Method, system and apparatus for location-based gaming

• US 20070225077A1
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Geocom LLC
• Inventors: Piccionelli, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,946,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/216 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 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform

Abstract

A method of location-based gaming includes the steps of engaging a program to play a game, determining the location of a target object, providing the location of the target object to a central location, obtaining a data file pertaining to an object at the location of the target object, and generating gaming object data relative to the location of the target object.

Claims

1. A method of location-based gaming comprising the steps of:

a) engaging a program to play a game,

b) determining the location of a target object,

c) providing the location of the target object to a central location,

d) obtaining a data file pertaining to an object at the location of the target object,

e) generating gaming object data relative to the location of the target object,

f) displaying gaming object data relative to the location of the target object using a display device, and

g) interacting with the target object using the display device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in step a) the game is downloaded into a player'"'"'s mobile computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in step b) the target object is a second player.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in step b) the target object is selected from the group consisting of a physical object and a location in physical space.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the computing device comprises a locating element that provides the player'"'"'s location and orientation.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of equipping a physical game tool with location sensing and transmitting means, determining the location of the physical game tool and providing the location of the physical game tool to the central location.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaming object data is displayed to a player playing the game such that a view of a gaming object corresponds to a view the player would see if viewing a real object and such that the view changes corresponding to movements of the player.

7. A method of location-based gaming comprising the steps of:

a) engaging a program to play a game,

b) determining the location of a plurality of target objects with respect to a first player, the target objects comprising at least a second player and at least one selected from the group consisting of a physical object and a location in physical space,

c) providing the location of the target objects to a central location,

d) obtaining data files pertaining to objects at the locations of the target objects,

e) generating gaming object data relative to the locations of the target objects,

f) displaying gaming object data using a display device, and

f) interacting with at least one of the target objects using the display device.

8. A method of claim 7 wherein a virtual object is generated at a location in virtual space equivalent to the location in physical space and at least one of the players interacts with the virtual object.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of the players interacts with at least one selected from the virtual object and the other player.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one player receives a display of at least one target object in relation to the player.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the target object is a virtual object.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein each player receives a display of at least one target object in relation to each player.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the target object is a virtual object.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of equipping a physical game tool with location sensing and transmitting means, determining the location of the physical game tool, providing the location of the physical game tool to the central location, generating gaming object data relative to the location of the physical game tool, and utilizing the gaming object data relative to the location of the physical game tool to generate a display of an interaction of the physical game tool with at least one of the target objects.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the target object is a virtual object.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the display device displays gaming object data against a display of a physical background.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein the display device displays a player against a generated background.

18. The method of claim 7 wherein audio, tactile or olfactory information are provided to a player in response to generated gaming object data.

20. The method of claim 7 wherein the gaming object data is displayed to a player playing the game such that a view of a gaming object corresponds to a view the player would see if viewing a real object and such that the view changes corresponding to movements of the player.

21. A system for location-based gaming comprising

a) a mobile computing device adapted to receive a program for playing a game and at least one data file from a central location, the mobile computing device comprising a locating element that determines a player'"'"'s location and orientation

b) a ranging device that determines the distance between the player and a target object, thereby enabling determination of the location of a target object with respect to the player,

c) a transmitting device adapted to transmit the location of the target object to a central location,

d) a display device adapted to display gaming object data generated by the program using at least one data file pertaining to the target object obtained from the central location such that a view of the target object corresponds to a view the player would see if viewing a real object and such that the view changes corresponding to movements of the player, and

e) a physical game tool comprising a location sensing and transmitting device, the physical game tool enabling the player to interact with a target object therewith in virtual space.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the physical game tool is a sword.