REAL WORLD GAMING FRAMEWORK

• US 20090005140A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: De Vries, Miriam Wiggers, Rose, Gregory Gordon, Paddon, Michael, Hawkes, Philip Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,675,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• 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 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• 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 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 : player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 : for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 : for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• 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 2300/80 : specially adapted for executing a specific type of game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 : Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 : Virtual reality

Abstract

A virtual environment and real world environment are combined into a framework that facilitates large-scale social interaction in multi-player fantasy games played in both the real world and/or a virtual world. Such combination of real and virtual world features may blend geo-caching, orienteering, and other virtual gaming features to enable players to interact across the real and virtual environments. A real world player is also mapped into the virtual environment, thereby inserting the player'"'"'s movements and actions into the virtual environment. Additionally, this feature enables interaction between players located in a real environment with characters found in a virtual environment. A player may use a mobile device that is configured to recognize the geo-location and orientation of the player and display a corresponding view of the virtual environment gaming landscape for the player.

Claims

12. A mobile device, comprising:

a location module to identify the location of the mobile device in a real environment;

a processing circuit coupled to the location module, the processing circuit configured to

ascertain location information for a user of the mobile device;

map features of the real environment into a virtual environment gaming landscape based on the location information; and

an output device coupled to the processing circuit to display the virtual environment gaming landscape to the user.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

an orientation detector coupled to the processing circuit to provide orientation information for the mobile device,

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to display a view of the virtual environment gaming landscape corresponding to a view indicated by the orientation information.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

a motion detection module coupled to the processing circuit, the motion detection module serving to ascertain user motion in the real environment,

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to

associate a game character in the virtual environment gaming landscape to the user; and

adjust the movement of the game character according to the motion of the user in the real environment.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

a communication module coupled to the processing circuit to wirelessly receive gaming information other characters corresponding to other users in the real environment;

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to facilitate interactions between the user and the other characters in the virtual environment.

16. The mobile device of claim 12 further comprising:

an image capture device to capture images of the real environment,

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to use the images to map features between the real environment and the virtual environment.

17. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the image capture device is configured to refine the position and orientation of the user within the virtual environment gaming landscape.

18. A mobile device comprising:

means for identifying a real environment location of a player;

means for obtaining data for the identified real environment location;

means for mapping features of the real environment into a virtual environment;

means for generating a virtual environment gaming landscape using real environment data;

means for integrating the virtual environment gaming landscape into a game; and

means for displaying the gaming landscape to the player.

19. The mobile device of claim 18 further comprising:

means for adjusting the displayed gaming landscape based on the movements of the player.

20. The mobile device of claim 18 further comprising:

means for identifying one or more buildings in an area surrounding the real environment location; and

means for associating at least one of the one or more buildings with a virtual object.

21. The mobile device of claim 18 further comprising:

means for obtaining identifying information for the player;

means for identifying a location for the player in the real environment;

means for obtaining a game character associated with the player; and

means for embedding the character into the virtual environment gaming landscape.

22. The mobile device of claim 21 further comprising:

means for tracking movements of the player in the real environment; and

means for moving the character in the gaming landscape according to the movements of the player in the real environment.

23. A machine-readable medium having one or more instructions for mapping a real environment to a virtual environment as part of an interactive game, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

identify a real environment location of a player;

obtain data for the identified real environment location;

map features of the real environment into a virtual environment;

generate a virtual environment gaming landscape using real environment data;

integrate the virtual environment gaming landscape into a game; and

display the gaming landscape to the player.

1. A method for extending a gaming landscape from a real environment into a virtual environment, comprising:

identifying a real environment location of a player;

obtaining data for the identified real environment location;

mapping features of the real environment into a virtual environment;

generating a virtual environment gaming landscape using real environment data;

integrating the virtual environment gaming landscape into a game; and

displaying the gaming landscape to the player.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting the displayed gaming landscape based on the movements of the player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein mapping features of the real environment to the virtual environment includes

identifying one or more buildings in an area surrounding the real environment location;

and

associating at least one of the one or more buildings with a virtual object.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein integrating the virtual environment gaming landscape into a game includes

integrating the virtual object into the virtual environment at a location corresponding to its real environment location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining identifying information for the player;

identifying a location for the player in the real environment;

obtaining a game character associated with the player; and

embedding the character into the virtual environment gaming landscape.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

tracking movements of the player in the real environment; and

moving the character in the gaming landscape according to the movements of the player in the real environment.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

managing interactions between the character and other characters in the gaming landscape; and

tracking interactions between the player and other players in the real environment.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

managing interactions between the player in the real environment and one or more characters in the gaming landscape.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the interactions between the character and other characters includes at least one of fighting, cooperating, trading, and competing with the characters in the gaming landscape.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the interactions include one of at least the exchange, sale, or trade of an object.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating transactions using currency in the real environment for assets in the virtual environment.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23 having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to further:

adjust the displayed gaming landscape based on the movements of the player.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 23 having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to further:

identify one or more buildings in an area surrounding the real environment location; and

associate at least one of the one or more buildings with a virtual object.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 26 having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to further:

track movements of the player in the real environment; and

move the character in the gaming landscape according to the movements of the player in the real environment.

26-1. The machine-readable medium of claim 23 having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to further:

obtain identifying information for the player;

identify a location for the player in the real environment;

obtain a game character associated with the player; and

embed the character into the virtual environment gaming landscape.

28. A processing device, comprising:

a processing circuit configured to

identify a real environment location of a player;

obtain data for the identified real environment location;

map features of the real environment into a virtual environment;

generate a virtual environment gaming landscape using real environment data;

integrate the virtual environment gaming landscape into a game; and

display the gaming landscape to the player.

29. The processing device of claim 28, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

adjust the displayed gaming landscape based on the movements of the player.

30. The processing device of claim 28, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

identify one or more buildings in an area surrounding the real environment location; and

associate at least one of the one or more buildings with a virtual object.

31. The processing device of claim 28, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

obtain identifying information for the player;

identify a location for the player in the real environment;

obtain a game character associated with the player; and

embed the character into the virtual environment gaming landscape.

32. The processing device of claim 31, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

track movements of the player in the real environment; and

move the character in the gaming landscape according to the movements of the player in the real environment.