SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOCATION BASED GAMES AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE SAME ON LOCATION ENABLED DEVICES

• US 20080015018A1
• Filed: 07/15/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 11,904,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/39
• 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

A location-based game system is provided. Such a system may take the form of any device (e.g., a wireless telephone) that includes a locating device (e.g., a GPS system). One such location-based game may operate such that the actual, physical location of a user on a physical playfield corresponds to the location of a virtual character on a virtual playfield. Such location based games are referred to herein as actuality games. In one multiplayer actuality embodiment, two game devices may communicate location, and other, information to a remote database such that the two user'"'"'s may interact on different physical playfields, but play on the same virtual playfield. A number of wireless communications protocols, self-configuration, and auto-download software applications are also provided to optimize integration with, for example, a wireless telephone.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A system comprising:

a location-based game;

a first locating device for providing a first control signal for a first character of said location based game; and

a second locating device for providing a second control signal for said first character of said location based game.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said location-based game includes a second character and said second character is user-controlled.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said location-based game includes a second character and said second character is computer controlled.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said first locating device comprises a positioning receiver.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein said first locating device is provided in a device and said first locating device is utilized in determining the direction said device is pointing toward.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein boundaries for said location-based video game are manually set.

25. A system comprising:

a location-based game;

a locating device, located in a device, for providing a control signal for a character of said location-based game, wherein boundaries for said location-based video game are set manually on said device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said location-based game is wirelessly downloaded.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein a second device provides a second control signal for a second character of said location-based game.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein a second device provides a second control signal for a second character of said location-based game and said second control signal is scaled.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said locating device comprises a positioning receiver.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein said locating device is utilized in determining the direction said device is pointing toward.

31. The system of claim 25, further comprising a second locating device, located in said device, for providing a second control signal for said character of said location-based game, wherein said first and second locating devices are utilized in determining the direction said device is pointing toward.

32. A method for providing a multiple-user location-based program comprising:

obtaining a reference location for a device;

obtaining a distance and direction from said reference location for said device; and

transmitting to a second device said distance and direction from said reference location.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said reference location is obtained by taking the average of a plurality of locations for said device.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said location-based program is a location-based game.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said reference location is obtained by a locating device located in said device.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein said reference location is obtained by a locating device located in said device and said locating device comprise a positioning receiver.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein dimensions for said location-based program for said device are manually set on said device.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein said device is a wireless telephonic device.