Mobile reality gaming

• US 20070149286A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bemmel, Jeroen
• Application Number:
  US11/319,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149286A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/41
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• 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 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• 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: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

The present invention presents a method for providing mobile gaming in a wireless communication network. The method includes provisioning a virtual game space operable for use with a virtual game. The virtual game space includes a plurality of virtual fields that correspond with cells in at least one wireless communication network. At least one notification of a real world event received from a mobile device of a player of the virtual game is processed, wherein state changes in the virtual game are related to the process events.

Claims

1. A method for providing mobile gaming in a wireless communication network, comprising:

provisioning a virtual game space operable for use with a virtual game, wherein the virtual game space comprises a plurality of virtual fields that correspond with cells in at least one wireless communication network; and

processing at least one notification of a real world event received from a mobile device of a player of the virtual game, wherein state changes in the virtual game are related to the processed events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one notification is generated in response to the mobile device crossing a boundary between a first cell and a second cell in the wireless communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to join the virtual game from at least one mobile device in the wireless communication network, wherein the game request is a text message sent over the wireless communication network to a predetermined destination address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the state change is a change in a virtual location of the player in the virtual game space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual game includes a plurality of game conditions, and processing the at least one notification further comprises:

determining if at least one of the plurality of game conditions is satisfied by the at least one real world event notification; and

if a condition is satisfied, generating a responsive action.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining if at least one of the plurality of game conditions is satisfied includes determining whether an end of game condition is satisfied.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein determining if at least one of the plurality of game conditions is satisfied includes determining whether a first player is occupying the same cell as a second player.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if the game condition is satisfied, the responsive action is a text message to both the first and second player indicating a winner of the virtual game.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual game is encoded by a game program that uses an open network application programming interface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the virtual game space with a real world point of interest, wherein the real world point of interest is a moving object equipped with a transceiver for generating a wireless coverage area, and the coverage area of the moving object is mapped into the virtual game space as a corresponding moving virtual field.

11. A method for providing mobile gaming in a wireless communication network, comprising:

provisioning a virtual game space operable for use with a virtual game, wherein the virtual game space comprises a plurality of virtual fields that correspond with cells in at least one wireless communication network; and

processing at least one notification of a real world event received from a mobile device of a player of the virtual game, wherein the virtual game includes a plurality of game conditions, and processing the at least one notification comprises;

determining if at least one of the plurality of game conditions is satisfied by the at least one real world event notification; and

if a condition is satisfied, generating a responsive action.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one notification is generated in response to the mobile device crossing a boundary between a first cell and a second cell in the wireless communication network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing of the at least one notification further comprises:

updating a virtual location of the player in the virtual game space.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

updating the virtual game space with a real world point of interest, wherein the real world point of interest is a moving object equipped with a transceiver for generating a wireless coverage area, and the coverage area of the moving object is mapped into the virtual game space as a corresponding moving virtual field.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the virtual game is encoded by a game program that uses an open network application programming interface.

16. A method for providing mobile gaming in a wireless communication network, comprising:

provisioning a virtual game space operable for use with a virtual game, wherein the virtual game space comprises a plurality of virtual fields that correspond with cells in at least one wireless communication network; and

processing at least one notification of a real world event received from a mobile device of a player of the virtual game, wherein the virtual game includes a plurality of game conditions, and processing the at least one notification comprises;

determining whether a first player is occupying the same cell as a second player; and

if the condition is satisfied, generating a responsive action signaling a winner of the virtual game.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one notification is generated in response to the mobile device crossing a boundary between a first cell and a second cell in the wireless communication network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the processing of the at least one notification further comprises:

updating a virtual location of the player in the virtual game space.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether an end of game condition has been satisfied; and

if the end of game condition is satisfied, sending a notification that the virtual game has ended.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the end of game condition is satisfied upon entry of a designated cell by at least one player of the virtual game.