Use of the data stored by a racing car positioning system for supporting computer-based simulation games

• US 20040135677A1
• Filed: 04/18/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Asam
• Original Assignee: Robert Asam
• Inventors: Asam, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/297,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135677A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• 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: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• 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 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

Data obtained and preferably stored or buffered by the positioning system for racing cars according to an older, separate application PCT/EP00/10518 is used to support computer-based simulation games, The reference data obtained in such a way forms marginal conditions for the computer simulation game. The use of the positioning system, or the data obtained thereby, opens up the possibility of providing such simulation games with an as yet unachieved realistic touch. The real-time axis of the racing course, for example, or the real driving condition data and operating data pertained to the racing cars during the real finished or ongoing race are entered as marginal conditions for the simulation game. Tis data can be made compatible with the simulation immediately by means of appropriate interface software.

Claims

1. The use of the position and/or operating data of a positioning system (1) for racecars on a racetrack, preferably recorded for the fill race distance, using at least one racecar as reference data for a computer simulation game.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the reference data in processed form are used by a computer simulation game.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the position data of the positioning system include the altitude data of the course.

4. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that the reference data are transmitted via a network such as via the Internet for use in a game embodiment.

5. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that the reference data are processed via an interface for use in a game application.

6. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 5 in connection with a positioning system (1) with

a plurality of racecars (3), whereby each racecar (3) has a vehicle information device (4) that includes

a vehicle information device (4) that includes [sic]

a positioning device (5) to collect and output position data that allow the determination of the position of the vehicle (3) and

a transmitter (6) that transmits the position data, and

a control center (7) that has

at least one receiver (8) for receiving the transmitted position data,

one storage device (10) to store the track data (11) of the race track (2), and

one computation unit (9) that calculates the position of the racecars (3) on the racetrack (2) from the received position data of the respective racecars (3), and on the basis of the stored track data (11).

7. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 5 in connection with a positioning system (1) with

a first plurality of racecars (3), whereby each racecar (3) has a vehicle information device (4) that includes a transmitter (6) that sends localizing signals;

at least three localizing receivers (23) that collect and relay position data with the help of emitted localizing signals through which the position of the respective vehicle (3) can be determined;

a control central (7) that has

a storage device (1) to store track data (11) of the racetrack (2), and

one computation unit (9) that calculates the position of the racecars (3) on the racetrack (2) from the relayed position data of the respective racecars (3), and with the help of the stored track data (I l).

8. The method according to claim 7 in connection with a positioning system (1) with

a second plurality of racecars (3), whereby each racecar (3) of the second plurality has a vehicle information device (4) that includes a

positioning device (5) for the collection and output of position data that allow the determination of the positions of the vehicle (3), and

a transmitter (6) that sends the position data, whereby

the control center 7 has at least one receiver (8) to receive the transmitted position data, and

the computation unit (9) that calculates the position of the racecars (3) on the racetrack (2) for the second plurality from the received position data of the respective racecars (3), and with the help of the stored track data (11).

9. The method according to claim 8, in which the first and second plurality of racecars (3) match in part or in fill.

10. The method according to one of the claims 6 to 9, whereby the positioning device (5) collects the position data via a receiver of satellite-supported position data and/or a localizing receiver and/or a gyro sensor.

11. The method according to one of the claims 1 to 10, whereby at least one of the racecars (3) has at least one device (33-38) for the collection of vehicle operating data and/or position data that are transmitted to the control center (7) via the vehicle information device (4).

12. The method according to one of the preceding claims characterized by the fact that the position and operating data are fully or partially encoded for transmission.

13. The method according to one of the preceding claims, whereby

the control center (7) includes a transmitter (8) that transmits safety data and

at least one of the racecars (3) includes

a receiver that receives the safety data from the control center (7), and

a display that if necessary displays a warning based on the safety data.

14. The method according to one of the preceding claims with track monitoring posts (22), whereby at least one track monitoring post (22) has

a receiver that receives safety data from the control center, and

a display that if necessary displays a warning based on the safety data

15. The method according to one of the preceding claims, whereby in case of a stalled vehicles (3X) safety data are sent out by the control canter (7) that allows for a display of a warning in those vehicles (3A, 31B, 3C) or vehicle monitoring posts (22X) that are in a certain track segment.

16. The method according to one of the claims 13-15, whereby the safety data are determined with the help of the calculated position or the operating data of at least one of the racecars (3).

17. The method according to one of the preceding claims with a representation device (9, 21) that allows for a visual display of the actual position of one or more racecars (3) on the racetrack (2) via track data (11) and the vehicle positions.

18. The method according to one of the preceding claims with a data-processing device that processes selected racing data contained in the positioning system and inputs them into a network in such a way that a representation of these racing data on the displaying data-processing devices networked with the data-processing device is feasible.

19. The method according to claim 18, whereby the data-processing device and the displaying data-processing device are networked via the Internet.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, whereby the data-processing device permits the preferably interactive selection of the respective racing data to be represented and the respective mode of representation by the user of the respective displaying data-processing devices and carries out the necessary processing.