Application programming interface for geographic data in computer games

• US 20050202877A1
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq North America LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dougherty, Christopher, Shuman, Michael V., Uhlir, Kurt Brooks, Casino, Roy
• Granted Patent: US 7,828,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• 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 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• 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 2300/663 for simulating liquid objects, e.g. water, gas, fog, snow, clouds
• 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: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 : Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8064 : Quiz
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 : Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 : Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 : Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 : using electrical means

Abstract

A computer game depicts or represents actual or imaginary geographic locales as part of the play scenarios of the games. The computer game uses a map database that contains data that represent geographic features, such as roads, in a locale. A game engine program presents a game play scenario to a user via a user interface of the game. An application programming interface program accepts requests for data from the game engine program, accesses data from the map database, and provides the data in a suitable format to the game engine program for use in presenting the game scenario to the user.

Claims

3-1. The computer game of claim 1 further comprising:

an integration function that combines road model data with data that represent roads from the map database to provide a realistic visual appearance of road-related things.

13. A method of operating a computer game that runs on a computer platform comprising:

using an application programming interface program that runs on the computer platform to accept requests for geographic data from a game engine program,

using the application programming interface program to access data from a map database, and

using the application programming interface program to provide the data in a suitable format to the game engine program.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

displaying geographic features represented by the data on a display of the computer platform as part of a game play scenario of the computer game.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

converting the geographic data from the map database to a perspective view for display by the computer platform as part of a game play scenario of the computer game.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining a curve through data points used in the map database to represent linearly extending features, wherein the curve is used for display of the linearly extending feature by the computer platform as part of a game play scenario of the computer game.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

combining road model data with data that represent roads from the map database to provide a realistic visual appearance of road-related things by the computer platform as part of a game play scenario of the computer game.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the road-related things include at least one selected from a group consisting of:

road colors, road pavement, lane stripes, curbs, sidewalks, signs, lampposts, lane dividers, traffic signals, speed bumps, and crosswalks.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

combining 3D model data with data that represent roads from the map database to provide a realistic visual representation of polygon shaped features in the region by the computer platform as part of a game play scenario of the computer game.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

combining 3D model data with data that represent roads from the map database to provide a realistic visual representation of cityscape and landscape features in the region by the computer platform as part of a game play scenario of the computer game.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

combining 3D model data with data that represent roads from the map database to provide a realistic visual representation of one of a group consisting of;

buildings, fences, trees, shrubbery, lawns, fences, and clouds in the region by the computer platform as part of a game play scenario of the computer game.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein the application programming interface program provides for spatial queries of data from the map database.

23. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

using the game engine program to access a game application shell that includes basic logic, rules, strategy, and characters for a type of computer game, wherein the game application shell.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the type of computer game is selected from a group consisting of:

a road rally game, a police chase game, a location quiz game, a “

bot”

fighter game, a flight simulator game, a “

first-person-shooter”

game, an auto theft game, and an urban development simulator game.

25. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

using the game engine program to perform specific tasks and operate on an as-needed basis during a game play scenario of the computer game.

26. The method of claim 13 wherein the game engine program comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of:

audio engines, logic engines, rules engines, animation engines, graphics engines, and user interface engines.