GEOGAME FOR MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20120094770A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• 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 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location

Abstract

A geogame utilizes wireless devices to track the movements of the players. As players move, virtual tails are generated behind each player, and their locations are determined and geocast, via a wireless geographic broadcast protocol, to all players of the geogame. Each player observes all players movements and tail locations on his/her wireless device. Players can draw sketches utilizing their respective virtual tails and/or players can traverse courses which involve various types of terrain. Players can try to avoid virtual obstacles that can be generated within the game. Players can be provided weapons to shoot through boundaries and tails.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a processor portion configured to;

determine a current location of the device;

generate a virtual tail for the device, the virtual tail having a first end and a second end, the first end representing a recent location of the device participating in a game, the second end representing a more recent location of the device, the virtual tail representing a path taken by the device, wherein a visual representation of the path is indicative of at least a partial sketch;

an input/output portion configured to;

geocast an indication of the virtual tail, wherein geocasting the indication comprises providing the indication via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception; and

a user interface portion further configured to;

render a representation of the path of the virtual tail of the device indicative of the at least partial sketch.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the input/output portion further is configured to;

receive geocasts from other devices participating in the game indicative of paths of respective virtual tails of the other devices participating in the game; and

the user interface portion further configured to;

render a representation of a respective path of a virtual tail of at least one other device participating in the game, wherein each respective path of a virtual tail of at the least one other device participating in the game is indicative of a respective at least partial sketch.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein each path of each virtual tail of each device participating in the game is a contribution to a common sketch.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the path of the virtual tail of is indicative of the device being moved over rugged terrain.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the path of the virtual tail of the device is indicative of the device being moved in a parkour-style manner.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the processor portion further is configured to;

determine a boundary of a virtual object;

determine if the current location of the device intersects a boundary of a virtual object;

when it is determined that the current location of the device intersects the boundary of the virtual object, determine that a player utilizing the device whose current location intersects the boundary of the virtual object warrants a penalty;

the input/output portion is further configured to;

geocast an indication the boundary of the virtual object; and

the user interface portion further is configured to render;

a first indication of the device at the current location of the device; and

a second indication of the virtual object at the boundary of the virtual object.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the processor portion further is configured to:

during a predetermined amount of time, when it is determined that the current location of the device intersects the boundary of the virtual object, determine that a penalty is not warranted for the player utilizing the device whose current location intersects the boundary of the virtual object; and

upon expiration of the predetermined amount of time, when it is determined that the current location of the device intersects the boundary of the virtual object, determine that a penalty is warranted for the player utilizing the device whose current location intersects the boundary of the virtual object.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the user interface portion further is configured to:

during the predetermined amount of time, render an indication of the virtual object so as to distinguish it from a rendering of the virtual object after expiration of the predetermined amount of time.

9. A method comprising:

determining a current location of a device participating in a geographic location based game;

determining a boundary of a virtual object;

generating a virtual tail for the device, the virtual tail having a first end and a second end, the first end representing a recent location of the device, the second end representing a more recent location of the device, the virtual tail representing a path taken by the device;

determining if a device crosses the virtual tail;

if it is determined that a device crosses the virtual tail, determining that a penalty is warranted for a player utilizing a device that crossed the virtual tail;

determining if the current location of the device lies within or intersects the boundary virtual object; and

when it is determined that the current location of the device lies within or intersects the boundary virtual object, determining that a penalty is warranted for a player utilizing the device whose current location intersects the boundary of the virtual object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a path of the virtual tail is indicative of the device being moved over rugged terrain.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a path of the virtual tail is indicative of the device being moved in a parkour-style manner.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a boundary for the geographic location based game;

determining if the device is within the boundary of the game;

if it is determined that the device is not within the boundary of the game, determining that a penalty is warranted for a player utilizing the device to participate in the game.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the boundary of the geographic game represents regions located at distinct, different, physical locations.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

during a predetermined amount of time, when it is determined that the current location of the device lies within or intersects the boundary of the virtual object, determining that a penalty is not warranted for the player utilizing the device whose boundary lies within or intersects the boundary of the virtual object; and

upon expiration of the predetermined amount of time, when it is determined that the current location of a device lies within or intersects the boundary of the virtual object, determining that a penalty is warranted for the player utilizing the device whose boundary lies within or intersects the boundary of the virtual object.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

during the predetermined amount of time, rendering an indication of the virtual object so as to distinguish it from a rendering of the virtual object after expiration of the predetermined amount of time.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising rendering on the device:

a representation of the boundary of the game;

a representation of the virtual object;

a representation of a location of the boundary of the virtual object;

a representation of the device; and

a representation of a current location of a device;

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a velocity of motion of the device;

determining if the velocity of the device is equal to or less than a threshold velocity; and

if it is determined that a velocity of the device is equal to or less than the threshold velocity, determining that a penalty is warranted for a player utilizing the device to participate in the game.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising rendering on the device, a representation of the virtual tail.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining if the virtual tail of the device crosses a virtual tail of another device; and

if it is determined that the virtual tail of the device crosses a virtual tail of another device, determining that a penalty is warranted for a player utilizing a device whose tail has crossed another tail.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a processor cause performance of the steps of:

receiving by a device, via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception, an indication of a boundary for a geographic location based game;

determining a current location of the device;

determining if the device is within the boundary of the game;

if it is determined that the device is not within the boundary of the game, determining that a penalty is warranted for a player utilizing the device to participate in the game;

determining a boundary of a virtual object;

determining if the current location of the device lies within or intersects a boundary of the virtual object; and

when it is determined that the current location of the device lies within or intersects a boundary of a virtual object, determining that a penalty is warranted for a player utilizing the device whose boundary lies within or intersects the boundary of the virtual object.