensed value of a physical attribute in the real world environment. - View Dependent Claims (254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263)
Specification